The 17 greatest bakeries in London, according to Good Food

The best days invariably start with some kind of baked good. A Saturday stroll through the park is always better with a croissant in hand; the weekday commute is made that little bit easier when you’re munching on a pain au choc. 

Luckily, us Londoners live among an abundance of flaky baked goodies, and a new list has just named the top bakehouses in the Big Smoke. The team at Good Food have selected the 17 spots which they believe stand out among the crowd. Unsurprisingly, plenty of Time Out favourites have made the list. 

RECOMMENDED: Time Out’s list of the 18 best bakeries in London.

Layla Bakery in Ladbroke Grove was named the very best bakery in the capital by Good Food. The west London spot, known for its constantly evolving menu of laminated treats, was called a ‘dream for foodies’. The hyped bake house’s pastry creations include bites flavoured with pistachio, wild garlic and miso. 

The Dusty Knuckle ranked sixth on Good Food’s roster. The Dalston bakery has ascended to legendary status for sourdough-loving Londoners and offers everything from glistening sticky buns, croissants, chocolate and fruit brioches to apple turnovers and savoury bakes. Good Food dubbed it a ‘pioneer of the giant cut-through focaccia sandwich’ and praised its potato sourdough as ‘sheer genius’.

Chatsworth Bakehouse was next on the list, noted for its ‘sell-out sandwich drops and epic Saturday queues’. Chatsworth has built a hefty reputation for its sourdough and porridge loaves, plus sweet treats including marshmallow-adorned cookies and basque cheesecake. Plus, its sandwiches are hot property. Available to pre-order only, they sell out within minutes of going online.

‘Effortlessly cool’ Peckham stalwart Toad Bakery, another Time Out fave, came in at number 10. Wander down Peckham Road on any given Saturday and you'll see a long, orderly line of pastry obsessives queuing for immaculately laminated wares. Toad’s menu has a few permanent staples – chocolatines, cinnamon buns, and sweet and savoury danishes – but part of the joy is the ever-changing line-up of pastries.

Some of north London’s best bakehouses were also given a shout out, including Crouch End’s Sourdough Sophia, the eponymous owner of which managed to turn a lockdown hobby into a fully-fledged (and seriously successful) bakery business.

Plus, there was even a GF option included in the ranking – southwest London’s Manna Dew Gluten Free Bakery, serving up ‘an impressive range of coeliac-friendly pastries’, as well as frozen bakes which you can cook in the oven at home. 

The full list of Good Food’s best London bakeries

1. Layla Bakery, Ladbroke Grove, W10 5PQ
   
2. Maya's Bakehouse, Tulse Hill, SW2 2TJ
   
3. Astrid, Alexandra Palace, N10 2AH
   
4. Café Mama & Sons, Kentish Town, NW1 8NY
   
5. Chai Guys Bakehouse, Ladbroke Grove, W11 2ED
   
6. The Dusty Knuckle, Dalston, E8 3DP
   
7. Chatsworth Bakehouse, Crystal Palace, SE19 2AN
   
8. Don't Tell Dad, Queens Park, NW6 6RD
   
9. Popham's, Islington, N1 8PF
   
10. Toad Bakery, Peckham, SE5 8PX
    
11. Roll Boys, Brick Lane, E1 6BJ
    
12. Sourdough Sophia, Crouch End, N8 8PL
    
13. Manna Dew Gluten Free Bakery, Battersea, SW11 3JS
    
14. Bread Ahead Bakery, Borough Market, SE1 9AL
    
15. Okja, Spitalfields, E1 7NE
    
16. The Spence Bakery, Stoke Newington, N16 OUH
    
17. Forno, Hackney E8 4RP

Did you see that The Telegraph has crowned its list of the top bakehouses across the UK, and three London spots made the list?

Plus: this famous London private members’ club is opening to the public for the first time with a very fancy bakery.