We’re pretty proud of our bakeries here in Manchester, with incredible sweet, sour and fluffy spots popping up quicker than we can say “cinnamon bun, please”. Now, some of our most wonderful Manchester bakeries have been named amongst Britain’s Best Bakeries, according to The Good Food Guide – and we’re inclined to agree.
In celebration of Britain’s modern baking boom, The Good Food Guide took it upon themselves to travel hundreds of miles in search of sensational Danish pastries, fresh, flaky croissants and full-flavoured loaves to bring us The Good Food Guide’s Best Bakeries 2025.
They said of their journey: “From a makeshift industrial unit in Devon to a radically remote destination in the Scottish Highlands and a must-visit spot in Mid Wales, these 50 top spots source locally, celebrate the seasons, and rival the pastry work of many of Britain’s top restaurant kitchens.”
Manchester favourite Pollen is of course one of the bakeries that made the list, and not for the first time. The Guide said: “Since the aroma of fresh croissants first wafted from the ovens of the original bakery in Ancoats, Pollen has established something of a cult status in Manchester for its quality viennoiserie and sourdough loaves.
“A second, larger outpost at the Kampus development in the Piccadilly area is a serene, putty-hued space looking onto a lush courtyard garden where you can linger over a lunch of BBQ mushrooms on toast with celeriac and salsa verde or Jerusalem artichoke soup with herb butter. The counter also advertises a handsome selection of sweet treats: our surprisingly delicate matcha cheesecake was a sure sign of the pastry team’s skills.”
We’d recommend getting down to Pollen on a lovely sunny day to grab one of their lovely iced coffees and an indulgent pastry and sit outside – whether at Kampus or New Islington Marina – or pop by for a spot of brunch and take away a freshly baked loaf. Perfect.
Alongside Pollen, Levenshulme-based bakery Long Boi’s Bakehouse has also been given a well-deserved mention. The Guide said: “Taking over a long-disused site back in 2020, this bakery from Pollen alumnus Jenny Oakenfull has breathed new life into Levenshulme. A small team of all-female bakers turns out a satisfyingly creative selection of sweet and savoury bakes – perhaps a pandan lamington (a take on the coconut-drenched Aussie classic) or an ‘everything bagel’ croissant stuffed with dill, spring onion and cream cheese – while classic cakes and pastries are presented with equal doses of flavour and flourish.
“With a tiny production kitchen, bread comes from the also-excellent Holy Grain Sourdough in Manchester city centre. Like any self-respecting neighbourhood bakery, they sell out quickly – so get there early.”
Kendal’s Lovingly Artisan was also included in the list, which also operates out of our very own Altrincham Market, so all in all, we’ve really swept up. We’re truly so proud of these incredible Manchester establishments for being named some of Britain’s Best Bakeries, and will continue to benefit from the fruits of their labour for years to come.
The full list of Britain’s Best Bakeries 2025:
Almond Thief, Dartington, Devon
Aran Bakery, Dunkeld, Perthshire & Kinross
Bake Shop, Ely, Cambridgeshire
Bakers Yard Bakery, Sheffield
Beefcake Café, Glasgow
Bostock Bakery, North Berwick, Lothians
Bunhead Bakery, Herne Hill, London
Cereal Bakery, Lairg, Highlands & Islands
Company Bakery, Musselburgh
Crwst, Cardigan , Ceredigion
E5 Bakehouse, Hackney
Eric’s, East Dulwich, London
Farro, Bristol
Field Bakery, Bridgwater, Somerset
Flint Owl Bakery, Brighton
Gorse Bakery, Newquay
Grain & Hearth, Whitstable
Hamblin Bread, Oxford
Hart’s Bakery, Bristol
Haxby Bakehouse, York
Hearth, Hackney Wick
Hobz Bakery, Edinburgh
Kanto, Cambridge
Landrace Bakery, Bath
Lannan Bakery, Edinburgh
Levain & Cherry, Birmingham
Lockdown Loaves, Winterbourne, Bristol
Long Boi’s Bakehouse, Manchester
Longstraw Bakery, Wiveliscombe, Somerset
Lovingly Artisan, Kendal
Mabel, Downham Market, Norfolk
Mhor Bread & Store, Callander, Stirling
Nova Bakehouse, Leeds
Oast, Margate
Pipit Bakery, Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
Pollen Bakery Kampus, Manchester
Rye Bakery, Frome, Somerset
Six Chimneys, Cheltenham
Small Food Bakery, Nottingham
Tarn Bakery, Highgate, London
The Angel Bakery, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
The Dusty Knuckle, Harringay, London
The Garage Bakehouse, Market Harborough, Leicestershire
The Old Store, Snettisham, Norfolk
The Wild Loaf, Liverpool
Toad Bakery, Camberwell, London
Toklas Bakery, Temple, London
Tough Mary’s Bakehouse, Nottingham
Twelve Triangles, Edinburgh
Wooster’s Bakery, Bury St Edmunds
📍 You can find Pollen at Kampus, 42 Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3GL & Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ | Long Boi’s Bakehouse at 40 Forest Range, Manchester M19 2HP.