Delicious food has a way of warming your heart and taking you back to a special place. Travelling the world for the best cuisines is becoming more popular, and many set goals to visit the most notorious restaurants and bars on earth. Here are the best bakeries in the world you have to visit to support local businesses and devour delectable deserts.  

Whether you bake from home, or love to venture to the best bakeries in the world, the history of the craft is fascinating. During the middle ages, baking was a luxury which only few people were able to enjoy. Those who could afford a wood-burning stove to heat the bread were the only people who could bake from home. Ovens were not a standard fixture in a household like they are in the current day. So, bread-making rarely entered the home during the medieval period.

If you were rich, you enjoyed the niche, commercial activity of entering a bakery with friends and enjoying deliciously warm bread and cakes. But if you were poor, you only ate floured rye and black bread. This would often cut your teeth and create dental issues. Over the years though, baking became more expanded in both its offerings and who could partake in the delicious creations.

During the 15^th century, Britain began using expensive spices with sweet dough and plenty of cream and butter. The introduction of a small bun called the wigg made with sweet dough and herbs and spices became heavily popular during this era. With the remaining breadcrumbs and flavours, gingerbread entered the scene as a luxury desert.

Towards the 16^th and 17^th centuries, baking became a global interest. Economic growth prompted the middle class to enjoy baking from home, as well as the upper class. Baking became more accessible due to global trading and the accessibility of ingredients. Thankfully by the 17^th century, sugar became cheaper and flour more refined and versatile. Bakers and professionals began sharing recipes for things such as buns and yeast cakes, to eat as part of the dessert course. This introduction of dessert was to help you digest the food from your main meal.

The world saw the emergence of kitchen equipment such as cake tins and buttered paper to make home-baking more practical. At the peak of the 19^th century, Britain relied on convenience food such as pasties and pies which created a need for bakeries in the area. Additionally, the introduction of baking powder changed how cakes became produced from dense, yeast products to delicious creations. This powder combined with flour, eggs, fat, and a raising agent creating soft cakes anyone could make themselves. This laid the groundwork for the delicious treats we have all come to love and adore.

Now that we’ve learnt the brief history of baking and how it’s vastly developed from the 15^th century, we’d like to share the best bakeries in the world for you to visit. Being in a bakery can be cathartic as well as allowing you to dabble in new tastes and cultures. Many of these proud bakeries recommend you taking home their treats and freezing them to enjoy with your family. But do ask at the cashier before taking the risk.

Locations: San Francisco and Los Angeles

Tartine expresses modern craft with warm experiences and delectable food. Owners Elisabeth Pruiett and Chad Robinson came to San Francisco where they ran a tiny bakery from their home. For six years, they were in front of a hand built wood fired oven with Chad making bread and Liz preparing pastry. Tartine opened its doors after talking to the owner of an old bakery around the corner. Since opening, there’s always been a line outside.

Every day, a baker prepares the flour and levain. The fermentation acts on the simplest of ingredients including flour, water, and salt to create a delicious treat. Flour is the main ingredient of their creations, so they take it seriously. Their flours are prepared by friends, - people they trust to care about the quality and overall taste. It’s their devotion to a personal touch that makes Tartine one of the best bakeries in the world.

The result is tasty bread with a subtle, balanced acidity. Robertson makes everything fresh daily in a factory a few blocks away from the bakery. Prepare to line up for an hour outside, but the wait is definitely worth it.  

Location: London

CrossTown Doughnuts is one of the best bakeries in the world for many reasons. They’re the ideal spot for a cup of coffee and sourdough donuts dipped in a variety of flavours, along with tea and chilli chocolate. Where else do you know that can offer that exquisite combination?

The bakery first launched in 2014, and have since branched into the vegan world. A few of their creations include vanilla glazed doughnuts topped with their signature vanilla bean glaze. Another of our favourites is the vegan apple pie containing cinnamon-spiced apple filling, hand-dipped in vanilla glaze and topped with a vanilla crumble.

Daily, the team produce fresh doughnuts in their bakery in South London. They roll and pin their signature dough by hand. They begin preparing their fillings, jams, glazes and toppings in-house. This hybrid mix gives their doughnuts a strong crumb and texture similar to bread.

