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A London Christmas 2008: Sugar & Spice
 
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Sweet tooths beware! London is stuffed full of gooey, creamy, sticky and spicy cakes, puddings, chocolate and sweet shops baked to perfection and ripe for business this Christmas. Forget mass-made, conveyor belt produce and head to one of the capital's traditional, independent confectioners for some especially scrummy seasonal treats...
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A London Christmas 2008: Related Articles Sugar and Spice | Hotel Hideaways | Food and Flower Markets | Traditional Toys | Ice Skating | Festive Fairs | Shows and Pantos | Christmas Lights | Tinsel and Trimmings | Christmas Day and Boxing Day | Carols and Services | Butchers and Fishmongers | Greengrocers and Delicatessens   L'Artisan du Chocolat
89 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8DA If you haven't yet visited this innovative, highly revered, choc shop, then a trip here to pick up some essential Christmas treats is the perfect excuse. Trained in Belgium (the home of chocolate), ex-pastry chef Gerard Coleman has elevated this simple, small-scale London shop to iconic status. Among their seasonal delights are a series of gorgeous fairytale-themed chocs for kids. Everything is made entirely of natural ingredients (one of which is large quantities of sugar), with no nasty additives or preservatives. Because of this, all of their goodies have to be consumed within two or sometimes three weeks so make sure you don't make your Christmas purchases too early. Alternatively, go in early, buy up the shop and then "suddenly" remember that they need to be eaten within two weeks. Cram them all in your mouth in one cocoa-crazed frenzy and then head back for more delectable morsels a couple of days before Christmas. L'Artisan can even provide a chocolate-y device to help you keep track of your key Christmas dates; their beautifully crafted Advent calendar box dedicates one couture chocolate for every one of the days leading up to Christmas. Address: 89 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8DA Phone: 020 7824 8365 Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-7pm Nearest Station: Sloane Square Tube L'Artisan du Chocolat - Information  Charbonnel et Walker
1 Royal Arcade, Old Bond Street, W1S 4QF Oozing with festive flavours the truffles and treats hidden inside this swanky Old Bond Street emporium offer an exclusive, sweet Christmas treat. From their gift-wrapped boxes of liqueurs to their individually-wrapped chocolate snowmen and Santas you can pick up some tasty stocking fillers and gifts. For a truly seasonal indulgence we recommend the truffles - particularly the Champagne centred or the port and cranberry flavoured varieties. This long-established chocolatier is now the holder of a Royal Warrant and, in spite of the shop's continental origins, the goodies feel exceedingly English. Address: 1 Royal Arcade, Old Bond Street, W1S 4QF Phone: 020 7491 0939 Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11.30am-5pm Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus Tube Charbonnel et Walker - Information  Euphorium Bakery
202 Upper Street, N1 1RQ This traditional bakery, drawing on British and Gallic roots, has made an indelible mark on the foodies of Islington. Despite French leanings, this passionate Islington bakery offers its customers some top quality British fare every Christmas. Their puddings and mince pies are some of the best in London while their strudels, apple and ginger cakes and Chocolate Marquises offer excellent alternatives to the standard seasonal sweets. There's another Euphorium branch in nearby Chapel Market. Address: 202 Upper Street, N1 1RQ Phone: 020 7704 6905 Timing: Mon to Fri 7am-11pm, Sat & Sun 8am-midnight Nearest Station: Highbury & Islington Tube / Rail Euphorium Bakery - Information  Fortnum & Mason
