Layla Bakery is a beautiful neighbourhood gem that makes outstanding artisan pastries, top-quality sourdough, and fantastic speciality coffees. Ever since opening in Ladbroke Grove, it’s very quickly become a West London staple, attracting waves of loyal customers from and around the area, including me. Over the years, many have recognised them as one of the best bakeries in London, and I couldn’t agree more!
Layla Bakery: A Rustic West London Neighbourhood Artisan Bakery
This side of West London does not lack independent bakeries. But Layla Bakery stands out from the bunch, not just through its amazing bakes, but also with an emphasis on building a strong communal vibe, and sourcing quality seasonal ingredients, using wild grains and ancient traditions in their baking processes. They also regularly release phenomenal seasonal flavours, such as Blood Orange Danish, Rhubarb Pastry Bows, etc., that keep you returning for more.
Furthermore, the rustic charm of the bakery plays a part in its popularity as well. Warm rustic wooden tones adorn the entire shop floor, giving off a very laid-back & welcoming atmosphere. One large communal table sits at the centre of the shop, with its pastry selection displayed across the counter, and shelves of fresh sourdough loaves lined right next to it.
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The Food at Layla Bakery (what we ordered)
Pistachio Suisse
This Pistachio Suisse is love at first bite. The pastry was so incredibly well-laminated, offering a mouthful of crispy, fluffy layers at every bite. It’s perfectly buttery, laced with a nutty and sweet pistachio paste that creates an irresistible harmony of flavours.
Cinnamon & Cardamon Roll
With food waste minimisation high on the agenda, Layla Bakery uses leftover croissant dough and turns it into brioche by adding a small amount of sourdough starter for taste. The end results are these lovely Cinnamon & Cardamom Rolls.
Not only are these buns really fluffy in texture, but my favourite part is also the crystallised crunch of sugars in the filling. Both cinnamon and cardamom spices were quite subtle. Whilst the spices weren’t as punchy as Scandinavian buns, it was a beautiful harmonious blend of delicate flavours. It wasn’t too sweet either, despite the crystallised sugar texture.
Pistachio Cream Brioche
One bite is all it takes to impress with this Pistachio Cream Brioche. Firstly, the crispy Craquelin layer on top reminded me of Cantonese Pineapple Buns. It’s, of course, different to a Cantonese bun. The Craqueline offers a more cookie-like flavour, but a similar sugary crunch in texture.
At the centre of the bun, there’s a generous amount of pistachio cream piped inside. It’s not quite the usual sweet pistachio cream, nor does it carry a fake almond taste to it. The pistachio cream was really rich, highlighting more of a raw flavour note that’s bursting with a unique savoury nutty taste.
Latte
Last but not least, coffee. Using Assembly Roast, the coffee at Layla Bakery has been a treat to pair with the pastries. The coffee carried reasonably deep and rich flavour strength, and was pretty smooth to taste. It wasn’t as strong as I originally anticipated but still a great one nonetheless.
Layla Bakery Review Summary
I’ve been saying it since the beginning that Layla Bakery is one of the best bakeries in London. The quality of pastries and coffee speaks for itself, and it’s a true West London gem that deserves all the attention & popularity. Whether you’re a local or are planning to trek over this side of London to visit Layla Bakery, my advice for you is to go early, because all the good stuff won’t last long on the counter!
RATING:
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Food
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Atmostphere
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Service
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Value
