Best Bakery and Cake Shops in Forest Green

"If you gave a bunch of five year olds a box of crayons and told them to draw birthday cakes, you’d probably end up with something that looks quite a bit like the celebration cakes at this Soho bakery and café. That’s not a bad thing. Cakes with names like “Strawberry Eat-On Mess”*, “S’Mores”, “Apple Pie” – as a cake, and “Popcorn Drip” are short on cake and very long on globs of frosting, fillings, toppings and childlike humor."

"Nestled in the heart of Soho lives Cutter & Squidge, artisan cake makers who specialise in extravagance and wonder. Serving up slices of uniquely flavoured and decorated cakes along with their signature Biskie - a mix of cake, biscuit and cookie topped with marshmallow, buttercream and other goodies - it’s a one-of-a-kind shop in London. And it’s not just for the dairy eaters and gluten-friendly."

"It’s pretty, it’s pink and the cakes and treats are equally as gorgeous to eat as well as look at. Their famous for their ‘biskie’ creations which are a cross between a cake and a cookie sandwiched with cream or chocolate. If you prefer you can go for one of their perfectly presented cakes by the slice."

"With multiple locations across the city and an impressive range of flavours rotated daily, Crosstown’s handmade fresh doughnuts are not to be missed. For a seasonal snack, the Pumpkin and Nutmeg Custard Doughnut is full of wintry flavour, including pumpkin sourdough, cream cheese icing, pumpkin seeds, and orange zest. Similarly, the Spiced Apple and Pear Crumble Doughnut is bursting with the taste of maple, pecan, and autumn fruits."

"For something fresh and unique, we suggest trying one of Crosstown Doughnuts’ multiple locations. The bakery makes its doughnuts with rising sourdough bread and leans heavily towards fruit flavoring. Some of the options you can get there include Peach & Nectarine, Homemade Raspberry Jam, and Yuzu & Passionfruit."

"Flor’s baking, now spearheaded by Emma Tillyer, Helen Evans, and Rihito Maruhashi after the departure of Anna Higham, puts a London accent on the exacting tradition and relentless experimentalism that make Paris and Copenhagen two of Europe’s most formidable cities for pastry. On the fringe of the city’s oldest food market, croissants and pain aux chocolats shatter into perfect layers, but carry the austere depth of fresh wheat and a deeply caramelised, savoury sheen; blackcurrant danishes — with blackcurrant leaf custard — and fig danishes — with fig leaf custard — possess seriousness of flavour and imagination to match their beauty. Currently open all day from Thursday — Sunday, it’s offering sandwiches and pizza alongside its outstanding pastries and breads."

"With the sunlight streaming into Flor’s first floor windows of a Saturday, the chic bakery, wine bar and restaurant by the laudable Lyle’s crew feels heaven-sent. Pam Yung is now firmly at the helm, and with lunch undivided from its mid-morning cousin, dishes might include cucumber aggressed by chicory and cocoa; a scallop aguachile with tarocco orange and rhubarb; or a maritozzo overspilling its cod brandade filling. Needless to say, the wine list is stellar."

"Restaurants British Borough"

"Raluca Micu is a one-woman baking machine and her Askew Road bakery is the perfect example of why local businesses matter. Micu makes wonderful artisan hand-made sourdough (baked with Shipton Mill organic flour and heaps of love) and in pre-pandemic times did some pretty banging pastries, too. October 26 is only open on Friday and Saturday with a limited number of loaves available, so make sure to get their early for a hot takeaway loaf."

"For most British diners, lobster has a very definite reputation – fancy AF. But while the meat is always at a high price point, our American cousins aren’t quite as burdened with the same white-tablecloth associations. Enter Bob’s Lobster, London’s (relatively) new lobster roll king, which has recently turned its roving seafood van into a permanent restaurant and wine bar."

"BOB's Lobster Wine Bar & Kitchen serves delicious seafood dishes in London Bridge, with a quirky street-food twist in the form of a VW campervan. Signature dishes include ahi tuna tacos, lobster mac 'n' cheese, lobster roll and a £1 oyster happy hour every weekday."

