A local’s review of Donutelier, Charing Cross Road – the perfect French bakery cafe for the best donuts in London alongside croissants, cookies and more!
The time for blooming flowers, gorgeous walks at night along Southbank and other lazy afternoons reading and writing in a park is coming black, slowly but surely.
The moment’s almost also come for me to move to London again, something I’ve been doing for a few years now, all the while doing makeup and blogging.
One of the first, best, and cutest bakeries I’ll go back to when I’m in London again is Donutelier on Charing Cross Road.
London Donutelier, Charing Cross Road Review – Best Donuts
I wasn’t aware of this until recently, but I’ve found out that Donutelier also has a branch in Carnaby Street now, in nearby Soho.
No matter which branch you visit for your mid-morning or afternoon snack, you’ll find that both Donutelier pastry shops have the same decor, pink, bright, and really instagrammable.
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If you decide to pop by the Charing Cross Road branch, you have easier access to Chinatown, Leicester Square, Covent Garden and Trafalgar Square.
If you decide to have a delicious breakfast at the Carnaby Street shop, though, you’ll be closer to Oxford Street, Liberty of London, and Regent Street.
Donutelier, Charing Cross: What Made Me Want to Try?
When I first passed by the Donutelier shop on Charing Cross Road, it was still a very new pastry shop and for the longest time, I didn’t visit.
It’s only during one of my last trips between Rome and London that I finally indulged.
Mind you, I’ve tried many of Central London’s dessert spots and other snack shops.
For instance, Ole & Steen is located quite close to Donutelier on the other side of the street, while Chinatown Bakery and Chinese Tapas House are both located in Chinatown.
And, if you love cinnamon buns, Bageriet, a Scandinavian bakery, and Buns from Home are both located in nearby Covent Garden!
What first attracted me to Donutelier was the crisp decor.
You know I love me a good pink coffee shop, and this one, with glass domes over the pastries and a very French vibe, immediately called my attention.
Then, the menu.
The Donutelier menu is incredibly full of well-crafted and thoughtful recipes that blend, for the most part, classic French pastries like croissants, pains au chocolat and religieuses.
The interesting part seemed to be that Donutelier has taken the religieuse game and elevated it by mixing it with a donut dough – genius.
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Donutelier, Charing Cross Road: What I Ordered
I visited Donutelier with a friend, and here’s what we ordered:
- A pain au chocolat
- A chai latte
- A Pistachio donut: chantilly cream and pistachio varigato filling, pistachio nibs and crispy raspberries, pistachio ganache and an almond sable disc
- A Pink Royale Donut: Wild berry ganache filling, crispy raspberries, Chantilly cream, meringues and fresh raspberries
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Donutelier, Charing Cross Road: Final Thoughts
First up, let’s start with the hot beverage.
I visited London in February and a hot drink was more than welcome: Donutelier has some of the best chai latte in town.
Scorching hot, with a nice milky-to-spicy ratio, and spices you can actually feel: loved it.
The pain au chocolat was melty and chewy, very à la French, of the kind I’d eat in a bakery in Troyes, my hometown in France.
If both the chai latte and the pain au chocolat were already to die for, I don’t even have words to express how good Donutelier’s donuts are.
Both the Pistachio and Pink Royale donuts had their pros and cons, which would literally boil down to: are more into tangy or creamy flavors?
I found the Pistachio donut to have a great balance between the pistachio and cream, which Pink Royale was much tangier and much sweeter, with a nice little cream on top.
What’s interesting is how differently both donuts were presented; Pink Royale has more of a religieuse shape, while Pistachio has more of a Paris-Brest shape.
In the end, I did finish the Pistachio donut but not the Pink Royale one, not only because I’d ordered both of these and my friend didn’t have a sweet tooth, but also because it would have been a tad too sweet.
Looking back, I’d probably have ordered a nice cup of tea instead of chai latte to balance the sweetness, and would 100% go back for the Pistachio donut, and why not Pink Royale if I have the opportunity.
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London Donutelier, Charing Cross Road Review – Best Donuts
You’ll hopefully have discovered with my review of Donutelier a new spot in which to meet with friends, spend some time solo scribbling on a notebook, or chatting away with your other half.
This is without a doubt one of the best bakeries in London, of the kind that fills you up nicely and leaves its flavors lingering on your palate.
Now, Donutelier is a great bakery to have breakfast or a snack, but if you’re more into savory flavors, I’d also recommend Grounded in Bow: hands down the best Full English breakfast in the city!