GAIL's Bakery Exmouth Market

Favorite local coffee shop and breakfast joint near our hotel. There was a small mistake with our order, but the staff was very kind and quick with fixing it.
They have an amazing selection of pastries and breakfast items. Def try the mushrooms on sourdough!

As a bakery, Gail's is a godsend that I intend to frequent often for my pastry needs. As a brunch place, I'm less enthusiastic.

If you're a group of four your only seating option is low and coffee table like. Perfect if you have kids dining with you, less so if you're all full-size adults. The arrangement made me wish for a proper dining table (which are available here for two people though not for four.)

The egg dishes I sampled were fresh, if slightly uninspired. One of my companions found the bacon fairly fatty and I found myself not completely sated by the end of my meal.

Throughout the meal the very strong stench of stinky cheese from the Paxton & Whitfield display would waft over. If you're a lover of Stilton, Roquefort and the like this might be a welcome aroma; I don't eat blue cheese so it most certainly was not.

Despite it being a cold, rainy February day the doors of the bakery were wide open which kept things a bit cold and drafty inside.

Still, the stars at Gail's are the baked goods, from the pain de mie to the chocolate fondant everything on the heaving sweets table looked gorgeous. Also they can personalise a whole cake should you so desire.

Yummy great choice fro breakfast! Great sit in dishes, eggs and toast, french toast and porridges with tasty compost.
They have a tasty looking selection of prepared food in their fridges for takeaway. I just wish the breakfast pots with almond milk didn't have cows milk yogurt in them :( . Yummy looking lunch and breakfast items. Coffee was nice smooth and good sized. Tons of pastries and bread and the smell of butter in the air like a good bakery should smell.
I had breakfast here three days in a row because it was so delicious!

Cute little shop but based on the reviews I was expecting a bit more. The carrot cake was ok, the chocolate chip cookie had a good flavor but could have been a bit softer. The reverse chocolate chip cookie was really, really good though.

Not sure I'll be back but I'm glad I stopped in.

Gail's Bakery is a high-end chain of delicious, precious pastries and expresso, complete with simple modern Scandinavian styled furniture, friendly-baristas, and stock full of Mac and stroller utilizing Londoners out for an afternoon tea.

This outpost in Exmouth Market, resides on a quiet cobblestone street which is worth wandering down due to its foodie restaurants (I hear it on good authority that the tapas restaurants on this street --Moro and Morito-- are worth checking out) low-key pubs, and charming character.

We had a flat white (an expresso, steamed milk combo), a teeny, tiny raspberry financier (very delicious) and a cocoa-laden brownie. While small, that financier was mighty.

In all, nice setting, good coffee and tasty but expensive treats. We met friends with a brand new baby here, and the staff was friendly and welcoming and gave the baby lots of friendly chatting up.

Situated off Exmouth Market, this joint has many baked goods, sweet and savoury. Service is efficient and there's seating in the back. They also have good coffee. I normally drop in for a coffee and maybe a mini pastry but this time I got a salad to go. Sadly it wasn't very good. Looked good though? Will still keep coming back, but not for the lamb salad... Was pretty boring and lacked flavour.

Pricy for what it is, staff didn't pay attention during the order and I had to resend food.
Other than that, nice space. Very cozy for Saturday morning coffee.
Won't recommend for heavy brunch

Another great food place on Exmouth Market! I haven't tried everything here, but I can say that the cheesecake is out of this world. (Although its so rich I find it hard to finish a slice). Also, all their breads are fab - the Challuh they do (on Fridays) is soft and sweet and yummy, its almost like cake! A real treat.


They do soups, salads and fresh sandwhiches, also breakfast (expensive though!). And there is also a Paxton & Whitfield cheese concession, so you can stock up on some good cheese as well as bread.


Downsides for me: The seating arrangements in the back are a bit uncomfortable for eating - either too high (tall bar stools) or too low (couches with coffee tables) although they have added a few normal tables. Also, the coffee is not the best. Its good, but not great.

What is it they say, 'yummy mummies'? The strange British expression sounds funny to my ears, but there were plenty of them here. Babies, strollers, that sort of thing, young parents hip enough to eat brunch in a place that creates fresh bread and cookies and such on the premises, where people come in with their laptops to sit for a few hours, where service is friendly.

It was getting crowded when I came here for brunch with friends, and the tables aren't what you call comfortable. It's too hip to be comfortable.

But I'd come here again, because it's one of those independent establishments where they make an effort to be both different, and also good -- they have all sorts of fresh ingredients (it's also a bakery), and a simple meal of eggs and bread and bacon turned out to be quite good, as well as their coffee.

This is easily a place where you could eat millions of calories of food, particularly as you get tempted by a table of sweets and breads on the way in. Good luck with that.

My my Gail, you certainly do get around! And while I've enjoyed your other London outposts for the last few years, I couldn't be happier that you've joined us here in Clerkenwell. Welcome!

In fact, why don't we throw a party? You could bring the home-made bread, and the carrot cake. Oh, and maybe the pastries and brownies, and cookies, and scones, and cakes... and maybe even stash a few vegan and gluten free goodies in there, too? You know, you should probably also bring the soups, salads, dips, coffee, tea, hot breakfasts, communal seating and wifi...

Or maybe I'll just go back to your newest Exmouth Market location. It's like a party in my mouth every time, anyway.