"Restaurants Contemporary European Tower Bridge. The jazzy soundtrack, cool interior, sizzling steaks and sustainably sourced fish might scream ‘grown-up’ but this London Bridge offshoot of Brighton’s Coal Shed also does the business for kids, with a mini menu that’s free for under-sevens before 7pm. Otherwise, £10 pays for a minute steak, grilled fish and chips or mac ‘n’ cheese, plus doughnuts or ice cream to finish."

"Although not solely a fish restaurant (pun both intended and regretted) and despite its steakhouse aesthetics, The Coal Shed has plenty to lure in the serious lover of seafood. Starters include market oysters, chalkstream trout, grilled gurnard fillet and scallops in shell. While whole black bream and roasted sussex cod feature on the main course menu."

"The first Bonnie Gull “seafood shack” really did look as if it had been picked up from the coast - Southwold, perhaps - and reeled in to a street corner in Fitzrovia, where its driftwood furniture, gingham tablecloths and striped awnings are at once both rakish and nostalgic. Grilled sardines are a punchy treat, with their salsa of coriander and mango, while the whole plaice provides more than enough fish, delicately flavoured with lemon and olive oil, for at least two diners. The Fitzrovia menu is divided more traditionally into starters and main courses: roast cod from Looe with glazed pig cheek is a highlight of the latter."

"English food might not have the best reputation in the world, but there are a few things better than a delicious serving of fish and chips. And lucky you, London has some of the best in the entire world. But don’t settle for any old chippy, go to a place that serves high-quality fish and hand-cut chips."

"Restaurants British Soho"

"The food at Italian seafood restaurant Baccalà is precisely the kind of food you want to eat outside, ideally in a sun soaked piazza surrounded by Baroque architecture, though its London location is pretty lovely too. Baccalà is on Bermondsey Street and the pavement tables look out onto the classical architecture of the area, with a particularly captivating house and pretty chapel directly opposite. The food, however, is most certainly the main focus, as the talented chef chooses the best fish of the day or season and prepares a menu to showcase it."

"In a nutshell: Italian seafood and wine for Bermondsey Where is it?. Unit B3, 194-204 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3TQ Why should you care?. Two Italian friends are behind this new seafood restaurant and wine bar on Bermonsey Street where the Italian wine selection is every bit as important as the fresh and raw fish being served up."

"This June, Nadeem Lalani Nanjuwany and Ravinder Bhogal’s Marylebone eatery Jikoni will become the first carbon neutral independent restaurant in the UK. Sustainability has been on the founders’ minds since opening in 2016, and since 2019 the restaurant has been powered by solar power, wind power and carbon neutral ‘green gases’. But over the past few months they’ve taken things to the next level by partnering with non-profit organisation Climate Neutral."

"If there's one thing we want to be seen doing, it's dining beneath a marigold awning. And so we shall be going to Jikoni to eat on their covered terrace. Complete with wool blankets, statuesque heaters and hot water bottles on request, even the most eclectic weather doesn't stand a chance here (and neither do the sweetcorn and lime leaf fritters once we've seen them)."

"Jikoni’s brunch is a many-splendoured thing: fenugreek waffles with tamarind-glazed bacon, aloo tikka channa chaat, mutton keema Sloppy Joe. The piña colada pancakes are worth saving space for — a substantial stack topped with caramelised pineapple and coconut ice cream. All the fun of the cocktail with none of the brain-freeze."

"Forgive us for saving the best until last; if it’s Michelin-starred dining you desire, it might come as a surprise that Reading residents can find it right on the doorstep. Having retained its Michelin star for 18 consecutive years, this beautiful Grade-II listed building (that lost its top floor to a war-time bomb) is the perfect place for a romantic dining experience. Top Chef Tom Clarke has crafted a French modern menu with seasonal, local produce at its heart, with truly spectacular offerings for all dietary requirements."

"If you're looking for one of the best restaurants in Reading, this Michelin-starred eatery in Shinfield should do the trick. Offering a sublime selection of fine French fare, L'Ortolan has scooped acclaim for its innovative dishes and biodynamic wine list."

"Head Chef Tom Clarke is passionate about his cooking, and ensures that the same quality extends right through the whole of the L'Ortolan experience. Address: Church Lane, Shinfield, Reading RG2 9BY"