The dusty knuckle is a badass bakery, with unpretentious flavours, unapologetically simple presentation and an unfiltered passion for their craft that's visible in every product. I always get a loaf of the potato sourdough; it is most delicious eaten toasted with a fried egg on top.
This bakery is around the corner from my house. More refined than the dusty knuckle, it became famous for its Hackney Wild Loaf - which is really one of the best sourdough loaves in London. However, the queues can be merciless so get down early if you want to be in with a chance of getting a coffee as you buy your loaf of bread.
This Instagram indulgent bakery serves amazing croissants with cartoonish lamination. They have to be seen to be believed. Not only do they play with the form of viennoiserie, but also flavour combinations. Their nectarine and ginger Danish is interesting and completely delicious. Go on a sunny day so you can sit outside, as the seating inside is very limited.
Lily’s little shop off Columbia Road is filled with picture perfect cakes, pastries & sausage rolls. No trip to the Sunday flower market is complete without stopping off for a cake with her first. She makes gorgeous tarts, my favourite is the chocolate ganache with rye pastry, amazingly beautiful cakes and the ultimate sausage rolls.
I have been the head chef here for just over a year now, and although we are not strictly a bakery, we have an ethos that is shared with most bakeries. Everything is made from scratch, on site, with the best possible ingredients. We produce, in my opinion, an excellent wholewheat sourdough, with fans from across London coming to snap up the limited loaves we have for sale. We are only open for lunch, with a daily changing Italian inspired menu, which features lots of pasta, fresh fish and vegetarian options.