The counters in London worth queuing for: bread, pastry, and the morning ritual.
Bakery counters in London worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Ben Mackinnon's railway-arch bakery beside London Fields station in Hackney London, opened 2010, mills its own organic flour and ships Hackney Wild sourdough.
Tip: The Sunday morning canal-side queue runs 30 minutes; weekday opening at 07:30 walks in. Cinnamon buns sell out by 11:00.
Worth the queue: Hackney Wild sourdough
Olly Gold's laminated-pastry counter in Hackney London, opened 2016 on Richmond Road, runs the city's most-photographed viennoiserie and a Pophams Pizza.
Tip: Bacon and maple Danish sells out by 10:00 on a Saturday. The Islington site at 36 Prebend Street has identical bake but quieter queues.
Worth the queue: Bacon and maple Danish
Nichola Gensler and Martin Hardiman's railway-arch bakery in Bermondsey London, opened 2010, runs organic sourdough, viennoiserie and panettone delivered.
Tip: Almond croissants come out at 09:00; arrive early on Saturdays. The Primrose Hill, Pimlico and Waterloo shops sell same-day bake but quieter queues.
Worth the queue: Almond croissant
Matthew Jones's bakery counter inside Borough Market in London, opened in 2013, runs hand-rolled doughnuts and a bakery school in the railway arches just.
Tip: The vanilla cream doughnut is the marquee bake. Their bakery school runs day classes for £150; book through their website three weeks ahead.
Worth the queue: Vanilla cream doughnut
Max Tobias's social-enterprise bakery in a Dalston car park in east London, opened 2014, runs sourdough sandwiches, pastry and a youth training program.
Tip: Salt beef sandwich is the marquee fill. Sunday roast bread loaf sells out by 13:00. Outdoor seating only in summer.
Worth the queue: Salt beef sandwich
Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell's bakery-cafe on Newington Green in north London, opened 2019, runs sourdough, simple pasta lunches.
Tip: The Brixton arch sibling on Atlantic Road is the south-London twin. Both close by 16:00 on weekends.
Worth the queue: Olive oil cake
Erin Wilkins's small-batch bakery on Camberwell Road in south London, opened 2021, runs serious natural-leaven sourdough, pastel de nata and a weekend-only.
Tip: Closed Mon-Tue. Pastel de nata baked in batches every two hours; arrive at 09:30, 11:30 or 13:30 for hot ones.
Worth the queue: Pastel de nata
The 1707 grocery and bakery on Piccadilly in Mayfair London, founded by William Fortnum and Hugh Mason, claims the original Scotch egg (1738) and runs.
Tip: The basement food hall queue is shorter than the main bakery counter. The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon books two weeks ahead.
Worth the queue: Original Scotch egg
Soho's oldest patisserie, opened on Greek Street in 1871, still laminates croissants, mille-feuille and seasonal fruit tarts by hand above the tearoom.
Tip: The narrow tearoom seats around twenty; takeaway counter on the ground floor moves faster. Cash discount on small orders.
Worth the queue: Mille-feuille