181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER Still the purveyor of food and wine to the Royal Family, Fortnum's upmarket food hall is piled high with tonnes of gastronomic delights so it'll require all of your willpower not to leave with bags of other goodies. If you're a Christmas pudding fan and a taste bud traditionalist then a trip to Fortnum & Mason's famous food hall is a must. Stocking the renowned and well-regarded King George Christmas Pudding, crammed full of fruit - including a healthy dose of prunes - and held together with beef suet, this quintessentially old-fashioned sweet treat is perfect for the season. It's also a great place to shop for booze, with the 1707 Wine Bar offering you a (pricey) chance to try before you buy. Adorned with chandeliers and marble pillars the 300-year-old interior reflects the traditions of opulence and fine living which this shop supports and is hard to beat when decked out in traditional Christmas glitter. Address: 181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER Phone: 020 7734 8040 Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-6.30pm, Sun midday-6pm. Late opening December, details to be confirmed. Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road Tube Fortnum & Mason - Information  Hope and Greenwood
20 Northcross Road, SE22 9EU Chocolate pudding bars, champagne truffles, marzipan fruits, chunks of liquorice and jars of stripy candy sticks, this quaint East Dulwich sweetie cavern really goes to town at Christmas time. If you can hold back long enough, take a bit of time before you enter the shop to admire the amazing seasonal window display that taunts customers with its array of sticky treats and stocking fillers. Once inside, the store's bright, 1950s-style decor has all the appeal of a bygone era, with husband-and-wife owners, Miss Hope and Mr Greenwood, continuing the theme on in their own, richly-retro 50s clothing. Full of nostalgia and brimming with friendly service, a Christmas confectionary-buying trip here comes highly recommended. Dulwich has a really village-y feel to it and is certainly worth the slightly arduous trip out from central London. Address: 20 Northcross Road, SE22 9EU Phone: 0870 850 9049 Timing: Mon to Sat 10am-6pm, Sun and Bank Holidays 11am-5pm Nearest Station: East Dulwich Rail or New Cross Gate Tube Hope and Greenwood - Information  Konditor & Cook
22 Cornwall Road, SE1 8TW This venue, on the corner of a quaint side street in Waterloo, framed by well-preserved rows of dinky terraced houses, comes into its own at Christmas. Inside, rows of dark wooden shelves are stuffed full of goodies. Konditor & Cook specialise in the creation of amazingly tasty cakes which are also sold on to some of the finest restaurants in the city. With a reputation for serving up the best mince pies in London - if not Britain - Christmas offers another great excuse (not that you should need one) to venture inside their cosy, plum-coloured, confectionary and flour-filled premises. Traditional Christmas cakes, spicy German cookies, sugary Stollen and cinnamon stars are just some of the seasonal delights on offer. A favourite with local workers, it's best avoided at peak times - in the mornings and at lunchtimes. Other Konditor & Cook London branches include London Bridge, Chancery Lane, the City and Soho. Address: 22 Cornwall Road, SE1 8TW Phone: 020 7261 0456 Timing: Mon to Fri 7.30am-6.30pm, Sat 8.30am-2.30pm Nearest Station: Waterloo Tube / Rail or Lambeth North Tube Konditor & Cook - Information  Maison Bertaux
28 Greek Street, W1D 5DQ A Soho landmark since 1871 - when Soho really was the only place in Britain where you could eat decent continental food - Maison Bertaux is a charming little French deli and patisserie, dotted with mirrors, half-a-dozen mismatched tables and an eccentric accordion-playing owner. You're unlikely to find the traditional British Christmas puddings and pies here, but if you're after more continental confectionary to tantalise your taste buds then the cream-filled cakes, croissants, slices and tartes on display are guaranteed to satisfy. Old-fashioned, essentially French and highly atmospheric, we recommend you sit down for a pot of tea and something sticky before taking away your Christmas purchases. The bright red interior and glittering lights feel suitably festive, while the gentle jazz playing upstairs (where there's also an art gallery) is guaranteed to soothe away any seasonal stresses. Address: 28 Greek Street, W1D 5DQ Phone: 020 7437 6007 Timing: Mon to Sat 8.30am-11pm, Sun 8.30am-7.30pm Nearest Station: Leicester Square Tube Maison Bertaux - Information  Melt
