This is a post about the best bakeries in London.
If you’ve spent any time on London food TikTok lately, you’ll know that the city is absolutely obsessed with its bakeries right now. New spots open, go viral overnight and suddenly everyone is queuing around the block for a single pastry before 9am on a Saturday. I’m just not one of those people because I choose mornings midweek.
I’ve been working my way through London’s most talked-about bakeries for a while now: partly for this post and partly because I have no self-control around good pastry. London’s bakery scene has become one of the best in Europe, with everything from French viennoiserie and Swedish cinnamon buns to Italian pasticciotto and some genuinely boundary-pushing British creations that have no business being as good as they are.
This isn’t a list of every bakery in London. It’s the ones I’ve actually been to and thought were worth the hype + a handful I haven’t had a chance to try yet but that keep coming up for good reason.
Whether you’re visiting London and want to plan a proper bakery crawl or you’re a Londoner looking for your next obsession, here’s where to go.
Quick Guide: London Bakeries
📍 Spread across: Covent Garden, Bloomsbury, Islington, Hackney, Fitzrovia, South Kensington, Shoreditch and beyond 🚇 Getting there: All accessible by tube or overground
💷 Budget: Expect to pay £4-8 per pastry at most spots
⏰ Best time to go: Weekday mornings for shorter queues; arrive early at weekends or things sell out fast
☕ Worth knowing: Most are grab-and-go or have very limited seating, so plan to eat outside or walk and eat (or take it home like I’ve done many times to warm up my pastries before devouring them!)
🗺️ Planning a crawl? Group by area: Covent Garden has three on this list alone
The Ones I’ve Actually Tried
Bread Ahead, Borough Market / Sloane Square / Leicester Square / Wembley
Bread Ahead is the one everyone mentions first and the crème brûlée doughnut is the thing everyone tells you to get. Reader, I was disappointed. As someone with a Brazilian sweet tooth (and Brazilians are not known for holding back on sugar), I found it sickening. Too sweet, too rich. One bite and I was done.
That said, not everything disappointed. I also tried a garlic knot, which looked more exciting than it tasted (a bit dry for my liking, though my boyfriend disagreed and ate the whole thing happily). But the cheese and onion pastry was absolutely delicious! And the pizzas looked incredible. I didn’t try them on this visit but they’re firmly on my list for next time, as is the pistachio doughnut which wasn’t available when I went.
My verdict on Bread Ahead: go, but skip the crème brûlée doughnut unless you have a serious sweet tooth. The rest of the menu is more interesting than the viral item suggests.
There’s also a bakery school attached if you want to try making your own, which is a fun London experience to book through GetYourGuide.
Location: Borough Market, SE1 (South London)
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buns from home
This one is a cult favourite and the name tells you exactly what you’re getting: big, generous, extremely indulgent buns. I’ve had various things here over multiple visits but my absolute favourite is the Dubai chocolate dessert bun. It is SO SO SO rich, the kind of thing where you take one bite and immediately need a moment to process what just happened. This is not an everyday treat. This is a once-in-a-while, sit-down-and-take-your-time situation. Save it for when you want something truly over the top (or maybe share it).
They have locations everywhere now! I’ve been to the one in Tottenham Court Road, Embankment, Sloane Square, Soho…
Locations: everywhere!
Fortitude Bakehouse, Bloomsbury
I love Fortitude. This is the one I’d send a friend to if they asked me for a single recommendation. It’s tucked just off Russell Square, it has that lovely neighbourhood bakery feel despite being very much on the radar and I have yet to eat anything bad here.
I had an orange cake that was perfect: properly citrusy in that way where you can tell they haven’t skimped on the zest, and a blueberry banana bread that I almost didn’t order because it looked like the most unremarkable thing on display. But I love a banana bread so… It was outstanding. Moist (sorry!) and full of flavour. Don’t judge things by how plain they look at Fortitude.
The beignets are what everyone talks about and I haven’t tried them yet, which feels like a personal failure. A reason to go back though!
Weekend queues are real so go early or go on a weekday if you can.
Location: Near Russell Square, Bloomsbury, WC1 (North London)
Pophams, Islington
Not to be dramatic, but… the maple bacon swirl at Pophams is one of the best things I have eaten in London. The pastry was so buttery and the whole thing was so flavoursome that I’m still telling everyone who will listen about it! The lamination on the pastry is exceptional, worthy of a Paul Hollywood handshake!
They have locations in Islington and Hackney so slightly easier to get to than it used to be.
