Central London Bakeries

Hello.

  Does anyone know of any good bakeries in Central London?  I'd love to get things like eclairs, tartlets and other pastries.  I want good quality ones but nothing of the sort is to be found around here!  TIA

June

'Valeries' on Old Compton Street.  Can't beat it!

There is an Italian bakery in Winchmore Hill, on Green Lanes, if you want to go a bit nearer, though I don't know how good they are.

Valeries is opposite I Camisa, so you could stock up on Italian deli good while you're there.

Vicky

Thanks Vicky, i'll check it out!

June

There is a yummy one on the high street in East Finchley

Chorak Ltd
122, High Rd, London, N2 9ED
Tel: 020 8365 3330   

I usually just buy their bread, but all the sweets in the display case look great and I have had the eclairs before. 

Thanks Karin....there goes WW (again!)

Vicky

There is a kind of chain called Paul's and they have shops that I know of on High Holborn and near St. Pauls (probably not all that Central).

There are a few of them around - I know of one in Covent Garden and one in Regents Street.  I'm not a big fan after having had one of their cheese quiches and being able to tell on the first bite that the pastry was made with lard.  I don't know if they make the pastries with it too, but it was enough to put me off.

Vicky

I guess I'm one of those who remembers when most of the best pastry was made with lard, although it should clearly be marked that for vegetarians!  I like a lard crust, it's the flakiest.

I'm with Vicky -- Patisserie Valerie is really good and they have several locations in addition to the shop on Old Compton Street: Chelsea, Kensington, Marylebone High Street, Piccadilly, Spitalfields.

and also Vicky, thanks for the tip about the Italian bakery up in Winchmore Hill. I went up there on Saturday to take a look. It's called LaRoccas and felt instantly transported  back to Queens (or Brooklyn) as soon as I entered the door. It's both a sit-down cafe and bakery/pastry shop, and offers the usual array of Italian pastries, cookies, gelati, etc. I bought some cannoli and sfogliatelle, not the best I've had to be honest, but would go back when I need a fix.

Glad it worked out.  I might pop in when I next go and see my mum (though she has just come back from Rome and is currently busy stuffing her face with salami!!).

Vicky