LDNGuide

The Best Desserts In London Right Now

From fluffy pancakes to exciting cheesecakes, these are our favourite desserts in London right now.
The Best Desserts In London Right Now image

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

We’ve found that sweet treats can in fact raise morale (definitely), improve productivity (maybe), and make you run faster (possibly not). OK, it hasn’t been proven in the “traditional” sense, but what you should know about the Infatuation London team is that we have an extremely high tolerance to sugar. And a low tolerance for anyone who says no to dessert. Whether it’s stacked layers of chocolate sponge, compote-filled doughnuts, rich ice cream, or a post-dinner sweet treat.

THE SWEET SPOTS

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

Turkish

Harringay

$$$$Perfect For:First/Early in the Game DatesQuick EatsCasual Weeknight DinnerAfternoon TeaCatching Up With Mates
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Open until 11:30pm nightly, Antepliler Künefe on Harringay’s Green Lanes specialises in künefe. This cheesy pastry bathing in sugar syrup is deservedly the star of its own show. The crispy edges of wiry kataifi pastry (crunchy from the heat of the copper pan that the pud is cooked in) are the best bites. But be aware that even for the greatest of gluttons, this sweet treat feels like a two-person job. Those looking to bounce off the walls of this snug, low-tabled, small-stooled Turkish restaurant can also add a scoop of ice cream or clotted cream on top.

Most of the general public would argue that the Natural History Museum should take the top spot for South Kensington’s most iconic landmark. We’re going to go out on a limb and say that it’s actually Kova’s matcha whole mille crêpes. Both are stunning feats of architecture, but this Japanese cafe’s signature mille crêpe has layers the dinosaurs simply can’t compete with. If matcha isn’t your thing, rest assured that everything from the sea salt cheese lava cake to the soufflé cheesecake here is also a winner.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

$$$$Perfect For:TakeawayHalal

After visiting The Treats Club, a dessert spot in Shoreditch, a klaxon was sounded in our WhatsApp groups with the words: HOT DOUGHNUTS. This small, pink-accented space is basic but it’s worth sitting in to enjoy the doughnuts straight from the kitchen. While the filled doughnuts plucked from a tray are excellent, it’s the fried-to-order, glazed ring ones you should get. The crisp, golden exterior gives way to pillow-soft, warm dough, and the shiny glaze hugs the top. The doughnut itself isn’t sweet, allowing the glaze’s flavours to sing. The pistachio and white chocolate is a standout, balancing savoury nuttiness and sweet chocolate.

There are baked cheesecakes, pastries, and red velvet numbers covered in multi-coloured icing, but the main reason to visit The Proof in Dalston is the profiterole bar. Prepare to become a kid again at the small, bright bakery as you lean over the marble counter to pick toppings like warm chocolate sauce, crushed Biscoff biscuits, mini marshmallows, and sprinkles. Although the profiteroles themselves—crisp on the outside but air-light, and filled with sweet cream—are so divine, we’d happily inhale them on their own.

photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch

$$$$Perfect For:Walk-Ins

Konditor is the kind of nostalgic cake shop that’s been around since 1993 and is still a go-to for homemade-tasting bakes. Their signature cake is the Curly Whirly—a dark chocolate sponge with vanilla frosting—but our favourite is the vegan chocolate raspberry velvet cake. An unbelievably moist chocolate sponge with layers of tangy raspberry compote to counteract the richness of the cake—this tastes like a Mini Roll for grown-ups. Their Grays Inn shop is our go-to because it has a couple of outdoor tables where you can perch with your cake.

Melted chocolate should be its own food group. Cocomelt in Soho makes a great case for this. You’ll see huge chocolate fountains through the window, and there’s a menu which includes crêpe fettuccine drizzled with milk, dark, or white chocolate (or a mix of all three), waffle sticks drenched in chocolate, and fondue with chunks of brownie and marshmallows. Basically this is a chocolate-lover’s dream. Sit down for an intense sugar session in their bright and neon sign-filled cafe and get the chocolate-covered strawberries—because fruit.

This takeaway gelato spot in Soho has a double pistachio flavour that’s so moreish we wouldn’t be surprised if it was laced with something stronger than the layer of pistachio cream. Every cone and cup here is topped with an additional baby cone, filled with melted chocolate—you know, in case double pistachio and white chocolate gelato isn’t indulgent enough. Pop in for a post-dinner dessert and just know that once you get a taste of their exciting flavours, you’ll be finding excuses to come back for more.

Look outside. If the weather is serving ‘put your sunnies on’ then it’s time to make a beeline for Cake & Bingsoo Cafe in New Malden. More specifically, it’s time to make a beeline for the signature shaved ice bingsoo that comes loaded with a variety of gravity-defying sweet treats and ice cream. At the casual cafe where Korean desserts reign supreme, there’s a large sharing table perfect for you and a few hungry friends, even larger bubble teas, and a concise menu of sweet treats. The best part is it’s open until 9pm so if a matcha craving strikes after work, Cake & Bingsoo has got you covered.  

If you’ve passed an Ottolenghi shop window without pausing to gawk at the cake display, then you have the kind of self-discipline our Amazon delivery driver wishes we had. But ignoring the sweet treats at this Pavilion Road cafe is a mistake. Because as impressive as the array of cakes and tarts look, they taste even better. We struggle to pick between the moist carrot cake covered in criminal amounts of tangy cream cheese icing, or a mocha cheesecake tart that would even impress that friend who brags about not needing caffeine to function.