The doughnuts are too good to miss, especially with new flavours arriving all the time. No matter the occasion, there’s always a special on the menu to satisfy your appetite. A particular doughnut would be the orange blossom cake which consists of moorish spices, sweet date jam, orange blossom glaze and a cardamom crumble.

Location: New York

Lavain is one of the best bakeries in the world for delicious chocolate chip cookies. The bakery became established in 1994 by friends Connie McDonald and Pam Weekes. They both met as competitive swimmers and began a passionate dialog about creating the world’s greatest chocolate chip cookies. The bakery nestles in New York City’s Upper West Side. Locals come into the bakery almost every day.

Everything is baked on-site and made fresh daily with the finest natural ingredients. Any food that isn’t sold that day goes to feed the hungry, which they’ve put in place to save the people of New York and reduce hunger.

After just a few years, it’s become one of the best bakeries in the world. They now welcome travellers from around the world. Thanks to their growing success, they ship their infamous cookies to fans around the globe. For $4 a cookie, you can taste flavours such as chocolate chip walnut, oatmeal raisin, dark chocolate peanut butter, and dark chocolate chip.

Their products aren’t just limited to cookies, as they also sell their famous walnut sticky bun which was rated number one by Oprah. These delicious sweet sticky buns contain crunchy, golden walnuts to make an awesome weekend treat, specially made on Saturdays and Sundays.  

Location: Dubai

La Farine is one of the best bakeries in the world which serves authentic French cuisine 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They’re located in J W Marriot in Dubai’s infamous hotel for the ultimate experience of Dubai’s skyline views.

La Farine prides themselves on crafting barista coffee and delicious freshly baked bread any time you crave it. This contemporary café and bakery enables guests to socialise and enjoy gourmet food in a causal setting.

They claim to serve the best baguettes in Dubai, and have lived up to that promise. They aren’t just limited to bread, as their bakery also features homemade pastries, a wide selection of French products, and bespoke cakes crafted by their cake artist.

Their beautifully crafted cakes are perfect for any occasion, or just to celebrate a gathering with friends.  Thanks to their talented cake specialist, these cakes are next level. These Instagram worthy deserts look almost too good to eat, though you won’t regret taking a bite of their succulent flavours. Enjoy your delicious treat with afternoon tea and unwind in a pleasant setting.

Location: Hong Kong

Tai Cheong Bakery established in 1954, and they celebrated their 60-year anniversary in 2014. This is one of the best bakeries in the world for its branding and collective memory of Hong Kong. They’re most well-known for their egg tarts and Chinese doughnuts. Their egg tarts in particular were ranked Hong Kong’s number one most popular snack, making it a tourist attraction and global phenomenon. Within their menu is also a butter-flavoured shortcrust pastry.

The bakery uses Hong Kong’s local delicacies, including pineapple buns and custard, washed down with Yuenyeung – a local drink which is a blend of coffee and tea. Their baked goods come in a crispy dough and will leave a lasting impression on your taste buds.

Take some time out of a busy day and get a taste of authentic Cantonese pastries in a wide variety of goods, such as cakes, cookies and buns. Their melt-in-your-mouth combinations of buttery and crumbly crusts with a velvety custard makes them loved by locals and tourists. You can pick up a piping hot egg tart at the cashier at pretty much any time of the day or night. Your mouth will water just from looking at them, and you won’t be able to stop at having just one.

Location: Barcelona

Hotel Praktik Bakery is the world’s first hotel-bakery, so you literally start the day with the smell of delicious bread. We love the theme of the bakery throughout the hotel rooms too, and customers mingle in the lobby to chat to other pastry novices. This is arguably the city’s best bakery with irresistible aromas circling every inch of the premises.

Every morning, there are masses of people eagerly awaiting the breads and pastries to start their day. The lemon slices and chocolate-flavoured croissants are the house favourites and popular amongst locals and tourists.

Their mouth-watering oven-fresh bread doesn’t fail to deliver, along with their buttery hunks of brioche topped with fried fruits. You won’t taste such a perfect combination of sweet and softness anywhere else. Or you can give the caramelized apple slices a try for a quick snack. 

They cater for all taste buds too, with a breakfast buffet served every morning with fresh products from their bakery. You will find freshly baked pastries, jams and butter, local cold meats, and an array of different types of bread. Soak it down with a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate, or opt for freshly squeezed orange juice to feel refreshed and ready for a busy day.