Locations: Islington and Hackney (London Fields + Victoria Park)
Jolene, Newington Green & Angel
I walked into Jolene and was not particularly impressed by the look of the pastries. They all seemed pretty basic in terms of filling, nothing out of the ordinary… but then I bit into the ham and cheese pastry I’d ordered and revised my opinion immediately. The pastry was perfect: soft and buttery in the middle, just the right amount of crunch on the outside. This is exactly how I like my pastry and Jolene nailed it.
Another one that was worth the hype.
Location: Newington Green, N16 (North London) and Angel
Arome, Covent Garden and Marylebone
Arome is the one that blends classic French technique with Asian-influenced flavours and the result is definitely interesting! The honey butter toast is the thing everyone talks about: it looks like it would be boring, a thick slice of toast with some honey on it. But it is very good. My tip: if you’re taking it away, warm it up when you get home. I didn’t have time to eat it there and then, reheated it at home and it was SO delicious and sticky!
The matcha croissant is also worth getting and the Pain Suisse is one of the better ones I’ve had in London.
It’s very central and it gets busy. Expect a queue!
Locations: St Martin’s Courtyard, Covent Garden WC2 and Duke Street, Marylebone (Central London)
Sourdough Sophia
This is a newer one and possibly the most underrated on my visited list. I had the passion fruit bow, a laminated pastry with passion fruit filling and it was stunning! Especially at this time of year. One of the best things I’ve eaten this year. Bright, perfectly balanced, not too sweet and PACKED with filling. It felt made for summer.
I also had a brown butter pain suisse which was excellent. Both were generously filled in a way that pastries often aren’t. You know the ones where you bite in and the filling has been distributed by someone who was having a very sad day? Not here. Sourdough Sophia is stingy with nothing.
Location: Highgate, Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Crouch End, Bermondsey, Angel and, apparently, a new one coming to Covent Garden!
Fortitude Bakehouse
I love Fortitude. This is the one I’d send a friend to if they asked me for a single recommendation. It’s tucked just off Russell Square, it has that lovely neighbourhood bakery feel despite being very much on the radar and I have yet to eat anything bad here.
I had an orange cake that was perfect: properly citrusy in that way where you can tell they haven’t skimped on the zest, and a blueberry banana bread that I almost didn’t order because it looked like the most unremarkable thing on display. It was outstanding. Moist, dense in the right way, full of flavour. Don’t judge things by how plain they look at Fortitude.
The beignets are what everyone talks about and I haven’t tried them yet, which feels like a personal failure. On my list.
Weekend queues are real so go early or go on a weekday if you can.
Location: Near Russell Square, Bloomsbury, WC1 (North London)
Gail’s (All Over London)
Ok, I know Gail’s is an opinion divider. It’s become a big chain and probably would never make anyone’s viral bakery list and it’s not trying to. But I want to make a case for it because I feel it sometimes gets dismissed unfairly.
Here’s the thing about Gail’s: it is consistently good. Every single time. Nothing is bad, nothing is subpar and the range is wide enough that there’s always something you want. The staff are also, in my experience, extraordinarily friendly. And this is coming from someone who goes to the Gail’s near her house so often that they know her dog and regularly give them both free things. On my last visit before going away for a while, one of the staff gave me my whole order for free as a bon voyage gift!
If you’re in London for a short time and want a sure thing near wherever you’re staying, Gail’s will not let you down. It’s not the most exciting option on this list in terms of virality but it’s incredibly reliable. The honey cake is a wonderful little bite of heaven for when you just need a little something and the borekitas are stunning! The cheddar scone, the chicken parm sando, the chicken and tarragon pie, the caramelised onion and potato pie… the babka bun!! I could go on…
Locations: All over London and beyond
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The Ones on My List
These are the bakeries that keep coming up in every London food conversation I have. I haven’t been yet but they’re next on my list and I’m including them because the people who recommended them have very good taste.
Don’t Tell Dad, Queen’s Park (North-West London)
This one opened in late 2024 on Lonsdale Road in Queen’s Park and has been all over my social media ever since. It’s a bakery by morning and a full restaurant by evening, which is a fine concept. The head baker previously worked at Layla in Notting Hill. The viral items are the hazelnut brown butter croissant and an artichoke, sage and Lancashire cheese pain suisse, which sounds extraordinary. The name is a tribute to the owner’s late sister, which gives the whole place a warmth that comes through in every review I’ve read.
Queen’s Park is a lovely part of London in its own right so this is worth combining with a wander around the neighbourhood.
Location: Lonsdale Road, Queen’s Park, NW6
Fred Bakery, Holborn and Oxford Circus (Central London)
Fred has two locations now: the original in Holborn from 2021 and a newer, larger split-level space near Oxford Circus that is doing a lot for the central London pastry scene, which has historically been a bit of a desert amongst the tourist traps. The viral item is the chocolate brownie cruffin, a laminated pastry swirled into a golden crown and stuffed with squidgy brownie and chocolate custard. The tiramisu latte is also apparently unmissable.
