New to the neighbourhood but Layla Bakery has been hitting the ground running and very quickly becoming a popular stop around Ladbroke Grove. Layla Bakery is a neighbourhood artisan bakery and coffee shop specialising in sourdough and speciality coffee. It is located along Portobello Road, a mere short walk away from the bustling Acklam Village Market and renowned Portobello Market.
The Ladbroke Grove & Nottinghill areas do not lack independent bakeries but Layla Bakery stands out with its emphasis on sourcing quality seasonal ingredients, using wild grains and ancient tradition in their baking processes. Warm rustic wooden tones adorn the entire shop floor, giving off a very laid-back atmosphere. One large communal table sits at the centre of the shop floor, with their pastry selection displayed across the counter, as well as shelves of fresh sourdough loaves lined right next to it.
Cinnamon & Cardamom 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 most favourite part is also the crystalised 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 sugary texture.
Pistachio Cream Brioche (Weekend Special)
Layla Bakery regularly launches weekend special items. Over the weekend I visited, their weekend specials include this Pistachio Cream Brioche as well as the Blood Orange Danish. The Pistachio Cream Brioche surprised me in several ways. 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.
In summary…
Layla Bakery is a great neighbourhood addition in the area. The quality of pastries and coffee speak for themselves, and I’m excited to see what else they come up with in the future!
RATING:
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Food
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Value
Website: https://www.laylabakery.com/
Instagram: @layla_w10
Nearest station: Ladbroke Grove
