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London's bakery scene is booming, with a new generation of artisan bakers turning out laminated pastries and burnished sourdough that draw weekend queues. This guide covers where to find the best croissants, loaves and pastries across the city.
The cult pastry bakers
Pophams, with bakeries in Islington, Hackney and beyond, is famous for its flaky, inventive croissants and pastries. Jolene and The Dusty Knuckle in the east are beloved for their bread and pastries, the latter growing from a car-park container into a genuine institution. Arome has drawn queues for its Cantonese-French pastries, showing how creative London's bakers have become.
Sourdough and neighbourhood favourites
For bread, E5 Bakehouse under the railway arches in Hackney is a much-loved sourdough specialist, and St John Bakery is famous for its custard doughnuts as well as its loaves. Almost every London neighbourhood now has an excellent independent bakery worth seeking out for a morning coffee and pastry, so it is always worth following your nose.
Where can I find the best croissants in London?
Pophams is widely rated for its croissants and laminated pastries, and Arome has built a following for its own creative take. Many of the city's best bakeries produce excellent viennoiserie, so a weekend morning of bakery-hopping is a delicious way to explore a neighbourhood.
Do London bakeries sell out?
The most popular bakeries often sell out of their best pastries and loaves by early afternoon, especially at weekends. Arriving in the morning is the surest way to get the full range and the freshest bake.
Where to go next
Pair a pastry with a great cup at the best coffee shops in London, or start the day with the best breakfast in London.
