The Best Croissants in Kensington
There is a particular pleasure in chasing a croissant through Kensington: the early streets are quiet, the coffee shops are just waking up, and somewhere nearby butter is being folded into dough with almost suspicious precision. From a long-established deli-bakery to the pastry specialists drawing queues in Notting Hill, this is a corner of west London where breakfast is taken seriously. Whether you are searching for the best croissants in Kensington or simply an excellent start to the weekend, these bakeries are well worth the walk.
Where To Find The Best Croissants In Kensington
1. Sally Clarke’s Shop
Location: Kensington
Rating: 4.4/5
Opening hours: Monday–Saturday, 7:30am–4:00pm
At Sally Clarke’s Shop, baking comes with proper west London heritage. This refined deli-bakery has been part of Kensington’s food scene since 1984, producing fresh breads and pastries alongside carefully chosen seasonal deli goods. It is the sort of place where a croissant feels like part of a larger ritual: pick up something flaky, browse the artisan produce, and pretend you are only popping in for one thing.
2. KURO Bakery
Location: Notting Hill
Rating: 4.8/5
Opening hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:00pm; Saturday–Sunday, 8:00am–5:00pm
KURO Bakery is the destination for laminated pastry with a little theatre. Its almond croissant has earned a serious following, while the signature Sākuro croissant roll brings chocolate or vanilla cream into a flaky, sugar-dusted pastry that looks as good as it eats. Expect queues, repeat visitors and the mildly agonising decision of whether to choose the classic almond croissant or go straight for the showstopper.
3. Libby’s
Location: Notting Hill
Rating: 4.6/5
Opening hours: Daily, 8:00am–4:00pm
Libby’s makes a compelling case that gluten-free baking should never feel like an apology. Everything here is 100% gluten-free, including the croissants, sourdough loaves, cinnamon buns and seasonal pastries, all made fresh with serious pastry know-how. The bakery was created in partnership with MasterChef: The Professionals winner Keri Moss, and its three Gold awards at the Free From Food Awards underline what regulars already know: free-from can still be properly indulgent.
4. Fabrique Notting Hill
Location: Notting Hill
Rating: 4.6/5
Opening hours: Daily, 8:00am–6:00pm
Fabrique brings a distinctly Swedish sensibility to Portobello Road. Its focus is on a concise selection of Scandinavian baking, from rye bread and brownies to its much-loved cinnamon buns and vegan chocolate slices. For croissant hunters, it is a useful reminder that the best bakery breakfast does not always arrive in a crescent shape; sometimes it is warm, cardamom-scented and unapologetically Swedish.
5. Layla Notting Hill
Location: Notting Hill
Rating: 4.7/5
Opening hours: Daily, 8:00am–4:00pm
Layla takes an thoughtful, grain-led approach to baking, working with wild grains, ancient bread-making traditions and Wildfarmed flour. Its menu changes with the seasons, and the bakery’s waste-conscious cooking has produced clever treats such as sausage rolls made with leftover croissant dough and HG Walter pork. Arrive early: the most tempting pastries have a habit of disappearing before the day has properly started.
6. Reemies Chelsea
Location: Chelsea
Rating: 4.6/5
Opening hours: Monday–Saturday, 9:00am–6:00pm; Sunday, 10:00am–6:00pm
Reemies brings a cheerful hit of colour to Fulham Road, with a pretty pink-and-red shopfront and a menu built around its famous banana bundt cakes. Vegan versions are available, alongside the bakery’s signature pastries and other bakes. It is not a traditional croissant specialist, but it belongs on a west London bakery wander for anyone who likes breakfast with a little more cake involved.
7. Birley Bakery Chelsea
Location: Chelsea
Rating: 4.5/5
Opening hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00am–6:00pm; Saturday–Sunday, 8:00am–6:00pm
Set on Cale Street in Chelsea’s artisan food district, Birley Bakery is an appealing stop for fresh bread, pastries, cakes and chocolate. The setting is polished, but the pleasure is uncomplicated: choose something warm from the counter, find a suitably photogenic corner of Chelsea and get on with breakfast. Its early weekday opening also makes it a useful option for pastry missions before work.
8. Little Sourdough Kitchen
Location: Fulham
Rating: 4.5/5
Opening hours: Daily, 7:30am–3:30pm
Little Sourdough Kitchen is a small, friendly bakery-café on Munster Road with a loyal following for naturally leavened sourdough, croissants and a daily pastry selection. Its intimate feel makes it more neighbourhood meeting point than grand destination, which is precisely the charm. Come early for the best choice, stay for the relaxed atmosphere and leave with enough bread to make lunch someone else’s problem.
Visit Little Sourdough Kitchen
What If Getting There Isn’t An Option?
Sometimes the ideal croissant is not the one you queue for; it is the one that arrives while the kettle is boiling. The growing appeal of artisan breakfast delivery London-wide reflects a simple wish for better mornings at home, particularly when the weather is grey or the weekend has begun at a heroic hour. A good breakfast delivery London service can bring the bakery counter to your kitchen without asking you to leave the duvet.
There is also a more thoughtful shift happening behind the scenes. Bread and pastry subscriptions can make production more precise, while recyclable packaging, bike delivery food London and zero-waste bakery practices offer a more considered way to enjoy excellent baking. For regulars, a pastry subscription UK service or bread subscription London option means fewer rushed trips and more dependable breakfasts, especially when weekend breakfast delivery London is on the agenda.
Butter & Crust: Bakery Quality At Home
For those mornings when Kensington feels just a little too far away, Butter & Crust is a genuinely lovely alternative. It works with some of the best local artisan producers in London, bringing together sourdough, pastries and breakfast goods for delivery by 9am every weekend.
The practical details are reassuringly simple: deliveries travel by bicycle across inner London, arrive in recyclable packaging and are baked to order, helping create a zero food waste London model rather than a mountain of unsold pastries. Subscriptions are flexible too, so you can pause, skip or cancel whenever life changes its mind.
Coverage currently reaches most of London zones 1–3 and is expanding. If you love artisan sourdough London, excellent pastry and the rare luxury of a weekend breakfast that arrives before you have properly woken up, Butter & Crust is well worth knowing about.
Sources
- Sally Clarke’s Shop — Kensington, W8 7EP | sallyclarke.com
- KURO Bakery — Notting Hill, W11 3JZ | kuro-london.com/kuro-bakery-london
- Libby’s — Notting Hill, W11 2AA | libbys.co
- Fabrique Notting Hill — Notting Hill, W11 1LA | fabrique.co.uk
- Layla Notting Hill — Notting Hill, W11 1LJ | laylabakery.com
- Reemies Chelsea — Chelsea, SW3 6SD | reemiescakes.com
- Birley Bakery Chelsea — Chelsea, SW3 3QU | birleybakery.co.uk
- Little Sourdough Kitchen — Fulham, SW6 6BT | Facebook