LDNGuide
Where To Order Dessert From When That Chocolate Rice Cake Just Isn’t Going To Cut It
Enter stage right: you, wearing trackies and inexplicably, a t-shirt advertising Marmite. You do not remember where it came from or which day you put it on. It is either 4pm or 4am. Who knows. You open your cupboard and say out-loud, manically, alone: TIME FOR A SWEET TREAT BABY.
But wait, where are the Oreos? The brownies? You know the cheesecake is long gone, but the flapjack, surely you didn’t already eat the flapjack? Slick with regret and panic, the memory folds in, you at 3am crushing flapjack into your strawberry ice cream and calling it a sundae. Bless your heart.
The only thing left in the back of the cupboard is those chocolate rice cakes you bought at the beginning of all this, when you thought that you were going to get into meditation and something called ‘self-care’. Poor naive early-lockdown you, how could they have known you were going to average 42g of sugar a day? It’s a moment of desperation, you might even have thoughts like ‘could I put honey on the rice cake, would that help’?
No, it won’t. Order in from one of these places instead.
Delivering Across London
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Gelupo’s gelato delivery person is the adult equivalent of the tooth fairy. Minus the breaking and entering, and the exchanging of money for teeth. OK, so they don’t have all that much in common. But the point is that their gelato is excellent, and they’re delivering it to all London postcodes. See? magical. Place your order here.
Hey, remember croissants? They’re these things you ate before you started inhaling leftover fridge-temperature carbonara for breakfast. Go back to the golden era of pain au chocolat with a big order from Bread Ahead. You can find their jam doughnuts, chocolate brownies, banana cake, and even a baker’s kit at their online shop, as well as virtual cooking courses. They’re delivering to a range of postcodes across London that you can check out here.
There’s cake, and then there’s L’Eto Café’s cakes. We’re talking honey cake as thick as a brick, chocolate sponge cake with additional chocolate glazing and rose buds, and a raspberry meringue cake we’d want to frame and eat at the same time. This seriously good Soho spot is delivering direct from their online shop, just be aware that you might need to give them a few days notice.
We could go for a chocolate truffle doughnut right about now. Or ten. Crosstown are delivering their big-deal doughnuts across London. Hit them up on their website for their classic selection, working from home box, or their vegan favourites. If you happen to live near Shoreditch or Battersea, they’re doing express delivery, and then weekend drop-offs for the rest of the city.
Question: What do you call a person who is eating a white chocolate choux in their pyjamas? Answer: A fucking winner, that’s what. Flour And Flowers is a cute little neighbourhood coffee shop that is now delivering things like a pear and double chocolate turnover and vegan banana loaf direct to your home. If you happen to live within 10 miles of their Hackney Road café then delivery is just £2, and £3.50 for further afield. Just be sure to give them 24-hours notice.
No, you’re not going to mush up some quark and a Freddo and call it a cheesecake. Have some respect. Order one in from The Great British Cheesecake Company instead. They started as a food market regular, but now they deliver across London from a whole bunch of places from E14 over to NW3. To all our big kids out there, they also do a Kinder Bueno number.
Doughnut Time - or as we like to call it, right now - are doing DIY kits. Their packs come with freshly made doughnuts and all of the decorative supplies you’ll need to get your Bob Ross on with some icing. The kits start at twenty quid and if you’re feeling a little bit extra, they’re selling aprons and stickers too.
This spot is Permanently Closed.
There’s definitely something addictive in bubble tea. Is it nicotine? Crack? Jaffa Cakes? Or maybe it’s just a lot of sugar, who knows. And this little café in Hammersmith is delivering kits so you can make their delicious bubble tea at home. You can choose between Oreo milk tea and rose green tea kits at their online shop.
A wedding cake for one? Honestly, why the hell not, the snack rule book is abandoned. Lily Vanilli creates the kind of sweet treats that would make the average Bake Off contestant weep in a corner, and although their seriously impressive cakes start around the £50 mark, it’s worth it for a particularly glam isolation birthday. They also have more affordable, casual brownies and cupcakes available for delivery too.
We have a new hobby. It involves falling asleep with a box of chocolates and seeing how many haven’t melted by the time we wake up. Good times. Anyway, Said 23 are delivering their assorted pralines throughout London, including a large box set that even we’d struggle to finish. Specialising in all things ciococcolato, you can also order chocolate spread, their signature hot chocolate powder, and something very sexy called a magnum bar.
North
Yeah, fuck you rice cracker and the yoga-pumped dreams you sailed in on. We’re going back to old faithful, ice cream. More specifically, the 1100ml tub of gelato delivered from London-wide ice cream chain Amorino. They’re also doing waffles, crepes, macarons, and something very sexy called Tête a Tête that involves two flavours of gelato and a whole bunch of macarons to add on top. Lovely.
Dunn’s Bakery have been serving the people of Crouch End since 1820. So, roughly around the same time you last took a shower. For the first time they’re now delivering everything from cinnamon buns to cherry bakewell tarts and a lemon drizzle cake. If you’re looking for a big-deal celebration cake, they’ve got that covered too, although we’ve got our eye on the classic jam doughnuts.
We’re big fans of Uncle John’s bread. But this isn’t about bread, this is about sugar, and this great, little Ghanaian bakery in Seven Sisters is also delivering their carrot cake, sweet rolls, coconut chin chin, and cake with custard. Look out for sweet bad, a coconut doughnut situation that is only a pound and seriously moerish.
We once described Pophams’ croissants as ‘a top, top, top croissant’. That’s three ‘tops’ people. If that doesn’t convince you enough to order from this excellent Islington bakery, their menu will. Expect pain au chocolats, sweet homemade granola, and their signature bacon and maple pastry. Heads up, you’ll need to pre-order and be aware that the pastries sell-out fast.
