Last Updated on 11 May 2026 by Dave King
Brighton has plenty of independent bakeries, and the quality is high. Whether you want a properly fermented sourdough, a French-trained pâtissier’s macaron or a vegan croissant that actually flakes, you can find excellent options across Brighton and Hove.
This guide covers the best bakeries in Brighton with honest notes on what each does well, where they are and what to get when you walk in.
Table of Contents
Brighton bakeries at a glance
| Bakery | Area | Best for | Vegan options | Sit in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Flour Pot Bakery | Multiple locations | Sourdough, breakfast buns, coffee | Yes, including vegan croissants and pastries | Yes, most branches |
| Real Patisserie | Trafalgar Street, Western Road, Church Road, Brighton Station, Worthing | French pastries, éclairs, tarts, the Chewy Brown loaf | Yes, including vegan pastries | Limited, varies by branch |
| Julien Plumart | Queens Road | Macarons, celebration cakes, French patisserie | Some options | Yes |
| Sugardough | Hove and Market Street, Brighton | Croissants, pies, seasonal tarts | Yes | Yes |
| Open Bakery | Kemptown and Queen’s Park | Sourdough, almond croissants, cookery classes | Limited | Yes |
| Jacob’s Bakery | Regency Square | Cakes, pastries, coffee, event cakes | Yes | Yes |
| Hellenic Bakery | Seven Dials, Dyke Road | Baklava, Greek pastries, pies, doughnuts | Limited | Yes |
| Flint Owl Bakery | Bond Street, North Laine | Bread, pastries, quiches, salads | Yes | Yes |
| GAIL’s | North Road, Seven Dials and Church Road, Hove | Sourdough, pastries, sandwiches | Yes | Yes |
| Coburn & Baker | Bevendean | Gluten-free and vegan cakes, sourdough, celebration cakes | Yes, strong vegan and GF range | Collection and delivery only |
| Cielo Cakery | Stanford Avenue, near Preston Park | Custom celebration cakes, cupcakes, sweet treats | Check direct | Yes |
The standout bakeries
The Flour Pot Bakery
The Flour Pot Bakery is the one most people know. It has several locations across Brighton, Hove, Southwick and Worthing, with the Sydney Street branch in North Laine being the original.
Their sourdough is consistently good and widely available. Plenty of Brighton cafés buy their bread wholesale too. The breakfast bun is a local favourite, and they have a reliable vegan pastry range, including vegan croissants and vegan pain au chocolat.
The Fiveways branch does a full brunch menu, and the seafront kitchen serves sourdough pizza in the evenings. Coffee comes from their sister roastery, The Milk Shed.
Real Patisserie
Real Patisserie has been in Brighton since 1997 and is one of the city’s strongest choices for proper French-style baking. The Chewy Brown loaf is a Brighton institution. If you have not tried it, start there.
The Trafalgar Street branch near the station is tiny and usually has a queue, which tells you plenty. Éclairs, fruit tarts and almond croissants are all excellent. They also opened a Brighton Station branch in June 2025, making it easy to grab something on the way through.
Julien Plumart
Julien Plumart worked for Raymond Blanc and reached the final of Bake Off: The Professionals in 2021. His shop on Queens Road, halfway between the station and the seafront, is a small slice of France.
The macarons are the headline, but the celebration cakes and afternoon tea are equally impressive. Prices reflect the quality. Book ahead for sit-in, as tables are limited.
Sugardough
Sugardough started in 2009 with a £100 eBay oven and an empty shop in Hove. The bakery on Victoria Terrace is the working kitchen, and you can watch everything being made.
They were named in the La Liste World Pastry Awards 2024 selection. The Brighton location on Market Street operates more as a restaurant, serving brunch and lunch with a Levantine influence alongside the baked goods.
Worth noting: the sit-in prices at the Brighton branch can be higher than takeaway, so check before you order if you are watching the budget.
Open Bakery
Open Bakery in Kemptown is one of the best bakeries in Brighton for sourdough purists. It has two shops, in Kemptown and Queen’s Park, plus a cookery school where you can learn to make sourdough, croissants, pasta and more.
The almond croissants are outstanding. Open Bakery is less flashy than some of the names above, but the bread quality is right up there.
Jacob’s Bakery
Jacob’s Bakery has grown into a much-loved independent with a warm café feel. The current bakery and cake shop is in Regency Square.
Expect handmade cakes, coffee, pastries and special occasion cakes. It is a good one to know about if you want somewhere personal rather than polished.
Hellenic Bakery
Hellenic Bakery on Dyke Road at Seven Dials is family-run and does something different from the sourdough and croissant crowd.
Greek pastries, handmade doughnuts, pies and baklava are the draw here. It doubles as a café and has a warm, community feel.
