Hart & Lova

Love this place. We walked down every morning to plan our day in London. Friendly and comfortable. Amazing almond croissant and the type of coffee I was looking for in Europe.

Hart & Lova is one of those bakery cafes that people dream of living near. It’s just the perfect strolling distance so it’s ideal for lazy Saturday croissant breakfasts, but not so near that the coffee and croissant habit becomes a daily habit. Although with pastries the size of your face it’s well worth the trip.
If you can grab a table, do (it’s quiet on weekday afternoons until the local schools send the kids home) or just get yourself a takeaway hot chocolate and a brilliant, brilliant cake. I wasn’t completely fussed by the soup, but every cake from here has been incredible. The staffare so lovely that I always seem to stay longer than planned.
This is a real treat for Kilburn, long may it stay my local.

Cute shop! I got the dark chocolate cake and it was everything a cake should be: rich and somewhat firm, with a lovely icing. There’s a nice assortment of other pastries and breads on display. I would return if I lived in the area!

Looking for tasty breads and sweet bites with a nice cup of coffee in Kilburn? You definitely want to go to Hart & Lova Bakery.
So far, Kilburn was not the place where I considered going to buy artisan bread or drink a decent cup of coffee. Now, after I’ve realised that Hart & Lova Bakery opened on Belsize Road, just a minute from the Kilburn High Road Overground station, this might change. I wonder what took me so long to discover this place.
The shop is beautiful and light with a warm atmosphere. The wooden tables just add to the cosyness.
The staff are very friendly and helpful when, like me, you cannot always decide instantly which of the things you would probably like most. The simple answer might be, that you should come often enough and try it all. It’s also great to see that the actual baker is present in the shop.
I really enjoyed my pain au chocolate. It tasted lovely and everything about it was just right. However, I must admit that I was a little bit disappointed by the raspberry fudge, as I had been hoping for a stronger raspberry flavour.
Hart & Lova Bakery uses Monmouth coffee, a good choice, and my flat white looked beautiful. Unfortunately, I thought it was not quite strong enough, it seemed somewhere between a flat white and a latte. Still perhaps the best in the area.
Hart & Lova Bakery should surely be one of the most delicious bakeries in Kilburn. While not everything is absolutely perfect, I am more than happy to go there again and check out some of their other sweet delights and savoury breads.

Went there to grab cake and was told it was take-​out only even though they were still open. Cakes were good but not great. Would stop by for tea and cake if I was in the area but wouldn’t make a special trip otherwise.

I love Kilburn but what it is (was) missing are nice cafes and bakeries because café Nero and Greggs don’t count.
Hart & Lova is just what I was hoping for when I moved back to the area. I’ve been popping in on the weekends to pick up a fresh, still warm, loaf of sourdough — nothing beats it! Stopped in properly once for a decent coffee and an amazing salted caramel and pecan tart with a very thin perfect pastry to maximise caramel goodness.
A couple of things weren’t quite as spectacular, and maybe the guys there could smile, but I’ll forgive that for how lovely everything else was.

It took me a while to come around, because my first test of a bakery is a pain au chocolat, and to be honest, it didn’t impress me – a bit bready for my taste.
However, the tarts are the best I’ve had anywhere. They’re perfect to bring over to a friend’s place… or my own! The pastry crust is just right, and the flavours are complex and not overly sweetened. They’re more expensive than pastries out of the supermaket case, but seriously, there’s not even a comparison on quality. I’m still exploring their menu as I give myself the allowance to splurge.
My other guilty pleasure is their croissant «croutons». Beware, I’ve eaten a whole bag in a sitting, and you may well too!
Update based on later visits: quiches are tasty, especially warmed up. Tried their apple tart (strudel-​style) and carrot cake; both too sweet for my taste. I also finally sat in during the day on a weekday, and the service was wonderfully proactive. Great atmosphere for a bit of short coffeeshop working. There are signs politely asking to limit wifi use to two hours.

Went here as a friend lives nearby. Was recommended as she loves the bakery here. Was greatly disappointed with the coffee as they did have Soya Milk but didnt make it properly as it curdled in the coffee, never experienced this before anywhere so was greatly disappointed. Also found that the prices were quite reasonable. Will not come back for Coffee but maybe for the cake, as heard great things about it.