The development of the 67-acre post-industrial void north of King’s Cross station just remade a canalside gasworks ghetto into London’s new Silicon Alley, ruled by fresh facilities for YouTube and a certain monolithic search engine that starts with G. Caravan, in the old Granary building, led the way for all. So industrial-feeling (long blond-wood tables, canvaslike sheets for window shades, plain metal racks for bar shelves) that it feels like it could be converted to a ceramics shop overnight, Caravan is always busy but glows with joie de vivre on days when its front patio is open. The place roasts its own coffee, bakes its own goods—the jalapeno cornbread is moist and kicky—and pushes its tapas-size dishes into fun flavor realms like coconut lime chicken salad, salt beef terrine, and bulgur-and-halloumi fritters. After dinner, kick back in its front yard in an amphitheater overlooking the Regent’s Canal. Another, newer location is found a few streets behind the Tate Modern (30 Great Guilford St., SE1; [tel] 020/7101-1190; Tube: Southwark or London Bridge).