Flint Owl Bakery
Flint Owl Bakery is a Lewes-born bakery with a Brighton shop on Bond Street in North Laine. It sells bread and pastries alongside a daily changing lunch menu and coffee.
It is a solid option if you are in the area and want something beyond the bigger names. They also usually have vegan and gluten-free options.
GAIL’s
GAIL’s is a chain, so it will not appeal if you only want independents. That said, the North Road, Seven Dials and Church Road Hove branches are consistently reliable.
You can expect sourdough, pastries, sandwiches, seasonal specials and good coffee. It is not the most characterful option on this list, but the quality is steady.
Coburn & Baker
Coburn & Baker is primarily a wholesale bakery in Bevendean, but it also offers collection and local delivery for private orders.
This is the strongest option on the list for gluten-free and vegan baking. Their gluten-free items are made in a dedicated gluten-free production room, and they have a wide range of vegan and gluten-free cakes.
They also do celebration cakes, sourdough, artisan breads and patisserie. If you have dietary requirements, this is one of the first places to check.
Cielo Cakery
Cielo Cakery is more of a cakery and coffee house than a traditional bread bakery, but it is worth including for celebration cakes and sweet treats.
They have moved to Stanford Avenue near Preston Park, inside St Augustine’s Arts & Events Centre. Expect cakes, cookies, cake jars, stuffed cookies, brownies, pastries, sausage rolls and celebration cakes.
Vegan and gluten-free options
Most of the best bakeries in Brighton now offer at least some vegan options. Flour Pot’s vegan croissants and pain au chocolat are genuinely good. Real Patisserie also offers vegan pastries, including a vegan almond croissant. Sugardough has vegan items on rotation.
For dedicated gluten-free and vegan baking, Coburn & Baker is the strongest option. They are primarily a wholesale bakery in Bevendean, but deliver private orders locally in Brighton and Hove on Wednesdays and Fridays. They also welcome collections from the bakery.
Their gluten-free range includes breads, cakes and celebration cakes, and their gluten-free items are made in a dedicated gluten-free production room.
If you have coeliac disease or serious allergies, always confirm preparation methods directly with any bakery. Shared kitchens mean cross-contamination is a risk at most places. Dedicated facilities like Coburn & Baker reduce that risk, but it is still worth checking directly before ordering.
Where to start if you are visiting
If you only have time for one stop, Real Patisserie on Trafalgar Street or Flour Pot on Sydney Street are both central, both excellent, and both close to the station.
For a proper bakery morning, start at Julien Plumart on Queens Road for a macaron and coffee, walk through North Laine to Flint Owl on Bond Street or Flour Pot on Sydney Street, then continue to Open Bakery in Kemptown for sourdough. The whole route takes about 30 minutes on foot.
Arrive early. Most bakeries put out their freshest bakes first thing in the morning, and popular items can sell out by late morning on weekends. Weekday mornings are quieter and you will usually have a better selection.
FAQs
Which bakery has the best sourdough in Brighton?
The Flour Pot and Open Bakery are both consistently excellent for sourdough. Real Patisserie’s Chewy Brown loaf is technically a different style but equally iconic. It comes down to whether you prefer the tang and open crumb of a classic sourdough or the denser, chewier texture of Real Patisserie’s signature loaf.
Where can I find vegan croissants in Brighton?
The Flour Pot Bakery is one of the most reliable options, with vegan croissants and vegan pain au chocolat available through its pastry range. Real Patisserie also offers vegan pastries, including a vegan almond croissant. Availability can vary by day, so arrive early or call ahead at weekends.
Are there any gluten-free bakeries in Brighton?
Coburn & Baker in Bevendean has the strongest dedicated gluten-free range, available by delivery or collection. Most other bakeries offer some gluten-free items but prepare them in shared kitchens, so cross-contamination is a possibility. Always check directly if you have coeliac disease.
What time should I arrive for the freshest bakes?
Most bakeries open between around 7am and 8:30am. The first hour after opening usually gives you the widest selection. By mid-morning on Saturdays, popular items can be gone.
Can I order celebration cakes from Brighton bakeries?
Yes. Julien Plumart, Sugardough, Coburn & Baker and Cielo Cakery all do celebration cakes. Allow a few days to a couple of weeks’ notice depending on complexity. Discuss flavour, size, dietary needs and budget upfront.
Which bakery is best near Brighton station?
Real Patisserie has a branch inside Brighton Station and another on Trafalgar Street, just a short walk away. Julien Plumart on Queens Road is also very close. Both are strong options for grabbing something on the go.
Final thoughts
The best bakeries in Brighton reward the early riser. Get there first thing, try the signature item at whichever bakery you visit, and do not be afraid to ask staff what has just come out of the oven.
The quality across the city is high, and the range from French patisserie to Greek pastries to proper sourdough means there is something for every taste. Support the independents where you can, because they are what make Brighton’s food scene worth visiting.
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