Unico is one of those pastel-coloured gelato spots where you picture one day meeting the love of your life, or at least a really excellent scoop of biscotto. They’re now delivering their gelato straight to your door from their St John’s Wood location, including flavours like pistachio, salted caramel, cremino, and more. If you’re not into gelato - why? - they’re also delivering whole cakes, waffles, milkshakes, and homemade chocolate and hazelnut sauce.
This gelato chain has some of the creamiest ice cream around. And it also has spots dotted around north London. Their Hampstead and Stoke Newington stores are both open. And as well as delivering kilo and 500ml tubs, you can even order small tubs for one to your door.
South
The Little Bread Pedlar is pretty much just what we call our mouths now, but it’s also an excellent artisan bakery situation in Bermondsey. You can now order their bakewell tarts, almond croissants, and sourdough online for delivery within three miles, or for collection. You’re definitely going to want to get involved in the butter bread, but you can’t go wrong with a round of cardamom and orange buns too.
This popular South London brunch spot and British restaurant make things like homemade sourdough doughnuts stuffed with bergamot curd. sorry, think we just passed out for a second there. Juliet’s Quality Foods in Tooting are now delivering their, err, quality sweet snacks, including their beloved pistachio cake slice and the marshmallow, chocolate, and sea salt cookie. Heads up, they’re also delivering something called a Baller Cake Basket which, honestly, we need.
Cafe Mori’s matcha fondant would trump your chocolate digestives in a fight any day. This Japanese spot in Wimbledon are not only delivering their udon and rice dishes, you can also get their matcha crepe, mori cheesecake, dorayaki redbean, and more straight to your door. If you’re after a little afternoon tea moment, there’s plenty of speciality coffee, hoji cha, and bubble teas too.
If there was ever a time to buy yourself a large personalised chocolate brownie with ‘I love me’ written in icing, it’s now. The South East Cakery are normally all about huge wedding cakes and serving treats from their café, but right now they’re delivering care packages full of essentials and those family-sized brownies. If you live in or around East Dulwich you can order during the week for Saturday delivery.
This gelato chain has some of the creamiest ice cream around. And it also has spots dotted around south London. Their Battersea, East Dulwich, and Wimbledon stores are all open. And as well as delivering kilo and 500ml tubs, you can even order small tubs for one to your door.
East
24-hour Brick Lane bakery, Beigel Bake, is arguably as quintessentially London as Sherlock Holmes and traffic. And now, they’ve only gone and made their own delivery app. You can obviously order classics like the salt beef beigel, but there’s cheesecake, doughnuts, chocolate fudge brownies, and an apple strudel to get involved with too. Our personal favourite will forever be the caramel shortbread though.
We once described Pophams’ croissants as ‘a top, top, top croissant’. That’s three ‘tops’ people. If that doesn’t convince you enough to order from this excellent Hackney bakery, their menu will. Expect pain au chocolats, sweet homemade granola, and their signature bacon and maple pastry. Heads up, you’ll need to pre-order and be aware that the pastries sell-out fast.
photo credit: Jake Missing
A crodough is the beautiful lovechild of a croissant and a doughnut, and they’re Rinkoff’s speciality. You can order a whole selection of this family-run bakeries sweet things for collection, directly from their website or get them delivered across the East End. If you want the low-down on toppings, expect things like nutella, dulce de leche, oreos, pistachio, plus a rainbow cake for that special someone (you).
West
Unico is one of those pastel-coloured gelato spots where you picture one day meeting the love of your life, or at least a really excellent scoop of biscotto. They’re now delivering their gelato straight to your door from their Notting Hill and Chelsea locations, including flavours like pistachio, salted caramel, cremino, and more. If you’re not into gelato - why? - they’re also delivering whole cakes, waffles, milkshakes, and homemade chocolate and hazelnut sauce.
Kova Patisserie is selling a cake bundle called Matcha Party. If you’re asking yourself what a party is, don’t worry, we can’t remember either. Anyway, this Japanese patisserie in South Kensington is now dropping off tea and cake bundles that involve vanilla mille crepes, matcha tarts, strawberry shortcake, and their signature bubble teas. If you’re feeling wild there’s also a surprise cake bundle for £24 where they’ll pick your flavours for you.
Yeah, fuck you rice cracker and the yoga-pumped dreams you sailed in on. We’re going back to old faithful, ice cream. More specifically, the 1100ml tub of gelato delivered from Amorino Chelsea. They’re also doing waffles, crepes, macarons, and something very sexy called Tête a Tête that involves two flavours of gelato and a whole bunch of macarons to add on top. Lovely.
This gelato chain has some of the creamiest ice cream around. And it also has spots dotted around west London. Their South Kensington and Chiswick stores are both open. And as well as delivering kilo and 500ml tubs, you can even order small tubs for one to your door.
Get ready freezer, you’re about to meet the produce of one of Florence’s oldest gelaterias. Delivering in and around Notting Hill, you can order Badiani Gelato’s cones, wafflers, and tubs of gelato to enjoy now, but freeze for later too. Their pinguino ice cream bars are also a winner.
Kova Patisserie is selling a cake bundle called Matcha Party. If you’re asking yourself what a party is, don’t worry, we can’t remember either. Anyway, this Japanese patisserie in Soho are now dropping off tea and cake bundles that involve vanilla mille crepes, matcha tarts, strawberry shortcake, and their signature bubble teas. If you’re feeling wild there’s also a surprise cake bundle for £24 where they’ll pick your flavours for you.
