I Didn’t Have a Sweet Tooth, I Had a Salty One
Let’s talk about the most delectable dessert(s) I’ve ever had in London. But first, I’d like to begin this conversation by stating that never have I EVER had a sweet tooth. I mean sure, there are days where I may crave a Cookies and Cream Hershey bar or a Cream Cheese Pie from Marie Callender’s but it’s a rare occasion. I’ve always had a salty tooth. I can’t say for certain if that’s actually a mainstream term but if it’s not I hereby declare it one.
For most of my life, chips were my one true love and supported me through all the highs and lows. However, after some time, our love affair became an obsession of mine. In my freshman year of college, I would buy a family sized bag of White Cheddar PopChips after class every day and devour the whole thing. It was definitely an unhealthy pattern that left me feeling terrible. Every time I finished the bag I felt like Violet Beauregarde when she expanded into a gigantic blueberry and had to be rolled out of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Except, in my circumstance, there was no one who would be willing to roll me back to my dorm room. Unfortunate, because I would have greatly appreciated it. Where’s the college patrolmen when you need them?
London Dessert(s) Lured Me to the Dark Side
Anyways, there came a point where I was fed up with feeling lethargic and groggy as a result of my unhealthy snacking habit so I had to set up some major boundaries. For now, I typically save the salty sirens for special occasions but ever since I discovered two of my favorite dessert shops in London, I’m afraid I may have been lured into the dark side (i.e. the land of sweets). And yes, they have cookies.
Living In London
When I spent my summer in London last year, I lived like a local (or as closely as possible). The Underground was my forte and no day was ever the same. I was allergic to itineraries because I yearned to discover the hidden gems that create London’s essence and those rarely surface in the “10 Things You Must See” articles. I kind of love that though. Many of my days were spent in the streets of Soho, Mayfair, Covent Garden, Camden Town and Notting Hill. Considering all the bakeries housed within those areas, randomly picking the perfect dessert shop was fate at its finest.
It just so happened that I was craving an acai bowl like no other and was on the hunt for the best one. The highly rated juicery that I found was located in Soho. **BTW, at the time, I also had an undying obsession with Soho after watching Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin Mckenzie in Last Night in Soho (HIGHLY RECOMMEND). It’s a fascinating psychological thriller that does a killer job of sharing why the act of romanticizing nostalgia is an ignorant bliss that must be stopped.
Anyways, this was perfect because I hadn’t been there yet and was killing two birds with one stone. For those who are curious, the juicery is called PLANT (sometimes hard to find on the GPS but it exists!).
London Dessert Shop #1: Creme
The acai bowl did not disappoint and from there I went off to explore what other thrills Soho had to offer. After many hours of mindlessly strolling through the streets and stopping repeatedly to document every moment, I ended up in a quaint area on D’Arblay street. It was full of life with a bar on the corner echoing with joyous laughs, a chic nail bar that I knew I would eventually stop at to fill in my acrylics, and across the street from it sat an aesthetic shop filled with the sweetest of smells. Before I knew what was happening, my legs guided me to the entrance of one of the most wondrous places in all of London: Creme.
I could write a sonnet about the beautiful interaction that their cookies have with my tastebuds but instead of being a weirdo I’ll just say this: the cookies are PHENOMENAL. I tried all of the flavors and find their affogato and lemon white chocolate cookies to be my ultimate weakness. No matter what time of day you go, the cookies are always fresh and nearly melt in your hand. It was love at first bite and I stopped by their shop for dessert every day I was in London. Despite the newfound obsession, I managed to find a healthy balance with the rest of my meals and walked all day, everyday and EVERYWHERE so it didn’t have the same negative impact on my body as the white cheddar PopChips once did.
London Dessert Shop #2: Flavourtown
The next dessert shop I’m going to rave about is equally as incredible and as much of a happy accident as Creme. I had a last-minute photoshoot with a lovely photographer in Richmond (a place I had no prior knowledge of or intention of visiting), but the second I arrived I swear my brain was screaming Annie’s “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here.” You know you’re in a ritzy area when even The Underground steps up its style: the closer I got, the more spacious and cool I felt. They have a freaking AC on the subway that goes to Richmond. AC!!! And SPACE TO SIT!! Enough said. New York could never.
An Uncanny Coincidence
Also, funny story, the night before my photoshoot in Richmond I saw this TikTok that showcased a BEAUTIFUL restaurant located on a river. It looks straight out of a fairytale. I saved it to my favorites but didn’t look to see where in London it was located because it seemed like the type of place you went to with friends and I had no one to go with yet.
However, as I walked down the streets of Richmond that next day I stumbled upon a beautiful river which housed no other than the fairytale restaurant that I saw on my TikTok the night before!!! The coincidence and timing was beyond uncanny and I thought it was a sign to eat there even though I wasn’t dressed for the occasion. But, unfortunately, there were no reservations or walk-in availability. No surprise there. So I just took some photos of it and went on my merry way.
The Next Happy Accident
I ended up at the burrito bar in Whole Foods and had zero complaints. In fact, I convinced myself that I had just made the best burrito known to planet earth. Seriously, it was delicious. I paired it with Rose Lemonade and my tongue nearly fell out of my mouth. It was an unusually genius combination.
There came a point in the day where I had to head back to my apartment to do my homework (I was studying abroad) but before I made it back to the station my attention was caught by a pink paradise called Flavourtown. It was the most aesthetic london dessert shop I’d seen thus far and I had no choice but to walk in. Let me tell you, when I say that these desserts are paradise on earth, I mean it with EVERY BONE IN MY BODY. Take a look:
**currently drooling**
See what I mean? These aren’t specialty desserts, they’re superior. They’re indescribable. I ended up purchasing a Red Velvet Cupcake and halfway through my first bite I knew that this was one of the most delectable desserts I had ever tasted. Once I’d reached the cream in the center of the cupcake it was game over. Flavourtown made it to my “ultimate favorites” list (which in itself is very small). The desserts have a mouthwatering sweetness and the texture of the cupcake reminds me fluffy clouds. Oh yeah, and aren’t the designs are ASTONISHING?! I couldn’t decide whether to devour the cupcake or put it on display in a museum. Gluttony won this battle. In fact, I was so excited to eat it that I forgot to take out the wooden pick and almost consumed it.
My brother has an obsession with the Kinder brand so when I saw the Kinder cupcakes I knew that I would have to take him here one day. All in all, it’s a must visit dessert shop.
I Digress
If you find yourself in London you MUST stop by Creme and Flavourtown. And when you do, let me know so I can cry in a corner wishing I was with you! ?
I’m going to be writing a lot more about my time in London. In the meantime, take a look at the photos from my first day there: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg5d-fKjGeh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
XOXO,
Mila
