One of the greatest joys of any city is the food and, if you’re anything like me, dessert is where it’s at.
Since moving to Manchester 6 months ago, I’ve made it a personal mission to try as many bakeries as humanly possible – and so far so good! Manchester is a treasure trove of independent coffee shops and bakeries with delicious pastries, breads, and cakes abound. I’ve now collected a range of firm favourites to impress visiting friends with and thought I might as well share them with the rest of the world too.
So here’s the best bakeries Manchester, including:
- My top 3 best bakeries in Manchester
- Best cakes in Manchester
- Best bread bakeries in Manchester
Top 3 Best Bakeries in Manchester
All of the bakeries on this list are fantastic and many specialise in different things. If you’re looking for cookies, head to Gooey. If you’re a pie person, Batard is just the place. But if someone were to twist my arm and ask for a top 3, these are the ones I’d pick:
Pollen Bakery
Pollen Bakery is a scandi dream with its minimal interiors and stoneware plates. They’re probably best known for their array of cruffins and incredible sourdough bread but I’m particularly fond of their cinnamon morning buns. They’re soft and delicious without being too sweet and are a winner every time.
Pollen has two locations, so whether you’re in Ancoats or the Gay Village, they’ve got you covered. They’re only open Wednesday-Sunday, so if you’re on the hunt for a sweet treat earlier in the week, you’ll have to head elsewhere.
This is also a great spot for Brunch – getting a taste of that delicious sourdough bread with some smoked salmon and poached eggs is the perfect way to start the morning!
📍 Cotton Field Wharf, 8 New Union St, Manchester M4 6FQ
⏰ Wednesday – Friday: 8:00 – 4:00pm, Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 – 4:00pm
Pot Kettle Black
Pot Kettle Black is another bakery in Manchester that has multiple locations. You’ll find them at the Barton Arcade in Deansgate, and Angel Gardens. My preferred spot is Barton Arcade – it’s super pretty with high ceilings and lots of seating. They also have a cracking playlist (if noughties pop icons are your thing).
They get all their baked goods from Half Dozen Other (another spot on this list). The only reason I rate this above Half Dozen Other is the atmosphere and the beautiful setting. Pot Kettle Black is one of the only bakeries in Manchester where you’ll be able to find Kouign Amman (pronounced Queen Ah Man – you’re welcome!). This a beautiful buttery French pastry that’s surprisingly hard to find. It’s well worth a try if you visit Pot Kettle Black.
📍 Barton Arcade, Manchester M3 2BW
Gooey
Gooey is a safe haven for all cookie and doughnut lovers. Their standard doughnut flavours include custard, chocolate, kinderella, and jam. And their cookie flavours include milk chocolate, red velvet, white chocolate, and double chocolate. They also have soft and doughy cinnamon rolls topped with cream cheese icing.
The cheery on the Gooey cake, however, is their weekly specials. These flavours are always something a bit different, from cherry crumble cookies to creme brulee doughnuts.
Top Tip: their café gets real busy, real quick. To avoid the queue, either arrive early or head to their counter at Ducie Street Warehouse.
📍103 High St, Manchester M4 1HQ
⏰ All week 9:00 – 6:00pm (closed Wednesday)
Albert’s Schloss
I know what you’re thinking – Albert’s Schloss? Isn’t that the place I go for a cocktail on a Friday night and end up cramming into a photo booth with five of my nearest and dearest? Yes, yes it is. And let me tell you, that photo booth is surprisingly just as fun in the mornings.
Albert’s Schloss do a lovely selection of fresh pastries in the morning. Once again, the cinnamon morning bun is a winner (can you tell they’re my fave?) but you can’t go too far wrong. The selection is small but mighty making it well worth a gander on a Sunday morning.
You can also appreciate just how pretty the stained glass windows are when you’re sober.
📍 27 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR
Best Cakes in Manchester
Loaf
If cakes are more your thing than pastries, head on over to Loaf. Loaf sells delicious mini loaf cakes in a variety of flavours. At the time of writing, their specials include retro biscuit flavours such as pink wafer and jammy dodger.
They’ve got 3 locations across Manchester, including Oxford Street and Selfridges Trafford, each one a pepto bismol shade of pink. They also do a great hot chocolate.
📍Affinity Riverview, 29 New Bailey St, Manchester, Salford M3 5GN
⏰ Monday – Friday: 8:30 – 5:00pm, Saturday – Sunday: 11:00 – 5:00pm
Long Boi’s Bakes
Long Boi’s Bakes is a woman-led and woman-run bakery in Levenshulme. This is a particualrly gorgeous spot with its gold lettered window and colourful interiors.
This little neighbourhood bakery is well worth the visit with perfectly laminated pain au chocolat, decadent choux buns, and cakes that are worthy of a wedding. When you’ve visited once, you won’t be able to keep away.
