Butter, eggs, milk, flour, coffee & sometimes Matcha.

A guide to my favorite bakeries and coffee shops in London

I’ve always had a love affair for pastries, and it has grown even more now that I live in the UK, where dairy and eggs are of the best quality. Back home in LA, there are probably only 2 bakeries that I will frequent; Proof bakery in Atwater Village, and Republique in West Hollywood. I must also honorably mention , an online bakery, founded and run by pastry chef extraordinaire, Jashmine Corpuz, who just so happens to also be my cousin!. (I can’t stop dreaming of her Mango Tres Leches cake). As you can see, that is honestly less than a handful of places I adore in LA!!

London on the other hand is a different story! Here is a list of my current favorite places in London for the best pastries, coffee, and matcha latte.

Arome bakery: I recently saw a TikTok of Joe Jonas being interviewed by Topjaw, and he mentioned Arome. I couldn’t agree with him more! Their honey butter toast, the miso bacon escargot, and the sausage & cheese croissant with Japanese bbq sauce are just a few of the items they are known for. Arome has 2 locations: Covent Garden, and more recently opened, the one on Duke Street, which is directly opposite Selfridges.

Covent Garden: 9 Mercer St., London WC2H 9QJ or 27 Duke St., London W1U 1LE

Layla Bakery: If you ever find yourself in West London, amidst the vibrant vintage finds and bustling crowds of the Portobello Road flea market, make sure to visit Layla Bakery. There, you can enjoy a delightful nibble or treat yourself to a fresh loaf of sourdough bread.

332 Portobello Rd., London W10 5PQ

Monmouth Coffee: I have been obsessed with Monmouth even before I moved here. It was always my go-to place to start my mornings in London. Their coffee is incredibly strong, robust, and bursting full of flavor. What makes me love them even more now, is that they do not offer “take away” cups anymore. Instead you can purchase their cute and stylish refillable cups for £5, which is a more sustainable option for the environment. My favorite Monmouth location is the one opposite Borough Market because I love to people-watch while I’m there.

Seven dials: 27 Monmouth St., London WC2H 9EU or Borough Market: 2 Park St. London SE1 9AD

Mamason’s Dirty Ice Cream: Relax everyone! Chill! it's not really DIRTY! There’s a reason why Filipinos call our sorbetes “dirty ice cream”, and it's because it started as a joke, due to the fact that it was sold on the streets. Anyway, a big shout out of love and support to our fellow Pinoy’s here in London who are absolutely killing it in the food industry. This place is always busy serving up Pandan/Ube/and Leche Flan donuts, Halo Halo, and ice cream, but what they are known for is their “bilog” - a hot pan de sal (Filipino bread) with your choice of ice cream inside. It’s similar to a Sicilian brioche with gelato in it.

32 Newport Ct., London WC2H7PQ

The Monocle Cafe: As you get off of Baker Street station and you walk towards Chiltern St, you’ll come across Monocle Cafe. I love their matcha latte’s and the cafe’s minimalistic decor. The architecture of this street is so charming, especially with Chiltern Firehouse literally across the street from the cafe. I feel like this is one of the best areas to run into a celebrity!

18 Chiltern St., London W1U 7QA

Buns from Home: I often visit their Covent garden location since it’s a short walk from my weekly acupuncture sessions in Chinatown. The queue here is always so long, but the SMELL of their cinnamon buns are absolutely divine! It reminds me so much of that Cinnabon aroma you get when you walk into a mall food court. Besides their traditional cinnamon flavor, they offer other delicious options too. Pictured below is their Tiramisu flavor.

140 Long Acre, London WC2E 9AA

Panadera: From the same owners as Mamason’s, we have Panadera, another fantastic Filipino bakery. They specialize in a variety of breads such as Pan de Sal, Pan de Coco, and Spanish bread. They also do really yummy sandwiches called “sando’s” and you can either pick an all day sando or a breakfast one. I recently came here with a friend, and she loved the egg sando. Last time I was here, my husband and I shared their very tasty Corned beef one.

83 Kentish Town Rd., London NW1 8NY

Arabica % : I am so glad Arabica has opened so many locations here in London. I honestly feel like this is the best tasting coffee that isn’t originally from the UK. The first time I tried Arabica was during a trip  to Kyoto back in 2017. From the very first sip, I was obsessed. I loved it so much that I even gifted some coffee beans to my former boss and my favorite Charge nurse! (Hi, Hyesuk!) 😀

5 King St., London WC2E 8HN

Comptoir Gourmand Bermondsey: This bakery is nestled in the charming neighborhood of Bermondsey.  Though the space is small and lacks seating, it exudes a charming ambiance. And let me tell you, their croissants are simply delightful. Need I say more?

96 Bermondsey St., London SE1 3UB

WatchHouse Coffee: There are tons of WatchHouse locations all over London, but I think my favorite has got to be the one inside Somerset house. There’s a reason why “influencers” like to come to this location, because it is definitely “Instagramable”. The architecture is gorgeous, and it's a great place to people watch while soaking in all the beauty London has to offer.

Somerset House, East Wing The Strand, London WC2R 1LA

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