Locations: Holborn WC1 and Margaret Street, Oxford Circus W1
Roll Boyz, Shoreditch (East London)
Roll Boyz runs a weekend residency at My Favourite Sandwich on Commercial Street in Shoreditch, serving fresh cinnamon rolls from 10am until sell-out. The flavours rotate and have included everything from Kinder Bueno to toffee apple crumble. And they’re described as thick, bouncy spirals that are absolutely worth the queue. Weekends only, so plan accordingly. I’ve been wanting to go there for so long! But sadly didn’t get a chance before my trip abroad so I’ll have to try when I’m back.
Location: My Favourite Sandwich, 141 Commercial Street, Shoreditch, E1
French Bakeries in London
London has a small but excellent collection of French bakeries for when you want something closer to Paris than Borough Market.
Miel Bakery, Fitzrovia (Central London)
Miel has been doing exceptional things on Warren Street since 2019. It’s owned by Shaheen Peerbhai, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and at École Ducasse and the French technique shows in everything. Reviewers consistently describe the palmiers as the best in London, the croissants as better than most you’d get in France and the sourdough as exceptional. It’s a small space with limited seating so most people grab and go, but the quality is consistent at every visit.
The sablé biscuits with dark chocolate and sea salt have been described as dangerously addictive, which is the kind of warning I take very seriously. On my list.
Location: Warren Street, Fitzrovia, W1
Aux Merveilleux de Fred, South Kensington (West London)
South Kensington is something of London’s French quarter and Aux Merveilleux de Fred is its most theatrical bakery. The speciality is the merveilleux: a meringue-based cake built layer by layer in front of you, impossibly light and covered in whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It looks like something from a Parisian patisserie window and tastes exactly like you’d hope. I’ve walked past but not yet been in, which I’m embarrassed about given how good it looks.
They also have a location on High Street Kensington.
Locations: Old Brompton Road, South Kensington SW7 and High Street Kensington
Italian Bakeries and Cafés in London
Capilungo, Covent Garden (Central London)
Ok, Capilungo is not a bakery (it’s a family-run Italian café by day and wine bar by night) but it belongs on this list for one reason: the pasticciotto. This is a traditional Puglian shortcrust pastry filled with custard, cherry or pistachio cream, best eaten for breakfast with an espresso, exactly as they do in Lecce. The family behind Capilungo have been running their original café in Lecce since 1991 and this is their first London outpost.
I’ve had brunch there and thought it was a bit boring BUT the pasticciotto was definitely worth the trip and I’d go again just for that! I had the pistachio one but they also had chocolate, cherry and…lemon, I think?!
Location: Long Acre, Covent Garden, WC2
Nordic Bakeries in London
Bageriet, Covent Garden (Central London)
Bageriet means “the bakery” in Swedish and this little spot on Rose Street, a tiny alley tucked between Long Acre and Floral Street in Covent Garden, is the real thing. It’s Swedish-owned and the specialities are the cinnamon roll and the Prinsesstårta, Sweden’s famous princess cake made with whipped cream, pastry cream, genoise sponge and green almond paste. I’ve walked past many times and the smell alone is enough to make you stop. I haven’t been in yet but it’s only a matter of time. I suspect it’ll fill the void the closing of the Nordic Bakery left.
Very small, often full and best visited on a weekday morning.
Location: 24 Rose Street, Covent Garden, WC2
Gluten-Free and Vegan Bakeries in London
London has decent options for gluten-free and vegan bakes, though I’d always recommend checking ahead as menus change seasonally.
Luminary Bakery in Stoke Newington is the most recommended on both fronts. It’s a social enterprise that employs women facing barriers to work, and their bakes include gluten-free and vegan options alongside their regular menu. The Camden location has sadly closed but the Stoke Newington original on Allen Road is still going.
I had the most delicious blueberry lemon cake there! (I can’t resist a blueberry lemon anything…)
Most of the independent bakeries on this list also offer at least some gluten-free or vegan options, so it’s worth checking their Instagram the day before your visit as these tend to be listed there.
Luminary Bakery location: 71-73 Allen Road, Stoke Newington, N16
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London’s Best Bakeries by Area
If you’re planning a bakery crawl by neighbourhood, here’s how to group them efficiently.
