Bakeries Are the New Pubs in London

Londoners are swapping their pints of lager for candy treats in a metropolis that’s gone sober — or not less than partly so.

The aftermath of COVID-19, the exodus of European staff post-Brexit and a brand new era that’s shunning binge-drinking in favor of alcohol-free beer, chai and early-morning working golf equipment have all remodeled town, which used to get together via the night time.

Now individuals are getting excessive on the odor of cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate and brewing espresso, and piling into unbiased bakeries, which star personalities are opening throughout town.

King Charles’ goddaughter India Hicks, an inside designer and former Ralph Lauren mannequin, is only one of many pushing a sugar excessive.

She’s helped two brothers, Can and Cengizhan Ayan, who hail from a household of fourth-generation Turkish chocolatiers, arrange Naya, a luxurious patisserie on North Audley Road in Mayfair.

“I’m not a certified particular person to tackle the creation of a bakery, however I do know an terrible lot about model constructing,” says Hicks in an interview from her house within the Bahamas.

She says her experience lies in creating an environment — and drawing in a crowd. Naya’s interiors characteristic hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper in addition to inexperienced velvet cubicles, cream chairs and leopard-print cushions.

The brothers have introduced over recipes from their household bakery in Turkey and downsized every pastry, from chocolate éclairs to cream buns, into bite-size parts. Together with Champagne and iced pistachio lattes, there may be additionally a variety of detox teas.

Well being is a topic that’s prime of thoughts at Naya. “We all know individuals are extra health-conscious and we had a dialog about maybe having a keto afternoon tea,” says Cengizhan, referring to the ketogenic weight loss program, which is excessive in fats and protein and low in carbs.

He added that they’re engaged on updating the menu and introducing salads and extra savory choices, though there are not any plans to enter restaurant territory.

A brief trip away from Naya, on Fulham Highway in Chelsea, is the brand new bakery referred to as Reemies, which is difficult to overlook with its brilliant fuchsia pink and purple exterior.

Its founder, Reem Abu Samra, is a lawyer-turned-full-time baker. She opened the store final April after her cake supply enterprise began to growth. Her nonfussy muffins at the moment are on the cabinets at Harrods, Panzer’s Delicatessen in St. John’s Wooden and Bailey & Sage in Battersea and Hampstead.

“I all the time liked very homely muffins, and I felt like I couldn’t actually purchase any with out it being overly processed,” she says.

She’s been baking banana bread since she was 14 years previous and it continues to win her followers. She began making the bread for associates who personal the espresso store Noxy Brothers, in London‘s Burlington Arcade, and the orders rapidly multiplied.

Followers of Reemies embrace Idris Elba, the Ecclestone household, Viscount Linley and the Emirate of Dubai royal household.

Abu Samra sees her muffins as on a regular basis treats moderately than one-off luxuries. She grew up in a Lebanese family the place her mom was a “systemic feeder.” 

“My muffins are for each era — a grandma likes consuming our muffins, however so does a child,” she says, including that her muffins supply consolation on a variety of ranges.

She believes the growth in baking is “as a result of folks want that consolation and meals feeds the soul,” and which you could bask in baked items as a part of your wellness routine — carefully. She provides {that a} majority of the purchasers who cease by the store have simply come out of a Pilates class.

Luxurious manufacturers, too, are progressively tapping into catering for an viewers that’s nearer to turning into teetotal than another era. Based on the U.Okay.-based charity Drinkaware, the variety of younger adults who don’t drink has elevated from 14 p.c in 2017 to 21 p.c in 2023.

In London, bakeries and low outlets have develop into hangout spots for a lot of Muslims and Center Japanese vacationers who really feel extra snug in a spot the place alcohol is off the menu.

Café Leon Dore from the model Aimé Leon Dore, Ralph’s Espresso and Nanushka’s in-store café are among the many sizzling spots with younger spenders from the Center East.

The craze and urge for food for bakeries is getting into establishments such because the Connaught and Claridge’s.

Earlier this spring the Connaught Patisserie by Nicolas Rouzaud was rebranded as Nicolas Rouzaud on the Connaught, to replicate his new function as chef associate.

The French pastry chef has discovered a fan in his neighbour, positive jewellery designer Jessica McCormack. The 2 have come collectively to collaborate on a sequence of deliciously candy pictures utilizing small colourful muffins and the designer’s Fruit Salad assortment, which was impressed by a pair of glass fruit clip-one earrings that belonged to her grandmother in New Zealand.

“I’m in his patisserie each day for my morning espresso. He’s a real artist and I really feel like we’re kindred spirits in our appreciation of skilled craftsmanship,” says McCormack.

Rouzaud is aware of find out how to preserve his prospects blissful and coming again for me.

“It’s essential to shock them, which is why we modify the flavour of our croissant balls each day and always evolve our dessert collections — we have now, at least, one new creation per thirty days and we will go as much as three per thirty days. That means, even our common visitors all the time have one thing new to find,” he says.

On social media, Rouzaud’s candy treats have taken on their very own lives, the place every dessert is impressed by the idea of high fashion.

“We wished to create an area that really showcases the artwork of dessert, a spot the place craftsmanship is pushed to its highest degree,” he provides.

Naya Mayfair: 16 North Audley Road, London, W1K 6WL, data@nayaandco.com
Reemies Truffles: 137 Fulham Highway, London, SW3 6SD, chelsea@reemiescakes.com
Nicolas Rouzaud at The Connaught: The Connaught, Carlos Place, London, W1K 2AL, 020-7314-3522