Bakery of the Year: Great Food Club Awards 2022/3
Winner
Chosen by our judges:
Lily & Honey, Oakham, Rutland
Shortlist
The top public vote-winners:
Baines Bakery, Uppingham, Rutland
Cakes & Co, Stamford, Lincolnshire
Lily & Honey, Oakham, Rutland
The winner is Lily & Honey Bakery in Oakham – a small but exciting bakery where you’ll find exceptional sourdough loaves alongside mouthwatering patisserie.
Founded in 2019 by Robert and Nicolle Bradbury, Lily & Honey in Oakham’s Knights Yard has a modern, stripped-back, artisan feel. When our judges visited in August 2022, Robert was kneading sourdough loaves on the countertop while Nicolle served customers. We enjoyed a spectacularly good pain au chocolat and an equally impressive slice of Basque cheesecake. The loaves we took home were excellent, too.
Lily & Honey is a wonderfully authentic little bakery offering superb quality products. The quality is set to increase because the co-founders have now found a new space nearby where they can bake a higher volume in more spacious conditions (there may also be some baking classes coming soon). The shop will remain where it is in Knights Yard.
Lily & Honey is a little gem that shines brightly in England’s smallest county.
The other finalists
Cakes + Co
Cakes + Co is one of Stamford’s cutest spots and offers up the most delicious and Instagram-worthy cakes you could imagine, all of which are handmade.
The cakery is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and serves excellent coffee from Silver Oak Coffee, savouries and of course, plenty of cakes. Take a seat in the courtyard or take a box of cupcakes, brownies and other goods away.
Baines Bakery
Uppingham’s Baines Bakery is a compellingly traditional baker’s shop that’s been serving Rutland since 1867 and is still run by the same family.
Everything is made on site from the fresh bread to the sausage rolls, and there’s also a selection of local produce such as Rutland Honey, which is perfect on a slice of the malted grain loaf.
Cakes are also in abundance: beautiful Battenberg, fantastic Florentines, brownies, cupcakes and iced buns. There are plenty of seasonal goodies too, including Chelsea bun rings at Christmas. Visiting Baines is a treat.
