Maison Bertaux: Soho’s French Hideaway

The blue and white striped awning; the window filled with cakes, pastries and tarts; the champagne bottles; the elegant pink organza…this could easily be a scene in Paris. But Maison Bertaux has been supplying London with its elegant fare since 1871, making it the oldest patisserie in the capital.

If you time it right you can pop upstairs to find a perfect oasis in the middle of bustling Soho. During busy mid-afternoons you may have to join a queue out the door to get a table. Either way, it’s well worth the wait. The staff are friendly and attentive yet don’t rush you no matter how busy it gets, so you can easily while away an afternoon here.

The laid-back atmosphere is reflected in the fact that there are no prices on the food, you order by pointing to your desired treat as you go in and take a seat. The fine selection of cream cakes, éclairs, tarts and pastries are all made on the premises daily and are second to none. Whether it’s a mid-morning snack, lunch or high tea, you couldn’t find a better French patisserie outside of France. They serve coffee and make one of the best pots of tea in London with a farely large selection.

In true Parisian style, there are pavement tables for sunny days, as well as a seating area downstairs. Upstairs the décor is in need of some attention, but the environs exude a certain faded charm. Its walls have been host to a number of art exhibitions in the past, the remnants of which are still on display.

The Mighty Boosh’s Noel Fielding had his successful Psychedelic Dreams of the Jelly Fox exhibition here in February. His vivid blue and red portrait of Mick Jagger still dominates the small room. The walls too, remain covered with his surreal scribbles and drawings that once accompanied his pieces, all of which add to the laid back, quirky feel of the place.

Maison Bertaux
28 Greek Street
Soho W1D 5DD

Tel: 020 7437 6007