If you’re looking for the best French patisserie in London, I’ve got one name for you: Belle Epoque Patisserie. I am half French, and half Moroccan, and one thing’s for sure, I’m always looking for French pastries in London. Last month, for D’s birthday (my fiance, if it’s your first time here), I decided to make him discover some of the best cakes French know to do, and took him for the first time to Belle Epoque Islington.
We currently live in North Finchley, and while there are some really amazing cafes to work in North London, there are not that many French cake shops. And anyway, now that I’ve found the best French patisserie in London, I don’t know why I should be unfaithful to them.
Located on Islington High Street, between Highbury & Islington and Angel, Belle Epoque Patisserie is that dreamy little pastry shop doubled with a coffee shop. It’s small; there are only a few tables inside.
But you know I’m a foodie. You know nothing deters me from trying out the best street food and cakes in London, even if they’re takeaways like the most amazing Chinatown Bakery. So today, I’ve decided to write my Belle Epoque Islington review, so you know for a fact that you have to visit as soon as you’ve got the chance.
And, if you’d like to discover more amazing food in London, here are a few guides on The Working Line you really shouldn’t miss:
- the best hot chocolate in London at Dark Sugars Brick Lane
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- and the most amazing bao buns in London at Chinese Tapas House Chinatown
Best French Patisserie in London: Belle Epoque Islington
There are three different Belle Epoque Patisserie shops in London:
- Islington
- Selfridges
- Newington Green
I first wanted to visit the Newington Green Belle Epoque, but since we live in North Finchley and I wanted to go to Highgate Cemetery later on (weird choice for a birthday, I know, but I had heard it’s amazing), Belle Epoque Islington was closer.
You have to know that as a born and raised French young woman, I miss proper French pastries and bread. Like, really. I love the amazing number of street food shops and different types of cuisines you can find in London. It’s true that France is a rich country when it comes to diverse cuisines, but London brings us new Chinese restaurants, Thai food, and Moroccan restaurants on a weekly basis, almost.
But, I’ll say it again, as a French person, I miss the delicatesse that French pastries boast, and the almost creamy taste of French bread. Even the best London bakeries can’t equal the quality and finesse of French pastries… That was before Belle Epoque Islington, honestly.
We ordered way too many pastries for two people, but every time we visit a new restaurant or cake shop, we’re just going to order as if we had four stomachs each. Oh well – let’s get on with this review of the best French patisserie in London, now!
Belle Epoque Islington Menu: Cakes, Coffee, Macarons…
So, why is Belle Epoque Islington the best French patisserie in London in my opinion? Because it offers all the goods, pastries, cakes, tarts, and macarons that you can find in a classic French pastry shop anywhere in France. Maybe a little bit more, as you can see from the picture above.
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The Belle Epoque Islington menu is broad, and it was honestly difficult to choose what we’d eat. Fortunately, with my background, I could see straight away what cakes would be especially delicious.
Here are a few cakes and pastries you can find at Belle Epoque Islington:
- Cakes: Paris-Brest, Fraisier, Pistachio & Raspberry Choux, Lemon Meringue, Belle Epoque, Chocoframboise
- Tarts: Apple Alsacienne Tart, Pear and Raspberry Tart, Apple and Blackberry Crumble, Flan Custard Tart
- Confectionery: Macarons, Marshmallows, Truffles, Madeleines, Nougat
- Bread: Pain de campagne, Rye Sourdough, Baguette, Pain Complet
- And much, much more!
Belle Epoque Islington: What I Ordered
From the extensive menu filled with French pastries and breads, you can see easily why I thought Belle Epoque Islington was the best French patisserie in London from the moment we entered the cake shop. To be honest, I really wanted to take D there because of the Paris-Brest, probably my French pastry, but it was out of stock on the day we visited.
That’s fine, we ordered lots of other cakes to make up for it, and although no French pastry comes to the level of Paris-Brest, those at Belle Epoque Islington were truly to die for.
Here’s what we ordered at Belle Epoque:
- Lemon Meringue Tart
- Almond and Blueberry Gateau
- Fraisier
- Pistachio and Raspberry Choux
- Two Lattes
- and a box of 12 mixed macarons
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Belle Epoque Islington Lemon Meringue Tart
The Lemon Meringue Tart is something I would order in any French patisserie, as it’s such a classic. I use it as a token to understand whether the pastry shop is any good, like I would with a pho in a Vietnamese restaurant, or a Margherita in an Italian restaurant.
