perks!London's best bakeries
Crumbs! There are a lot of good bread shops and pâtisseries in London these days – here's the upper crust
Feeling doughy? Us too – so we’ve rounded up the bakeries that have proved the best in the capital, rising to the occasion and supplying the finest loaves, pastries and cakes that London has to offer. From artisan sourdough stalls, to stylish shops, old classics and upmarket parlours, they’re all below. Flour power is back.
Do you agree with our choices? Use the comments box below or tweet your suggestions.
Anges de Sucre
In a nutshell: If you want a showstopper for any special occasion (including weddings), the clear choice is arty patissier Anges de Sucre, who supply Selfridges. Their cakes are insanely detailed and decorated with everything from lacy Swiss meringue buttercream and white chocolate pearls to multicoloured macarons and ombré-glazed buttermilk doughnuts.
Don't miss: Their watercolour-cake collection is a masterpiece designed to steal the show.
7 Minerva Rd, NW10 6HJ. 8068 0413. North Acton rail
Bread Ahead
In a nutshell: “Knowledge is to be shared.” That’s the simple, beautiful premise of the world-class, nearly faultless Bread Ahead bakeries, where recipes are written on chalkboards for all to see and secrets are openly shared at their extensive bakery school.
Don't miss: Try their award-winning doughnuts overfed with crème pât (Adele’s rumored to be a fan), delicious, flaky kouign amann, or amaretti biscuits.
Borough Market, 8 Southwark St, SE1 1TL. Tube: London Bridge
Brick House
In a nutshell: The award-winning bread enthusiasts at Brick House produce and serve up San Francisco-style sourdough and season-specific menus in two trendy, airy cafés (in East Dulwich and Peckham Rye).
Don't miss: The naturally leavened sourdough (which you can learn to make at home at their ‘Sourdough in a Day’ bakery class) is always a winner, and when in season – so are the crumbly mince pies.
1 Zenoria St, SE22 8HP. 8693 2031. East Dulwich rail
Comptoir Gourmand
In a nutshell: This family-run, old-world French pâtisserie supplies charming viennoiseries to over 20 establishments, including Harvey Nichols. The open-plan café (by their stall at Maltby Street Market) is now open on Friday and Saturday nights for ‘nighttime bakery’ evenings.
Don't miss: Any of the viennoiseries, especially the pain au lait and chocolate twists – all made by hand in traditional French fashion.
98 Druid St, SE1 2HQ. 7231 8008. Tube: London Bridge
Dominique Ansel Bakery
In a nutshell: Playful, innovative and wondrously delicious, Dominque Ansel is a French Willy Wonka who’s worth the hype and accolades (including being named the World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2017).
Don't miss: Everyone has a favourite: Start with the signature Cronut that takes three days to make. Don’t miss the crispy caramelised DKA (short for “Dominique’s kouign amann’) or a slice of the creamy banoffee paella.
17-21 Elizabeth St, SW1W 9RP. 7324 7705. Tube: Victoria
E5 Bakehouse
In a nutshell: This independent, organic bakery and café has its own stone mill and uses only local grains and the finest ingredients to craft fresh, nutrient-rich loaves, almost all of which are borne of 100% sourdough starters.
Don't miss: Sit at the wooden tables and order the multigrain toast with a range of tasty toppers including homemade peanut butter and preserves.
Fabrique
In a nutshell: This Stockholm-based bakery chain (with teeny-tiny seating areas) uses stone ovens to whip up old-fashioned Fika-favourites in minimalist, Scandi settings around London.
Don't miss: Sample the highly addictive Swedish buns (especially the sugar-sprinkled vanilla and the classic cinnamon). Also, don’t skip out on the handmade, flour-dusted levain baguette, which is good enough to eat on its own.
8 Earlham St, WC2H 9RY. 7240 1392. Tube: Leicester Sq
FairyPan
In a nutshell: FairyPan serves bite-sized cupcakes in a fairy-like stall in Brick Lane’s Backyard Market every weekend. Even though these cupcakes are itty-bitty (with three-centimetre diameters), the Italian sponge base packs a taste punch.
Don't miss: Lemon-lovers must try the tangy and tart lemon meringue cupcake with a lemon base filled with lemon curd, and then topped with a swirl of lemon buttercream and meringue crumbles.