59 Ledbury Road, W11 2AA Regular tastings, an on-site, open-view kitchen, award-winning master chocolatier Keith Hurdman, and some of the best chocs in town make Melt a mouth-watering option when it comes to confectionary. Stand and drool as organic truffles, melted chocolate shots and spiced, crispy orange discs (a perfect festive treat) are rustled up on cool white marble slabs in full view of customers. Children's Hour offers youngsters the chance to get sticky making their own unique range of chocolate treats. Sleek packaging, cool surrounds and top-quality service complete the picture. Address: 59 Ledbury Road, W11 2AA Phone: 020 7727 5030 Timing: Mon to Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm Nearest Station: Notting Hill Gate Tube Melt - Information  Mrs Kibble's Olde Sweet Shoppe
57a Brewer Street, W1F 9UL An old-fashioned, sugary-sweet, treat temptation in an area of London known for its more alternative delights, Mrs Kibble's Olde Sweet Shoppe in Soho offers pure, unadulterated, candy-filled fun. Perfect for providing, quaint, old-fashioned, Christmas stocking fillers, this tiny haven pays homage to the sweets of yesteryear in the only way possible - no frills, no fuss, friendly service, traditional tunes playing in the background and lots of jars (about 180) crammed full of goodies. Forget Flying Saucers, Rhubarb and Custard is the current No 1 best-selling bon-bon de jour, but whatever your fancy - be it Cola Cubes or Sherbet Dip Dabs - your sweet tooth will find it hidden somewhere inside this pint-sized store. For a Christmas gift guaranteed to send the lucky recipient on a sugar-fuelled trip down memory lane, indulge in one of their Nostalgic Sweet Jars, crammed full of old fashioned sweets from Wham bars to Popping Candy. Give the team here a bit of notice and they'll even create personalised labels for each jar. There's also a very attractive, sparkling new branch in Marylebone, St Christopher's Place. Address: 57a Brewer Street, W1F 9UL Phone: 020 7734 6633 Timing: Mon to Wed 10am-6pm, Thu & Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 11am-7pm. Sun 12 noon-4pm Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus Tube Mrs Kibble's Olde Sweet Shoppe - Information  Paul A Young Fine Chocolates
33 Camden Passage, Islington, N1 8EA Closed Mondays and Tuesdays Before he was a full-time chocolatier, Paul Young was pastry chef for Marco Pierre White. The drama and perfectionism demanded by a Michelin-starred restaurant are both apparent in the exquisite chocolates and desserts produced by his shop. The more impressive are finished at the counter in front of customers, while the smaller sweets and chocolates are jewel-like in their perfection. Young's haute cuisine background - he's a Gold Award-winner at the World Chocolate Awards - means there are plenty of weird and wonderful flavours available, but above all this is a shop that is about freshly made, thoroughly indulgent, luxury chocolates and puddings. If you fancy a dark, dreamy cocoa alternative to Christmas pud then take your taste buds up to Islington. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays (chocolate workshop days). Address: 33 Camden Passage, Islington, N1 8EA Phone: 020 7424 5750 Timing: Wed, Thu & Sat 11am-6pm, Fri 11am-7pm, Sun midday-5pm Nearest Station: Angel Tube Paul A Young Fine Chocolates - Information  Prestat
14 Princess Arcade, SW1Y 6DS With Roald Dahl and Her Majesty counted as just a couple of their biggest fans, this brightly-coloured, richly scented, teeny tiny chocolate shop tucked away in a corner of the Princess Arcade belies its significant status and reach. One of the world's oldest and grandest chocolate companies, Prestat's iconic gilt-embossed packaging comes into its own at Christmas. The Kitty re-design of the interior has transformed the small store into a vibrant, cartoon-esque den of psychedelia. Prestat's magical wonderland interior makes a great seasonal setting for their nostalgic range of sweets, including the delectable sugared mice. Address: 14 Princess Arcade, SW1Y 6DS Phone: 020 7629 4838 Timing: Mon to Fri 9.30am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus Tube Prestat - Information  The Spice Shop
