Arôme Bakery - Duke Street — Restaurant in London

In all honesty, this might be the best bakery in London at the moment. Clearly driven by French obsession with technique, the quality of the pastry itself is unsurpassed. Every corner of every piece from these hallowed ovens is perfectly crispy or spongy exactly as it should be. The imaginative and original flavours are really something to behold, however; filling a gap in the market between excellent patisserie and modern Asian-fusion flavours in a way which excites the senses. The honey butter shokupan toast is a honeyed cloud draped in a perfect crunch. The ratio of fluffy, chewy bred to perfectly crisped, caramelised exterior is nigh-on perfect, and my fears about the pastry being overly sweet were never realised. The kumquat meringue tart is so good it might as well be witchcraft. It eats like candy floss; so light that my excited hyperventilating from eating it could’ve blown it away. A fantastic pastry wall which is not your usual shortcrust, or any other shortcrust for that matter, but a delicately laminated one. Chorizo & Worcestershire Escargot sounds interesting, doesn’t it? We all know you like “Danish” swirls. You can be honest about it. But this is a decidedly bold, savoury take on the pastry and boy does this innovative risk pay off by the bucket load. A rich explosion of umami, spiced goodness between layers of perfectly laminated rich, buttery pastry that unpeel like an onion to reveal their delicious innards. Fair warning; one of these is enough for a decent sized breakfast. And it’ll be a breakfast to remember. Almond Croissant? Honestly, calling it that is a disservice to the actual pastry. Eschew your dull memories of dull croissants with a puny handful of slivered almonds on top. This is a feather-like pastry laminated to within an inch of its life, with a generous filling of a home made almond paste. Not your usual marzipan, but a lovely slightly coarse intensely almond-y filling without a hint of that nasty bitter almond essence we’re all so used to. Not just that, but the paste is applied on top too, crisping-up beautifully giving the wonderful aroma of caramelised nuts, before finally being topped with slivered almonds. It’s rich, it’s light, it’s filling, it’s delicate. It’s a contradiction in terms of its own creation, and it’s so, so much better for it.

Do you have 10 minutes to spare? Are you hungry? Even if the answers to both of those are “No”, go anyway. You won’t be...

Arôme is hands down the best coffee shop I've been to in London, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. From the moment you walk in, you're greeted with the most mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked pastries and expertly brewed coffee.

Let me start by raving about the lemon meringue tart - it's a work of art! The lemon filling is perfectly tangy and not too sweet, and the meringue on top is light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness. And the crust... oh, the crust! It's buttery, flaky, and just melts in your mouth. Honestly, it's worth coming to Arôme just for this tart.

But then there's the pistachio chocolate croissant - it's a game-changer. The croissant itself is buttery and flaky, but what really takes it to the next level is the rich chocolate filling and the crunch of the pistachios on top. It's the perfect balance of sweet and nutty, and it's so good you'll find yourself dreaming about it later.

And then there's the iced latte - it's not just any iced latte, it's a masterpiece. The espresso is perfectly brewed, and the milk is frothy and creamy. But what really sets it apart is the attention to detail - the ice cubes are perfectly sized and don't dilute the drink, and the latte art on top is so beautiful you'll hesitate to drink it (but trust me, you'll want to!).

Overall, Arôme is a must-visit for anyone looking for the best coffee and pastries in London. The attention to detail in both the food and the presentation is truly impressive, and the warm and welcoming atmosphere only adds to the experience. Do yourself a favour and stop by Arôme - you...

My first experience with Arome was when they had a popup location in Soho. The sablé I tried left a lasting impression on me, and since then, there has been no turning back. I was thrilled to discover that they now have a permanent shop in CG, but it is the Duke Street store that I frequent most often.

Alix has truly mastered the art of Asian fusion flavours. e.g. gulamalaka coconut bun - an exquisite blend of Southeast Asian tastes infused into a traditional French pastry. The subtle gulamalaka flavour perfectly complements the sticky bun topped with coconut flakes. They also offer unique pastries like the Sausage & Cheese croissant and miso bacon escargot, which showcase the wonderful combination of Japanese and French influences.

Their classic French pastries are also brilliant, pain au chocolat and croissant are exceptionally delicious - delightfully flaky and crispy with each bite. And let's not forget their Mirabelle Cream Buns which is only on weekends. But perhaps one of Arome's most indulgent treats is their renowned honey butter toast made with Shokupan bread. It offers an irresistible balance between fluffy softness and satisfying crunchiness.

In addition to their exceptional food offerings, Arome provides a relaxed environment accompanied by friendly staff. And if you're in need of some caffeine to complete your experience, rest assured that they serve excellent...