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A brand new list of the best bakeries in the UK has been released – and eight of the top 50 from the Good Food Guide’s picks are right here in London.
Quite a few of them are also in our very own list of Time Out’s best bakeries in London, including Dusty Knuckle, Bunhead Bakery, Toad, Toklas and E5 Bakehouse. Here’s a little info on what you can expect from each of them
Bunhead Bakery, Herne Hill
This Palestinian-British bakery opened last year and was an instant hit. Come for the buns; lovely, sticky hunks of sweet bread, from pink-glazed rose and cardamom swirls to a juicy baklava-esque take on proceedings, as well as one inspired by knafeh, drenched with syrup and studded with wisps of shredded phyllo and rose petals. There are savoury options too, a ‘salty’ bun stuffed with zingy za’atar and crumbles of feta or a vegan-friendly musakhan with spiced red onion and pine nuts.
E5 Bakehouse, Hackney
This archway is a stone’s throw from London Fields. Indoors it’s quietly buzzy from dawn to dusk with informal tables of drinkers and diners feasting on delicious vegetable-forward lunches, very good coffee and wine, and of course the legendary E5 loaves, buns and cakes.
Eric’s, East Dulwich
Run by former Flor star Helen Evans, Eric’s opened in 2023 and swiftly became fancy East Dulwich’s go-to spot for croissants. Open from 8am until they sell out (which is often sooner than you’d like), this is another bakery where queuing isn’t just to be endured, it’s to be expected.
Hearth, Hackney Wick
Sourdough brioche buns are the undisputed hit of Hearth. There are also veggie and vegan sandwiches come lunchtime, with flavours inspired by the London’s far-reaching global communities. They’re also keen on alternative flours, using buckwheat, pea and oat varieties in their sweet bakes.
Tarn Bakery, Highgate
Up on Highgate Hill is where you’ll find Tarn’s famous Guinness cake and various sourdough treats. In the kitchen is baker Florin Grama, who’s done time at everywhere from Popham and Flor to Bread Ahead.
The Dusty Knuckle, Harringay
The first Dusty Knuckle bakery launched in Dalston in 2014 and was such a lip-smacking hit that this Green Lanes café and restaurant followed in 2021. Famous for their fiery egg, chilli and cheese focaccia, they also run a trainee programme for young people who face barriers to employment. All in all: good eggs.
Toad Bakery, Camberwell
Wander down Peckham Road of a Saturday and you'll see a long, orderly line of chic pastry obsessives queuing on this unassuming tree-lined street. Their time and money is amply, deliciously rewarded by the golden, immaculately laminated wares produced by bakers and owners Rebecca Spaven and Oliver Costello.
Toklas Bakery, Temple
Opened by the founders of Frieze magazine and art fairs – and named after writer and primo bohemian Alice B Toklas – this artsy spot serves elegant breakfast viennoiserie; flaky croissants, pain au chocolat, and cardamom buns.
You can find the Good Food Guide’s top 50 bakeries in the UK in full here.
Check out Time Out’s ultimate guide to the best bakeries in London here.
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