We like our french toast to be fluffy and topped with things like melted chocolate and ice cream. And this all-day spot on James Street goes a step further by making very fluffy, very delicious french toast topped with things like Nutella, brownies, and caramel popcorn, or Biscoff and salted caramel, or Kinder Bueno bars that melt and turn into a creamy, crunchy mess. Basically, it’s the place to go when you want a proper sit-down dessert in central.

This Chinatown spot isn’t the only place doing soft serve in London. But it is one of the only places we’ve found that does excellent soft serve with brown tapioca. And it’s a big yes from us. There are four soft serve flavours—vanilla, black sesame, rose lychee, and matcha—which you can choose to have in a taiyaki, a Japanese fish-shaped waffle cone, or in a cup. Either way, it’s great. Our go-to order is the Oreo with tapioca or ‘The Little Mermaid’ with lychee rose.

Buns From Home specialises in croissant buns—essentially double-baked, layered croissant dough with a range of different flavours like cinnamon or cardamom. But they’re not even the best thing we’ve had at this lockdown project turned bakery in Notting Hill. The dessert buns—pastry filled with custard cream, tiramisu, cheesecake, or whichever special is on—are excellent. And the best part? No one can judge you for eating a croissant bun for breakfast. Even if it is filled with cheesecake.

Doughnuts have always been a constant in our lives. Covered in chocolate, filled with cream, or even just those mini ones from Sainsbury’s—they’ve all got a special place in our hearts. So stumbling upon these doughnuts was like finding a £20 note in an old pair of jeans. The doughnuts at this Wandsworth bakery change on a regular basis, with flavours like passion fruit or tiramisu. But something you can find on most days is their excellent raspberry jam doughnut. The dough is perfectly fluffy, generously filled with a tangy, tart raspberry jam, and a raspberry on top. This might be the best jam doughnut in London.

We’re not ashamed to admit that we had to Google what a doily is. Forgive us, Elizabethan table decor fans, we clearly have not lived. But if anything is going to get us all Team Doily it’s the name of this charming little Soho cafe that is responsible for London’s best cookies. This place specialises in brownies, cupcakes, and other things that would make a dentist panic, but it’s their New York-style cookies that we have a real soft spot for. All of the flavours are winners but it’s the raspberry white chocolate that we’re obsessed with. They also make bigger cakes to order—our absolute favourite is the raspberry ripple.

If you spend even a minute on this Fulham cake shop’s Instagram page, then you’ll understand why you don’t just rock up here and get one cupcake to go. You might go in with that intention, but you’ll end up leaving with a box of assorted cupcakes, a Mars Bar brownie, a monster slice of red velvet cake, and a hot choc cookie for the road. And by the road, we mean your mouth. With fun combos like vegan Biscoff sundae and brownie cheesecake cupcakes, you’ll want to try them all. And you should, because they taste even better than they look—which is impressive when they look that good.

An island made out of a fluffy Taiwanese pancake is exactly where we’d rather be 95% of the time. Especially if it’s as good as the wheel cakes at this stall in OG Westfield. Think of a cross between a pancake and a bready cake, and you won’t be far off. They’re made fresh each day, filled with vanilla custard, chocolate, matcha, and Oreo. The cakey outer layer is light and slightly salted, complementing the sweetness of whichever creamy filling you choose. We have a sweet spot for the chocolate and vanilla, and Oreo flavours. The limited-edition seasonal options, with Biscoff or sweet pumpkin, are always excellent too.

Despite our love for chocolate cake, finding one that doesn’t disappoint can be a challenge. So much so that since we came across L’eto and this particular slice on a late-night sugar search in Soho, we haven’t found one better. It’s a four-tier cake with chocolate cream and raspberry between each chocolate cake layer, covered with chocolate glazing, raspberry crumble, and major Matilda energy. It’s moist, plus the fresh raspberry makes the richness less overwhelming and adds a nice fruity tang. Perfect for chocolate lovers, cake lovers, and Roald Dahl fans who have been dreaming of that cake since they were six years-old.

This spot is Temporarily Closed.

There are pancakes, which we love. There are cakes, which we also love. And there’s the light and fluffy mixture of the two, topped with Biscoff sauce, that you can find at Fuwa Fuwa in Bloomsbury. This Japanese spot specialises in soufflé pancakes, which means extra fluffy, extra thick, and so good it might ruin other pancakes for you. There are different toppings like strawberry and Nutella, as well as specials like Biscoff. The thick and creamy Biscoff sauce comes cascading down, covering the pillows—sorry, pancakes—with crushed biscuit, whipped cream, and strawberries. It’s velvety, moreish, and something you should try at least once in your life, or anytime it’s on the menu.

Whether the last cookie you came across was at the bottom of a Ben & Jerry’s tub or you regularly polish off a pack of Marylands, the ones you’ll find at this small dessert spot in Soho are something else. American-inspired with a French twist, these cookies are huge and almost cake-like in texture, which means flavours like banana dark chocolate taste like banana bread, and double chocolate tastes like a brownie. The winner is the banana dark chocolate, but the milk chocolate comes a close second.

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