The bakery rankings Glasgow didn't ask for

When I headed to Burnfield bakery just after opening yesterday, I hoped to be the first through its doors. Instead, a queue of hungry people were already ahead of me, ready to list off their orders. Others were milling about outside, inspecting the window display with dogs in-tow or snapping pictures with pals, still in their running gear. Right at the front, a man left with a bag full of pastries. He’d been sent to join the queue by his wife, who’d just gone into labour. 

Pastries are serious business, not only the primary demand of women going into childbirth, but the subject of endless debate and drama. It sometimes feels like Glasgow finds itself more consumed by bakery discourse (in which we have partaken ourselves), than actually consuming baked goods. But our city is increasingly defined by its food and drink scene, and bakeries are undoubtedly a large slice of the offering. There are now excellent establishments across Glasgow, from Dennistoun and Anniesland to Strathbungo, Shawlands and Tradeston.

Before we begin, a bit of housekeeping. This is not a list of the best doughnut shops. Neither is it a guide to the best cake shops — cakeries? — in the city. For the purposes of this piece, we are concerned simply with the bakeries that make the best bread or laminated pastries, preferably both. Cakes and cookies are a Brucey bonus. And on Monday, we’ll follow this up with three more picks: our favourite trad, Middle Eastern and Chinese bakeries.

Without further ado, here are The Bell's top 10 bakeries.

Sorry to interrupt your morning coffee and pastry. I’m Robbie, The Bell’s intrepid (and self-styled) food and drinks correspondent. I’ve spent weeks darting about the city, standing in queues and scrolling through Instagram for this piece. It’s a tough gig...

With most stories, we ask you to pay because your support ensures we can endeavour towards great quality journalism. But for our bakeries ranking, it’s simple. We’ve spent a considerable sum on the best pastries and bread Glasgow has to offer — all in order to to authoritatively inform you of the best in the city’s baked goods game.

To see how Glasgow’s most talked about bakeries stack up, join The Bell and get full access to our reviews, investigations, features, interviews, and on-the-ground local reporting.

Sign up for just £2 a week. Even better, you can currently get nearly 20% off a yearly subscription — that's two months totally free.

Join The Bell

10. The Dorky French 

This Parnie Street bakery, true to its name, does have rather socially awkward service. Little matter, it does an excellent line in vegan patisserie: endless varieties of pain au chocolat, sweet and savoury danishes and elaborate cruffins. If you expect the lack of animal products to translate to lower price tags, you’d be sadly mistaken. While there are better vegan croissants in Glasgow, the pain au chocolat here outmanoeuvres its plant-based competition. The hazelnut POC was also a top performer, delivering all the childhood nostalgia of a spoonful of Nutella. They also do baguettes, gluten-free cookies (try Wild Flours for a fully GF bakery though) and chocolate twists. 

What to order: the pain au chocolats, obviously