FORNO in Hackney

I had my 30th birthday party, and it was absolutely incredible - couldn’t have been better. The space had a v sexy ~cool~ vibe, with epic red lighting - we brought our own decks and had dancing after a meal until 1.45am. The food from sister restaurant Ombra was genuinely incredible, and staff were an absolute joy. Would 1000% recommend.

I love this little cosy Italian bakery under the arches! The food is simply amazing: proper Italian thick pizza, focaccia, maritozzi, and more. They also have new sandwiches all the time, including veggie options. A great spot for weekend brunch.

His family is really nice Although it’s quite sweet, I didn’t buy the classic cream bun The rest of his food is also delicious. Basically, you don’t have to worry about choosing, just buy whichever one looks good. No thunder, especially the puffs with sauce inside I was hooked at first sight, I like it very much, but the location is too far away. If you need to make a separate trip here, it is more worthwhile to buy more categories.

Asked for a paper bag to take away the unfinished bread and the big guy at the kitchen was incredibly rude. Reply to the owner: bud I asked politely for a paper bag away from your kitchen top and take a look at your reaction. If you are really that into hygiene, perhaps dont leave all cutleries in a communal box and let clients grab them themselves. You dont know if their hands are clean or dirty. I never use your cutleries cos I find the way you leave them there is deeply gross. Also look back to some of the old reviews, you do have issues with a lot of Asian clients don’t you? You’ve got such a big ego and it’s never your fault isn’t it ☺️? Perhaps spend the time working on your manners a bit instead of making up craps about your clients 🤓 can only give you one star cos zero isn’t available And namaste to you too 🫶

Just incredible people and pastry. Do yourself a favor and go here.

Good vibes - lemon bun is beautiful, the tiramisu is a bit dry and bland though

I think this is going to become one of my favourite cafes in London. Sering up delicious Italian pastries and great coffees. You can see the bread and dough and croissants all being made down the end as the design is like an open bunker. Great staff and such a nice place to sit and chat. Definitely try the almond and jam cornetto... so good. And the cappuccino was amazing also.

For sure,One of the Best Bakery in London,love to see workers close to sitting table,it's a unique feelings, guys doing things properly,a mix between french patisserie and italian pastry, perfect combo guys

Really liked the pastries and coffee

Excellent coffee and giant bun filled with gianduia cream. Delicious. Quiet but good.

Great little place. The pastries are good but the cream bun is the best tasting thing. Nice to sit if you can get a table too. Nice staff.

Some good some bad bakery. I'm just very picky I guess :p

Chilled out on weekdays…baking was mind blowing…totally worth the hype. …Here’s looking at you Joe Ankur

Overpriced pistachio pain au chocolat. Too rich. Music too loud at 8am on Sunday. No savoury options available

Lovely pastry and coffee - I opted for the peach danish crumble. Cashier was friendly and seating was nice and cozy! Good selection of Italian cupboard essentials on offer to purchase too. Dogs are permitted here which is great!

Hackney really is the hub for trendy bakeries, and Forno feels like one of London’s OG spots. Their signature Maritozzo is famous—if you go late, they’re usually sold out. Last time I went just before closing and only found two pieces of pizza left 🥹. This time, I visited on a Sunday afternoon at 2 PM, and luckily, they had plenty of those plump Maritozzo. The place was buzzing with people. Couldn’t resist and ended up ordering a bunch of small pastries 😝. 💛 Maritozzo The signature item—everyone leaves with one! Filled with fluffy cream, slightly sweet, with a buttery bun. It’s delicious, but after a few bites, it can feel a bit heavy. 💛 Sfogliatella This scallop-shaped Italian pastry has a crispy, flaky crust and a sweet filling. The texture is so satisfying—loved it! 💛 Chocolate Brioche & Custard Bun Nothing too special. The chocolate brioche had a rich, not-too-sweet filling. 💛 Fried Tomato Fritter A bit greasy, and the tomato sauce was a bit tangy. 💛 Sandwiches and pizza Pick anything—it’s all tasty!

