Karpo bar, King's Cross

23-27 Euston Road, NW1 2SD

Karpo bar is a relative newcomer to the King's Cross area, and if my first visit was anything to go by it has yet to draw in the crowds who will undoubtedly flock here in the future.

This underground bar is divided into two parts - the main bar area is all sleek, candlelit and luxurious, and the other space is down a step and is a separate area filled with little leather booths and cheerful photos of local people covering every inch of the walls, which is a nice touch. You can reserve this separate part of the bar for free during the week for gatherings and dos.

Above the bar on the ground floor is an excellent restaurant by the same name (in fact, both the bar and the restaurant are part of the Megaro hotel located in the same building). The food is a little on the pricey side, but it's a great spot for lunch, and their cakes - available to takeaway - are delicious and extremely reasonably priced. A special shout-out to their carrot cake - officially the best one I've ever tasted.

Cosy rating: 8/10 - not for rustic charm, but if you're looking for a dimly-lit atmospheric bar with a delicious dash of sophisticated opulence, then this is the place for you.
Secret rating: 8/10 - a hidden gem for the time being, but it's right opposite King's Cross Station on Euston Road (you can't miss it - the building with the bright mural façade, next to Barclays), and I can't imagine it will remain undiscovered for much longer.
Best bits: A great range of cocktails at around the £8 mark - not bad at all. They also have an entire menu dedicated to absinthe, if you're that way inclined!
Worst bits: They'll add 10% to your bill for table service, which of course isn't unusual.

VOC bar, King's Cross

Potions and punch at VOC

I've worked in King's Cross for a few years now, and I've known this tiny bar in the Regents Quarter 'zone' to have undergone at least a couple of makeovers in that time. Its previous incarnation was as 'Cellar N1', a nice enough little cocktail bar, which sadly never really found its feet.

The latest occupant - and let's hope it's here to stay - is VOC bar, which describes itself as a modern day interpretation of a 17th Century Punch House, inspired by the Dutch East India Company - or Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie - hence VOC. Crikey, that's a niche and a half.

But actually, niches work quite well in this tucked away part of King's Cross, with Bar Pepito a couple of doors down, specialising in sherry, doing very well indeed. VOC similarly seems to be establishing itself quite nicely since it opened last summer, and my apothecary-style bottle filled with a 'raspberry shrub' cocktail (apparently 'bottle matured' for at least 7 days) went down very nicely (and easily) indeed.

There's seating outside, but bag yourself the sofa, tucked away corner or the mezzanine snug and swig your grog like it's 1606.

Cosy rating: 6/10 - really quite tiny with a couple of sofas and secluded corners. We were there before 7.30pm so I'm sure cosiness would increase as it got darker outside.
Secret rating: 7/10 - Regents Quarter is like a mini-maze, and despite some great reviews it was easy to get a table.
Best bits: Really unique booze, pretty candles (this is the 17th century, after all...!) and service with a smile.
Worst bits: Definitely not 17th Century prices (around £8 on average - if you paid that in the 1600s that would equate to about £4,000 in today's money...!). Music was *just about* quiet enough for a decent natter.