LONDON | BREAD ROUTE 05
Takes runners south of the River Thames and into a world where focaccia sandwiches are cult-forming, Banoffee danishes steal the show, and the aroma of spiced buns fills the air.
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.
Part home-style bakehouse, part force of nature. This tiny grab-and-go spot on Anerley Road has achieved cult status for its focaccia sandwiches, malted milk maritozzi, and playful twists on British classics.
Eric’s opens just twice a week to crowds of East Dulwich regulars and pastry enthusiasts alike, longing for millionaire’s shortbread, buttery sausage rolls, and seasonal danishes. Pastry chef and owner Helen Evans' grain-focused approach is most embodied in her nutty, wholegrain-laced croissants – often hailed as the best in London.
TOAD doesn’t take itself too seriously. With lamination on lockdown and the mastery of classic British bakes firmly in its grasp, it doesn't need to. Instead, the bakery counter radiates playfulness – colorfully glazed raspberry iced fingers, a croissant reimagined with the flavors of an everything bagel, and savory pastries that carry the flavors of a restaurant dish.
What started in her flat as self-taught pastry chef Maya Manwaring’s micro-bakery has evolved into a Tulse Hill staple known for its buttery spiced buns, chocolate chip cookies, and luscious Basque cheesecakes.
In Brixton’s Aries Bakehouse, classic French techniques meet a distinctly South London spirit. The team turns out pitch-perfect sourdough and golden croissants alongside playful signatures like miso cookies and almond bear claws. It’s a neighborhood bakery through and through – warm, unfussy, and worth queuing for.
Fans of Harry Robins’ microbakery, Robins Bakery & Provisions, rejoiced when he landed a brick-and-mortar spot on Battersea Rise. With fellow Layla alum Sesilia Adamia leading the pastry team, August Bakery became a neighborhood staple almost as quickly as their banoffee danishes rose to fame on TikTok.
Sydney-trained pastry chefs Ru-Yan Foong and Miguel Jocson founded Mahali & Co. as a reflection of both London’s diversity and their own heritage. Ru-Yan, originally from China, and Miguel, from the Philippines, fold personal and local flavors into black sesame madeleines, Milo croissants, and Thai milk pains aux raisins.
