FORNO - church lane

Gorgeous Italian treats meet serious interiors inspiration at Forno - Review - London - The Infatuation

"Forno on Leytonstone’s Church Lane understands what the people want—nay, need. And that’s a cornetto that has graduated from pleasant pastry into a gorgeous vehicle for pistachio cream, and being seduced by a bag of coffee beans’ branding, all in a space that Phil Spencer would describe as “rather trendy, very mid-century”. Like its fellow tangerine dream Italian bakery in Hackney, the undeniable star here is the plump, cream-centric maritozzi buns. French bulldogs, small humans, and dads who are stoically carrying mini scooters all seem to get doe-eyed in its presence, but it’s hard to find fault in any of their sweet treats. video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley video credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Pause Unmute Factor in the excellent coffee and shelves stacked with artisanal products so beautiful that gifting someone a pack of sardines starts to feel like a really, really good idea, Forno is the kind of bakery you should plan your weekend around. If the interiors envy inside proves to be too overwhelming—be kind Forno, drop the name and brand of the wall paint—get a selection of pastries and take them to one of London’s most chronically undervalued outdoor spaces, Leyton Flats. Food Rundown Maritozzo There simply isn’t an attractive way to eat this icon of dairy and nor would we want there to be. Given its queue-forming power, it’s a surprisingly simple treat, but one that proves that sometimes all you need is fluffy, flawless brioche filled with a supersized serving of light, subtly sweet cream. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Chocolate + Olive Oil Cake Imagine that The River Café’s legendary chocolate nemesis cake decided to step out of the limelight, move to Leytonstone, and take up a life of wall climbing and casual walks through Hollow Pond. This is the ludicrously rich and slightly more slap-dash cake it would become. The moisture levels are off the chart. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley Cornetto Al Pistacchio We don’t mean to brag but the head-turns we caused eating this on one of the little wooden benches out front of Forno... In a turn of physics that can only be explained via a cornetto by way of Mary Poppins’ bag theory, this flaky, golden pastry is filled with an obscene amount of earthy, slightly salty pistachio cream. It’s entirely worth any inevitable green stain spillages. photo credit: Heidi Lauth Beasley" - Heidi Lauth Beasley