22 Most Instagrammable Desserts in London You Must Try [2023]
A list of the 22 most Instagrammable desserts in London you have to try. From the warm and delicious Humble Crumble to the cold candy-floss of Soft Serve Society, here are the best desserts in London — the perfect content for your ‘Gram.
When visiting this famous city, you’ll probably have a list of the top London attractions ready to be ticked. But, the beauty of London doesn’t only lie in the city’s stunning architecture and charming streets.
There are many coffee shops and dessert restaurants in London serving delectable dishes and drinks.
Whether you’re visiting the city for a short vacation weekend or a more extended break, you have to make time for the best desserts in London. London’s Instagrammable dessert places, spanning from Shoreditch to Covent Garden, each boast a different flare and theme.
The only thing that can make these treats more enjoyable is when they look as good as they taste.
This is a guide to some of the most Instagram-worthy dessert shops in London to satisfy both your sweet tooth and your love for likes.
Hold on to your hats, ladies, as your IG feeds are about to have a sugar overload with these diabetes-inducing candy masterpieces.
Dessert Places in Central London
If you’re visiting as a tourist, then you’ll probably be spending a lot of time in Central London, splurging and exploring the famous shopping streets.
While you’re here, don’t forget to visit some famous Central London dessert places. Give yourself a sugar rush and dopamine hit by visiting one of these spots.
If you consider yourself a food connoisseur or aficionado, then try this British food tour to visit some of London’s well-known restaurants and get a taste of the city’s cuisine.
Humble Crumble – Southwark
Humble Crumble serves a decadent crumble dessert that perfectly blends creamy filling with crispy toppings. If you love crumble, then a visit to the Old Spitalfields Market or the Borough Market is essential.
Take your picture from the top for an explosion of textured colour, or make your followers envious with a side profile.
These artisanal desserts will have your followers crumbling to double-tap and leave you less-than-humble. Having Humble Crumble was like tasing my childhood in a cup; you’ll feel all warm and loved on the inside.
Saint Aymes – Hyde Park
Step into the pink wonderland of Saint Aymes, one of the most delicate and floral-infused luxury dessert places in London. Owned by two sisters, the cafe is set around the concept of “magic you can touch”.
And when you see their unicorn cloud and unicorn waffles, it becomes magic you can taste (9-year-old me almost had a heart attack with this one, guys).
The unicorn cloud ice cream looks like a luxurious swirl of sweetness that melts in your mouth, and their unicorn waffles are equally as decadent in appearance.
These delicious treats are best served against the backdrop of a floral wall — and Saint Aymes is happy to oblige. So, get tasting and snapping.
Gloria and Circolo – Fitzrovia
Gloria and Circolo may be best known for their authentic Italian food, but their lemon pie will give their pasta a run for its money. The decadent dessert is formed in a triangular shape that peaks in taste.
Allow the zesty pudding to melt in your mouth while enjoying the charming environment. With a wall of wine bottles, atmospheric lighting, and a serving larger than your belly – you’re in for a treat!
The dessert is so good you’ll be ordering seconds.
Cool Dessert Places in West London
The West End of London overlaps with central hotspots and offers a wide choice of high-end dessert restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues. Among these are the following spots that serve the best desserts in London.
The Knot Churros – South Kensington
You could walk away with heart palpitations by merely looking at the menu, but the ‘just a spoonful of sugar’ churros are worth the risk.
The treat includes three cinnamon churros dipped in strawberry, Belgian chocolate, and sprinkled pink.
The presentation of these deep-fried treats will have you opening your camera before the plate hits your table. The sparkle from the sprinkles shines right through the lens.
Biscuiteers – Notting Hill
While you may not bump into Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts when strolling through the colourful streets of Notting Hill, you do stand a chance of finding one of the best dessert places in London.
The Biscuiteers are experts in biscuits just waiting to be photographed. What makes this delightful shop’s goodies so special is the detailed design of each cookie.
Whether you’re looking for spooky Halloween biscuits or a rainy-day-themed collection, Biscuiteers will have both your tummy and your Instagram feed fed.
Peggy Porshcen – Chelsea
You can expect to get lost in a world of sweet heaven once you step inside the pink doors of Peggy Porschen. It’s difficult to determine which of the delectable desserts are more Instagrammable.
There are the two-tier cakes, which are gently indulgent in appearance, and the red velvet cupcakes (my favourite, it’s sooo moist) that look as soft as their names suggest.
The baked treats are so beautiful that it feels like a sin to consider biting into them.
Dyce – Marylebone
Sugar and spice, and all things nice. Dyce boasts a delectable menu of ice cream, crepes, milkshakes, and — most popularly — bubble tea.
If you’re limiting yourself to one treat per visit, then make sure that the brown sugar bubble tea is your dessert of choice.
