Cake and dessert bars in London

Dessert isn't just to be found at the bottom of the dinner menu - London has plenty of cafes and bars dedicated purely to the sweet stuff
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12 December 2014

Bea’s of Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury

Bea's empire is rapidly expanding, but it's at her original Bloomsbury cafe where they make the cakes, pastries, brownies, marshmallows, pretty-as-a-picture cupcakes and meringues for all their other branches and catering orders. Grab a table, make yourself at home and get stuck in. They also do a cracking afternoon tea.

44 Theobald's Road, WC1X 8NW (also at St Paul's; Maltby St), beasofbloomsbury.com.

Peggy Porschen, Belgravia

Baking-mad Peggy used to only make her wonderful cakes to order, but decided to open her own boutique in Belgravia in 2010. Her cupcakes are so pretty you almost don't want to bite into the mountainous swirls of icing. Treat yourself to the strawberry and champagne layer cake, frosty banoffee cupcakes or freshly baked cookies in her very pink parlour. She also provides a selection of loose leaf teas to match her sweet treats, in flavours such as gingerbread, vanilla and passion fruit. If you're inspired to be creative, you can hop across the road to her baking and cake decorating academy.

116 Ebury St, SW1W 9QQ, peggyporschen.com.

Lily Vanilli, Columbia Road

Situated on a little cobbled street off Columbia Road, Lily Vanilli has a loyal Sunday following among the flower market punters. Pull up a pew and try one of glamorous owner Lily's signature Bakewells (currently made with rhubarb), pastries and tarts with a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate. Lily's menu changes every week so expect seasonal beauties like carrot and courgette cake and lemon cream tarts with edible flowers.

6 The Courtyard, Ezra St, E2 7RH. Open on Sundays only, lilyvanilli.com.

Not only does it serve Michelin-starred dim sum all day long, Yauatcha also has its own dessert bar that's a destination in itself. Pop in for one of their sweet treats from noon to closing every day: petits gateaux, in flavours such as mango mousse and salted caramel; macaroons which come in lavender honey, earl grey and jaffa varieties; or one of their little puddings such as the Yuzu (an Asian citrus fruit) brulee tart. They also have over 60 teas to refresh your palate as well as delicious tea smoothies like the Plum Cut Larissa. An elegant option for a late-evening pudding jaunt.

15-17 Broadwick St, W1F 0DL, yauatcha.com.

Cake Boy, Battersea

This is the very individual, very brightly-coloured patisserie from master of cakes, Eric Lanlard. Perched on the river near the Wandsworth Bridge, Cake Boy is more modern, girly bar than cafe, making it ideal for hen parties as well as a post-walk treat. Feast on oversized macaroons, giant muffins with fruit fillings, and enormous fresh cookies, and settle in with a coffee for the afternoon.

Unit 2 Kingfisher House, Battersea Reach, Juniper Drive, SW18 1TX, cake-boy.com.

Princi, Soho

As well as seriously delicious baked goods and savoury treats, this slick canteen-style eatery also does a fine line in Italian patisserie. It's hard to choose from the massive selection but highlights include the pear and chocolate cake and the mini madeleines made with real lavender. It's open till midnight Monday through to Saturday, so Princi is ideal for a post-theatre or pub pit stop.

135 Wardour St, W1F 0UT, princi.com.

William Curley Dessert Bar, Belgravia

William Curley's chocolate boutique in Belgravia - purveyors of excellent hot chocolate - also houses a dessert bar, which is open every Saturday and Sunday. Think afternoon tea minus the cucumber sandwiches and savoury scones. For £30 per person, you'll indulge in five courses of expertly made desserts crafted in front of you. Expect dishes such as Champagne granita, cherry blossom pannacotta and millefeuille. It's first come first served at the weekends, but you will need to book for special events such as Mother's Day.

198 Ebury St, SW1W 8UN, williamcurley.co.uk.

Pollen Street Social Dessert Bar, Mayfair

Just off Hanover Square and the brainchild of Jason Atherton, the Pollen Street Social is a complex of restaurant dining rooms, bars and and a tiny dessert bar. All priced at or near a tenner, the puddings here are multi-faceted and super inventive: lemon and white chocolate ganache comes with carrot cake and basil ash meringue; goat's milk rice pudding is accompanied by goat's cheese ice-cream, quince, pineapple and honeycomb. Be quick - the bar only seats six people, but you get to watch your desserts being made.

8-10 Pollen Street, W1S 1NQ, pollenstreetsocial.com.

Outsider Tart, Chiswick

Something of a hot (or, rather, sweet) spot, Outsider Tart was started by two Americans mad about baking. A long counter takes up most of the space in this Chiswick cafe, with stools down one side for customers to perch on and be tempted by the wonders on offer: whoopie pies (a cookie and frosting sandwich), smores brownies and more conventional cookies. They even do homemade dog biscuits in the barkery for pampered pooches. Worth the journey.

83 Chiswick High Road, W4 2EF, outsidertart.com.

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