Pass through Bristol Temple Meads on a one-off visit and you’d be forgiven for wondering why its below-par food offerings haven’t yet caused some sort of furious citywide uprising.
The answer lies just a few steps away in a divinely scented Victorian railway arch, where you’ll find local commuters stockpiling croissants ready for their smug daily saunter past the station Starbucks.
Opened by Bristolian sourdough queen Laura Hart in 2012, Hart’s Bakery is the Temple Quarter’s go-to for cut-above caffeine (courtesy of local roasters Extract Coffee) and breakfast on the go, with a big communal table that works well for more leisurely pit stops.
Watch the baking action unfold in the open kitchen – and get first dibs on that new batch of cinnamon buns – as you munch your way through their sourdough toast, breakfast muffins and flaky sausage rolls.
After the early morning rush, there’s an inspired daily changing lunch menu (think savoury pastries, soups and doorstep toasted sandwiches) and some seriously enticing piles of cakes, brownies and biscuits.