Pollen Bakery ★ 4.7
Sunday Times-listed Manchester bakery by Ancoats Marina, baking sourdough loaves and laminated pastries. The cinnamon morning bun is the menu's calling card.
Worth the queue: Cinnamon morning bun
Bakery counters in Manchester worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Where to queue for bread and pastry
Companio Bakery ★ 4.6
Ancoats bakery in Manchester run by Baneta Yelda and Neil Large; cardamom buns and pizza doughs filled with cheese. Locals queue outside before opening hour daily.
Worth the queue: Cardamom bun
Long Boi's Bakehouse ★ 4.5
Old corner-shop bakehouse on a leafy Forest Range corner in Levenshulme, founded by an ex-Pollen baker. Imaginative pastry programme that put it in The Good Food Guide's Best Bakeries 2025; takeaway with outside seating.
Worth the queue: Cardamom morning bun
Bread Flower ★ 4.4
Sourdough bagel counter and florist concept inside Ducie Street Warehouse by friends Maya Black and Scarlett Jamieson. Hand-rolled sourdough bagels, schmears made in-house, fresh flower bouquets on the counter.
Worth the queue: Smoked salmon bagel with caper schmear
Siop Shop ★ 4.4
Welsh-influenced bakery cafe on Tib Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter. Pic-niq sausage rolls, bara brith, brunch plates and excellent espresso daily.
Worth the queue: Pic-niq sausage roll
Lily Vanilli at Mackie Mayor ★ 4.3
Pastry counter inside Manchester's Mackie Mayor food hall. Daily-changing tarts, slices and seasonal sweets, the lemon tart is the regulars' first order.
Worth the queue: Lemon tart