I went for a quick pizza for dinner and I was truly surprised. All the ingredients were good, but the bread base of the pizza, in particular, was truly awesome. I would recommend this place to anyone! For italian people [as an Italian]: it's just really important not to expect restaurant style italian pizza, but get there to try their own, wonderful, style. You'll be amazed. I'd expect the same with other baked products I haven't tried (yet). It's different, it's shockingly good

Super over priced They really don’t know how a croissant, or real well baked food taste 8£ for a pistachio croissant ( pistachio quantity was soo little) and espresso that taste like rotten fish Atmosphere is cool though, that was deceptive

Booked mark this bakery long long time and finally got chance to try. Their mocha was very nice and also tried gianduja and bun.

Very enjoyable eat in bakery. Freshly made focaccia sandwiches, square pizzas and pastries, good coffee too. All for a reasonable price and serving time

Fantastic, no fuss, I can’t wait to go back. Delicious sausage roll!

The cream buns at Forno are just amazing. We also had the special pizza which was lovely base but could have had more toppings. The coffee is consistently amazing and rich. My partner always had sugar didn’t even have to have sugar

Been going to get a mocha and sometimes a pastry for a year now, the experience everytime has been great customer service, insanely good pastries, amazing coffee and just a staff full of genuinely nice people who I hope don't get fed up of me going there nearly everyday 😂.

Such a shame there’s no vegan pastries in 2024. You don’t need animals to make good food

I wasn’t hungry but I was nearby and I’ve been wanting to try FORNO for ages. I got, possibly, the most filling item I could have ordered (cherry and ricotta bun) and happily finished the whole thing.

Boring, overpriced tailored to people taking photos for instagram rather than actually enjoying whatever it is they serve there

The location is just average and overhyped. It's worth stopping by if you happen to be in the area, but overall, I think it could be better considering the price. The coffee is good, and the friendliness of the staff varies depending on the day. The chairs are uncomfortable.

Best bread I've had in a while! The ciabatta sandwich was amazing. Also enjoyed the apricot tart. Flavour was good, presentation was superb.

Skip the ice cream. Get the cream hot dog.

One of the few places that make proper Italian pastries .. they are all so good. I ordered a coffee and it was ok, not the best! It was too acidic despite it being espresso and the milk was too hot. Pastries are 10/10

Special croissants and Venetian blinds! Very very nice place!

The MOST BEAUTIFUL baked goods and breads I’ve ever seen. Randomly stumbled into Forno and was stunned at how incredible the focaccia looked, and also how cool it was to see the bakers working in the back. Loved the atmosphere and can’t wait to come back and try everything.

The ambience alone is worth a visit! In an old, small factory hall you can watch the team baking and enjoy the really tasty and fresh delicacies.

A little disappointing as I’d heard good things. Food was tainted by atmosphere & staff unfortunately.

authentic italian pastries. favourite italian bakery in london

Nice overpriced focaccia etc sandwiches like every other similar place in London. The kitchen/production area is open and you can see everyone working at the back - looks really clean and tidy so kudos for that. The service was fine although I happened to be behind an 'influencer' and her camera person that wanted to have a chat with the staff and get all the angles right... I mean, get your macha and your croissant and f off, there are 5 people waiting behind you.

Went here on a Sunday morning, great selection of pastries, very quiet and pleasant to sit in and enjoy the delights and a coffee. Nice open view of the bakery and staff were helpful and pleasant. Overall excellent experience with a bunch of pastries we also had for takeaway. Lots of space for seating indoors and a small outdoor area. Everything looks tasty and everything we had was very tasty....so I'd recommend trying whatever you can!

Coffee was tasty and staff was super friendly! I'll be back for the pastries 🤤

Cutest industrial cafe tucked at a corner

Forno, worth the hype. I love the Veneziana and your sandwiches are so full of taste. Thank you x

YUM, this pastry shop was a must for me on my list in London. The maritozzo is heavenly— light, fluffy, and a bit decadent. Wish I could go back and have more.

I got there late. It’s a shame that I didn’t eat the maritozzo, but sill have great pastries and worthy to go

Came for the maritozzi, but returned for the veneziana buns. Flat whites with oatmilk were fantastic. We tried a lot of bakeries on our visit to London, but this was our favorite because of the softness, freshness, and flavor of the buns and the high quality ingredients.

