The 11 best cake shops and cake bakeries in Hitchin

This is the place to be if you like cakes, pastries and ice cream. Simmons is a cafe and bakery in the city center. The place with waiter service. There is seating inside and outside. The display fridges were loaded with beautiful cakes, sold by the slice. There is a selection of muffins, cookies, and breakfast pastries. The head is spinning from the beauty of the display and the quantity. You can sit here for coffee and pastry, or eat ice cream on a hot day. Those who are hungry will be able to find a delicious sandwich of their choice. You can also take home cakes, breads and more.

This bakery and coffee shop is a wonderful spot to relax and enjoy a warm, comforting meal. The ambiance is cozy and inviting, with wooden accents and a well-lit, modern interior. The display of freshly baked goods immediately catches your eye, making it hard to resist ordering a little extra. The coffee is rich and well-balanced, served in classic white cups that add to the experience. The toast, paired with Bonne Maman jam, is perfectly golden and crisp, making for a simple yet satisfying breakfast. The menu offers a great selection of fresh pastries, breads, and hot drinks, ideal for a casual morning or afternoon break. That said, the prices are on the higher side, especially for what are fairly simple dishes. While the quality is good, it may not be the best value for money compared to other cafés in the area.

Good food and lovely staff, but service takes such a long time around lunch. I completely appreciate it is the peak time and food is generally freshly prepared, but in a short lunch break it’s enough to put me off spending my money there. Waited nearly 20 minutes to be served today. No criticism on staff or produce, just maybe something that could be improved.

Lovely popular place to have lunch. You can order on the app and eat in or take away. Nice high street location, with a good selection of fresh and tasty hot and cold food.

If there’s an award for the worst customer service in Letchworth, Simmons Bakers would win hands down. Today, nine of us stood in a hot, cramped queue while four members of staff fawned over just three sit-down customers – two eating, one drinking coffee. We were completely ignored, except for being told not to block the doorway. The irony? There was nowhere else to stand, and serving us would have solved the “problem” instantly. After ten minutes (and with 14 people now queuing), one staff member finally ambled over. No “sorry for the wait,” just a “Next.” This is not a one-off occurrence – this is how Simmons operates. Walk-in customers are treated as second-class, despite often spending far more than café customers. The person ahead of me spent nearly £30 while I spent £9 (and that was just two of us), and this is the thanks we get. I’ve put up with this nonsense for over five years, but never again. With Morrisons’ bakery just around the corner offering equal quality and actual manners, there’s no reason to endure Simmons’ crappy service. Unless you enjoy long queues, stifling heat, and being treated like an inconvenience, avoid this place.

Four staff, a couple of café customers, and a dozen of us queuing patiently at the bread counter in a hot shop. For over ten minutes, walk-in customers were left waiting while seated patrons were attended to first (I saw two staff members making one coffee!) No acknowledgement until service finally began, by which time the queue had grown to 15 people. I’ve experienced this approach several times over the years from Simmons, and it always leaves the impression that bakery customers just aren’t a priority. The bread is good, but the service could be far better and a great deal more attentive. Why Simmons doesn't have a dedicated staff member for just the bread counter is beyond me.

Lovely food but ridiculous prices 10.75 for coffee an sandwich .I think they should do a meal deal or cheap day for us poorer folk .won't be coming again ,shame really as best sausage bap in town

The Cake Hole made a fantastic birthday cake for my daughter’s 30th birthday. They created the design with just my ideas which turned out to be absolutely amazing! The cake was beautifully decorated and the sponge was light and fluffy and the icing was delicious! I would highly recommend this business, they are incredible!

The Cake Hole made our dream wedding cake! The 3-tier cake with Vanilla, Biscoff, and Lemon Drizzle flavours was delicious, and the design was exactly as we imagined. The delivery was prompt and hassle-free. The vegan cupcakes were also a hit! Highly recommend The Cake Hole for any special occasion!

Commissioned Colin for a wedding cake following a family recommendation. As part of this, we requested a wedding topper to include figurines of me, my wife and our cat which we thought would be fun. My wife agreed the price with Colin, understandably wedding cakes are expensive but £590 suggests a good quality product. We paid £50 deposit, however when it came to paying the balance we were a sent an invoice for the full amount again, assuming this was a mistake my wife challenged this however Colin was very awkward about this before eventually agreeing to charge us the original agreed amount. Come our wedding day, upon seeing the wedding topper on the cake, we were both very disappointed with the lack of effort Colin took with the figurines which honestly looked like a child had made them, luckily we’d received an early family gift which was small plastic figurines of all three of us which fitted perfectly on top of the cake so we removed Colin’s effort with this. Like I mentioned we had direct family which have been happy with Colin’s service so not sure what happened here but I couldn’t recommend him following this experience, particularly for something as important as a wedding.

