Trying Viral London Cafes, Pastries, and Desserts

If you’re into viral London cafes, pastries, and desserts, this last-minute London trip was basically my excuse to taste test through the city. We didn’t come with much of a plan, but thanks to our London friends, we got some top recommendations. Between traditional English afternoon tea and the viral Borough Market chocolate strawberries, London’s got a ton to offer. Here’s everything I tried in London cafes, and what lived up to the hype!

Taste Testing Viral London Cafes

This is actually my first time in London, and we’re here for a friend’s wedding. Since we didn’t plan much beyond our flight, we’re exploring a ton of recommendations from friends. I kept hearing how impressive the dessert and café scene is in London, so I made it a priority to try a few spots while I’m here.

One thing I noticed quickly just walking around is how many bakeries and pastry shops there are on every corner. They’re all so beautifully styled, with displays that make you stop in your tracks! It’s hard not to want to try everything. So, let’s check out a few viral London cafés and desserts from my friends’ top recommendations and see what the hype is all about.

Super Fun Cinnamon Buns – Buns From Home

After our first meal of classic pie and mash in London, we walked to Buns From Home for some dessert. This little Covent Garden storefront is impossible to miss, with trays and trays of cinnamon buns stacked in the window. Their unique menu of flavors range from classic cinnamon to cardamom, pistachio, tiramisu, and seasonal specials, ranging at around £3-5 each.

While they’re best known for their croissant-style laminated buns, I went for one of their seasonal classic cream cheese cinnamon rolls instead. This version is more like a classic American roll, but with way better texture. It’s soft and fluffy, generously swirled with tangy frosting. You can also grab boxes of 3 or 6 if you’re planning to snack later. They’re open daily from 9 in the morning, so you can grab a morning bun when you visit. It was the perfect little treat before accidentally falling asleep at 8 pm.

Casual Coffee Stop – Store Street Espresso 

After a day at the British Museum, we stopped by Store Street Espresso for a little caffeine in our system. Tucked away on Store Street, this quiet little cafe is exactly what we needed. Founded in 2010, their menu regularly features beans from guest roasters around London. It feels like somewhere I can sit down and get some work done.

We ordered a long black (£3.50), which was smooth and clean without any harsh bitterness. The matcha latte (£4.20) had a mellow flavor with just the right amount of milk. It’s so simple and balanced.

Store Street Espresso is open 7:30 AM–6 PM on weekdays, 9 AM–5:30 PM Saturday, and 9:30 AM–5 PM Sunday. The space itself felt relaxed and comfortable, so it’s an easy spot to stay and linger while our jet lag kicked in!

Picture Perfect Dessert Donuts – Donutelier 

On our after-nap walk, we found Donutelier, a donut shop that’s a bakery meets dessert gallery. The pastries look like they’re part of an exhibition, with the staff decorating them with all sorts of toppings like crispy raspberries, gold flakes, or mini macarons. All of them look so indulgent and pretty, I almost don’t want to eat them.

I went with the pistachio donut, which honestly looked better than it tasted. It had a pistachio and Chantilly cream filling, with pistachio nibs and freeze-dried raspberries on top. For £6.50 each, it was kind of mid. Overall, Donutelier gets a 5.5/10. But, it’s still a fun stop to take pictures if you’re already in the area anytime from 8:30 AM to 10:00 PM

Afternoon Tea At The Savoy

Afternoon Tea at the iconic Savoy is the type of experience that I will remember forever As someone who loves tea, afternoon tea in London has always been on my bucket list. The moment we walked in, it felt like stepping into a movie set, with soft piano in the background, white glove service, fresh flowers everywhere, and the coziest armchairs. It was elegant, timeless, and honestly felt so magical.

The Savoy Afternoon Tea comes with a selection of traditional sandwiches, savory bites, and tea pastries. Our table was filled with plates of delicate pastries and fluffy cucumber, egg, or salmon sandwiches. But, the real star for me are the warm buttery scones with clotted cream and jam. I could eat these every single day

Of course, the tea was incredible! We got to taste so many blends, but my personal favorite was definitely the Savoy afternoon blend, a black tea blend that was smooth, floral, and brewed to perfection.

The best part? It’s actually all you can eat and drink. It’s a bit pricy at £90 per person, but the food is amazing and the service here was so kind and thoughtful. They even packed up the extra pastries for us to take home! i would love to bring my mom here one day.

French-Asian Fusion Pastries – Arôme Bakery

One of my absolute favorite spots this trip to London was Arome Bakery, another amazing recommendation by Linda Sun. They’re known for their French and Asian inspired pastries. Everything looked so good, I lowkey wished I came here on day one so I can try it all. I decided on their signature honey toast (£4) and the egg custard tart (£5.5), and an iced Matcha Latte (£5.50) to wash it all down.

The toast was thick and buttery, with a golden caramelized honey crunch on the outside. But, it’s still super soft and fluffy on the inside. The egg tart has that creamy, silky custard nested in the flakiest, most buttery shell. We devoured both of these in seconds!

Arôme Bakery Is a 9/10 in my book. It’s opened Tuesday to Saturday from 8AM to 5 PM, and from 9 AM to PM Sundays. I definitely recommend dropping by for some tasty baked treats!

Buttery Croissant Cookie – Chestnut’s Bakery

Dom and I decided to keep following Linda’s recommendations and headed to Chestnut Bakery, which is just around the corner from Arôme. It really feel like a hidden gem tucked into Floral Street. We grabbed two of their signature items: the viral Trio Croissant Cookie (£6.75) and the Za’atar and Gruyère Knot (£5.45). Both were warm, rich, and ridiculously buttery, basically melting in my mouth with each bite. The Trio Croissant Cookie was sweet, salty, and crispy in all the right ways, while the Za’atar Knot had that perfect savory hit from the spiced filling and gooey Gruyère.

They also had a whole lineup of flatbreads and sandwiches being made fresh in their clay oven, which we didn’t get a chance to try but I’ll definitely come back for. Chestnut Bakery is open daily from 8:30 AM, closing at 6 PM on weekdays, 7 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 6:30 PM on Sundays. It definitely feels like one of those places you accidentally spend your entire morning in. Solid 8/10!

Viral Chocolate Strawberries – Turnips Borough Market

We barely had any stomach space after Michelin-star restaurant Oma, but we did save some space for the viral chocolate covered strawberries at Turnips inside Borough Market. You won’t miss the stall covered with cups full of fresh red strawberries with wafts of warm chocolate in the air. Watching their staff pouring thick, melted chocolate into every cup made me have to get my own.

I know it’s a bit pricey at £8.50 a cup, but the strawberries here were genuinely so good. Each berry was bright red, juicy, and the right amount of sweet and sour. Paired with high quality Belgian milk chocolate, this was the best dessert after a satisfying meal. They’re typically open from 10 AM to 5 PM, or until 3 PM on Sundays, so if you’re in Borough Market, try them out!