Tarn Bakery

"Looking back at our initial notes about Tarn Bakery is like reading the rantings of someone who’s seen the light. “Actually tastes of Guinness”—followed by three exclamation marks—then words like “malty” and “moist”, and an ominous final scrawl of, “I think this is it”. The Guinness cake from this Crouch Hill spot is unlike any of the others on this list. The topping is a combination of sour cream and crème fraîche which gives it a nice tang, there’s a sweet-smoky whiskey caramel drizzle, and, crucially, there’s a double layer of buttercream. It’s intensely Guinnessy, intensely chocolatey, and we have intensely strong feelings about it. " - sinead cranna

"For: Guinness cake We’ve made repeat pilgrimages, panting all the way up the hill, to this tiny Highgate bakery for their Guinness cake—we particularly love the tangy sour cream and crème fraîche topping. But you should also get involved in the flaky, creative pastries that come topped with things like rhubarb compote, ginger custard, and grapefruit glaze. We can’t think of many better ways to start the day than perching on one of Tarn’s two wooden tables, clasping an earthenware mug of coffee, and staring out of the windows like the main character of some north London-based indie film. " - rianne shlebak, sinead cranna, daisy meager

"We’ve made repeat pilgrimages, panting all the way up the hill, to this tiny Highgate bakery for their Guinness cake. And that is how we know we love Tarn Bakery. The literal legwork needed to get here is always worth it. Flaky, creative pastries come topped with things like rhubarb compote, ginger custard, and grapefruit glaze, and the aforementioned Guinness cake is one of the best in London—we particularly love the tangy sour cream and crème fraîche topping. We can’t think of many better ways to start the day than perching on one of the two wooden tables here, clasping an earthenware mug of coffee, and staring out of the windows like the main character of some North London-based indie film. photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch" - Sinéad Cranna