The first thing I noticed when I moved to London? Londoners take waiting in line very seriously. Comically so, in fact. Nevertheless, we certainly won’t wait for any old thing. And lately, foodies have been waiting patiently outside bakeries, flirting with fate, lured by the temptation of finely layered cruffins served hot out of the oven, despite the fact there’s rarely a menu in sight.
But when we live in a city where there’s a Gail’s around every corner, guaranteeing pastries and coffee galore at our any whim, why are we willing to trade in a weekend lie-in for freshly baked goods? I had thought waiting in line was a trigger these days after lockdown. Did we not get enough practice?
If you’re curious to discover what all the fuss is about and - most importantly - how long you’ll have to queue for, here’s your own guide to the bakeries I’ve found are entirely worth the wait. Patience is a virtue after all...
Home of the hypebakes– who knew seasonal drops weren’t reserved solely for trainers? All the best limited-edition goods are made and found here. Watch as cake trays disappear one by one while standing in the 45-min long line. Galette des rois. SOLD OUT. Wow once they are gone, they really are gone *eyeroll*. Lessons learned: get there even earlier. But what are the reselling rates like? Well, they would be high, if every flake were not immediately scoffed down in one sitting.
BUNS FROM HOME, COVENT GARDEN
Queue? A longer than sane 30 mins. Though to be fair, servers are constantly moving from kitchen to counter with mounds of delicious dough (phew!) Try their finely layered croissant dough balls — a mission to bag one and also eat while sidestepping busy shoppers. A polite note to Westminster Council: more benches in Covent Garden, please!
ERIC’S, EAST DULWICH
Alarm set. 6am call time. Calling all troops. Prepare for an hour wait. Not a south Londoner? This could be a two-and-a-half-hour expedition for cinnamon buns loaded with mascarpone icing that you’ll polish off in the space of two minutes. Worth all the fuss? Absolutely. Try the millionaire shortbread, it’s like crack. But don’t get there any later than 9… carnage.
LAYLA, PORTOBELLO ROAD
So, you’ve told the office you’re out for a really important meeting with this old friend Layla. It’s foolproof. Time for the pistachio choc pain suisse and blood orange brioche. But wait, you didn’t factor in the 50 minute wait outside. Rookie error. Rotate between Slack, Office and Google Docs in this line. Open, close, refresh, close. WFL (working from the line) and the minutes continue to tick by. When you’re filled with pastry, you won’t even notice the typo you made…
POPHAMS, ISLINGTON
There’s this little old saying that goes “good things come to those who wait” … and well it’s true in the case of Pophams. Plus, it’s only about 20 mins. This old school baker certainly provides good things in the form of delicate rhubarb and gin croissants, stuffed sarnies and overfilled bagels that will go quite literally everywhere as soon as you bite into them. I recommend wearing something, anything but that mohair scarf you love or you’ll be spending the remainder of your day picking crumbs off your front.
TOAD BAKERY, CAMBERWELL
Queue of fame: 45-minute wait for the spiky wild garlic asparagus barrel you didn’t know you wanted. *Chef’s kiss* Note: you will have to deal with couples in lycra arguing over which park to walk Leroy (pet pooch cockapoo) afterwards.
KURO, NOTTING HILL
Aka the viral one you’ve seen all over TikTok and for good reason. Expect a 35-minute private view of the outside. But when you (finally) score a seat inside this cosy Japanese bakery, opt for the SÄkuro croissant — a dream. Perfectly formed wheels filled with sweet cream and indulgently doused in chocolate, best washed down with a steaming hot matcha latte. You won’t get enough of it. Top tip: bring a crying baby — aka your fast pass card. Schedule in a tantrum and you’re guaranteed to beat the line… you may even score a free babyccinno.
JOLENE, NEWINGTON GREEN
With a queue that curls out the doors and around the street corner, Jolene (almost) rivals the 30 hour wait for Queen Lizzie’s funeral procession. At this point, we’ll have whatever’s left... cardamon bun? Cruffin? Potato, leak puff? Anything and everything Jolene.
