Maison Bertaux on Greek Street: what to order and when to go

Some Soho doors are worth it for the food, some for the history, and a few for the peeling plaster and the piano. Maison Bertaux, 28 Greek Street, manages all three. It is a French pâtisserie and café at the southern end of Greek Street, past Old Compton Street, and it sits right next door to the Coach and Horses pub.

What it is

Time Out calls it a tiny 19th-century Soho institution that prides itself on being London's oldest French pâtisserie, and ranks it No. 13 in its list of the best bakeries in London. The same piece calls it quaint and "as far from corporate as can be", with memorabilia, peeling plaster and spangly swags, and service it describes as "endearingly chaotic". The Infatuation, reviewing it in December 2024, calls it a classic Soho bakery and café for a sweet treat or a buttery croissant, and talks of Marie Antoinette-style cakes and fancies.

The shop is small. There is a piano next to the till, and pavement seating sits under a blue-and-white striped awning. Upstairs is a tea room and gallery, which has shown work by Noel Fielding and members of Sigur Rós, and the shop also hosts the Maison Bertaux Theatre Club. Expect to squeeze in rather than sprawl.

A short history

It was founded in 1871 by a French Communard from Paris named Bertaux. Owner Michelle Wade has told Vice that the family fled France as Communards, that around 30,000 immigrants lived in this part of London at the time, and that the family lived upstairs and baked downstairs. Everything only started being made upstairs in 1948, and the old oven is still in the basement kitchen.

Wade began as a Saturday girl in the early 1970s, aged about 14, later studied at RADA, and bought the shop after Madame Vignaut said she was selling. Vice says she has owned it since the 1980s. She runs it with her sister Tania Wade, and both are actresses, which goes some way to explaining the theatre club and the soirées. Wikipedia notes that when the sisters took over, only one type of tea was served. It now serves twenty varieties.

In March 2020, during the Covid closure, it launched a crowdfunder. Time Out reported that it needed at least £1,250 a week to cover overheads. It came through, and is still on Greek Street.

What to order

• Éclairs: the Infatuation picks the hand-piped éclairs in nostalgic paper cases.
• Paris-Brest: the same guide praises a rich double-decker version.
• Croissant: supersized, buttery and slightly crisp, according to the Infatuation.
• Quiche: Time Out suggests starting with the cheese-stuffed quiche, then moving on to a pastry adventure of berry-studded, crème pât-laced cakes.
• Strawberry tarts and almond slices: both mentioned by Vice, which also notes loose-leaf tea or carefully made coffee to go with them.

Look in the window before you decide: Cool Places lists éclairs, cream horns, fruit tarts, profiteroles and marzipan figs on display. A pot of tea was listed at £3.90 by Spotted by Locals in early 2026. Reviewers on Tripadvisor describe it as pricey, and one reported paying £25 for two cakes and a large pot of tea, so budget accordingly.

When to go

The room is tiny, and reviewers mention being squashed when it is busy. The sensible plan is to avoid lunchtime and weekend peaks and go on a weekday morning, when there is more room to look at the counter and choose. Quiche makes it workable for a light lunch too. Listings for opening hours differ, so check the café's own website or phone 020 7437 6007 before a special trip. It is open daily, from morning.

There is no booking system that we can point you to. Treat it as walk-in, counter service with a vitrine to peer into. Tickets are only sold for the occasional events: a Maison Bertaux Soirée of readings was held in January 2026, at £10 a ticket.

Getting there

Tottenham Court Road station is about 300 metres away, and Leicester Square is also close.

For after

Next door at 29 Greek Street is the Coach and Horses, a famous Soho pub. Once the cakes are done, it is the obvious next stop. Also on Greek Street, at number 25, is the Three Greyhounds pub. Check opening times before you commit to either.

Read more: Time Out's best bakeries in London, the Infatuation review and Vice on the history.