Hoppers to open third site in King’s Cross

Sri Lankan pancake specialist Hoppers, run by Bao and Gymkhana founders Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi, is to open a third site in King’s Cross next February.

An artist’s impression of what Hoppers in King’s Cross will look like

Inspired by the home cooking and roadside stalls of Sri Lanka and southern India, the third incarnation of Hoppers will reside in Pancras Square in King’s Cross.

Its terracotta-toned interiors will take cues from the much-travelled coastal journey from Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, to the Dutch town of Galle, and will weave in iconic landmarks along the route.

Created by Article Design Studio, the interiors will incorporate features from Bentota Railway Station and the Coat of Arms Bar at Jetwing’s Lighthouse Hotel in Galle.

Batik-patterned designs will adorn the ceiling and hand-loom fabric panels the walls, while cast iron framed glass lanterns will illuminate the main dining room.

The menu will feature bar bites, seafood grills and beachside snacks, including black pepper curry leaf prawn skewers, quail kari, and sprat and brinjal pahe.

The iron-clad concrete bar at the King’s Cross site will be Hoppers’ biggest yet, and will serve a range of beers on tap, including two of the restaurant’s own beers – Hoppers SPL (Sri Lankan Pale Ale) made with green mango, and Toddy Ale, a coconut IPA inspired by a toddy.

The cocktail list will feature sharing punches, swizzles and coolers inspired by 1960s tiki drinks blended with tropical flavours from the sub-continent, alongside a number of cocktails on tap, including a cold brew Espresso Martini made using Sri Lankan coffee.

The first Hoppers site opened in Soho in 2015, followed by a sister site in St Christopher’s Place off Oxford Street in 2017.

Hoppers founders, JKS Restaurants, are behind some of the most successful recent restaurant openings in the capital, including Trishna, Gymkhana, Bao, Bubbledogs, Brigadiers, Berenjak and Xu.