Drink your bubble drink in a room designed to match the illusion. With curved features and round mirrors, Dyce’s Marylebone venue is an essential setting for your dessert picture.
Milk Train – Covent Garden
People flock from all around the city of London to taste (and photograph) the UK’s first candyfloss, ice-cream cones.
The experimental parlour serves some of the best desserts in Covent Garden for sweet junkies.
Milk Train may be a quaint dessert place in Covent Garden, but each of the creamy candy floss treats is inspired by a travel destination. Are you ready for the Milk Train experience?
Crumble and Doilies – Carnaby Street
Crumble and Doilies pride is a two-storey bakery that prides itself on selling some of the most freshly baked goods.
While their cookies alone are worthy of attention, their cakes are unparalleled — largely because of the magnetic ability that pulls your camera lens towards them.
Crumble and Doilies boasts an impressive array of cakes to choose from, including a Christmas gingerbread cake and a pretty in pink option.
I got my friend their rainbow-coloured cake for her birthday, and she loved it. But if you can only choose one, make it the Neapolitan cake (and make sure that you order the ganache icing).
Cutter and Squidge – Soho
If you’re looking for unforgettable dessert places in Soho, then Cutter and Squidge is a must-visit. Spending a day in Soho would be incomplete without trying out “the biskie” from the cheerful bakery.
The handmade sandwiched desserts sold by Cutter and Squidge are beautifully presented. The stacked goodness comes in various flavours – from salted caramel s’mores to blueberry cheesecake. Whichever you choose, the detailed dessert deserves a macro shot!
Dessert Places in Shoreditch
Shoreditch is one of the most famous neighbourhoods in East London. Boasting art galleries, famous landmarks, bottomless brunch places, and world-renowned food markets, there are plenty of fun things to do in East London, particularly in Shoreditch.
There are so many Shoreditch dessert options just waiting to be indulged in, but I’ve narrowed it down to one option.
So after a day of marvelling at Shoreditch street art, you can spend the rest of your day feasting at one of the popular Shoreditch bottomless brunch spots.
Soft Serve Society – Shoreditch
Soft Serve Society is hands-down one of the best dessert places in East London. Out of all of the tasty items on their menu, the Cloud 9 and matcha ice creams are fool-proof.
The Cloud 9 has a fluffy cloud of candy-floss balancing on vanilla ice cream and strawberry sauce, with popping candy offering an extra crunch.
The matcha’s deeply hypnotic green ice cream is beautifully balanced with brown oreo crumbs and red bean paste, offering an explosion of colour and flavour — perfect for your feed and taste buds.
Best Desserts in London Chinatown
The city of London offers a blend of cultures from all over the world. There is a strong Asian culinary influence in the city, especially in Chinatown. The area is particularly known for its Instagrammable desserts in London.
Yolkin
Imagine bright colours neatly moulded into a sizable treat. With the crunch of a cookie and the melting sensation of a creamy filling, Yolkin’s ice cream macarons are both mouth-watering and inventive. Even better — they photograph beautifully!
Each of their many flavours is equally indulgent, with their bold colours hinting at the taste that will tingle on your tongue.
Buy a few of these delicious treats, line them up, and take a picture before popping them in your mouth.
I remember standing in line in winter to try my first Yolkin, and I never regret it. Just a note that the Yolkins are very filling and will keep you going until dinner.
Bubblewrap London
In the words of the establishment, “If you’re not munching on a bubble wrap, then what the waffle are you doing?”.
The balancing sensation of hot waffles and cold ice cream is irresistible. Add a little bit of crunch to the smooth filling, and you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Luckily, these decadent treats are served in cardboard holders so that you can take a few snaps without the ice cream melting down your arm.
Bake
The unobtrusive bakery on Wardour Street in Chinatown may be small in design but is large in appeal. Boasting sweet and sour treats from various Asian countries, Bake is best known for its Japanese Taiyaki, the fish-shaped cake.
Bake added their own spin to the treat and fashioned this traditional treat into a fish-shaped waffle cone. Inside, they fill the dough with soft, matcha tea ice cream.
This unique design is well-worth the photograph and a carefully crafted caption.
Read about the interesting health benefits of matcha tea (minus the sugar of these treats).
Taiyaki
Taiyaki is one of the most quirky dessert cafes London offers. People travel from across the city to order the traditional fish-shaped waffle filled with ice cream and adorned with additional treats.
The cafe offers a variety of edible accessories such as mermaid tails, unicorn horns and angel wings to sweeten the deal.
If you’re looking for an extra-special picture for your Instagram feed, then order bubble tea to accompany the Japanese dessert.