Tried a range of Italian pastries, including pistachio crossiant. Myself and my Italian friend both felt they lacked depth of flavour and a bit disappointing given the prices. I would return but maybe to have a focaccia sandwich or something. Love the location, very cute and minimal, you can see them making passteries at the back, which is also cool. Service is also good, no issues minus it was all OK...

I went there to watch the Italy game and I found a little gem. Amazing supplì and focaccias. Definetly will be back.

my go to in London when i miss Italy.

Quality pastries, nice environment, reasonably priced for London! Cornetto ala crema was 🙌🏼

Got the gianduja was lovely. The staff at the till were so helpful with letting us know what was in each bakery item, will definitely be back earlier in the day to get some fresher bakes

Nice coffee and pastries! Staff was a bit slow but overall nice atmosphere and would recommend.

Vegetarian sandwich was honestly the best sandwich I've ever had. Genuinely confused why people aren't posting more about the savory items here. The rosemary focaccia is chewy, oily, and airy matched with tangy tomato pesto, crunchy thinly sliced zucchini, fresh Rucola, a hard Italian cheese makes for a satisfying crunchy oily sandwich dream. The iconic maritozzo was of course phenomenal, but I would come back for the savory. Also, cool music. These folks know what's up.

Great coffee and pastry, friendly staff

Great place if you want to eat authentic Italian food like in Rome. I really enjoyed my breakfast there. Pastries and coffee were really good. Friendly staff and impeccable service. Very recommended!

Service is terrible staff attitude diabolical which is a shame wanted to book for event but I went elsewhere

A warm, brioche bun is found. It’s tender crumb, within its folds Black Sesame paste. A burst of tart sweet Raspberry jam, the seed stuck in the teeth. Flat white, serene and pure; random anthurium magnificum a botanical treasure. Joy beyond measure. You are lucky if you get to try the Maritozzo. I could never catch them.

Loved their toasties and pistachio croissants. Their focacciaa are also good but I wish they made them fresh because they were a bit soggy!

After hearing so much about Forno Bakery, I had to see if it was worth the hype. When I arrived in the morning the bakery was as very quiet, I went for a pistachio croissant and a latte, my original plan was to try the popular Maritozzo, but they weren’t ready yet. Luckily I managed to grab one later. (Prices 4£-£4,50 per pastry) There is lots of seating space inside, it’s an open space and you can even see the pastries and bread being prepared. Both pastries, the pistachio croissant and then maritozzo, were delicious. The croissant was flaky and the pistachio cream generous. The maritozzo, was worth the wait! The cream and the brioche a perfect indulgent combination. My latte was also very nice. This place is definitely worth the hype! Highly recommend!

I love forno! The cornetto alla crema (custard croissant) is so nice, it's what I miss most from Italy, and their custard is worth a trip. Everything they have is nice and fresh, and the staff is lovely as well, especially a Spanish lady who always makes me feel welcome! It's on the expensive side, but like most of London bakeries. Highly recommended!

Not too sure what all the hype is about though. I was expecting the coffee to be a lot better. The pastries are quite good though.

Been seeing so many promotions of this place on Instagram and I had been wanting to try this place for the longest time so I was really happy I finally got to try it out myself and must say this has easily become one of top 10 bakeries in London! I ordered 5 pastries but actually only got 4 probably because the staff there got confused and also partly my fault because I didn't count the paper bags before leaving and by the time I realised I was already far away from the bakery so I just accepted that I wouldn't be able to try the veneziana although this is also the perfect reason for me to go back soon! I got here just before 12noon and there's already a small queue and a lot of people enjoying themselves outside although inside was pretty empty as it's a sunny day. I got the Cornetto alla crema and pistachio, pistachio pain Suisse and lemon curd bun. Everything was literally 10/10 apart from the pain suisse - it's branded pistachio but the pistachio to chocolate ratio was more like 20/80 so that was a let down. Nonetheless the dough was absolutely top-notch - flaky, airy, light and fluffy. I had the most amazing time enjoying the two cornettos and lemon curd bun, they were fantastic. This place is totally worth the hype and if you are still hesitating hopefully this review will help you decide and plan a trip to the bakery asap! Staff were friendly and approachable and quick to pack my pastries in different paper bags to avoid the fillings from mixing with each other. Next time I would like to try the other menu items and have them there to enjoy with some coffee.

