Toklas Bakery — Restaurant in London

I randomly came across this place in a bakery review reel on Instagram a few weeks ago so I thought I would come try it out on a Wednesday morning before heading into my office. I arrived literally a minute after it opened so it was very empty but people who work nearby were already coming in for coffee takeaways so immediately I knew this place must be a local favourite.

Because I was there so early they only had 3 types of pastries ready - plain croissants, pain au chocolats and quince crumble danishes. I got all 3 of them and had the croissant on the spot, pairing it with a cortado.

Oh my, I was so impressed with how flaky the croissant was, light, airy and fluffy on the inside which was so so nicely done! I had tried Cedric Grolet a few months ago and thought that was the peak of how good croissant could get in London bakeries, although it was extremely pricey. But now I think I have found a cheaper alternative at Toklas so I am extremely happy that I discovered this place and that it's so close to my office! Cortado on the other hand was not my kind of coffee, but I am definitely coming back for more pastries and will be adding this place to my list of favourite bakeries.

I had the crumble danish for lunch which was good. And the pain au chocolat for dinner the next day and was so surprised to see it was still so flaky after a day! I also got the basque cheesecake which interestingly became more tasty as it sat in my fridge after a day! The marmalade wasn't my cup of tea but the texture of the cheesecake was soft and rich in cream cheese which was once again well done.

I am genuinely impressed with the level of airiness and flakiness of the croissant dough at Toklas. Highly recommend this hidden gem to anyone who is just as keen for good...

A very sweet shop with a nice seating area – intimate lighting, not too loud, and a good choice of music. The staff were personable and welcoming.

They had some interesting food creations that were very tempting, but quite a few items were already gone before midday. I had the Plum, Bay and Einkorn Galette – buttery, nutty pastry with just the right amount of sweetness. The bay flavour was very mild, only coming through in a few bites, and a few of the plum slices were a little bitter for my liking.

I paired it with a single shot oat flat white, which was very nice – good flavour to the coffee as a single shot, with notes of earl grey tea, and served at a perfect temperature.

It’s maybe not the best place to linger unless you’re ordering a lot, as there’s a steady stream of people coming in hoping to sit down. Towards the end of my visit, it felt like some customers were waiting for me to leave so they could snatch my table. It seems to attract a lot of corporate types on their lunch breaks, which might explain why it felt a bit rushed by the end.

Worth the visit for the pastries and coffee. The lunches looked great as well so I’d definitely...

I left the bakery knowing that I will be obsessed with this place. A cute, artsy industrial design with great coffee and phenomenal bakery items.

The waitress recommended the financiers soaked in rum, which was rich and dreamy. The rhubarb and lemon tart was also hearty and recommended - they candied the rhubarb so well, balancing the textures, the sweetness, and the tartness perfectly. The winner for me though is their bitter honey and chocolate biscuit. The texture is more akin to shortbread but as soon as the depth of the honey flavour kicks in, I am transported to another state of being. If I can describe how I feel, the image would be ‘obsidian’.

The combination of unique flavour combinations and pastries that are just technically impeccable propels this bakery as one of my top 5 London bakery instantly. I know that I will come back to try many more of...