Feast before you ride? Tuck into unexpected fine-dining bistros in Europe’s popular railway stations

26.12.2024 - 23:47 / euronews.com / Jules Verne / Belle Epoque

Feeling peckish before a long train journey is normal, but where do you go to refuel?

The days when your only options for a pre-train journey snack were a burger or a packet of crisps are long gone, thanks to the growing number of fantastic restaurants opening inside Europe’s busiest train stations.

From London to Paris and Amsterdam to Stockholm, Euronews Travel is on track to deliver you the best of railway station haute cuisine.

You’ll find the Booking Office 1869 restaurant in what was once St. Pancras Station’s ticket office.

When French architect Hugo Toro reimagined the space in 2021, his inspiration was a Victorian-style winter garden, hence the towering palm trees and plant-themed chandeliers (each one of which features 275 hand-cut brass leaves). Other highlights include the artfully exposed brickwork and the 22-metre bar, carved from marble and walnut.

As for the menu? Expect British classics alongside ones offering a nod to far-flung destinations – you don’t have to be a vegetarian to love the Miso-glazed aubergine with tahini dressing, while the Scottish charcuterie board is perfect for lunch.

This spectacular restaurant, in the heart of the Gare de Lyon train station, dates back to 1901, when former French president Emile Loubet opened it.

An explosion of Belle Époque grandeur, it became a meeting place for artists, poets and playwrights, and the decor was inspired by the Mediterranean coast’s most glamorous destinations.

The walls were – and still are – lined with priceless watercolour paintings, while chandeliers, gilt-framed mirrors, frescos and leather banquettes ramp up the luxury.

When it comes to the food, expect elevated takes on French classics – there’s a delicious Provençal-style octopus stew, although one of the most popular dishes is the roast leg of lamb, carved tableside.

This fantastic restaurant, which you’ll find at Athens’ Rouf Station, was founded by director and actress Tatiana Ligari. She restored several vintage train carriages - including the original dining car from the 1926 Simplon Orient Express, which is now this fabulous restaurant - and transformed them into a cultural venue that also incorporates a theatre and bar.

Ligari’s inspiration was the so-called train theatre referenced in Jules Verne’s ‘Around the World in 80 Days’ and, somewhat fittingly, many of the dishes are inspired by exotic destinations. We recommend the braised veal with rigatoni, aromatic tomato sauce, cinnamon, allspice and red pepper.

A brasserie-style restaurant in Stockholm’s Central Station, Luzette is located in what was once the station’s main hall. It’s filled with reminders of the building’s past, including replicas of original lamps which illuminated the station in the 1920s.

The