Backyard Market, The Old Truman Brewery, 146 Brick Ln, E1 6QL. Shoreditch High Street Overground
Hummingbird Bakery
In a nutshell: The Hummingbird Bakery is an American-style outfit with locations all over London, featuring brightly coloured, cutesy cupcakes in monthly flavours like gingerbread and sticky fig, as well as American mainstays like red velvet and Oreo.
Don't miss: Their Instagram-worthy, six-layer cakes have a respectable frosting-to-cake ratio and the mile high chocolate salted caramel cake will slake anyone’s sweet tooth.
47 Old Brompton Rd, SW7 3JP. 7851 1795. Tube: South Kensington
Lily Vanilli
Venue says: “Friendly Sunday cafe with delicious coffee, cakes and pastries. We also offer a fully bespoke cake, canape and wedding cake service.”
In a nutshell: Hip east London bakery Lily Vannili serves an ever-changing selection of cool and creative works of art, bedecked in gems of fruit, delicate petals and fronds of foliage – with a gold-dusted or glittery cherry on top.
Don't miss: Brave the long lines for the burnt butter pecan brownies and autumnal pumpkin spice cake (made with the not-so-secret ingredient of Baileys).
6, The Courtyard, Ezra St, E2 7RH. Hoxton Overground
Little Bread Peddler
In a nutshell: On Saturdays, loyal customers queue up in all weather at this artisan bakery housed in a railway arch. The industrious owners, Martin, Nicola and Adam, work onsite, ensuring an unparalleled product.
Don't miss: The croissants live up to their reputation (Nicola insists on only using French butter), the Danishes are a close runner-up, and the naturally leavened sourdough is just wow.
Unit 4-6, Spa Business Park, Dockely Road, SE16 3FJ. Tube: Bermondsey
The Old Post Office Bakery
In a nutshell: Since the early ’80s this organic-pioneering bakery with a DIY ethic has been knocking out hearty staples like tin bread and traditional British indulgences like massive sausage rolls, white bloomers and pasties.
Don't miss: Make a perfect sandwich with the basic white roll, or make it fancy with the rye sunflower loaf. On the sweet side, try the peanut butter biscuits.
76 Landor Rd, SW9 9PH. 7326 4408. Tube: North Clapham
Peggy Porschen Cakes
In a nutshell: The prettiest, poshest cakes in all of London come from high-end boutique bakery and Instagram star, Peggy Porschen Parlour. The pastel pink, floral-festooned storefront serves a ‘ready-to-eat’ collection of haute couture sweets including darling cupcakes, biscuits and meringues – all ornamented with sugary flair.
Don't miss: Not just style over substance, the strawberry and champagne cupcake looks dear and tastes divine.
116 Ebury St, SW1W 9QQ. 7730 1316. Tube: Victoria
St John Bakery
In a nutshell: Using natural, organic, British ingredients, the bakers at St John’s take well-deserved pride in their granny-style bakes, which have evolved by fine-tuning 100-year-old recipes to best suit the times.
Don't miss: Fans of Eccles cakes will delight in the St John cake’s dense filling. Doughnut connoisseurs will find the vanilla custard round marvels worth a weekend trip to Druid Street.
72 Druid St, SE1 2HQ. 7237 5999. Tube: London Bridge
Violet
In a nutshell: Violet bakery has a laid-back Californian vibe that can be seen in their twee, pretty cakes decorated with real flowers. They also sell gorgeous limited-edition cupcake flavourings and playful whoopie pies.
Don't miss: Sample one of the American-style buttercream cupcakes in whichever changing seasonal special flavour they’re serving at the moment (the chocolate violet is floral and fun).
47 Wilton Way, E8 3ED. 7275 8360. Hackney Central Overground
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Comments
African Volcano
A Maltby Street Market stall serving dishes flavoured with their own peri-peri sauces and marinades, derived from an original Mozambique recipe. Bottles and rubs are available to buy, ranging from mild to the 'extra hot', which we're told fits the billing. The Maltby Street Market stall showcases their creations through a variety of dishes, including burgers, Southern-fried chicken, peri-peri bread rolls, prawns and trinxado – a Mozambique dish made with beef fillet. They might even offer you a bloody mary, with the bite provided by their peri peri sauce.
Venue says: “Award-winning Mozambique-style peri peri. Produced, served and enjoyed across London.”
