True to my origins, I love a bakery trip
Estel is a Content Editor for Bristol Live. She joined Bristol Live in December 2019 after working at WalesOnline. She was a finalist at the 2019’s Regional Press Awards as well as the 2019’s and 2020’s Wales Media Awards. Born in Barcelona, Estel loves the countryside, yoga and a good bath.
Baked goods at the Loaf bakery on Church Road(Image: BristolLive)
I grew up in a country where a daily trip to a bakery isn’t unusual; you collect your bread for the day and may treat yourself to a freshly baked pastry. So, true to my Catalan origins, I love a bakery trip.
While bakeries in this country are certainly much more expensive, I can’t help myself and I have to admit I have tried a fair few around Bristol. However, there is one I keep going back to – and I am lucky enough it is the one closest to my home.
Loaf – which these days have several bakeries across the city – serves a wide range of baked goods, as well as cakes and salad boxes, among others.
It is fairly standard to see a queue outside the bakery along Church Road, in East Bristol, particularly over the weekend. So, if there is a specific pastry you are after, you will need to get there early.
Their cinnamon swirls (£3.30) are always a hit, and they are my must-buy if I pop over before going to see my boyfriend in the morning. He loves anything cinnamon-related so these huge, rich pastries are a sure way to put a big smile in his face.
You are going to have to get there early for a pastry(Image: BristolLive)
There is also a vegan version of the cinnamon swirl, with the bakery being well-prepared to cater for its Bristol audience.
My usual go-to are the cardamom and pistachio knots (£3.30), which happen to be vegan. These are always very yummy, oozing with syrup.
These days, I can’t visit Loaf without having to get something for my nearly three-year-old. The alternative would be to have to share my pastry and, while they are huge, I would still rather have a whole one to myself thank you very much – especially when a trip to Loaf is usually our end-of-week treat.
Baked goods at the Loaf bakery on Church Road(Image: BristolLive)
Loaf doesn’t do small version of their pastries – which is standard in Catalunya, even if the miniature versions tend to work out quite expensive in comparison.
This means my son usually gets either a croissant (£3) or a pain au chocolat (£3.20) and he can easily eat the whole thing in one seating.
Loaf usually has specials on as well and, in my experience, they all tend to be excellent. This time, they had a double-baked banana and pecan croissant (£5.50).
(Image: BristolLive)
This large pastry had a generous amount of the rich filling and I would not hesitate to buy it again. While I tend to go to Loaf for a sweet treat – and their cakes, such as the croissant cake, are always delicious -, the bakery also sells outstanding savoury goods.
I am a big fan of their sausage rolls and have also enjoyed their salad boxes in the past. There is also, obviously, the bread but, having been raised on baguettes and ciabattas, I have to admit sourdough is still growing on me.
Loaf has three bakeries in Bristol, on Church Road, Redfield, inside the Bristol Beacon, in the city centre, and along Bedminster Parade in Bedminster.