Luckily for us Londoners, our beloved city is chock-a-block full of places where you can indulge in a cinnamon roll, some sourdough or a delectable brownie – and most are open all throughout the week. Here’s our rundown of 14 of the best bakeries in London where you can satisfy all those sweet and savoury cravings you may have.
1. Bread Ahead
Here’s a top tip on a Saturday morning: go to Borough Market and make a beeline for the Bread Ahead stall. When you get there, pick up a couple of their olive and cheese breadsticks and munch away as you wander around the market perusing the other delectable delights.
And then, before you leave, make your way back for one of their decadent doughnuts and face the hard decision of choosing between flavours like Raspberry Jam, Vanilla Custard, or even Crème Brûlée – to name but a few. Alternatively you can gorge yourself silly on their delicious sourdough pizzas or herb-infused foccacia. Just the thought has got us salivating…
📍 You’ll find Bread Ahead at various locations across London. You can find out more here.
2. Arôme, Marylebone and Covent Garden
To many, Arôme is not just one of the best bakeries in London, not is it simply one of the many incredible bakeries in the UK. To its ardent fans, Arôme takes the tippy-top spot as the very best bakery in the city, if not the country. And that’s according to the country’s leading bakers, too!
Across two London sites, Arôme serves up viral-fodder baked goods that somehow taste even better than they look. Their Honey Butter Toast is the thing of legend, but is just one of many items to choose from. Make sure to have a look at everything when you order, because you don’t want to miss a single thing. The selection changes constantly, but is anchored by a marriage of Eastern and Western flavours, and a keen adventurous spirit.
📍 9 Mercer Street, WC2H 9QJ & 27 Duke Street, W1U 1LE.
🚇 Nearest stations are Covent Garden and Bond Street.
3. The Dusty Knuckle, Dalston and Haringey
Another close-to-the-heart favourite of the Secret London team, The Dusty Knuckle is the kind of versatile and considered bakery that makes for an obvious inclusion on this list of London’s best bakeries. Their baked goods range across the gamut, with everything from sourdough to pastries, pizza, focaccia, sandwiches, and more. But more than just a great bakery, The Dusty Knuckle is also a social enterprise that is passionate about its community. The bakery helps at-risk youths to take positive steps with their life through job training, mentorship, and providing life skills.
📍 Abbot Street, London, E8 3DP, and 429 Green Lanes, London, N4 1AH.
🚇 Nearest stations are Dalston Junction & Dalston Kingsland, and Harringay Green Lanes.
4. Luminary Bakery, Camden & Stoke Newington
Another bakery with stunning baked goods and an important mission behind it is the wonderful Luminary Bakery. Across it’s two award-winning bakeries, Luminary aims to empower women in London. They do so by through creating jobs, fostering community, and sharing support for women with a social and economic disadvantage. The bakery’s “Independence and Employability Programme has helped and celebrated more than 200 women since its inception. Each has graduated and moved on to join the team on the bakery or to different employment opportunities.”
Add to that the colourful cakes and freshly baked pastries and you’ve got a bakery that tastes as good as it feels to support.
📍 47 Chalk Farm Road, Chalk Farm, London, NW1 8AJ and 71-73 Allen Road, Stoke Newington, London, N16 8RY.
🚇 Nearest stations are Chalk Farm and Rectory Road.
5. Kova Patisserie
This Japanese patisserie specialises in intricate mille crepe cakes as well as cake rolls, tarts and a whole host of teas – including tasty bubble tea. Their signature mille crepe cakes are handmade and sandwiched together with light custard cream in flavours such as Earl Grey, Taro, Matcha, and even Durian.
Kova Patisserie’s shops also rustle up some melt-in-the-mouth lava cakes and bloody lovely cheesecakes. This is definitely a cute trip that’s worth putting on the old ‘gram we say, and well deserving of its place on this list of the best bakeries in London.
📍 You’ll find Kova Patisserie at multiple locations across London. You can find out more here.
6. Cutter and Squidge, Soho
If you’re looking for a birthday cake to impress, Cutter and Squidge is the most adorable place to go and get one. But they’re no one-trick ponies here. They also whip up a whole host of decadent brownies, biscuits and cupcakes to satisfy all those with a sweet tooth. If you’re looking for a sugar rush in Soho, then this is the place for you.
Their Soho shop also hides a secret tea room where they serve up a wizarding themed afternoon tea. Naturally, they serve their own bakes, with “[all]-natural sweet treats, handcrafted savoury snacks and much more”.
📍 You’ll find Cutter and Squidge at 20 Brewer Street, London, W1F 0SJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Piccadilly Circus.
7. E5 Bakehouse, Hackney
This London bakery is tucked away under the railways arches in Hackney and offers up lots of yummy and freshly-made bread options, exclusively whipped up using only UK grains. And they’re revered throughout East London for making some of the best sourdough in town – their Hackney Wild loaf. If you get served a slice of bread at a local restaurant, it’s likely come from E5 Bakehouse! As well as serving up delicious pastries and baked goods – as well as some stonking sandwiches – they sell a variety of grocery goods as well as a selection of wines, beers, ice creams, cooking tools, and more.
📍 You’ll find E5 Bakehouse at 396 Mentmore Terrace, London, E8 3PH.
🚇 Nearest station is London Fields.
8. Layla Bakery, Ladbroke Grove
Layla Bakery is the spot to go if you’re looking for some sourdough and fresh coffee. An artisan spot right on Portobello Road, the emphasis here is on sourcing quality seasonal ingredients and using wild grains and ancient traditions throughout their baking processes.
