When your mum lives near a bakery crowned the best in Essex in 2023, it’s rude not to check it out, right?

Flour and Spoon began life in Leigh-on-Sea in 2018. They still have their Eastwood Road North store in the Essex seaside town. However, they moved to Chelmsford after the lease on their other premises expired.

Since opening in early November 2023, the pink-painted Baddow Road premises has proven popular…and having visited recently, we understand why.
 

 
You’ll see the shelves heaving with freshly baked bread from the road as you pass. Step through the door and you’ll spy even more delights that change by the day.
 

 
Their counters feature tantalising displays of cakes, flapjacks, brownies, scones, cookies and more. Look at those sausage rolls, too!
 

 
While we did buy treats to take away (I highly recommend the Viennese shells), we were there for lunch. As you’d expect, many of the dishes star the bakery’s own sourdough bread, crumpets, bagels and muffins. I was pleased to see a dedicated kids’ menu too.

It might not look like there’s much space from the outside. Upstairs, though, you’ll find a beautiful old timbered room with wonky floors and a cosy feel.
 

 
The food itself was just as beautiful as the setting. The kids’ “epic beans on toast” (£4.95) was enormous: a thick, chewy slice of toasted Flour and Spoon sourdough with plenty of garlic butter. On top, a hearty mix of cannellini, borlotti, black and kidney beans in a rich tomato sauce. I paid £1 extra to add Briddlesford Cheddar: well worth the money. Nice and mature, the team had crumbled rather than grated it for a more pronounced flavour.
 

 
Described as “the cheese lover’s dream”, the team had topped the triple mac and cheese (£13.25) with loads of the stuff. The mini tureen was packed with al dente pasta and plenty of the thick, rich sauce. The sourdough garlic bread (just look at those chunks of garlic on top!) was perfect for scooping up every last morsel.
 

 
Despite an alcohol-free night the night before, I couldn’t resist the lure of the hangover bagel (£9.95). The chewy, lightly toasted bagel itself was beautiful, stuffed with crisp smoked bacon and a great quality meaty sausage. It also included a perfectly fried egg with a lovely runny yolk, plus a generous smear of sweet caramelised onions. If I had been hungover, there’s no doubt that this would have perked me up.
 

 
There was absolutely no denying the quality of the food at Flour and Spoon in Chelmsford: it truly was a beautiful lunch. I’m glad I booked a table in advance via their website as the place got pretty busy – and I’m not surprised. If you do visit, just make sure you save space for cake…
 

The post You need to eat at this Chelmsford bakery… first appeared on Breaks and Bites.

The post You need to eat at this Chelmsford bakery… appeared first on Breaks and Bites.