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Original poster

Gail's Bakery

140 replies

Ringgogo · 28/02/2025 10:35

Do you have these near you ? Just sat in one - what an utter soulless place !

Lovely pastries but what a hype !

Remind me not to visit again

OP posts:
lovenotwar149 · 03/10/2025 10:21

been there once ,not keen

NoButterBastardGails · 03/10/2025 10:24

There was a thread a while back about them not doing butter. Or something along those lines.

user1476613140 · 03/10/2025 10:26

Gail's - open up in Scotland!

BlackberrySky · 03/10/2025 10:27

We are awash with Gail's near me. I like their rose and pistachio cake. They are just another high street chain really, not much different from the hundreds of others.

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 03/10/2025 10:28

It's my four year old and two year old's favourite place when we're doing a bit of shopping.

CommonPuffball · 03/10/2025 10:32

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 03/10/2025 10:28

It's my four year old and two year old's favourite place when we're doing a bit of shopping.

😂😂🙄

Notmycircusnotmyotter · 03/10/2025 10:33

@CommonPuffballi know, I know. I have very poncy SW London suburb children. Half my food bill is smoked salmon for the older one's after school snack.

casualcrispenjoyer · 03/10/2025 10:41

It doesn’t need to have soul

its a chain bakery ffs with nice cakes

it’s not that deep

ShadesOfPemberley · 03/10/2025 10:53

Agree coffee is crap. Staff often rushed and not friendly. But I really love their chocolate and sour cherry scones as a once a week treat (occasionally more often…) I never enjoy sitting in as they tend to be not the most comfortable or cosy. I have two within (a fair) walking distance and one I sometimes drive past to visit MIL and none of them are very nice to sit in.
Cheese straws lovely too (but everything is overpriced)

PeonyPatch · 03/10/2025 11:54

Asked for an iced coffee once and they said they didn’t do them (I was shocked). Guy made an attempt at one for me (very kind) but sadly it wasn’t very good. Do need to improve on their barista offerings….

myavocadoisgrowing · 03/10/2025 12:55

Went to one recently as we had to see what hype was about. I had a soya hot chocolate and it was the most disgusting stuff I’ve ever tasted. I literally couldn’t drink it. Mentioned it to the waiter and got a refund for both drinks. Apparently they use fermented soya milk, hence the difference in taste. It was totally gross. But 10/10 for customer service.

LilyRose88 · 03/10/2025 12:56

I love my coffee and was very disappointed with Gail's offering. I would say that Gregg's and McDonald's coffee are better, which is quite shocking. I do like the pastries in Gail's but like others have said, the seats and general ambience do not make for a pleasant experience. I suspect they don't want people lingering.

ScupperedbytheSea · 03/10/2025 13:04

I bloody love the little pistachio, lemon and rose cake.

But at 4 quid for something that's essentially two mouthfuls, it's a treat I have maybe a couple of times a year when I'm feeling flush and carefree.

But I take it away, put it on a plate and have it at my desk. Pretending for a couple of minutes that I'm classy.

RosaMundi27 · 03/10/2025 13:11

I go to the one in Barnes regularly, the sandwiches are really good, the pastries also good. Coffee is acceptable, could be a bit more interesting. The eating area is pretty soulless but at least it's clean. Toilets are cleaned regularly. The staff are nice and helpful. What's not to like? Their bread is very good, particularly the seeded sourdough.
I know it's a pose to sneer at Gails, but for heaven's sake, it's just a bakery/coffee shop, doing a good job.

SevenHundredandFortyThreeThree · 03/10/2025 13:16

The pastries are ok. As a sourdough lover, I think the bread is absolute garbage.

Gowlett · 03/10/2025 13:16

I’d consider it in the same way as Costa or Starbucks.
Lots of folk are comfortable with brands familiar to them.

CommonPuffball · 03/10/2025 13:29

Homemade is much nicer all round.

sesquipedalian · 03/10/2025 13:31

There’s one near my DDs house in London - I’ve been there once, was SHOCKED by the prices and would not be rushing back!

Mydahliasareshit · 03/10/2025 13:34

The bread is usually rock hard.
Independent bakers all the way.

ButterPiesAreGreat · 03/10/2025 13:36

Nearest one is 20 miles away. I won’t be rushing to one. We have a tearoom very close by with properly home made cakes and bakes, and I bet cheaper than Gail’s.

tillyandmilly · 03/10/2025 13:41

I won’t eat their cakes as they are all uncovered in the bakery and I see flies landing on them!

nowinetimeforme · 03/10/2025 13:42

MidnightPatrol · 28/02/2025 10:46

I live close to a Gail’s and its best feature is that it opens at about 6.30am, which is great when you have a small child and have been up since before dawn.

I wouldn’t consider it a destination location, it’s just another high street coffee shop IMO.

I live close to a Gail’s and its best feature is that it opens at about 6.30am, which is great when you have a small child and have been up since before dawn.

Yep!!! 😂

nowinetimeforme · 03/10/2025 13:46

I didn't realise there was a hype.

I used to go to the one in Highgate because (as PP has said) they are open early and I was desperate to get out the house with the baby.

I consider them a step up from Starbucks / Costa etc but by no means top tier coffee shops. The food is ok but overpriced, especially those tiny little two mouthful rolls they do... My 4 yo would need 2 to be full.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 03/10/2025 13:50

RosaMundi27 · 03/10/2025 13:11

I go to the one in Barnes regularly, the sandwiches are really good, the pastries also good. Coffee is acceptable, could be a bit more interesting. The eating area is pretty soulless but at least it's clean. Toilets are cleaned regularly. The staff are nice and helpful. What's not to like? Their bread is very good, particularly the seeded sourdough.
I know it's a pose to sneer at Gails, but for heaven's sake, it's just a bakery/coffee shop, doing a good job.

Happy to believe there is a decent Gail's in Barnes - but please don't suggest that anyone criticising Gail's is just 'sneering'. I have accurately described my experiences of the Beaconsfield one and would love it to be better as I'd still go there if it was

IesuGrist1975 · 03/10/2025 14:03

I like their Cinnamon Buns and the San Francisco Sourdough for home. They’re on the up in my area of London, we have 11 within a 5 mile radius and they’re ALWAYS busy. It’s not the best bakery ever (the best I’ve ever had is a tiny chain called St Hugo is SW wales) but it’s nice although so expensive.

It’s way nicer than Starbucks and Costa, what a ridiculous statement.