The result is some pretty bloomin’ fantastic flavours if we say so ourselves, and they also rustle up a stunning ever-changing selection of sweet treats on the weekend. These could include anything from cinnamon and cardamom rolls to flaky pastries with Raspberry jam, toasted milk custard & pink peppercorns! Now, if that sweet goodness doesn’t tempt you, we don’t know what will!
📍 You’ll find Layla Bakery at 332 Portobello Road, London, W10 5SA.
🚇 Nearest stations are Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Grove.
9. Proof, Dalston
Over in Dalston you’ll find one of London’s best bakeries, Proof, which has seamlessly transitioned from an online phenomenon to a part of the neighbourhood. The specialty here is profiteroles, or proofiteroles, as they call them. Check out the build-your-own profiterole bar and make the sweet delight of your dreams.
As an added bones, they’re 100% nut-free. Perfect for those with a sweet tooth who need to be careful with their allergies!
📍 You’ll find Proof at Dalston Square, Dalston, E8 3BQ.
🚇 Nearest station is Dalston Junction.
10. Pophams Bakery
If you amble down Richmond Road near London Fields, chances are you will smell the lovely aroma of freshly-baked bread and pastries emanating from Pophams Bakery. Decked out in a Scandi-style decor, this stylish spot is very popular during the weekends – and it’s easy to see why.
It’s dog-friendly, serves some pretty bloody great coffee, and has some pretty incredible pastries. While you can’t really go wrong with any of them, their Marmite, Schlossberger, spring onions & sesame seed bake is a particular office favourite. They’ve got a handful of bakeries around London now, so be sure to go and find your nearest one!
📍 You’ll find Pophams Bakery at a number of spots around London. Find out more here.
11. Lily Vanilli, Shoreditch
This little gem of a bakery is tucked just off Columbia Road in Hackney and is an immediate add to any list of the best bakeries in London. It’s not only adorably cute to walk up to, thanks to the courtyard that it’s hidden away in, the baked goods are a delight too. Expect the cutest pastel-coloured cakes adorned in bows and fruits and charming accents.
Don’t miss a visit to Lily Vanilli, you’ll be telling everyone about it! They also offer classes so you can learn from the best and impress all of your friends with your newfound talent.
📍 You’ll find Lily Vanilli at 6 The Courtyard, Ezra Street, E2 7RH.
🚇 Nearest stations are Hoxton, Bethnal Green, and Shoreditch High Street.
12. Weirdough Bakery, Walthamstow
This neat little spot near St James’ Street Station in E17 is a relatively new addition to the London bakery scene. But since opening it’s sure as hell made a good impression. They even made it to the finals of the Best Croissant UK Competition 2023.
Born out of a love of making sourdough bread the friendly team here have created a part-bakery, part-deli atmosphere that is just shouting out post-Sunday-morning-stroll treat vibes. Everything at Weirdough Bakery is handmade on site, and you can tuck into an array of goodies, from pain-au-chocolat to veggie pizzas and even their own range of brewed kombucha!
📍 You’ll find Weirdough Bakery at 20 Station Road, London, E17 8AA.
🚇 Nearest station is St James’ Street.
13. Ararat Bread, Dalston
Taking its name from a snow-capped volcano in the extreme east of Turkey, Dalston’s Ararat Bread certainly more than packs a punch. Unassuming from the outside, this hidden (and tiny) gem is one of London’s best-kept secrets.
Tucked down the bustling Ridley Road Market, the friendly staff here specialise in naan, which they make with an impressive efficiency. (And which you’ll find stocked in EVERY store in East London). At the bakery itself, you can rock up and order one hot out of the oven topped with a bubbling layer of cheese or a mince meat mixture. Be sure to bring cash – the naan are so cheap here that they don’t even bother to take card. All you’ll need are some coins!
📍 You’ll find Ararat Bread at 132 Ridley Rd, London, E8 2NR.
🚇 Nearest stations are Dalston Junction and Dalston Kingsland.
14. Gail’s
We couldn’t compile a roundup of the best bakeries in London without mentioning this one. Sure, it may almost be a stereotype at this point that all Londoners love Gail’s – but how can you blame us? With a seasonally-changing menu of goodies that range from chocolate and hazelnut buns, to mozzarella, tomato, and pesto focaccia and sticky date and coconut babka buns, there’s plenty to satiate all manner of both sweet and savoury teeth. Plus, they even have their own house blend of coffee beans to help you wash down those artisan sourdough rolls.
📍 You’ll find Gail’s at various locations in London. You can find out more here.
15. Charles Artisan Bread
Specialising in Danish artisan sourdough bread and pastries, each loaf and pastry at Charles Artisan Bread is made with natural ingredients without any additives whatsoever. Using a slow 24-hour fermentation process, this small bakery chain is focused on high quality standards and a great taste to boot too.
All the ingredients used here are locally-sourced, and they do a whole host of yummy pastries too – including many vegan ones. But make sure you don’t leave without trying the bread. Come on – it’s in the name!
📍 You’ll find Charles Artisan Bread at a handful of locations around London. Find out more here.
16. Maison Bertaux, Soho
To round out our list of London’s best bakeries – how about a slice of history? Soho’s Maison Bertaux is more than just a charming spot for a baked good. It’s actually an important part of London’s bakery history. Dating all the way back to 1871, Maison Bertaux is actually London’s oldest patisserie. Over the years of its operation, many a famous (and infamous) figure has frequented the establishment, and the bakery stood firm amidst Soho’s early raunchy days and subsequent transformation into a metropolitan hotspot.
Don’t worry, though, all the baked goods are fresh! And mighty delicious, might I add!
📍 28 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 5DQ.
🚇 Nearest stations are Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road.
So there you have it – some of the very best bakeries in all of London. Anyone fancy a trip around London to visit them all in one day?