Best Donuts in Essendon

"What: Sourdough doughnuts are a thing, and a thing of beauty as Crosstown have proven time and time again. These pillowy piles of perfection have gained cult status among doughnut lovers (the majority of us, we think) and are available on same day delivery. Try and find a fault in any of that."

"Soft and dense like cake, full of banana flavour – in the dough and icing – plus a filling of chunky cherry compote all the way round, Crosstown’s new banana cake doughnut is now an unmisseable part of the range."

"Vegan 'Peanut Butter and Blackcurrant Compote' from Crosstown Doughnuts. Crosstown Doughnuts in Marylebone. Crosstown Doughnuts' vegan 'Lime & Coconut' doughnut"

"What: Not to be mistaken with the trademarked ‘Cronut’ the Crodough is an entirely different creation *cough cough* which combines a croissant and a doughnut. Flaky and light, these delicious rounds of sweet fried pastry come in all manner of decadent flavours that infiltrate the layers; toffee apple crumble, oreo cheesecake, salted caramel and peanut butter jelly to name but a few. Find them at: 224 Jubilee street, E1 3BS or 79 Vallance Road, E1 5BS"

"Boasting an impressive selection of breads, rolls, pastries, cakes, and freshly made sandwiches, family-run Rinkoff Wholesale Bakery certainly knows its stuff. However, setting aside the traditional, its recent foray into the delicacy known as a ‘cronut,’ a cross between a croissant and a doughnut, has been met with enthusiasm. Titled the ‘crodough,’ Rinkoff’s take on this hybrid snack includes nine different flavours."

"Whatever your stance on the croissant-doughnut hybrid, you've got to admire the dedication to the crodough cause at this E1 institution. They usually have 10 or more flavours on offer — all of them flamboyant, some of them highly controversial (Crème Egg Crodough, we’re looking at you), others fried, layered crowd-pleasers like the Raspberry Crodough. Rinkoff Bakery, 224, Jubilee Street, E1 3BS"

"Feast Your Eyes|Photograph by Maz McEwan | Courtesy of Crosstown Doughnuts. Betsy and Jo, founders of pop-up stand You Doughnut, have perfected the art of the bitesize doughnut, resulting in mouth watering morsels with a choice of toppings and sauces. The doughnuts are always fresh, ensuring that they are consistently delicious."

"The team behind Chinatown’s Experimental Cocktail Bar opened its first London hotel in 2017, and has been a hit with the Instagram set ever since. A sumptuous boutique number in Covent Garden, the Henrietta has 18 bedrooms dressed with handpainted wallpaper, upholstered headboards and marble details - yet this room number could soon double as an expansion plan has been permitted. The beating heart of the hotel is its eponymous restaurant, a chic fusion of ornate Victorian and sleek Art Deco led by star chef Sylvain Roucayrol."

"Although Henrietta is run by bartenders—the hotel is part of the Experimental Group, which runs the speakeasy-style Experimental Cocktail Club in Chinatown—it doesn’t feel built for the night. The interiors, rather, are light, whimsical, and irreverently French. The lobby's spring shades and splashes of leopard print continue upstairs in the 18 spacious rooms, which are interesting without being over-the-top."

"Restaurants Italian Covent Garden. Wunderkind Ollie Dabbous was here for a while, but this boutique hotel dining room is now a Basque-influenced small plates eatery overseen by chef Sylvain Roucayrol. During the week they serve Spanish-inflected breakfasts, but on Sundays an extended version (till noon) moves into brunch territory."

"There are some occasions when you want a date to feel special and you can never go wrong at Claridge's, especially now that Swiss chef Daniel Humm has brought his slick New York service to Davies & Brook, the new flagship restaurant for the hotel. Roni Horn’s photographs line the walls – each features the landscape of Iceland in such a way as to resemble a woman's breast, surely something to add to the romantic atmosphere. The space is as elegant as they come, and the intricate creations appearing from the kitchen are perfect conversation starters."

"We’re sure your partner is the one etc, but the allure of what comes out of the Davies and Brook kitchen might just turn your head. Serious foodies can’t help but fall for Daniel Humm’s critically acclaimed food at his new restaurant inside the ever-atmospheric Claridge’s hotel. In the daytime, the room is light and bright – but by the evening, the lamps dim and the already elegant setting becomes irresistibly intimate."

"Yes, it is a strange old world we live in, but Davies & Brook is delivering from its home inside the Mayfair hotel. The box for one features fried chicken, three sides, house rolls, and raspberry cheesecake and will cost you £35. You can pick it up, or you can place an order to get it delivered direct from their website"

"With such adorable bear branding, how could you resist a trip to Little Newport Street’s Yunique?. Find them serving up summer coolers, including the refreshing lychee juice with boba or for the watermelon lovers, the watermelon tea with added lychee. For a milky hit, their range of milk teas are next level, including the red bean milk tea."

"Another one sitting at the higher spots of the list of best bubble tea in London is Yunique Tea. My go-to is their Dark Sugar Boba Milk, which was rich and velvety, with the right amount of sweetness. The tapioca was cooked properly into an al dente texture and oozing caramelised flavours."

"From humble beginnings of brewing on an industrial estate to serving up award-winning beers from their two taprooms in Walthamstow (not to mention plenty of other places across the city too) Wild Card was a hobby that got way out of hand, but we’re so glad that it did. Their wide range of beers include a 5.8% Cashmere IPA that’s double dry hopped, a Lime Berliner Weisse that’s got a hefty squeeze of citrus, and a pale ale that makes for easy drinking. They’ve also got low-and-no options but we only want the hard stuff."

"A grand sky-blue facade, a statement painted bar and a chandelier (a small one, admittedly) in the dining room – this pub has been well looked after. Fortunately, as much care is taken in the kitchen of the Drapers Arms, where comfort food gets a French-leaning European twist: lamb rump comes with cavolo nero and anchovies, while confit duck leg is served with Montbeliard and Toulouse sausages alongside white bean cassoulet. Until recently, the Drapers was home to a Michelin Bib Gourmand award, which it sadly lost it in the 2019 guide."

"This popular Islington gastropub has enveloped its lovely back garden with a marquee, added in heating and festooned it with lights, turning it into a Barnsbury idyll. To book a table in the Garden Room specifically, you'll need to call them on 020 7619 0348"

"Marked by a yellow fish above an otherwise nondescript doorway on Portobello Road, time travel back into the groovy 70’s for an evening at Trailer Happiness’ subterranean tiki lounge, one of the best cocktail bars in London. Adorned with hula girl memorabilia and other emblems of retro Polynesian kitsch, don’t be fooled by the bartender’s Aloha shirt – the staff here are true mixologists and specialize on putting inventive twists on rum classics. They’re also known to perform a fire show at times, blowing alcohol to the ceiling and setting it aflame while everybody cheers."