PAUL Earls Court

Walk past the window of PAUL on Earls Court Road and you'll spot the kind of croissants that make you stop in your tracks — butter-laminated, properly flaky, the real deal. This isn't some mass-produced chain nonsense; there's genuine craft here, with a counter that moves at a proper pace because people actually linger over their choices. The clientele tends towards locals who know their pain au chocolat from their pain aux raisins, and the sort of international crowd staying nearby who desperately miss decent French baking. Grab a coffee and settle in for a proper breakfast, or swing by mid-morning when the day's second batch comes out. The space itself is unpretentious — more neighbourhood bakery than destination spot — which is exactly why it works.