Went late at the weekend so nothing but Pain Au chocolat or a tiny lemon bun left. £4.50 for tiny bun but it was lovely. Bathrooms were clean. Bakery section looked very hygienic for something under the arches. Would come again.

Best coffee and patisserie in London! Simple food with good taste!

The coffee was good. They only have full cream milk! Croissants was airy and light. It is dark bcuz they glaze it with sweet glaze I believe Was the glaze good choice? Personally, I didn’t like it bcuz I felt like eating croissants dusted with powdered sugar. Anyways, it was one of the airiest and lightest pastries I consumed. They sell some deli items. The atmosphere isn’t the greatest.

Charging 30p for oat milk in 2024 is still painful in London. Delicious place for breakfast, and plenty of seating available. The waitress could have been chirpier and happier. The blonde server was clueless when it came to describing the recently put out pastries. I really think all staff should be made aware and kept up to date on all pastries they are selling. Especially when they are on average 5£ a pastry.

Awesome team, never ever fails to amaze with taste, quality and variety. Nice / chill atmosphere, great location, great with kids. One of my regular spots and most times when I make it I go twice in the morning for breakfast and back for pizza/sandos

Best sandwiches in East London, lovely pastries too!

I only know two things about this place: The best sourdough in London, hands down. The people who make this are geniuses. The Italian cream buns, called a maritozzo (pl. maritozzi) are soft, full to the brim with fresh cream and an absolute treat. Don’t ask me about anything else but these two are easily worth the visit alone.

Lovely Bakery. My friend had this place on his to go bakery list. My favourite was the almond croissant, which i forgot the exact name. We wanted something savoury but it wasn't ready at the time.

We were here initially for their Maritozzo but had sold out—we decided to get their limited bake, i believe the name was Ricotta something. Forgot to take the picture of it but we were really amazed by it. Delicious hand-sized bread filled with cheese and a dash of chocolate

Beautiful pastries 🍰 and lovely Manager and staff. Well worth a visit for an ice coffee too!

This is a restaurant under the train tracks. It sells different types of baked bread made by them. Their location is right on the side of the road. Their door number may be small and you won't find it, but they are orange. The signboard is so big that you can see it from a distance. Because it was a holiday, I saw many people coming to take out bread and coffee. We originally wanted to take out, but when we saw there were seats, we were attracted by the food, so we dine in. We tried their chocolate bread and cheese ham. The bread tastes very good, definitely worth trying. The price of their bread is also relatively cheap. It is definitely a cost-effective bakery and worth recommending. They also have restrooms, but they have to go through their open kitchen. If you can't find it, you can ask their clerks. Their clerks are very polite. We will come here again and buy their bread.

If you're like me and don't want to queue for food. I went on Sunday Morning (8:30am) no waiting in line! Lovely baked goods, extremely flakey and buttery. The Cornetto crossaint was just amazing.

Honestly too overrated! Just the maritozzo deserves a trip.

Finally managed to get around to this place, visited on a weekday for takeaway, really nice pastries and great coffee! 4 pastries and 2 coffees £24 which is actually not bad in this day and age

Such a cute and rustic bakery. One of my favourites in London. Really enjoyed the sausage roll and maritozzi. The coffee was also good too.

The bread loaf is excellent. The other pizza/pastries offerings are OK but nothing special. It’s really just an hipster place, with its overpriced food (especially pantry stocks!) and raw decor. Would return for bread though.

Just wish they let you use laptops more often, would be a great study/work spot. Obviously quite a popular spot, so laptop/staying for awhile not encouraged.

The maritozzi that launched a thousand lime bikes

Great coffee and sandwich, nice little outdoor bit to sit in the sun

As an Italian I cannot give a higher score: - Very buttery and not very crunchy croissants. -Cappucino not the classic Italian - Maritozzzo the cream was good but it wasn't soft - I forgot £18, an exaggerated price in terms of quality/price ratio

Forno is a true gem in the world of coffee shops! From the moment you walk in, you're greeted by a cozy and inviting atmosphere that sets the stage for a memorable experience. Their lemon bun is a true delight, boasting a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess that leaves you craving more with every bite.And let's not forget about their Cortado coffee—it's absolutely wonderful! The richness of the espresso paired with perfectly steamed milk creates a velvety-smooth texture that's simply irresistible.While I missed out on trying the Marritozo, which was unfortunately sold out, it's definitely on my list for next time. With such fantastic offerings and warm hospitality, Forno has earned every bit of its five-star rating. Can't wait to come back for more!