📍40 Forest Range, Manchester M19 2HP
⏰ Wednesday: 9:30 – 4:00pm, Thursday – Friday: 9:00 – 4:00pm, Saturday: 10:00am – 4:00pm
More Bakeries in Manchester
Batard
I personally believe that if there’s one thing that we can learn from the USA, it’s pie. Pie just doesn’t get enough love here in the UK but Batard are here to change that. They’ve got everything from your classic lemon meringue pie to their infamous dulche de leche creme brulee pie.
Basically, if you’re a pie person, you’ve got to head to Batard.
They’re located at Escape to Freight Island – another local spot in Manchester with multiple food vendors to choose from.
📍 Mayfield depot, Manchester M1 2PZ
⏰ Wednesday – Friday: 4:00pm-10:00pm, Saturday-Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00pm
Super Happy
Super Happy is probably best known for its sandwiches but it also has a fantastic range of baked goods on offer. The jewel in the Super Happy crown is their babka. They’re always doing different flavours, some of which include matcha, horchata cinnamon, and coffee pecan.
One of the best things about Super Happy is the setting. Located in Ducie Street Warehouse, you’ll be surrounded by plush mid-century interiors and an in house DJ. This has to be one of the most aesthetically pleasing spots in Manchester, making it well worth the visit for a slice of Babka.
📍 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2TP
⏰ Monday – Sunday: 10:00 – 4:00pm
Half Dozen Other
Half Dozen Other are the king of pastry with everything from soft cinnamon rolls to flaky croissants and kouign amman. All the pastries are made fresh every morning and make the perfect addition to a Sunday morning coffee.
Half Dozen Other supply pastries to one of my favourites on this list (Pot Kettle Black) but they also have their own spot at Mackie Mayor. If you’re not familiar with Mackie Mayor – it’s a large food hall with various different food vendors in the Northern Quarter of Manchester!
📍 Smithfield Market Hall, 1 Eagle St, Manchester M4 5BU
Siop Shop
If you’re on the hunt for doughnuts in Manchester, go no further than Siop Shop. This colourful little cafe in the Northern Quarter specialises in doughnuts of all varieties. Whether you love a classic custard or want something a little more unusual, this Manchester bakery has you covered.
Their doughnut selection is ever-changing, so head over to their Instagram to see what they’ve got on offer this week. Previous doughnuts include pumpkin spice (in the shape of a pumpkin), lemon meringue pie, apple pie, and blueberry cheesecake.
Though fairly new, this is quickly becoming one of the most loved bakeries in Manchester.
📍 53 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LS
⏰ Monday – Friday: 9:00 – 4:00pm, Saturday – Sunday: 10:00 – 4:00pm
Bread Bakeries in Manchester
Trove
If you’re craving an aesthetic bakery experience somewhere in Scandinavia, Trove might be just the thing to keep those travel blues at bay. This beautiful Manchester bakery is the ultimate Instagram-worthy spot with it’s neutral tones and stoneware plates.
Trove are known for the best sourdough in Manchester and are the place to head if you’re entertaining. While you’re there, make sure to pick up one of their pastries, which are equally as exquisite.
Lookout for their crubes (croissant cubes) with new flavours every month. Previous flavours have included lemon curd and french meringue, blood orange and dark chocolate, and kiwi and lime jam with coconut whipped cream.
Brunch lovers should also head here for the thickest, pillow-iest french toast in Manchester.
📍 5 Murray St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
Campanio
Campanio is an independent artisan bakery in Manchester that specialises in fresh bread and delicious pastries. You can find them at their beautiful shop in Ancoats.
Their bakes have a rustic feel to them that feels like a warm hug – think soft sourdough loaves with a crunchy crust and buttery, golden croissants. Campanio is the perfect placed to head for a cosy treat on a dreary day in the city.
📍 35 Radium St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6AD
⏰ Tuesday – Thursday 8:00 – 3:00pm, Friday – Saturday 8:00 – 2:00pm
Holy Grain
Holy Grain is a severely underrated bakery housed in the Great Northern in Deansgate. They specialise in creating small batch, hand-crafted organic sourdough bread. Their beautiful bread is used at Hampton & Vouis (a popular brunch spot in Manchester).
If you’ve got more of a sweet tooth though, have no fear. Here you’ll find a scrummy selection of pastries and cookies, including cinnamon and orange morning buns and chocolate and rye cookies. And the lamination on their pain au chocolat is particularly impressive.
📍253 Deansgate Great Northern Mews, Manchester M3 4EN
⏰ Tuesday-Saturday 8:30 – 3:30pm
Best Manchester Bakeries
So there you have it – 13 of the very best bakeries in Manchester! Hopefully this list will make you love the city as much as I do (bakery tour anyone?).
As I’m forever hunting down new sweet treats, I’ll be sure to keep this blog updated as new places crop up across the city!
If you’re looking to explore more of the UK, check out my ultimate UK travel guide where you’ll find all my UK blog posts, including recommendations for the Cotswolds, Scotland, and the Lake District.
