Bakery£hackneyTue-Sat 08:00-17:00, Sun 09:00-16:00Walk-in onlySourdough sandwiches and pastry
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
Bakery£stoke-newingtonWed-Sun 08:00-16:00Walk-in onlySourdough and Italian-leaning bake
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
Bakery£peckhamWed-Sun 08:30-15:00Walk-in onlySourdough and pastry
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
Bakery£mayfairMon-Sat 10:00-20:00, Sun 11:30-18:00Walk-in onlyHampers, scones, Scotch eggs and biscuits
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
Bakery£sohoMon-Sat 08:30-23:00, Sun 09:30-20:00Walk-in onlyFrench patisserie, croissants and seasonal fruit tarts
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
Bakery£hackneyMon-Sat 07:30-17:00, Sun 08:00-16:00Walk-in onlyStoneground sourdough and laminated pastries
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