London's bakers are turning out cracking mince pies this Christmas along with less traditional takes on the festive favourite. Here's where to get your hands on them (and when).
Mince Pies
Gladwell's
Camberwell - 2 Camberwell Church St, London SE5 8QU
These mince pies are made by head baker Matt Thornton (previously Brickhouse Bakery, Darby's, Jolene) using his own house-made short and flaky pastry (with almost 50% butter). The mincemeat filling includes dates, apricots, raisins, fresh oranges and lemons, candied peel and muscovado sugar and it's all been steeped in brandy and maturing for two months. Also available at Greensmiths in Waterloo.
Follow on Instagram: @gladwellslondon
Little Bread Pedlar
Bermondsey & Primrose Hill
They supply many restaurants, but you'll have to go to their bakeries for their mince pies. They're traditional takes, made with mixed dried fruit, candied citrus peel, pecan nuts, almond nuts and brandy, all in a suet and pastry shell. These are available in the bakeries but you can also pre-order them online in boxes of six or 12.
Follow on Instagram: @lbpedlar
Lyle's
Shoreditch - Tea Building, 56 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JJ
Michelin-starred Lyle's are among few notable restaurants who always put on a special mince pie at this time of year. They have two options, one with traditional mince meat and also "quincemeat" which, as you can guess, is mainly made from roast quince. They're available individually or you can pick up a box of six at the restaurant.
Available from: 1 December
Follow on Instagram: @lyleslondon
Toklas Bakery
Temple - 9 Surrey St, London WC2R 2ND
Just off the Strand, the Toklas Bakery's mince pies feature a flaky shortcrust pastry with a mincemeat made from slow-roasted quince, Bramley and Braeburn apples, brandy, mixed spices and packed with home-candied pomelo peel from the Todolí Citrus Fundacio.
Follow on Instagram: @toklas_bakery
Comptoir Gourmand
Bermondsey, Borough, Southwark Cathedral, Maltby
Focused in and around Borough, this French patisserie has been baking under the arches in Maltby Street since 2010. Their mince pie is made from crisp pastry cases filled with their own spiced mince meat, topped with a pastry star and dusted in icing sugar.
Follow on Instagram: @comptoir_bakery
St John
Clerkenwell, Smithfield, Covent Garden
The St John mince pies are a yearly favourite (and usually sell out fast too). Made with fruit, brandy and nuts, they're encased in buttery pastry which they say is "crumbly yet structured" making it "the platonic ideal of a mince pie".
Available from: 1 December 2024
Follow on Instagram: @st.john.restaurant
Pophams
Hackney, Islington, Victoria Park
Once again, Pophams are teaming up with The King's Ginger liqueur. Inside their mince pies, you'll find currants, raisins, sultanas, apple and suet mixed with spices, candied peel, and citrus. All that has been steeped in The King's Ginger liqueur for two months before going inside 18 layers of flaky pastry which is then filled with Cornish clotted cream.
Follow on Instagram: @pophamsbakery
Paul Rhodes Bakery
Greenwich - 37 King William Walk, London SE10 9HU
Using a sweet buttery tart case, Greenwich baker Paul Rhodes' classic mince pies are filled with a mincemeat mix made of currants, sultanas and mixed peel and an extra dash of mixed spice and citrus on top. Finished off with demerara, they come in mini and standard sizes.
Follow on Instagram: @Paulrhodesbakery
Blondies Kitchen
Covent Garden and Selfridges
Still a personal favourite of ours are the Blondies Kitchen mince pie cookie cups. They put a mince pie filling sealed inside chewy vanilla cookie dough cups, mixing two of our favourite things. It really is a thing of wonder and well worth trying.
Follow on Instagram: @blondieskitchen.
Luminary Bakery
Stoke Newington and Chalk Farm
Social enterprise folk Luminary Bakery have shortcrust pastry mince pies, topped with a Luminary crescent moon and filled with mincemeat and orange marmalade. They're available in boxes of 6 or 12 for taking away or delivery.
Follow on Instagram: @luminarybakery
Melrose & Morgan
Primrose Hill & Hampstead
North London deli Melrose & Morgan say the secret of their mince pie success is the buttery pastry with a hint of vanilla, filled with their signature homemade mincemeat.
Follow on Instagram: @melroseandmorgan
Violet Cakes
Hackney - 47 Wilton Way, London E8 3ED
Royal wedding cake baker Claire Ptak is selling mince pies from her bakery individually or in boxes of nine. They're made with English apples, brandy-soaked sultanas, currants and raisins, with candied citrus peel and winter spices, all in a buttery sweet pastry.
Follow on Instagram: @violetcakeslondon
Ole & Steen
Available across London
Ole & Steen's mince pies are a little twist on the usual. Here they're in a pastry crust with a persipan base, filled with mincemeat and topped with an almond crumble.
Follow on Instagram: @oleandsteenuk
Mince pie spin-offs
Mince pie empanadas from De Nadas
Notting Hill, Shoreditch and Stoke Newington
De Nadas specialise in traditional empanadas, but this is very much in the non-traditional camp. It's a vegan offering and is created with classic empanada pastry, filled with a fruity mincemeat before being dusted with icing sugar. You can get one on its own or as a box of six.
Available from: 1 December 2024
Follow on Instagram: @denadasldn
Every year, some restaurants like to do their own thing when it comes to mince pies. Here are some decidedly non-traditional versions that are well worth seeking out.
Leydi's mince pie borek
City of London - 6 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2AE
Selin Kiazim's new London restaurant has taken one of its signature dishes and given it a mince pie twist. Inside the filo pastry, you'll find spiced minced fruits, studded with pistachio and the whole thing is topped with tahini & medjool dates ice cream. You'll find this on their dessert menu now.
Follow on Instagram: @leydi.london
The Grill by Tom Booton's mince pie soft serve
Mayfair - The Dorchester, 53 Park Ln, London W1K 1QA
The soft serve machine at the grill gets a lot of unique use in their desserts and at Christmas, it's used to create their mince pie soft serve. This year, it's served in a tartlet, with Pedro Ximenez raisins, brandy custard and mint.
Follow on Instagram: @bootontom
Plus more baked goodness
The Hot Dinners guide to Christmas in London
Hamper guides, cookery book shopping, Christmas specials and more. Yes, we really do have everything you need for Christmas right here on Hot Dinners.
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