02/06/2026
The world’s most beautiful bakeries aren’t really about bread. They’re about atmosphere. From the millennial-pink velvet interiors of Nanan Patisserie in Wrocław to the elegance of Marchesi in Milan, owned by Prada, the pastry counters of Ritz Paris, the heritage of Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon and the sculptural minimalism of With Wheat in Beijing, bakeries have become some of the most carefully designed spaces in hospitality.
In London, Claridge’s Bakery has transformed the traditional bakery into a jewel box of pastries, carrying the hotel’s unmistakable sense of craft and theatre onto the street.
And then there’s Toklas Bakery. Having spent time with the team helping define the wider Toklas brand, we’ve always admired how naturally the bakery extends the restaurant’s world. Next week, it takes up residence in the Turn Up Truck at Coal Drops Yard, bringing its new Roman-style sandwiches and seasonal pastries to King’s Cross.
But there is something more strategic happening here.
As spending habits evolve and alcohol consumption continues to decline, bakeries offer hospitality brands a different way in. A £10 pastry and coffee feels considerably more attainable than a round of cocktails in a hotel bar, yet still delivers a taste of the brand, the setting and the experience.
For a younger audience, the bakery has become a new way into hospitality. Lower commitment. Lower spend. The same opportunity to participate. A manageable weekend indulgence that sits comfortably alongside coffee rituals, long walks, wellness habits and slower social moments.
The bakery was once a supporting act.
Today, it’s becoming a destination in its own right.
