Ask any proper Londoner where their go-to for all things sweet
treats is and they’ll likely point you towards Flor, where head
chef Helen Evans is the baking brains behind the likes of
brown-butter cakes, tea-soaked-currant buns and flaky almond
croissants. It’s Flor’s signature sourdough loaf, however – made
from an organic wheat-blend dough – that really seals the deal. The
fragrant Flor Bakery at Spa Terminus is our new favourite
Bermondsey address.

You know just how much we love a good slice of history, so it
shouldn’t come as a huge shock that we’re fans of just about
everything Dunns Bakery does. Tucked down an unassuming street in
north London’s Crouch End, this family-run affair has been a firm
local favourite since Robert Freeman launched the business back in
1820. Currently in the hands of sixth-generation-baker Lewis
Freeman, menu highlights include sausage rolls, vegan cinnamon buns
and buttery brioche rolls. Insider tip: this place also has a
catering service and will whip up any sort of cake you like for a
special occasion.

Situated slap bang in the middle of Soho, this quaint,
family-run French patisserie rustles up a tasty range of sweet and
savoury bakes. You’ll likely smell it before you see it, but if in
doubt, hunt down the navy-blue facade with a glass front showcasing
baskets brimming with delights. Our order? A cookie croissant to
eat in the park. Not in central London? Get your fix at the other
Comptoir Gourmand stores, in Bermondsey and Borough.

Have you ever seen food so beautifully presented you almost feel
guilty eating it? If so, we’re assuming you’ve had the pleasure of
visiting Pophams Bakery. When it first opened, in 2017, this
artisanal bakery’s laminated pastries and cheese-stuffed croissants
sent the nation into a spin. Since then, it has opened two new
outposts in Hackney. We’re swinging by the Richmond Road shop,
partly for its close proximity to the London Fields lido, but
largely for the in-house pasta restaurant.

Make the pilgrimage to this American-inspired bakery on Wilton
Way for a wedge of its irresistible ginger molasses cake and a box
of seasonal cupcakes with limited-edition buttercream toppings (the
salted caramel is beyond good).

Looking for a knockout breakfast? Swing by Pavilion Bakery, at
the south end of Broadway Market, to snag a loaf of wheat-free rye
bread and a bag of buttery croissants. With no seats inside, it’s a
grab-and-go affair. If you’re looking for somewhere to linger,
visit the sit-down version at the Pavilion Café in Victoria
Park.

Bypass the ground-floor dining room and head downstairs to the
artisan bakery, which specialises in dairy- and gluten-free breads,
baguettes, cakes, pastries and viennoiserie. Sebastien Chiono, the
head baker at the Arts Club in Mayfair, is the man in charge: he
and his baking team are known for whipping up some of the best
bespoke cakes in W1.

Get your matcha (and cake) fix at Kova Patisserie, an Asian
bakery that specialises in handmade sweet treats with a Japanese
twist. Its colourful mille crepe cakes (composed of multiple layers
of French crepe with light custard filling in between) is
positively scrumptious, and the strawberry shortcake and roll cakes
are pretty amazing, too.

Covent Garden’s Balthazar Boulangerie flaunts chic Parisian
interiors: think gold-brushed walls and mosaiced floors. The wide
array of bread scores an A+ for us, though it’s the array of
delicate pastries that tends to attract crowds of window shoppers.
The apple-and-hazelnut galette is out of this world.

Tucked away in a charming little courtyard behind Columbia Road,
Lily Vanilli only opens on Sundays, in line with the
neighbourhood’s famous flower market. You’ll spot the queue outside
first, with Londoners prepared to wait for the line-up of goodies
found inside. Overwhelmed by the choice? When in doubt, order a
slice of the grapefruit and polenta cake.

Pastry chef Joakim Prat’s South Kensington bakery presents a
smorgasbord of choice, including an incredible riff on the humble
éclair. Opt for the delicately designed lemon-meringue option or
the decadent hazelnut-and-milk-chocolate one, finished with a
sprinkling of gold dust.

Created by Rose Carrarini and her husband Jean-Charles, Dover
Street Market’s Rose Bakery places its focus on organic
ingredients, with a beautiful cake counter filled with an
assortment of bakes, biscuits and tarts, all made from scratch.
Order the carrot cake – it’s the stuff of local legend.