Inside Claridge’s Bakery, the bougiest bakery in London
Claridge’s Bakery opens from today with its menu of “nostalgic” classics
The staff entrance around the back of Claridge’s has long been the getaway route for A-List guests favouring discretion. Johnny Depp’s security detail have had some explosive stand-offs with paparazzi at this unassuming doorway on Brooks Mews, the business end of Mayfair’s most storied hotel that was once a favourite of Princess Victoria and the late Queen.
HNW individuals venturing from the clutches of the hotel would rarely go down this cul-de-sac, except to access the occasional art exhibition at the Perrotin gallery. But the hotel has run out of space, having built four storeys above the original 1812 roof for new rooms and five below for the fairly new spa. So for the opening of the new Claridge’s Bakery it was time to give Johnny Depp’s favoured escape route another thought.
The Claridge’s Bakery opens today where that old service entrance used to be. It is helmed by the baker and chef Richard Hart, who has slung dough in San Francisco, New Mexico and Copenhagen. But being a British boy, at Claridge’s his baking is a world away from the finely glazed French patisserie that pervades the capital, such as the immaculate, shiny flower cakes of Cedric Grolet at The Berkeley. They go viral on TikTok and that hotel is another of The Maybourne Group that operates Claridge’s so presumably owners saw a business case for trying another type of bakery, this time focusing on fuss-free nostalgia. “I used to look to England and go, why aren’t the English bakers bringing back the stuff I love?” Hart said at the launch event. “I want to eat a bloomer, a granary loaf, an iced finger, I feel like it’s all dying and disappearing. I’m so excited to make this stuff for you all and have the kids eat the things I used to eat when I was a kid.”
Inside the Claridge’s Bakery
There are fondant fancies with high percentage dark chocolate; cherry bakewells with great smacks of fruit; Belgian buns with pillow-soft Victoria sponge consistency, cheery Jammy Dodger tarts and chefs favourite, the Walnut Whips. “Bring back the Walnut Whip!” Hart said on opening day. “I’ve also started thinking about Wagon Wheels…”
Bold, punchy flavours prevail. Speaking about the fondant fancies, Hart said that “Mr Kipling all taste the same. These actually taste… there’s a berry flavour, a chocolate and a citrus.” Speaking about British baking when compared to its French counterpart, Hart said: “French is typically prettier. British is kind of the opposite. It looks not so great but it tastes, oh my God…”
Savoury items at the Claridge’s Bakery include Marmite cheese straws with a light touch on the Marmite, presumably to appeal to international guests without the British fortitude for strangely strong yeast, as well as classic Scotch Eggs and sausage rolls. Warm quiches, hot specials and sandwiches are available at lunchtimes, and house bread including bloomers, granary loaves, Rye bread and White rolls will be available all day. One of Hart’s passions is decentralising the sourdough loaf and celebrating other types of bread instead. He’ll talk enthusiastically about the benefits of Rye over granary, but you’ll need to butter it up at home: everything’s takeaway. “There’s not much space for customers because I managed to swallow it all up with the kitchen,” says Hart. “But I like the idea of people coming in and watching the theatre of baking. Mixing dough and shaping all kinds of things on this table.”
In our 2024 review of Claridge’s we wrote that the building itself is “enigmatic, existing on some magical, mythical level.” With prices at the Bakery starting at £3.50 for takeaway bread and savoury items and £4 for the French fancies and iced fingers, here’s a fun way to indulge in a little of that without needing to worry about dressing up for dinner.
Go to claridges.co.uk