"Tucked away down a cobbled alley in Bloomsbury, Fortitude Bakehouse offers outstanding sourdough bakes that marry seasonal flavours with founder Dee Rettali’s fiercely proud defence of baking traditions and her Irish heritage. Each day the counter explodes with an eye-widening array of specials that are often sold out by the time they’re posted to Instagram, giving London die-hard bakery fans a year-round experience of competitive trick or treating. Currently there are spiced pumpkin and pecan beignets that bulge with pumpkin-flesh-heavy pastry cream, and slices of pumpkin spice pain perdu with a deeply caramelised crust that crunches to spine- chilling effect before giving out to an ephemeral crumb. Imaginative loaf cakes such as a five-day fermented malt, chilli, and orange loaf are not specific to Halloween, but are worth seeking out for a thrilling treat." - Emma Louise Pudge