With Easter coming around this weekend, there’s every excuse to eat your way around London’s restaurants in search of great hot cross buns. We’ve already carved out a list, so now you just have to go and eat them – an arduous task, but one we’re sure you’re capable of. Read on for our pick of the buns.
Words: Eamonn Crowe
100 Wardour St, Soho
What: As part of its one-off Easter weekend brunch, 100 Wardour St is offering a sweet twist on a retro dessert classic by serving up bread and butter pudding – made with hot cross buns.
Where: 100 Wardour Street, W1F 0TN
How much: Two courses for £23.95
Alexandrie, Kensington
What: This Kensington restaurant is offering a dedicated Easter menu on the big day, which will include lentil soup and slow-cooked lamb shank, as well as mezze and a glass of Prosecco per diner. The cherry on top is this hot cross bun, served warm and topped with ginger ice cream.
Where: 38C Kensington Church Street, W8 4BX
How much: Easter menu £42
Aubaine Broadgate, Brompton Cross, Covent Garden, Heddon Street, Hyde Park, Kensington, Marylebone and Mayfair
What: Step up your Easter food game with a hot cross brioche from Aubaine. Available until 17 April, the brioche is laced with cinnamon, lemon zest, raisins and cranberries.
Where: Various locations
How much: £2.50
Bluebird, Chelsea
What: Hop on over to this Made in Chelsea favourite to make the most of its Easter brunch menu, including hot cross bun French toast, served with vanilla ice cream and strawberries.
Where: 350 King's Road, SW3 5UU
How much: Two courses for £25, three for £30
Tom’s Kitchen Canary Wharf and St Katharine Docks
What: If you’re after a batch of buns for your friends and family (or just your own pig-out session), Tom’s Kitchen is offering freshly baked batches to take home, which can be pre-ordered with a day’s notice until 20 April.
Where: 11 Westferry Circus, E14 4HD and 1 Commodity Quay, St Katharine Docks, E1W 1AZ
How much: £6 for four, £10 for eight
Select ETM venues including Aviary, The Botanist Broadgate Circle, Burdock, Ealing Park Tavern, Greenwood and The Jugged Hare
What: A fan of punny desserts? The Eggs Bunnidict (available until Monday 17 April) is a sweet version of the brunch classic, featuring a hot cross bun topped with a wedge of marshmallow, and vanilla and coconut panna cotta ‘eggs’ which are filled with mango ‘yolk’ – eggcellent.
Where: Select ETM venues
How much: £12.50
If you’d rather ditch the sweet for the savoury, check out some of these alternative buns to try out in London
Bao Fitzrovia and Soho
What: This duo of restaurants is fiercely popular thanks to its menu of Taiwanese-style small plates, including those all-important, pillowy buns. Stuffed with the likes of confit pork and beef short rib, these bao are not to be missed.
Where: 31 Windmill Street, W1T 2JN and 53 Lexington Street, W1F 9AS
How much: From £4.50
Bun House, Soho
What: Just opened, this Chinese bun fight is all about Canton-style bao (the closed, ball-shaped variety). Pick from pork, lamb, chicken, fish and veggie varieties, to be paired with Chinese sides including ‘chips’ made from deep-fried duck tongues.
Where: 23-24 Greek Street, W1D 4DZ
How much: Buns from £2.50
Sakagura, Mayfair
What: Fussy eaters rejoice, because Sakagura is offering diners the chance to create their own buns. Guests can choose from fillings including Goosnargh chicken and spring onion, black pork belly, and chicken meatballs. Sprinkle on some tempura flakes for extra crunch and you’ve got yourself a banging bun.
Where: 8 Heddon Street, W1B 4BS
How much: From £7
For more alternative ideas for bun-lovers, check out our pick of the best burgers in the capital
This article was published 11 April 2017