St Paul’s bakery named among 20 best bakeries in UK

A bakery in Bristol has been named among the best bakeries in the UK.

Farro was named in the Financial Times’ ‘How To Spend It’ awards.

The bakery started operating at markets before moving into its first permanent premises on Bond Street (although its official address is Brunswick Square).

It joined the renowned Flint Owl Bakery in Lewes, East Sussex, the Dusty Knuckle in London and Ursa Minor Bakehouse in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, among the businesses recognised for their excellence by the Financial Times.

Farro’s hazelnut pains au chocolates and spiced buns are a thing of legend in Bristol – photo: Martin Booth

The FT’s Camilla Bell-Davies praised Farro’s approach of putting modern twists to classic bakes, as well as their responsible sourcing.

“Head here for flaky French kouigns, canelés de Bordeaux and puff pastry filled with poached rhubarb and white chocolate custard,” she said.

“The bakes might be traditional – think Italian panforte, sourdough boules and sticky canelés – but Farro’s approach is wholly modern, offering twists in the form of peach-filled choux pastry, croissant honey crisps and orange and tonka bean pastéis de nata.

“Their grains come from agroecological and organic UK farms.”

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Farro has built up a formidable representation as a firm favourite for Bristol locals and visitors alike, since it began its baking journey in 2015, solely selling at markets including at the Tobacco Factory and on Whiteladies Road before moving to Brunswick Square in 2019.

Farro founder Bradley Tapp has striven for perfection since working in various kitchens in Bristol as a pastry chef, working at an acclaimed bakery in Melbourne and travelling through California to meet some of the best bakers in the USA.

After stints in both Mark’s Bread on North Street and Hart’s Bakery next to Temple Meads, Bradley began Farro out of his home kitchen, using his front room to prove loaves. He later made the move to an industrial estate in Fishponds before securing this new home in St Paul’s.

Every morning, the Farro team make pastels de nata, croissants, pains au chocolat, hazelnut pains au chocolat, spiced buns, canelés and kouign-amanns, alongside numerous different loaves of bread.

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The team use fresh milled, locally grown flour for their breads, and are some of the earliest risers in the Bristol food scene, starting at midnight on Saturdays to bring the freshest bakes to eagerly awaiting customers.

A post on Farro’s Instagram said: “Super proud of the team at Farro, taking up space alongside some of our favourite bakeries in the @fthtsi top 20 bakeries in the UK!

“Great to see so many bakeries making the list that are championing fresh milled, locally grown flour and supporting local/UK farmers. Proof that the stone milled fresh stuff simply taste better!”

Main photo: Lada Poltavska

Read next:

• The best things we ate in Bristol in 2022
• New cafe serving ‘refined British food’ opening
• Farro bakery moves to new home in St Paul’s

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