The Best Bakeries in London

The best bakeries in London have come a long way over the past few years. Once the domain of American-style cupcake stores and old-school British bakers, these days, London's top bakeries are creating everything from Wild farmed sourdough to glossy French-style patisserie. On any given Saturday, queues can be spotted snaking out of the capital's best bakeshops – tracking down London's hottest treat right now is a competitive sport.

Chocolate Dino Company, Lambeth

Take-home treat: Millionaire's shortbread brownie

This Lambeth bakery is best known for its order-online treats, especially the chocolate brownie gift boxes (which have won awards, and which won over our team when they were delivered to the office) – with flavours including Biscoff, peanut and salted caramel. The cookies – enormous, Levain-style New York-inspired treats – were my personal favourite, thanks to the chewy, soft texture. At the café itself, there's a reasonably priced weekend brunch, but we recommend ordering a couple of boxes of brownies and cookies for your next get-together, and leaving as the most popular guest of them all.

Address: Chocolate Dino Company, 36 Kennington Rd, London SE1 7BL

Kuro Bakery, Notting Hill

Take-home treat: chausson aux pommes

This minimalist little bakery fits right into Notting Hill Gate's pretty streets, with its creamy façade and picture-ready bench outside. Thankfully, the baked goods prove that Kuro is in no way style over substance. The team piles shelves with traditional sweet treats, including slices of banana bread, bread and butter pudding, indulgent brownies, and savoury snacks well worth swinging by for on a bakery crawl through the capital. Whatever you choose to devour, be sure to pick up a signature sakuro flavoured with vanilla, pistachio or raspberry and coconut. The bakery is just one part of the Kuro family – there's also Kuro Coffee and, new for 2025, Kuro Bagels.

Address: Kuro Bakery, 95 Notting Hill Gate, Notting Hill, London, W11 3JZ

Milk Run, Tooting Bec

Take-home treat: mac and cheese toastie

Balham brunch spot Milk has been a stalwart on the scene for more than 10 years. So our ears pricked in 2024 when we heard the group was opening a little sister bakery, Milk Run. Set just up the road from the OG Milk, closer to Tooting Bec than Balham, here it's all about the team's famous pastries on-the-go – think combos like fennel and cardamom brioche, creme brûlée pastries with a perfect crack, and banana cheesecake cruffins. For those who prefer savoury to sweet treats, there's a short toastie menu too – we especially love the mac and cheese creation.

Address: Milk Run, 16-18 Ritherdon Road, London SW17 8QD

Fortitude Bakehouse, Russell Square

Take-home treat: cream-filled beignets

You'll spot the queue here before you spot the bakery itself – winding along a cobbled Bloomsbury street, punters patient but eager to pick their poison from the vast counter of sourdough cakes, hand-baked bread and artisan pastries. This drafty but buzzy space was founded by Dee Rettali, who oversees a crack team of bakers who start at 4am each morning. We even named the team's cream-filled beignets one of the most iconic dishes in London.

Address: Fortitude Bakehouse, 35 Colonnade, London WC1N 1JD

Bunhead Bakery, Dulwich

Take-home treat: cinnamon buns

Bunhead Bakery has gained quite the following since its humble beginnings, born during the pandemic by self-taught baker Sara. As normal life resumed, Sara called on best friend Georgia to take the concept out of the home kitchen and into a brick-and-mortar site, leaving the corporate world behind to cook up a storm. The menu is entirely vegetarian and halal-friendly, while around half of the treats are vegan. The team will happily guide you through the day's treats, all chalked up on the board in-store; expect a range of Palestinian-British combos, from date and pistachio buns to sour cherry and chocolate cookies.

Address: Bunhead Bakery, 145 Dulwich Road, London SE24 0NG