Best Bakeries in London
In recent years, the clean eating and low-carb movements have given bread a bit of a bad rep. But research has shown that for most people, wholegrain, unprocessed bread can happily be included as part of a healthy diet. it's a good source of fuel and fibre and has been a staple in the human diet for millennia. It's also utterly delicious.
Now the London bakery scene has been transformed. Following the fashion for artisan sourdough started by Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, fabulous independent bakers have been sprouting up allover the capital. Once you've tasted real bread, you'll never go back to mass-produced supermarket bloomers.
Best for: London's best sourdough classes
The ethos at e5 Bakehouse is that real bread is best. Housed in the railway arches under London Fields station, they hand craft lovely artisan bakes made from the finest locally-milled organic flours and other natural ingredients. It was founded in 2011 by Ben Mackinnon, who fled a desk job to pursue his passion for baking. They take the baking so seriously that they have even built their own stone mill on site; apparently freshly milled grains make for more flavourful and nutrient-rich bread.
The main bakery serves delicious weekend brunches and they now have their own coffee roastery and shop. But the real reason to make a special journey to Hackney is their stellar baking classes. No more than 10 people per group, you will spend an entire day learning the art of sourdough, as well as being served delicious coffee, lunch and cakes prepared on site. On the Sourdough Essentials course, you’ll master bagels, a country loaf, ciabatta, and their famous Hackney Wild (which you will end up baking at home the next day after a very careful journey home, proving dough in hand).
Our pick: the famous Hackney Wild
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