C B.
Yelp
Wow, I can't believe there are no reviews yet for Aux Pains de Papy. This place is fabulous! Yesterday morning I found myself stuck in King's Cross with a platform so crowded that I couldn't get on it even after a train came by. I decided to walk to the City instead. And that is how I discovered this fabulous bakery.
I normally have breakfast at work, since it's free, but something about this enchanting bakery drew me across the doorstep. I was greeted by rich, yeasty waves of warm air heralding the croissants that were about to change my life. I wanted to empty every last penny from my purse and buy everything inside, but of course I still had a full day of work ahead of me, and walking in with arms full of bread would mean I'd have to share. I settled for a croissant with ham, cheese and bechamel, and a Pain au Raisin which I ate on the go.
That croissant saved my day, as I ended up having to work through lunch. I couldn't have wished for a better improvised lunch. Sadly, when I voluntarily walked back to King's Cross instead of taking the Tube, I found the bakery closed for the evening. This morning I made the final decision: I am changing my daily commute. From now on I will leave earlier so I can get off at King's Cross, and walk the 25 minutes to work in the City, just so I can buy bread here.
The beautiful, buttery, flaky croissants at Aux Pains de Papy are infinitudes better than the sad, dry, crumbly croissants I used to get as a child on vacations to France. These are fresh, chewy, crunchy and soft, and a beautiful golden brown. I tried one of their rustic looking multigrain loaves as well, handcrafted into a short braid. I ate the whole loaf for lunch, I simply couldn't stop. Such delightful chewy crust with grains and seeds, and the softest interior I've ever seen on a multigrain loaf. Mmm...
So I gained a 25 minute walk on my commute, but more importantly, I gained knowledge of the finest French bakery in London. Family owned and run!