Are there still any treats that you can only buy in London/big U.K. cities?

[Goodyetalso]

I live up north. About 10 years ago whenever DH had a meeting in London I remember he used to bring home a big box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts because you could only buy them there and in a couple of other big cities. And 15 years before that my dad used to bring home a certain brand of posh chocolates that you could only buy there whenever he went in for meetings.

Of course, you can now buy Krispy Kremes from any branch of Tesco if you like them so they don’t hold the same allure. But I am in London for a meeting next week and remembering this made me wonder if there is any food or treats that is still only available there (or ina couple of other major U.K. cities). It always felt mildly exciting to have someone bringing home a little treat that we couldn’t usually buy but everything seems to be available everywhere now. Is there still anything that I could pick up and bring home for a little treat?*

*not jellied eels

DH likes jolly bees whenever he goes to Leicester Square (like Filipino Mcdonalds)

There's a jolly bees in Liverpool. There's also a few stores that sell Japanese food and japanese center stuff. :)

Depends how close you live to London, but: London Cheesecake (more like a danish topped with coconut). Asian pears are also easier to get in London and much nicer and larger than supermarket equivalents that often don't come from Asia.

I guess it depends where you live - if it’s another city then probably you can get most things but if it’s a smaller town maybe not. For Krispy Kreme style treats, how about Konditor & Cook, Crosstown Doughnuts or Doughnut Time?

@Traumdeuter

It’s not very portable but Joe and the Juice hasn’t made it to the provinces yet; I always go when I visit

There's one in Birmingham and Solihull

There’s no decent sushi in my town.

When I go to London I buy Laderach chocolate, Fortnum & Mason pistachio clotted cream cookies & Caffe Concerto Honey Cake. Caffe Concerto are on other plates but nowhere near me.

Japan centre tsumami (think that's right - Japanese beer snacks) - yes you can get Japanese stuff in the supermarket but it's Western brands - love having a good selection, and that's before getting to the mill your own rice!

Laduree (or however you spell the fancy macaron shop). There's one in st pancreas. They don't travel well (at least if you're daft enough to try to post them home from Paris).

Neuhaus chocolates - there's a shop in st pancreas where they fill the box rather than selling the prepackaged ones with preservatives that you can get online. They're heavenly but arse-clenchingly expensive.

There's something about buying cheese in Paxton and Whitfield in jermyn Street that almost makes the expense worth it but I'm fairly sure that I just get faint from the smell and enter a fugue state where money is naught when compared to the essential nature of cheese.

If you're going on a day when Borough Market is open, you'd find small artisan confectionary makers selling their wares. Generally not available elsewhere. I've not been since the pandemic, but there used to be a wonderful liquorice stall, with the most extraordinary array of liquorice. Of course that only counts as a treat if you're a licorice person - I realise it's a bit of a Marmite thing!

Also, the big wholefoods shop in Piccadilly (I think there are other branches) simply called Wholefoods Market, sell a comprehensive range of vegan organic fair trade treats. Some I've only ever seen there. Though they may be available elsewhere. Whenever I visit London now, I try to pay them a visit!

Biscuiteers
Laduree - especially the Ispahan
It may not travel well unless you have a coolbox, but proper sushi and sashimi

French supermarket (you might need to order online, not sure, I had an order delivered this week.) French supermarket

@SiobhanSharpe

Japanese Kit-Kats? Matcha tea and other exotic flavours, only available at the (hugely expensive) Japan store near Leicester Square . As far as i know, of course. I wanted a selection of some 2-finger ones for baby shower treats and could only get them there.

Matcha and strawberry kit Kats are available in lots of places. The nearest city to me is tiny but the Chinese supermarket and hmv (randomly) sell these flavours.

Nothing to add but am going to Google Kossof's Bakery to see if there is still a branch in London. I remember my father bringing home boxes of pastries including proper baked cheesecake with lemon and sultanas. The stuff in supermarkets is not the same.

I remember my uncle bring different flavoured sausages from London, pork and apple, parika and peppers etc back in the 1990s. It was so exciting, it was just plain available (that we could afford) from the supermarket.

He still brings posh chocolates when he visits (Rococo are delicious). Nothing like that is available in our nearest good sized town. The most exciting retailer we have is M&S.

It seems Kossoffs is still about but not as I remember it.

@Cherrysoup

French supermarket (you might need to order online, not sure, I had an order delivered this week.) French supermarket

It's near Paddington but it's just a tiny convenience store. You can get a lot of the products elsewhere in London so it's nice if you are nearby but not really worth a special trip. They are on Deliveroo too.

If I were going to Paddington (or Oxford St or Holland Park), I would probably stop off here instead:

green-valley.co

Actually, OP, it's worth putting the address of your meeting into Deliveroo to get an idea of what is nearby (or to get stuff delivered).

Ypu can get a really good range of French foodstuffs, especially specialities like cassoulet and confit duck in tins from French Click, an online supermarket. At a price, of course.
I think it has a bigger range than the other French supermarket linked above.
www.frenchclick.co.uk/?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_4bGk9mV9wIVia3tCh2fVgTREAAYASAAEgKFoPD_BwE