LONDON | BREAD ROUTE 03
Explores the city’s layered baking heritage and new-wave flour power, from modern sourdough labs in Hackney to cult bowtie croissants and mochi bagels that draw crowds from Notting Hill to Bankside.
BREADRUNNERS is a carboholic curation of self-guided, customizable bakery runs around the globe. You pick the pace. We show you what’s worth chasing.
E5 Bakehouse is a bakery, flour mill, and baking school dedicated to spreading the good word of organic local grains and long fermentation. Their commitment to sustainability goes beyond the fields of nearby farms – they also roast their own coffee, best enjoyed alongside a slice of wholegrain apple cake or a plate from their seasonally shifting brunch menu.
Pastry chef and cookbook author Anna Higham’s grain-focused bakery celebrates the seasons in sweet and savory bakes – like courgette galettes, rhubarb and barley wheat scones, plum and honey custard tarts, and sandwiches built on country sourdough.
Iconic beignets, cinnamon morning buns, and fermented brownies are the stars of this Bloomsbury mainstay from baker and cookbook author Dee Rettali.
Just behind the Tate Modern lies a world of chewy matcha-mochi bagels, pandan coconut cream buns, and mentaiko butter rolls. This vision of contemporary Japanese baking comes from the team behind Nagare coffee house, bringing with them the same meticulous attention to detail and syphon-brewed coffees.
Their signature cardamom buns begin with a Japanese milk bread base, pains aux raisin are elevated with a spiced masala chai custard, and croissants are luxuriously filled with mango and coconut rice pudding. Just like their chai, everything at Chai Guys is crafted to go beyond the ordinary.
Layla Bakery is a Portobello Road powerhouse bursting at the seams with viral bowtie croissants, towering pains au chocolat, wobbly lemon custard tarts, and a devout following of neighborhood regulars.
Don't Tell Dad is a bakery by morning and a restaurant by evening, featuring a pastry section that mirrors the same depth and layered flavors as its kitchen. Brown butter hazelnut croissants, blackberry danishes with toasted brioche custard, and charred corn and miso bear claws add a sweet edge to Queen's Park.