Hands down, the Lemon Meringue Tart was one of the best pastries in London I’ve ever eaten, and I have eaten a lot. The lemon sauce was especially tangy, yet sweet, and the meringue was slightly hard, which I’ve found was uncommon when it comes to Lemon Meringue pies, and rather interesting.
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With the meringue, Belle Epoque Islington added their own touch to this classic of French patisserie, and it was absolutely worthwhile.
Belle Epoque Islington Pistachio and Raspberry Choux
The Pistachio and Raspberry Choux was one of the most interesting French pastries I’ve ever tried. This one is close to fine dining; I enjoyed every single bite of it. My favorite part? The top ball, made from seemingly pistachio cream, hardened and shaped so that Belle Epoque could insert some raspberry sauce inside.
Fresh, creamy, tangy – the Pistachio and Raspberry Choux was exceptionally balanced and tasty. That’s definitely one of the best cakes in London, and the craquelin on top of the choux is a nice, technical addition. Now see? That’s why Belle Epoque Islington is the best French patisserie in London. Because of that level of technique and the creativity in the recipes.
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Belle Epoque Islington Fraisier
I’ve been eating Fraisier cakes since I was a child, and I have eaten them in seemingly all the bakeries in France I could come across. Small yet very filling, the Belle Epoque Islington Fraisier was well crafted, and so presented that it looked like a little jewel.
The cake patisserie really nailed this one, with the fresh strawberries echoing the utter creaminess of the cake to perfection. I believe this cake was a choice of D; I wanted to try the craziest pastries Belle Epoque Patisserie had to offer. Still, really a beautiful take on the classic French pastry.
Belle Epoque Islington Blueberry and Almond Gateau
Now, one of the best cakes at Belle Epoque Islington, hands down: the Blueberry and Almond Gateau. Wow. I would eat this one every day if it were possible. I am crazy about blueberries, and all kinds of berries, really. Add to it almonds, that I eat in every shape I can find them, and you’ve got one of the best pastries in London.
You can see the different techniques used to craft the Blueberry and Almond Gateau, an ultra creamy little cake that would have been enough if I had ordered it on its own. You can find the same kind of cream spheres you have on the Pistachio and Raspberry Choux, but this time, they’re filled with blueberry sauce.
Absolutely delicious, with the base being a crunchy mix of almond and white chocolate. That was the cake that really made me think I was eating in the best French patisserie in London, and since it’s one of the Belle Epoque Patisserie classics, I urge you to try it if almonds and blueberries are your vibe.
Belle Epoque Islington Macarons & Latte
I forgot to take a picture of the Belle Epoque macarons, since we bought them to go and eat while walking around. For sure, Belle Epoque Islington is the best French patisserie in London when it comes to cakes and pastries.
When it comes to the macarons, I thought they were rather unpretentious. When I’m looking for the best macarons in London, in Paris, or quite anywhere, I have my favorite brands, namely Pierre Hermé in first position, and Ladurée in second. The Belle Epoque macarons were okay for someone who doesn’t really know their macarons.
Don’t get me mistaken; at less than £15 for a box of 12, they were definitely good. But when it comes to macarons, which are some of my favorite French pastry goods, I prefer to put in the cash and get a brand that specializes in macarons.
The latte is a drink I order often, because it reminds me of living in Rome, roaming around the city in search of amazing things to do on my own. It was thick, creamy, and quite strong for a latte. I am used to working in cafes in Rome, so the quality of the coffee is especially crucial for me. The Belle Epoque Patisserie latte was excellent, and helped digest the cakes as we were tasting every crumb.
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Best French Patisserie in London: Belle Epoque Islington
All in all, I’ve said it at the beginning of this post, and I’ll say it again: Belle Epoque Islington is the best French patisserie in London. It tops all the best London bakeries, just for the fact that it has on the menu the Paris Brest, one extremely technical and lengthy French pastry to make.
Everything that we’ve tried was delicious, even the macarons, even if they were not from a brand I’d specifically seek macarons from. In particular, the Blueberry and Almond Gateau and the Lemon Meringue topped all the other cakes, because I thought they were absolutely refined, and Lemon Meringue tart is something I would order anywhere just to see if the place is good. It’s a classic of French patisserie, and Belle Epoque Islington absolutely nailed it.
If you’d like to discover new, amazing food spots in London, here are a few guides on The Working Line you might want to read next:
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Until next time!