King’s Cross surf and turf restaurant Island is closing – and moving to a new location

Had a hankering for some good reef and beef lately? Well, you might have to wait a while to satisfy your cravings, because one of the Big Smoke’s best surf and turf restaurants is temporarily closing its doors.

Island opened last June on the top deck of Mare Street Market, and has been serving up modern takes on surf and turf classics ever since. Think catch-of-the-day Sunday roasts, skewered oysters and prawn-stuffed chicken wings. 

Upon opening in 2025, Time Out gave Island four stars. Critic Lisa Wright praised the ‘modern makeover’ the chef duo gave to the old school concept, serving up ‘proudly extravagant’ dishes and ‘fun twists and clever cooking with a relatable swagger’.

Now, the meat maestros and seafood savants behind the restaurant are swapping out their current site for some fresh digs. Chefs Tom Brown and Brad Carter took to Instagram this week to announce that the restaurant will be saying goodbye to its current N1 spot and ‘heading to a brand-new home in London’. 

‘We wanted to give this place a proper send-off and anyone who knows us – know we don’t do things quietly. So consider this your invitation,’ Brown and Carter said in their announcement, revealing that Island King’s Cross will be shucking its last oyster on Sunday August 16. 

Details on the opening date and new address are still under wraps, but the duo are rumoured to be heading to Clerkenwell. Hospitality insider Propel has reported that the eatery will be moving in upstairs at The George & Dragon, one of the area’s original gastropubs, which is currently being refurbished for an opening early next month.

Brown has had a busy past few years. His Michelin-starred Hackney seafood restaurant Cornerstone closed its doors in 2024, followed by his Shoreditch oyster joint Pearly Queen last September. His eponymous restaurant at The Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge opened in April 2025.

The best seafood restaurants in London.

Did you see that two Michelin starred Texas BBQ joints are coming to London?

Plus: a luxury kebab festival is coming to Trafalgar Square this month.

Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel.  

Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.