I have been consistently visiting London since I was 17 and lived here for two years; I think I am qualified to give recommendations on how to spend your time in London. Hence the TSE London guide series which kicked off with thirty-five of my favorite free things to do in London. One of my favorite things about this city is the food - It is possible to eat out every meal for one year and not repeat a spot - there are a lot of great spots in London and a lot of my time in London has been spent eating my way through the city. I intended to do one post of my favorite spots, but the list was too long to fit into one post, so I am splitting up the posts into the best spots for brunch; sweets treats; afternoon tea; cheap eats etc. Kicking things off with my favorite spots to satisfy a sweet tooth - cakes; cookies; donuts. I have also added in my favorite spots for coffee and hot chocolate. Whether you live in London and need something for your weekend itinerary or you are visiting and need a break from touring the sights, these bakeries and coffeeshops serve up my favorite treats in London.

Grom. Let’s start with Ice cream - I am not going to over complicate this, just know that this is one of the best ones I have ever had. They know their stuff and the queue out the door most days is not hype. I brave Oxford street when I am craving their ice cream. (Picadilly Circus).

Udderlicious is another excellent stop for ice cream in covent garden and around London; it has a wide array of flavors that change every month and patrons even get to vote to see their favorite flavors on the menu in the coming month.

Violet. This place may be famous for having baked Harry and Meghan’s wedding cake, which is why I journeyed to Hackney to check it out. Let’s just say I get why they were chosen to bake the royal wedding cake. I had the Violet Salad and the Halva Tahini brownie. The brownies are the best I have ever had. (Hackney)

Peggy Porchsen. If you have spent any time on Instagram then you have definitely seen a picture of the instagramable entry way and interior of Peggy Porchsen. Their cakes have been consistently voted among the best the UK. While I have included it on this list for that reason, it is not my favorite spot for cake and their cakes are priced higher than most spots so keep that in mind. For something pretty and delicious, I recommend the hot chocolate to accompany your choice of baked treat (Belgravia).

Monmouth Coffee. Found on the edge of Borough market, once you try their coffee, the (sometimes) long queues will make sense. Don’t let the Queue discourage you, the service is quick and I am yet to find a better cup of coffee in all my years visiting and living in London (Borough Market).

Fabrique. Baked treats inspired by its Scandinavian origin, they have an offering of fresh bread and other Nordic inspired treat, but the cinnamon bun is the reason I return most Sundays after church. A cup of hot chocolate and a Fabrique cinnamon bun is a regular Sunday afternoon treat. I love the original and the cardamon buns (Multiple Locations).

Nordic Bakery. Another spot inspired by Scandinavia. They serve up a variety of Scadanavian treat. I always recommend the cinnamon buns, but the berry buns with lingonberry and Skoleboller (Norwegian custard bun) are personal favorites (Multiple locations).

Cutter and Squidge. This is a personal favorite for my family. We have celebrated many birthdays and life events with their cakes. Chances are if I treat you for a special occasion, it will be to one of their cakes. It is my favorite cake spot in London. I recommend the Strawberry eat-on mess; Blueberry Lemon; Apple Pie or the S’mores cake. For something different, try their signature dessert - Bisques. It is a cake/cookie hybrid sandwich filled with jam; cream and salted caramel. (Soho)

Gaza Cafe Soho. If you are in search of a different kind of sweet treat then this South Korean spot is my top recommendation. They serve an array of Korean desserts; rice burgers and rice cakes. I go for the BingSoo which is a frozen milk shavings topped with your choice of fruit, condensed milk, red beans, fruit syrup etc. (Soho)

Ottolenghi. While it is known for serving up the freshest Mediterranean and North African dishes; Ottolenghi cafe in Notting Hill does serve pastries and beverages as well. The hot chocolate will change your life. I always visit the Notting Hill location to treat myself to a cup of their hot chocolate after a long / tedious week. (Notting Hill)

Ben Cookies. It will not be far fetched to say these are some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. With multiple locations around the city, you don’t have to go far to find their mouth watering gooey on the inside with chocolate chunks cookie selection. The milk chocolate chunk is my favorite but I have heard good things about the peanut butter and dark chocolate ones. (Multiple Location)

Shackfuyu. This Japanese spot does not quite fall in the category of coffee shops or bakeries but their Matcha french toast has earned them a spot on my list of favorite destinations for sweet treat. They have a varied menu of delicious food, but it is the matcha french toast that keeps me going back.

Hummingbird Bakery. You will rarely see me order anything besides the red velvet cupcakes. It is what they are famous for and they do it so well, I always feel like I am cheating if I order anything else. Don’t get me wrong, everything they serve up is delish; I have just got a soft spot for the red velvet cupcakes (Multiple Locations).

Lisboa Patisserie. If you forget the name, just get to Notting HIll and ask for the “Portuguese bakery” - they serve up an authentic and high quality taste of Portugal (Notting Hill).

Galeta. You cannot visit London without trying a jam filled donut and they make excellent ones at Galeta. The Nutella filled donut and red velvet cookie(the size of your face) are incredibly delicious and perfect cure for the sweet tooth. (Multiple Locations)

Elan Cafe. Similar to Peggy Porschen’s the ambiance here is why a lot of people walk through the doors, but that is not the only reason to visit. They have an array of sweet treats and reasonably sized menu. The prices are slightly higher than other spots, but part of what you are paying for is the ambiance. On days when I am craving something sweet but want to avoid cakes and cookies, I get the pretty pink bircher - coconut yogurt topped with yummy things. It is my alternate dessert. I also really like the salted caramel hot chocolate topped with marshmallows. (Knightsbridge)

The Lily Vanili Bakery. You never know what you will get here as they have a weekly changing menu. You can place orders for cakes any day of the week; but the cafe is only open on Sundays. It is located just off Columbia Street so you have to contend with the crowds visiting the Columbia Street market. The changing menu includes cakes; sausage rolls, brownies and pastries. (Columbia Road)

Ole and Steen. Another spot with Scandinavian origin - this one from Denmark. I was in Denmark some time ago and I may have returned home with more than a dozen baked treats. Ole and Steen is the London branch of the famous Danish Bakery chain - Lagkagehuset. On a random Saturday heading to the theatre, I stumbled on Ole and Steen and decided to try it out. They have a robust breakfast and lunch menu if you want a meal before satisfying you sweet tooth craving. As with all the Scandinavian spots on this list - the Cinnamon buns are a must try. A few other things I recommend, Chocolate Swirl and the Cinnamon social. (St James near MayFair)

Balthazar. There is a location in NYC which I never had the pleasure of visiting; the London location is one of my favorite spots in Covent Garden for baked treats. They also have an afternoon tea offering which has rave reviews.(Covent Garden)

Dominique Ansel. This is a new addition to my list. Before moving to London, I had read great reviews, but I never had the opportunity to visit until recently and it was fantastic. They have an all day brunch menu and a lunch menu which is really good if you are looking for a spot for dine; however, the sweet treats are my reason for going - the chocolate chip cookie shot does live up to expectation and you cannot go wrong with their selection of cakes and tarts. (Belgravia).

Sakurado. This was a recent discovery for me ; absolutely love their flavor offerings of handmade mile crepe cakes. My favorite one is the pistachio option. They are also known for their Matcha mille crepe cake which I am yet to try. If crepe cakes are not your thing, they also serve a wide selection of japan’s breads; cheesecakes and sweet treats or you can sample a little of everything with the Japanese afternoon tea.