German Gymnasium

It’s been a crazy, busy, brilliant weekend.

Yesterday evening’s “Simon Boccanegra” was magnificently sung, but nearly all the confusing action takes place off stage (until the last act). It’s hard to stage, but the principals were so good I just found myself enjoying the sheer beauty and passion of their voices. Not, perhaps, an opera for a newcomer to the genre.

Back home today, and we returned to one of our newly discovered restaurants for a very interesting and delicious brunch.

German Gymnasium is just behind St Pancras station and we’d popped in for a drink yesterday as we explored. We loved it and booked to go back.

It’s a terrific German restaurant, located in the first purpose built gymnasium in England. It was designed by Edward Gruning with funding coming from solely from London’s German community. It was built in 1865 for the German Gymnastics Society and hosted the indoor events at London’s first Olympic Games in 1866.

After it ceased to be a gymnasium, it was used as offices for a while and opened as a wonderful bar and restaurant in November 2015.

The food and atmosphere are terrific (hence our immediate return). I couldn’t resist the Currywurst - the best I’ve had since I went to Munich a few years ago.

Definitely a place to return to (and they also have a very good vegan and vegetarian menu.)