Is there any where in London where you can buy the wonderful LEIB bread you can buy in Estonia?? It is made from rye and is soft. They also make it with beetroot and other additions.
Ole and Steen is delicious and authentically Danish. Hands down best Danish pastries this side of the North Sea.
The almond croissant in the Wolsley is possibly the best thing I have ever eaten. They add chocolate to the filling to make it taste like it is filled with a crunshy nutella... Yum!
I just want to know
When I give you my own products to create bread for me and deliver it to my place would you do this? And how much i need to pay then?
Kind regards
Klein
Hi
http://www.yasarhalim.com/press-reviews/
fabulous, great value, plus the grocery and butcher next door
Patisserie ste Anne , An independant french bakery just opened on kings street in hammersmith near ravenscourt park station. Really good baguette, pain au chocolat .. amazing cakes ... I stamp it with my french approval!!
Hello! ...My name is Andreea and. .... I saw the pictures and I think that u are doing a great job.My mother-in-law,the same, she is passionate about cakes.It's her way of relaxing.Everything she's doing, put the soul and devote himself to get all this wonderful crafts.Soon,on 5 March will be back in London.It is currently in the country and very much she would like to start working in a cake shop and to thank the world around her.It is a person who deserve the chance to present and demonstrate that is able and i can say with hand on my soul,she didn't disappoint anybody.She making efforts to meet the demands and wishes of all clients.So, if you are interested,just give her a chance to see some exhibits, and who knows, maybe u gonna add a new colleague in your team.I hope i haven't bored with my words and maybe with luck I will get the answer from you guys: D. Thank you!!!
Hi Frankel, Thanks for your input. I have bought bread from them a few times in the past and a few tarts.Maybe they have upped their game.I shall give them another try next week. I see the amazing improvements in UK gastronomy(we have several World Class/beating restaurants now),but cannot say the same of bakeries.
I'm a real bakery fanatic Anil, Euphorium bakery is a real find. Cant go wrong, has to be the best in london if not the Uk.
Seriously everybody should try the bread and cake stall in Brick Lane. I think it's called Saint Sugar of London and they are on Sundays in Brick Lane under the railway bridge. Their sausage rolls can change your life! Even their sweet stuff is quite impressive...
best bakery in the london area is the maids of honour in kew, been there over 100 years, ones to watch are the maids of honour cakes and the sausage rolls, however they do have new owners and i hope the standards havent slipped
I bought some posh bread from Gail's for my mum who was visiting. It was inedible, as tough as old boots and in the end I put it out for the birds. They didn't eat it either. My mum was horrified when I told her what I paid for it.
peyton & byrne's bakewell tarts were a big dissapointment ... and i love bakewell tarts!
You just cant compete with EUPHORIUM BAKERY they are head and shoulders above there nearest rivals which is great as they have just opened their flagship branch where i live in the ANGEL. Viva la british baking revolution!!!!!!!
I'm afraid I have to disagree with Clara, I've bought QPFM cakes twice and had them bought for me too and wasn't that impressed. The cupcakes were OK but the cakes that I tried all had a strange, almost undercooked texture and tasted like marge. Best cakes in London? Check out the stall on Golborne Road - mmmmmmmmm!
Best cakes in London? Try the cake stall at Queens Park Farmers' market on Sundays. The Chocolate and Guinness cake and Barbie Beetroot cake are to die for.
I used to work for Peyton & Byrne. I miss their fruit tarts & chocolate fairy cakes damn it! Working outside of the food sector is overrated ;p They don't mention it in this article, but there's another P&B between heals and habitat on Tottenham court rd. Oh & if you do stop by, say hello to the lovely lady who sells the big issue out front. Maybe even drop her a pound if you can spare it ;)
Ive been to most of the bakers above but have to say euphorium bakery is one hell of a find!!! I go thr for lunch most days and at weekends with the kids. Cant get enough of thr carrot cake simply divine...
Baker and Spice are stuck up, I go there every time I want to pay over the odds for flour and water. Gail's is mostly the same stuff but no attitude.
i would like to see you bake something with "flour and water" and see what comes up!
Where oh where is Baker and Spice??
Konditor and Cook? They remind me of the supermarket cakes back home in the States---sickly sweet. Good pick on Gail's Cookies though, they're actually great!