1 Blenheim Crescent, W11 2EE Hard to miss with its bright yellow awning emblazoned with the word 'SPICE', this cosy emporium on the corner of Portobello Road will get your olfactory glands working overtime this Christmas. If you're planning on making your own pudding, cake or mince pies this festive season, a trip to this west London venue is a must. Originally a stall on the market, the business has evolved over recent years and now stocks pots, tins and bags full of over 2,500 herbs and spices. Unique in its concept and service this is THE place to come for essences, extracts, seasonings, seeds, pods, powders, oils, roots and leaves. If your taste buds really need reviving invest in their Essential Spice Tin, crammed with no less than 49 different spices. Address: 1 Blenheim Crescent, W11 2EE Phone: 020 7221 4448 Timing: Mon to Sat 9.30am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm Nearest Station: Ladbroke Grove Tube The Spice Shop - Information  Treacle
110-112 Columbia Road, E2 7RG Open Sundays only Just like its name, this unique establishment sandwiched in the middle of Columbia Road Flower Market is sweet, sticky and finger-licking good. Christmas is a time for tradition spiced up with large doses of nostalgia and, full of comfortingly familiar, essentially British, tea-time treats, this is the place to come to relive the comforting morsels that have fed a nation through times of turmoil and triumph. The cupcakes here are all hand-crafted, beautifully decorated and crowned with perfectly blended buttercup icing. They also come in three sizes (we recommend the BIG one) in tangy lemon, rich chocolate or smooth vanilla flavours. Jammy Dodgers and a range of sponges also adorn the shelves all year round. Seasonal specialities boost the range from month to month, while piping hot tea served on the premises lures customers to stop and linger, savouring a sponge or two before heading out with a packed bag full of goodies. It's only open on a Sunday so we recommend you combine a trip with a visit to the flower market. Pick up some seasonal blooms and a Christmas tree, and satisfy your seasonal sweet cravings all in one leisurely Sunday morning jaunt. Address: 110-112 Columbia Road, E2 7RG Phone: 020 7729 5657 Timing: Sun 9.30am-3.30pm Nearest Station: Bethnal Green Tube Treacle - Information  Verde & Co
40 Brushfield Street, E1 6AG Wooden crates crammed with rich, vibrant vegetables, wicker baskets full of flowers, fruits and herbs, dark wooden shutters, heavy green awnings, blackboards advertising "Sandwiches, Coffee, Soup" and a few sets of weathered tables and chairs dotted on the pavement all contribute to the continental feel of this gourmet food emporium in London's East End. At Christmas time the shelves burst with seasonal offerings including handmade puddings and mince pies, majestic pannetone towers, jars of glace fruits and a huge glass case full of Pierre Marcolini chocolates. Manager and ex-chef Havery Cabaniss ensures all produce is sourced from co-ops and small, family-run enterprises wherever possible, helping you promote an ethical Christmas. Address: 40 Brushfield Street, E1 6AG Phone: 020 7247 1924 Timing: Mon to Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-5pm Nearest Station: Liverpool Street Tube / Rail Verde & Co - Information  W Martyn
135 Muswell Hill Broadway, N10 3RS Come face to face with the Ghost of Christmas Past and pick up some seasonal sticky treats at this vintage, fine food retailer. Affectionately referred to as the "Fortnum & Mason of Muswell Hill" this family-run, fine food business dates back over 100 years to 1887. The stunning Art Deco facade and interior have changed little over the years - an old coffee roaster rests proudly in the window underneath the iconic red lettering introducing the shop, while inside brass scales, solid oak shelving and row upon row of simply designed, quality goods hark back to 1930s London. Tea and coffee are their speciality but really there's a bit of everything yummy here, with Christmas hampers boasting an alluring range of goodies from pickles to puddings, condiments to cakes. It may well be off the beaten track but it really is worth making a trip to this part of north London just to breath in the scent of freshly roasted coffee and the warm, family atmosphere that pervades throughout. Address: 135 Muswell Hill Broadway, N10 3RS Phone: 020 8883 5642 Timing: Mon to Sat 9.30am-5.30pm (Thu until 1pm) Nearest Station: Highgate Tube W Martyn - Information
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