Hampstead's Best Bakeries and Delis

Hampstead has a disproportionate number of excellent food shops for an area its size — the result of a demanding clientele and decades of independent retail culture. Here's where to spend your Saturday morning food budget wisely.

Gail's — Hampstead High Street

The Hampstead branch was among the first of what became a London-wide bakery empire. The sourdough is still good — the dark rye particularly so — and the pastry counter is reliably excellent in the morning. Arrive before 9am for the full selection. By 11am the croissants are usually gone. The seating upstairs makes it a reasonable brunch option if you can get a table.

Rosslyn Coffee

Technically a coffee shop, but the sandwiches and baked goods at Rosslyn rival dedicated delis. Their lunchtime sandwiches — made to order on bread from a proper baker — are among the best in the area. The coffee programme is serious, with rotating single-origin filter options alongside the espresso drinks.

Hampstead Butcher & Providore — Rosslyn Hill

This is the area's best one-stop deli: an extraordinary range of British and Continental charcuterie, an excellent cheese counter with knowledgeable staff who will give you a taste before you buy, smoked fish from Scotland, seasonal game in autumn, and a small but carefully chosen grocery selection. The counter also prepares simple hot dishes at lunchtime — the soup and the quiche are both good. Prices reflect the quality, but not outrageously so.

Villandry — Belsize Park

The French-influenced deli on England's Lane is excellent for cheese, charcuterie, and the kind of serious mustards and condiments that improve everything. Their weekend bread deliveries from a Berkshire bakery are worth the trip — a levain that holds up for several days and makes remarkable toast.

Farmer's Market — Saturday Mornings

The weekly farmers' market outside the Jubilee Hall on Hampstead High Street (Saturday 10am–2pm) brings producers from within 100 miles: rare-breed meat, unpasteurised cheese, seasonal vegetables, and usually a superb honey stall. It's small by central London standards but remarkably good for the size. The sausage roll from the Northamptonshire pork stall is excellent.