La dolce vita doughnut dream 

Round & About

Quirky luxe doughnuts are selling like hotcakes and the hot foodie dish right now. Would you travel to London for one? Millie Deere did… 

Bombolone bakery feels like stepping into a sweet shop married with an early 1900s train carriage. Warm orb lighting casts a sumptuous glow on the duck egg blue tiled counter and burnt orange walls. Red stripey cake boxes and sweet clementines watch over pistachio tiramisu cooling in the fridge. Most importantly, doughnuts proudly line the counter, fat and frosted, in their glass cases. Doughnuts thick and fluffy. Doughnuts packed with nutty creams and iced with banoffee swirls. Bombolone doughnuts. 

These were nothing like I’d ever had before. Bombolone was founded by a couple, Sonia and Paweł, who fell in love with bomboloni on a trip to Tuscany. The Italian doughnuts are traditionally eaten warm, rolled in sugar, and packed with crema pasticciera (a thick custard) or jam. 

A fun fact is that their name literally translates to “big bombs”, which I can assure you is highly apt for the gustatory explosion I experienced in Bombolone; I felt like Remi when he closes his eyes and sees fireworks while eating strawberries and cheese in Ratatouille. The bakery offers an unparalleled variety of flavours, and I only wish I could have tried them all. 

Blueberry, rose, banoffee pie, apple pie, pistachio, cheesecake, strawberry, and crème brûlée are just a few of the flavours tempting you in at the counter, and that’s just the sweet ones. The savoury sandwiches are made with the same dough as the sweet doughnuts, which sets Bombolone apart from your standard dining experience. The Pastrami Bravo was the first time I have ever had a pickle in a brioche bun, and, honestly, I’ll never go back. Their new falafel filling has also just been released. 

What’s more, the team are warm, attentive, and passionate about Bombolone’s story and the authenticity of its flavours. The tiramisu cream is a homemade recipe and a must-try. 

Though only being open for three months, it’s no surprise that Bombolone is a favourite for any Londoner with a sweet tooth. Word has clearly spread, as customer reviews online are raving, and people are making trips from all over the city. It’s the perfect spot for everything: a sweet treat with the kids, a date with a best friend, or a post-work natter and sugar fix with a favourite colleague. 

Location: 21 Whitcomb Street in Piccadilly