Restaurateur and hotelier Harry Handelsman (Chiltern Firehouse, Allegra, Booking Office 1869) will open The Midland Grand Dining Room in April 2023, in collaboration with critically-acclaimed chef Patrick Powell (who will continue to oversee Allegra) and globally-renowned interior designer Hugo Toro.

Sitting alongside the sympathetically restored restaurant will be an impressive stand-alone bar - Gothic Bar - as well as a private dining room, Chef’s Table experience and an expansive outdoor terrace.

The new restaurant is named after Midland Grand Hotel, the Gothic Revival 19th century hotel which originally occupied the building and the Dining & Coffee Room which operated in the same space upon the hotel's opening in 1873.  

Having worked at the likes of L’Ecrivain (Dublin), Cutler & Co (Melbourne) and Wild Honey (London), Powell spent 4 years at Chiltern Firehouse as Head Chef before being hand-picked by Handelsman to open Allegra at The Stratford hotel where he has established a reputation as one of the capital’s most exciting chefs.

At The Midland Grand Dining Room, Powell and Handelsman will collaborate once again on an exciting yet timeless offering which will compliment the arresting nature of the room whilst being versatile enough to appeal to a broad mix of guests. Powell will split his time between Allegra and The Midland Grand Dining Room. 

Menus will have resolute French origins which will inform the foundation of each dish, whilst the creativity around the ingredients, their seasonal application and their combined execution, all ensure a lighter and more innovative menu performance. 

Alongside Powell, the stellar team will be made up of some of the brightest lights of London’s hospitality scene, including Emma Underwood as General Manager, who will be assisted by Tebeho Tsekelo, Jack Porter as Bar Manager, Charlie Crote as Head Chef,  and Arran Schaffer as Head Pastry Chef. 

The dining room will seat 86 people across a mix of bespoke tables, banquettes and its very own bar.

On the project, Harry Handelsman has said "Since I redeveloped and reopened St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel back in 2011, the regeneration of King's Cross has continued apace cementing midtown as a true destination within the capital, and I'm convinced that under Patrick Powell, the upcoming launch of The Midland Grand Dining Room will go a long way to now securing the neighbourhood's culinary reputation too." 

Patrick Powell comments; “"I first walked past the building within days of moving to London and was immediately in awe of it.  So to now be opening a restaurant within it just over ten years later feels like an extraordinary privilege. The layers of history that permeate the restaurant and adjoining bar create this extraordinary sense of excitement, and thanks to Harry, I can't wait to be a part of its next chapter."