Bakeries in Covent Garden
Covent Garden is probably one of the best areas for bakeries in London right now. On Rose Street you’ll find Bageriet (Swedish). Arome has a location at St Martin’s Courtyard and on Duke Street with Capilungo (Italian) on Long Acre. And Bageriet is technically the same alley where Fred Bakery’s first central location puts you minutes from all three. A Covent Garden bakery morning could easily cover three very different styles in one go.
Bakeries in East London
Pophams in Hackney is the pick for viennoiserie. Roll Boyz at My Favourite Sandwich on Commercial Street is the weekend cinnamon roll destination for Shoreditch.
Bakeries in North London
Fortitude Bakehouse near Russell Square is the standout. Jolene in Newington Green or Angel is quieter but just as good. Gail’s has multiple North London locations for a reliable everyday option.
Bakeries in West London
buns from home in Notting Hill for the indulgent buns. Aux Merveilleux de Fred in South Kensington for French patisserie. Layla in Portobello Road and Don’t Tell Dad in Queen’s Park are close to Notting Hill.
Bakeries in South London
Bread Ahead at Borough Market is the obvious one. It’s worth combining with a wider Borough Market visit, as the market itself is one of the best food experiences in London and pairs well with a morning pastry stop.
French Bakeries in London
Miel in Fitzrovia for the best technique and the palmiers. Arome in Covent Garden or Marylebone for something with a French-Asian angle. Aux Merveilleux de Fred in South Kensington for the most theatrical French patisserie experience in London.
Italian Bakeries in London
Capilungo in Covent Garden is the standout for authentic Italian pastry, specifically the pasticciotto from Puglia. For something broader, many of the independent bakeries on this list incorporate Italian-influenced bakes into their seasonal menus.
A Note on Queues
Most of these bakeries have queues at weekends, particularly in the morning. A few tips:
Arrive early. Most things sell out by mid-morning at the more popular spots, especially at weekends. Weekday mornings are almost always easier and less chaotic.
Don’t let a queue put you off. They tend to move fast because most of these are grab-and-go. A 20-minute queue for a Pophams maple bacon swirl is 100% worth it.
Check Instagram the night before. Several of these bakeries post what’s available the next day, which is handy if there’s something specific you’re going for or if you have dietary requirements.
FAQ: Best Bakeries in London
It changes constantly but Bread Ahead, Pophams, Jolene and Buns from Home have had sustained popularity over the past few years. Don’t Tell Dad in Queen’s Park is generating the most buzz as of 2025 for newer openings.
Partially. The crème brûlée doughnut is overrated if you don’t have a serious sweet tooth. The cheese and onion pastry, the pizzas and the pistachio doughnut are more worth your time. The bakery school is also a fun experience to book in advance.
Pophams for lamination and butteriness. Miel for classic French technique. Arome if you want something with an Asian-influenced twist.
Expect to pay £4-8 per pastry at most independent spots. It adds up on a crawl but the quality at the better places justifies it. Gail’s is slightly cheaper and more accessible for everyday visits.
Most are grab-and-go. Fortitude has some indoor space. Arome has seating at both locations and outdoor deck chairs at the Covent Garden spot in good weather. Fred Oxford Circus has the most seating of the newer spots. Gail’s usually has tables if you go at an off-peak time.
Yes. Luminary Bakery in Stoke Newington is the most consistently recommended for gluten-free options. Many of the independent bakeries on this list also offer gluten-free bakes, so check their Instagram before visiting as these change regularly.
Luminary Bakery offers vegan options alongside its regular menu. Several other independent bakeries including Sourdough Sophia and Jolene incorporate plant-based bakes into their rotating menus. Again, Instagram is your friend for checking what’s available on any given day.
The Dubai chocolate bun if you want something truly indulgent. Go in hungry and don’t plan anything strenuous immediately afterwards. Don’t waste your time on the plain cinnamon bun, try a different one like the blueberry matcha one or dulce de leche.
Miel in Fitzrovia for classic French technique and exceptional palmiers. Aux Merveilleux de Fred in South Kensington for the theatrical meringue cakes. Arome for a French-Asian fusion take.
Yes. Bageriet on Rose Street in Covent Garden is the one to go to. They do proper Swedish cinnamon rolls and the Prinsesstårta, the Swedish princess cake, which is very hard to find in London.
Bread Ahead is right there. For something a bit different, it’s worth heading to Fortitude or Pophams rather than defaulting to the obvious Borough Market options.
A pasticciotto is a traditional shortcrust pastry from Puglia in southern Italy, filled with pastry cream, typically custard, cherry or pistachio. It’s a breakfast pastry in Lecce, best eaten warm with an espresso. Capilungo in Covent Garden is the place to try one in London.
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This was a post about the best bakeries in London.
