10 must-visit bakeries in London: from delicious bread to artisanal pastries
There's nothing like a sweet (or savoury) treat in the city!
If you asked us to describe how we would spent a perfect afternoon in London, it would probably involve a walk in the park with a coffee and delicious baked good from one of the city's bakeries.
Whether you have a sweet tooth (guilty!) or prefer something on the savoury side, the capital has so many bakeries that offer a range of treats for you to satisfy your cravings. But, seeing as there's so many to choose from, we've rounded up our recommendations of the best bakeries in London.
Fancy indulging in a sweet pastry or bun? We've got you covered. Want to get stuck into a hearty sandwich alongside a great cup of coffee? Look no further. From south to north of the river and everywhere in between, we've tried and tested baked good from around the city. So, without further ado, here are our top picks for London's best bakeries.
Plus, when you're done, why not check out our picks of the city's best museums, clubs and things to do? Thank us later!
The Hummingbird Bakery
Where: Multiple London locations including Spitalfields, South Kensington, Soho, St John’s Wood and Victoria
Best for: Incredible rainbow cakes, red velvet cakes and seasonal creations
The first The Hummingbird Bakery was opened in the capital 20 years ago, so at some point you will probably have seen one of the American-style bakery’s famous rainbow cakes pop up on your Instagram feed, or you might have strolled past one of their London locations.
But it’s not just their rainbow cakes that are worth checking out - they also offer melt-in-the-mouth cupcakes, layer cakes, brownies, cookies, pies and cheesecakes. If you can’t make it to the store, they’re also available to purchase via Deliveroo. Treats for your next office party or a get well gift? Sorted.
Fred Bakery
Where? Oxford Circus and Farringdon
Best for: That! Chocolate! Pain! Suisse!
Fred Bakery is the perfect cosy spot for a catch-up, with super fresh pastries (the chocolate pain suisse was offensively good), delicious focaccia pizza slices (that are now living rent-free in our minds) and a fun matcha menu (you know you want to). Given the newly-opened site is conveniently located close to Oxford Street, it's also ideal for refuelling in after a day of shopping.
The staff are ultra friendly and there's fresh bread to shop behind the counter too, should you want to take a little slice of Fred heaven home with you.
Buns From Home
Where?: Multiple locations
Best for: Sweet, savoury and Instagrammable buns
If you've searched on social media for bakery recommendations, then Buns From Home has probably popped up on your screens and for very good reason.
The bakery offers decadent sweet and savoury buns, from their classic cinnamon and cardamon offerings to ones filled with chocolate or stuffed with feta and spinach. Our favourite is either the vanilla custard or cheesecake!
Plus, they have locations across the city, meaning you're never to far to satisfy your bun craving. Warning, come with an empty stomach and get a spoon to finish it off.
Bread Ahead Bakery
Where?: Multiple locations
Best for: Decadent, jam-packed doughnuts
It wouldn't be a list of the best bakeries in London without a mention of one of the city's staples, Bread Ahead. Founded in the iconic Borough Market, the bakery specialises in gourmet doughnuts and pastries that people travel from far and wide to try.
Their crème brûlée doughnut is our top pick, and features a crackly brûlée sugar top and a gloriously silky vanilla custard. Honestly, we're drooling just thinking about it! Plus, they also have a variety of locations and even offer baking classes.
Arôme Bakery
Where?: 9 Mercer Street, WC2H 9QJ and 27 Duke St, W1U 1LE
Best for: Artisan bakes
Get ready to try some of the most beautiful pastries you'll ever set your eyes on at Arôme Bakery. The artisan bakehouse offers goods inspired by both French and Asian cuisine, resulting in some of the best treats in the city.
They have two locations in central London and they have super unique bakes on offer such as their honey butter toast, cappuccino croissant, miso bacon escargot and more. Oh, and their coffee? To die for!
Fortitude Bakehouse
Where?: 5 Colonnade, London WC1N 1JD
Best for: Sweet bakes and beignets
If you ask a Londoner what their favourite bakery is, then Fortitude Bakehouse is likely to be on their list and when you try some of their baked goods, you can see why.
While you may be met with winding queues down the street, you'll also see rows and rows of their famous beignets, which is cream-filled pastry dough with seasonal and often alternating flavours.
Plus, they have tonnes of other sweet and savoury offerings with sausage rolls, spinach puffs and more. Dreamy!
Bunhead Bakery
Where?: 145 Dulwich Road, SE24 0NG
Best for: Buns and Middle Eastern flavours
For a baked good with a twist, visit this female, Black and Palestinian-owned bakehouse in the heart of south east London that offers sweet and savoury treats with Middle Eastern-inspired flavours.
Think buns seasoned with za’atar and sumac or baklava and knafeh, made with organic flour, vegan dough and ingredients sourced from Palestine. The peach bun is our go-to!
Pophams
Where?: Multiple locations
Best for: Sourdough bread and croissants
Pophams is regularly mentioned as one of London's best bakeries, with their three locations in Islington, London Fields and Victoria Park often seeing queues outside the door.
They're a cosy artisan bakery and cafe, specialising in sourdough bread and croissants. From hearty sandwiched filled with seasonal ingredients and made with fluffy bread to unique bakes, there's something for everyone at Pophams.
Plus, for lunch or dinner, they have pasta on the menu! Don't mind if we do.
Layla Bakery
Where?: 332 Portobello Road, W10 5SA
Best for: Artisan pastries and thick sandwiches
Head down to the iconic Portobello Road for even more iconic baked goods from Layla's. The neighbourhood artisan bakery and coffee shop specialises in sourdough bread and pastries, for a sandwich or sweet treat like no other.
We're dreaming of their cherry and roasted almond danish as well as their sandwiches made with their freshly-baked fluffy bread. Also, ingredients are often locally sourced and their coffee is always a yes from us.
Chai Guys Bakehouse
Where?: 193 Portobello Road, W11 2ED
Best for: Spiced tea and south Asian flavours
For some of the most unique baked goods in the city, head down to Chai Guys Bakehouse to try their seasoned, freshly baked pastries and some of the best chai in town.
Inspired by Japanese cooking techniques, their selection of French and Scandinavian pastries are made with Indian spices and seasonal British ingredients. Think Oh, and you can't visit without ordering chai. Seriously, it's just not allowed!
Furvah Shah is Acting Entertainment Booker for ELLE, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Red and Prima. She secures interviews with your favourite celebrities and covers everything from TV and films to music and books. Furvah has previously written for The Independent, BBC, Refinery29 and Amaliah and she is super passionate about highlighting diverse talent and projects, having interviewed the likes of Jenna Ortega, Charithra Chandran, Ambika Mod and more. She graduated with a First in BA Media and Communications from Goldsmiths University and is an NCTJ-qualified journalist. In her free time, you can find her at an arts or culture event, eating Middle Eastern or Asian food, searching for modest fashion inspiration on Pinterest or cuddling with her cat. You can follow Furvah on X, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
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