GAIL's Bakery Blackfriars

You'll find yourself wedged between the railway arches and the Thames on Blackfriars Road, watching commuters and locals jostle for their morning fix. GAIL's does what it does brilliantly: crack-topped sourdough that actually tastes of something, butter-laminated pastries that shatter when you bite them, and espresso that doesn't taste like it's been sitting since 6am. The space is compact and properly alive—industrial vibes, communal seating, the kind of place where you're eating elbow-to-elbow with other people who've made the deliberate choice to queue for good bread rather than grab whatever's at Pret.