Tsujiri UK
‘Go green’ with Tsujiri in a uniquely delicious way. The Japanese dessert tea house is an established connoisseur in all things matcha, including ice creams and latte.
Of all the tantalising items on their dessert menu, the matcha Shiratama sundae has to be one of the most Instagrammable ones.
The soft matcha sundae is a creamy shade of green and promises a surreal tasting experience.
The classic best-seller also contains red beans in the middle, adding a splash of colour to your photograph.
If you like this, you can read my complete guide on the top things to do in Chinatown and explore more similar dessert places.
Franchise Dessert Places in London
Sometimes, it can be tricky to travel across London for an Instagrammable dessert. Knowing that you can pop into a franchise store and enjoy the same multi-sensory treat is always a bonus.
Here are some of the top franchise dessert parlours in London.
EL&N Cafe
Are you someone who prefers to drink your calories than chew them? Then the Instagrammable lattes from EL&N Cafe are a winner.
The pink wonderland is found in eight locations across London, each upholding the same high standard of excellent desserts.
Their coloured lattes are perfectly framed by the bright pink decor and decorated with detailed foam art.
Even their takeaway drinks are sold in beautiful cups. It’s as though the drinks are begging to be photographed!
Feya
If your idea of a tasty dessert sits on the savoury end of the spectrum, then Freya has you covered.
Each dish served by the franchised shop is intricately presented, finished with soft, elegant touches.
While they do serve scrumptious sweet treats, their rose avo toast is equally delicious. The avocado is beautifully served on a slice of hummus toast with mustard cress and pansies adding colour.
The aerial shot of this dish is quite something (and it tastes even better).
Maître Choux
As the name suggests, Maitre Choux is an expert in all treats made from choux pastry. The artiste patissier has five locations around London, each offering its own beautiful photographic backdrop.
Rather than selling your average cream and chocolate-filled eclairs, Maitre Choux’s eclairs are decorated to result in stunning desserts that are as visually appealing as they are delicious.
Take your pick, from the Persian pistachio eclair and the Tahitian vanilla pecan eclair to the Paris-Brest eclair and the cheesecake eclair.
I’m not going to lie; I visit Maître Choux when I’m feeling down, and their pistachio éclair always perks me right up.
Chin Chin
Revered as Europe’s first liquid nitrogen ice cream parlour, Chin Chin has shops in Camden and Soho. While each of their items is mouthwatering in appearance, the sundae is arguably a cut above the rest.
Their waffle sundae cup, tiramisu sundae and sticky toffee pudding sundae will have you rolling out of their shop, phone memory full of photographs in hand!
If you’re feeling daring, then you can also go for their signature hot chocolate drink. The gooey indulgence is topped with torched marshmallow fluff, making for a flaming Instagram pic.
Ladurée
The esteemed bakery and macaron cafe offers an all-day dining menu along with stunning, photo-worthy desserts.
Each treat is presented in beautiful detail. The macarons, in particular, are intricate in design and packaged to perfection.
Perhaps the most elegant of these sweet desserts is the Ispahan, a cake that blends rose petal cream, lychees and rose flavours.
After ordering this edible work of art, you’ll want to paint your lips and slip into a pair of high heels.
Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream
Mamasons has an impressive cult following that has led to a highly successful merchandise business.
But their true triumph is their black buko signature ice cream. This sweet dish is a mouthful for more than one reason.
The deep colour of the creamy dessert adds a dark edge to the experience of a stereotypically angelic treat.
If you’re looking for an edgy photograph that blends trouble with innocence, then Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream has what you need. Your followers will thank you later.
All About the ‘Gram
Now that you know where to find some of the cool dessert places in London for Instagram, it’s important to catch the perfect shot. Keep the following tips in mind when snapping your sweet treat.
- Shoot in natural light and avoid harsh, artificial lighting
- Use shadows to your advantage, and don’t let them ruin your picture
- Invest in a good travel camera — whether it be your mobile phone or a reliable DSLR
- Use a neutral background to bring out the beauty of the food. Unless, of course, the backdrop contributes to the success of the shot.
- Shoot from the best angle, considering which part of the dessert you want to show off
- Add a human element — whether it’s your hand neatly placed or a sneaky smile from behind a pile of sugary goodness
- Keep it simple, and don’t over-clutter your image
- Bring out the accents of colour with a simple photo editing app
Discover the Best Dessert London Has to Offer
While most people visit this city for Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and other iconic landmarks in London, the city is also brimming with hidden gems and vibrant eateries.
These unforgettable dessert places are scattered across the city, promising to enhance your London experience as well as your Instagram feed.
To find out more about the beauty and adventure that London holds, you can browse the rest of my content, beginning here:
- Best London travel tips
- Free things to do in London
- Where to stay in London
- Best food markets in London
- When is the best time to visit London?