Elderly lady at counter needs some lessons in manners and customer service. Unnecessarily rude to customers. If you serve cupcakes in big boxes then at least have big bags available. It’s not rocket science! The gentleman that was serving was polite but the treatment from this lady will never make me want to return. I would avoid this store at all cost, cheap tasting cupcakes and rude service. Who wants to give that my money, when there are better cake shops In the area with much better service.

The cake for my Mum's 95th birthday party was perfect! It was exactly what I wanted - number cakes 9 and 5 one in lemon and the other in chocolate. Both cakes were delicious - moist and tasty. I asked for pretty decoration and it certainly was a very beautiful cake, and the icing of the birthday greeting was done immaculately. Everyone at the party (adults and children) loved it and there were calls for seconds even after a full meal. The price was very fair and the cake was delivered direct to the venue of the party which saved a lot of bother. The cake box scrupulously noted all allergens. Service in the lovely little shop in the centre of Hitchin was friendly and efficient. I'm not from the area and it always feels like a bit of a risk to make an important purchase in an unknown shop, so I was delighted with the result. I couldn't be happier. Highly recommended.

Stopped of here today as I was out for lunch and I’m so glad I did, I bought 6 cupcakes and me my wife and children loved them, very moist sponge and great flavour icing, the lady was polite will definitely be going again just to try all the different chocolates. Thanks.

Shop itself looks lovely but the service not so much. The lady in the shop is rude and unpleasant! Why behave that way towards a customer? To think I’ve wasted £25 on ordinary cupcakes with rude service. Never retuning again!!

Cute little café in a nice area with friendly staff. Not too many vegan food options, the one we had was nice although quite sweet. The hot decaf latte was better than average, only the Iced latte could’ve been a little more aromatic and a little less acidic aftertaste.

Best coffee in Hitchin, this is what they say. And it is. Very flavoured and well served. Hot and tasty. With two small tables outside and big space inside with tables. Good service, clean place and very close to the town centre.

Truly the best coffee in Hitchin! I have lived here for years and always find myself coming back here. High quality products and amazing ingredients, all made with love and the staff are super friendly and caring. The atmosphere is stunning, beautiful design and very peaceful. No idea why more people don’t come here. They are missing out!

Very nice coffee , lovely staff , nice atmosphere Just a place to have a seat and relax

By far my favourite coffee (cappuccino) out of anywhere I've been. There are good cake choices for vegans and also Gluten Free options. Nice relaxed cosy atmosphere. Staff always very friendly and welcoming.

Tucked away just off the market square Hitchin Coffee Lab undoubtedly is worth a visit. Welcomed by a very friendly girl who made me a very smooth flat white. They also sell their coffee which is roasted in Hertfordshire.

Recently got into coffee, I wanted to try something different but I wasn't sure what, the Coffee Lab were so helpful and knowledgeable it made buying coffee easy! Also the quality of coffee is incredible! I will be back!!!!

Would highly recommend, we visit every week for the bread, it's the only bread we buy. Of course those the sweet treats and pastries are irresistible too. As for the staff, they are wonderful. Nothing is ever too much for them and they are always friendly, chatty and welcoming.

A family artisan baker offering a unique kind of service. There is a wide array of whats on offer from rustic loaves, pastries, cakes and the regular staples. The customer service is ever so friendly nothing is too much trouble.

Had a delish lunch here today, bought myself a steak roll. Reasonably priced, and a must have. Go give them a try, and the staff are friendly :-)

This is now a full family favorite. 🤩. After picking up bread and Petit Oain my grandson and I enjoyed a croissant together at the shop. Thank you.

Just delicious! Freshly baked bread and pastries, nice coffee and very reasonably priced. Thoroughly recommend the chocolate & almond croissant and the sausage roll

From yesterday, this is my favourite bakery. Fresh products baked and served with love. Variety and good prices. They sell bread, mini pizza, quiche Lorraine and more. I will be back soon for sure.

Popped in and got a brownie and cheese loaf. Best brownie I’ve ever had! Will be coming back to get more

Can certainly recommend this shop. It has that old world English charm in Hitchin. Shop is laid out well and accessible with a wonderful outdoor plant section. Some with discounts. Well worth a visit.

Like most Waitroses, very good staff, great goods, I especially like the cafe but service is very slow, due to not enough staff for lunch time. Often only one person serving. You can be waiting for 10 mins or more with only one serving others making food and for anyone not too good with standing a long time this can be a real effort. Once you get served food, coffee very good.

This store is for people with more money than sense to be honest. It a shop for the elderly looking for a microwave meal and some grapes. Overpriced, quality isn't as good as non British supermarkets. The vegetables are tiny in comparison. Conformist and generally boring place to visit.

BIG UPPP to the personal shoppers here. I was very pleasantly surprised with my order. Got it spot on, listened to my replacements & also put in a little something extra. Incredible service ