Over the bank holiday weekend I took a visit to a bakery that captured my attention a long time ago on social media with their beautiful baked goods. Layla Bakery is a neighbourhood artisan bakery and coffee shop, offering handcrafted breads, pastries, sweet treats and sandwiches. It’s located along Portobello Road, although it’s technically in the Ladbroke Grove area; I walked from Notting Hill Gate and being new to London I didn’t realise quite how far Portobello Road stretches. It took about twenty minutes in total but it was a pleasant walk through the renowned Portobello Market. Other popular spots in the area are Lancaster Road, Clarendon Road and Hillgate Place which is home to the famous colourful houses!
The Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill areas aren’t lacking in independent bakeries, but Layla stands out with their emphasis on sourcing quality seasonal ingredients from their suppliers, using wild grains, and working with traditional baking methods. Minimising food waste is high on their agenda; they use leftover croissant dough to make sausage rolls and cinnamon buns, as well as weekend specials.
The interiors are minimal and rustic; wooden and cream tones adorn the shop, giving it a cosy and laid-back feel. One large communal table sits at the centre of the shop floor, with some small seating to the side. Their pastry selection is displayed across the counter, and shelves of fresh sourdough loaves can be seen in the window. Past the counter is where the magic happens. Around one square table the staff were hard at work preparing sandwiches, cooking food, and egg-washing pastries ready to go into the ovens behind them. Hidden behind a cooling rack to the left was the barista making coffees. There were tubs of ingredients and bread baskets stacked at the back, and wooden pallets on the shop floor holding sacks of flour. I really love how they have utilised the space and that you can see everything going on; the openness creates a sense of informality, and in turn, a friendly and inviting atmosphere. The coat rack on the wall and the cookery books on the shelf were a nice touch.
So what about the goods? It was quite late when I arrived, about half twelve, and the shop was very busy, the pastries had been wiped out; there was one lonely cinnamon bun, some cheese twists, and a nettle, pumpkin seed & Lincolnshire poacher. I have a terrible sweet tooth so I don’t usually steer towards savoury bakes, but I went for the cheese & onion twist and it was delicious! The pastry was crisp and flakey, and it made the perfect crunch when I bit into it. The spring onion was subtle, followed by a pop from the coriander and caraway seeds. I would have preferred it to be slightly cheesier but it was still nice, and I liked that the buttery taste of the pastry came through. Aesthetically it was a very attractive pastry with visible lamination; baked to perfection and topped with a scattering of seeds and spring onion. Overall a delightful savoury pastry that wasn’t too heavy or rich to eat!
Although the counter was sparse when I visited, there were some freshly baked chocolate & hazelnut croissants sat on the cooling rack, and a member of staff was preparing a tray of pistachio pastries for the oven, so I imagine the counter is re-filled as the day goes on.
According to social media, Layla occasionally re-dress the table and the bottles come off the shelves; they host pop-up dinners and collaborate, and twice a month they fire up the ovens to make their own sourdough pizzas, served with wine and ice-cream!
To summarise, Layla is a great addition to the area and the quality of the pastries and coffee speak for themselves. I am already in love with this gorgeous bakery and I will definitely be back to sample more!