The Best Pastries in West Kensington
There is a particular sort of London morning that begins with a pastry bag warming your hand: the buttery smell of croissants on Munster Road, the first cinnamon buns appearing on Portobello Road, or a hot manaeesh eaten before the day has properly started. West Kensington sits within easy reach of some superb bakeries, making it an excellent base for a pastry wander — especially if you are looking for artisan sourdough London can be proud of, as well as something sweet to go with it.
From naturally leavened bread and immaculate laminated pastry to gluten-free bakes and Levantine flatbreads, these are the nearby bakeries worth getting up for.
The Best Bakeries Near West Kensington
1. Little Sourdough Kitchen
Location: Fulham · Rating: 4.5/5 · Open: Daily, 7:30am–3:30pm
At Little Sourdough Kitchen, the clue is very much in the name: naturally leavened bread is the star, but the croissants and daily pastry selection deserve equal billing. This intimate Munster Road café has the friendly feel of a neighbourhood regular’s living room, only with considerably better bread. It is the sort of place where you can pick up a loaf, stay for coffee and leave already planning tomorrow’s breakfast.
Visit Little Sourdough Kitchen
2. Reemies Chelsea
Location: Chelsea · Rating: 4.6/5 · Open: Monday–Saturday, 9am–6pm; Sunday, 10am–6pm
Reemies’ pretty pink-and-red shop on Fulham Road is a cheerful destination for anyone who believes cake can improve a Tuesday. Its famous banana bundt cakes come in vegan versions too, alongside a wider selection of signature pastries and bakes. The first bricks-and-mortar location opened in 2025 and has quickly become a colourful local landmark.
3. Sally Clarke’s Shop
Location: Kensington · Rating: 4.4/5 · Open: Monday–Saturday, 7:30am–4pm
A Kensington institution since 1984, Sally Clarke’s Shop is a refined deli-bakery where seasonal cooking extends all the way to the bread counter. Expect fresh pastries and loaves made by the shop’s own bakery, plus an impressive collection of artisan produce for turning breakfast into lunch without much effort. It is calm, considered and quietly excellent — less a quick pit stop than a dependable food pilgrimage.
4. KURO Bakery
Location: Notting Hill · Rating: 4.8/5 · Open: Monday–Friday, 8am–4pm; Saturday–Sunday, 8am–5pm
KURO is for serious pastry fans and anyone willing to queue for a very good croissant. Its almond croissant is regularly praised, but the real showstopper is the Sākuro: a flaky, sugar-dusted croissant roll filled with chocolate or vanilla cream. Boutique, focused and beautifully made, this is the place to visit when breakfast deserves a little drama.
5. Layla Notting Hill
Location: Notting Hill · Rating: 4.7/5 · Open: Daily, 8am–4pm
Layla’s baking is imaginative without becoming showy, with wild grains, seasonal ingredients and a thoughtful approach to using every scrap. A sausage roll made with leftover croissant dough and HG Walter pork is exactly the kind of clever, delicious idea that makes an early visit worthwhile. Add wildfarmed peanut chocolate cookies and rhubarb-cardamom pastries, and it is easy to see why arriving early is sensible.
6. Fabrique Notting Hill
Location: Notting Hill · Rating: 4.6/5 · Open: Daily, 8am–6pm
Fabrique brings a slice of Stockholm to Portobello Road, with a concise menu that knows exactly what it is doing. The Swedish cinnamon buns are the headline act: fragrant, generously spiced and ideal with a strong coffee. Rye bread, brownies, fudge cookies and vegan chocolate slices make the rest of the counter difficult to ignore.
7. Libby’s
Location: Notting Hill · Rating: 4.6/5 · Open: Daily, 8am–4pm
Libby’s is a dedicated gluten-free bakery that treats pastry technique with the seriousness it deserves. Its entirely gluten-free range includes croissants, sourdough loaves, cinnamon buns, seasonal pastries and celebration cakes, all made fresh. Whether you avoid gluten or simply enjoy excellent baking, this Ledbury Road stop makes a persuasive case that “free from” need not mean fun-free.
8. Zeit and Zaatar Shepherd’s Bush
Location: Shepherd’s Bush · Rating: 4.6/5 · Open: Monday–Saturday, 8am–6pm; Sunday, 8am–5pm
For a pastry-shaped change of pace, head to Zeit and Zaatar for manaeesh, the hot Levantine flatbreads topped with za’atar, akkawi cheese or sujuk. The sujuk-and-cheese version is particularly compelling, pairing spiced sausage with bubbling, stretchy cheese. It is savoury, aromatic and best eaten while still warm — preferably before anyone asks you to share.
What If Getting There Isn’t An Option?
Sometimes the ideal bakery run collides with real life: rain, a sleeping baby, a calendar full of calls or the simple desire not to put on proper trousers before breakfast. That is part of the appeal of the growing breakfast delivery London scene. Quality baked goods can now arrive at home while they are still at their best, turning an ordinary weekend morning into something that feels remarkably well organised.
It also makes sense for London’s increasingly thoughtful food culture. A pastry subscription UK customers can pause or change offers the pleasure of a bakery counter without unnecessary journeys, while sustainable food delivery London services are beginning to focus on bicycle couriers, recyclable packaging and better planning. The rise of the zero waste bakery London model is especially welcome: baking to order means fewer unsold loaves and pastries at the end of the day, rather than a sad tray waiting for closing time.
Butter & Crust: Bakery Quality At Home
For those mornings when the bakery crawl is not on the cards, Butter & Crust is a lovely alternative. The service works with some of London’s best local artisan producers, bringing together sourdough, pastries and breakfast goods for delivery by 9am every weekend.
Delivery is by bicycle across inner London, with recyclable packaging and a baked-to-order approach designed to avoid food waste. It is a practical version of the zero waste bakery London ideal: make what has been ordered, deliver it efficiently and let people enjoy it at its freshest. Subscriptions are flexible too, so you can pause, skip or cancel whenever life changes its mind.
Butter & Crust currently covers most of London zones 1–3 and is expanding. For anyone who likes artisan sourdough London-style, fresh pastries and the idea of bike delivery food London without the early queue, it is a particularly good fit. And if your weekends are sacred, weekend breakfast delivery London is a small luxury that feels entirely justified.
Sources
- Little Sourdough Kitchen — Fulham, SW6 6BT
- Reemies Chelsea — Chelsea, SW3 6SD
- Sally Clarke’s Shop — Kensington, W8 7EP
- KURO Bakery — Notting Hill, W11 3JZ
- Layla Notting Hill — Notting Hill, W11 1LJ
- Fabrique Notting Hill — Notting Hill, W11 1LA
- Libby’s — Notting Hill, W11 2AA
- Zeit and Zaatar Shepherd’s Bush — Shepherd’s Bush, W12 8PP