Private Dining Rooms

Overview

Conveniently located at just 5 minutes walk from Kings Cross & St Pancras Station, Rotunda’s private dining room offers stunning water views and access to its own terrace.

This hidden gem is ideal for sit down dinners up to 24 guests and it can also be used for larger parties when having a standing up reception or a hog roast on the terrace.

Our menus are seasonal and the main focus of Olivier Escalante-Perez, Rotunda’s Chef, is always on choosing the best quality produce. Meat dishes are the highlight in our menu; all the beef and lamb come from our very own farm in Northumberland.

Our bespoke wine tastings, whisky tastings and cocktail making classes can also be arranged to add a bit of fun to your guests’ experience.

Rotunda’s team is led by Liz Reece whose experience in the industry includes some of the most iconic venues in London.

Prices start at £39 for a 3 course menu, no hire fee is required when dining.

Insider View

Kings Cross is in the middle of its ‘regeneration’ phase. Previously a decidedly unfashionable part of town, some of it now looks like - and is - a building site, other bits have been completed and provide a glimpse of what the future holds. You can tell it’s going to be uber chic; the streets are already filling up with corporate offices like The Guardian and cutting edge architects Aukett, Fitzroy & Robinson, not to mention a plethora of glass fronted modern apartment blocks popping up by the canal.

King’s Place is one of the key new developments in the area. The building itself won VisitLondon’s Business Venue of the Year last year and it is described as “a hub for music, art, dialogue and food” which also provides conferencing, events and office space and, of course, Rotunda.

The restaurant is at the back of the development, but as you walk in, the floor to ceiling glass windows open out onto the canal-side providing a delightful surprise for visitors and chance to dine al fresco, weather permitting.

The private dining room is at the far end of the semicircular restaurant. It has its own windows and oversized glass doors opening onto the terrace and is ideal for drinks, canapés, buffets and receptions.

Although it was stunningly sunny during my visit, the outside could also be used in not such ideal weather conditions, being partially sheltered by an overhanging roof.

The room itself seats 12 in a boardroom style but it’s a versatile space. The dark wooden flooring and bare tables throughout the restaurant continue through to the pdr. Cream walls, mid blue modern leather arm chairs and blue water glasses providing a lighter touch, while the heavy dark brown silk curtains would make the room feel warm and cosy in winter.

There are subtle quirky touches too; wall shelving at the far end of the room offers Cluedo and Scrabble for guests while the black and white photographic portraits of the Beatles sum up Rotunda. The fab four are pictured in laid back poses, but with shirts and ties – not quite their usual image. And so it is with the pdr, a relaxed ambience is combined with a corporate-friendly fit out which would suit a business meeting, corporate dinner or afternoon tea before a show equally well.

Private dining menus from caterers Green & Fortune, who cater the whole venue, range from £32 to £49 per prerson for three course set menus. Beef and lamb come from their own farm in Northumberland which is then hung and butchered on site, giving the venue a big fat tick in the ‘provenance’ box.

There’s no room hire, and the restaurant’s usual flower decorations are included, but there’s a minimum spend of £500.

Olivier Escalante-Perez

How long have you been at the restaurant?

6 months

Which was the first restaurant you worked in?

L’auberge de la distillerie, Guadeloupe, carribbean.

What was the last restaurant you went to, apart from your own?

Dans Le Noir.

Which restaurant is your favourite and why?

Roddizio Ricco, Brazilian restaurant.

What or who has been the biggest influence on the way you cook and why?

My mother, for cooking simple and classic dishes with great ingredients. Coming from the countryside in France, food is a big part of family life and meal times was always something to get excited about.

What is your personal signature dish?

Pan fried foie gras, beef fillet, creamed garlic spinach- classic beef rossini.

Which other chef(s) do you most admire?

Pruvot–Laurent, Roux brothers.

What’s the best part of your job?

Cooking seasonal and current food using the wonderful beef and lamb which we get straight from our farm in Northumberland.

And the worst?

Paperwork.

What would your last meal be?

Loin of pork, sausage, choucroute and a big glass of cold beer.

Do you have a chef’s shortcut that you can share with us?

Put a wine cork in your lentils when cooking to speed up the cooking process.