DO, DO, DO! That is all.

Okay, I’ll elaborate. Ottolenghi, on Ledbury Road in Notting Hill, is a small bakery and prepared food shop. This little shop holds the world’s best pastries. This is a bold statement, I know, but I dare you to prove otherwise. I have had multiple guests confirm my belief that you will not find a better almond croissant. Anywhere.

While the flow of the shop is not my favorite, it gets very crowded and difficult to browse, order, pay, and then wait for coffee, the visuals are impressive. In the states it is extremely unusual (and against most health codes) to have open air displays of unwrapped pastries. Here, the trays and tiers of pastries and cakes are naked in all their glory, just begging for their pictures to be taken. 



The delicious confections are brought to you by famed chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who is known for his cookbooks and restaurants.  Ottolenghi has mastered Israeli and British small plate, big flavor cuisine and is at the top of the dessert/pastry game in London and across the globe.

I haven’t met an item I didn’t like at Ottolenghi. I have had an ongoing love affair with the almond croissant (which is as heavy as a brick) and have flirted with its cousin, the almond pain au chocolat.  I’ve toyed with the other almond-based items, like the apricot tarts, and have savored a polenta cake or two. I always go back to my old faithful, but I know, if I don’t get there early enough and the croissants are sold out, I will be just as happy with anything else.

I recommend stopping in Ottolenghi early for a breakfast treat anytime, but definitely with out-of-town guests. The shop windows are very impressive and everyone I bring in is always wowed by the Ottolenghi experience. It’s also a great place for guests to purchase little grocery gifts to take home and enjoy when London becomes a memory. It’s also right around the corner from Westbourne Grove, so it is the perfect first stop for a window shopping stroll or a walk to Hyde Park! So, next time the sun is shining, don’t walk, RUN to Ottolenghi!!

Ottolenghi 
63 Ledbury Road
London W11 2AD