Hands down the best almond croissant in de world. Super tasteful and generously sized. Very friendly service too

Outrageously expensive, but also incredibly tasty! Expect a long queue, and plenty of parents letting their wealthy children run around; but honestly? The pastries are worth it

The BEST pastry I had in as long as I can remember! The cornetto alla crema? YUM! I was in London for 10 days, went to a lot of places, tried many things, but this was top of the list! I will definitely come back and have already recommended it to others. Ps. Wasn’t busy when I got there, it did get busier later and has a lot of traffic but it wasn’t overwhelming. You can sit, relax, and not feel rushed. Wish they had some vegan options too.

I ate one of the best pizzas I've ever had in my life here. Also, coffee is very good and they serve it in lovely stoneware ceramic mugs. I loved everything about Forno!

We did our own bakery walking tour and Forno was on the path. Therefore, bc we were experiencing a few bakeries in one go, our expectations were high. Forno won for service and offers a really nice eating environment (we sat out front), but not as good as others nearby. The pastries were good - not extraordinary, but the tea cups were sweet. Like all British setups for beverages: small cups. Small drinks (even the teapots themselves are small at Forno) and a weird look if you ask for a second steep of the leaves (shouldn’t that be an obvious request?). Like other spots in the area, Forno is tucked under the bridge arch. Be aware it is on a corner behind shops on a busy street. We passed it and had to loop back.

Popped in on a Friday morning to pick up some pastries to go. Busy and friendly vibes inside the bakery/cafe. We had the maritozzo and a gianduja bun. Both were incredibly light and delicious. Worth the trip for sure.

I waited for 20mins to order, it's such a popular spot! Perhaps because of this, I had high expectations, but I was ultimately a bit disappointed with the taste.. Veneziana and flat white were decent, but I wouldn't recommend tiramisu...It was overly creamy🥲

Best bakery ever. Staff are so beautiful, friendly and good at their jobs. Makes my day and feels like a real treat every time I go to Forno.

Lovely bakery with a delicious selection of buns and pastries, staff are all super friendly and there’s plenty of seats to sit and chill

Price is at a higher end - 3 pastries for £15 but very well worth it

Cosy inside sitting area but so busy, even on weekdays . The sitting outside is nice too. Pastries are average though. We tried the custard filled in cream, their speciality, pizza and croissant. Croissant was the best cortado was 10/10

Wish for more savoury pastries because most of they pastries is sweet. There was a queue outside on Sunday afternoon but the line was pretty fast. Ordered the maritozzi and sausage roll. Maritozzi pretty good not too sweet. Sausage roll is good but way too oily. Taste pretty normal but worth trying. They have open concept kitchen which is pretty cool you can see the staff making the pastries from the dinning area. They also have good coffee.

Nice Italian bakery. The pizza is large and has a flavourful crust and nice sauce. The slice could have been warmed a bit longer since it was a bit lukewarm after being in the oven for only a few minutes.

Looks tempting and nice, taste average so I feel all pastries are a bit overpriced. I expected something that makes me wanna come back again just for their creation. Unfortunately, overall it's just average. (£14.5 for 3 pastries) Seat-in area was very busy, bit like pub. If you want some quiet coffee time, maybe come weekdays...

I ordered one maritozzo and one gianduia bun. They obviously taste great and much better than many local bakeries. I would say it's pricey, but it's Hackney! Overall, I wouldn't trust the influencers on Instagram. I mean, the maritozzo was really nice, but nothing more than any maritozzo you would have in South Italy. One more thing is, I read they were £4 each but I ended up paying £9.50 total, not sure why. I will surely go back but this can be a once in while treat! 😍

Great croissant with cream...very nice...

Nice bakery! They have great coffee and a wide variety of tasty pastries. It gets really busy, especially at weekends.

Nice place to stop for a coffee, cute crockery. I like the different uses of railway arches. The staff are always nice and the lemon curd bun is great.

We came two days in a row. So good we couldn't stay away. Delicious 😋🤤

Pastry and coffee was high quality and delicious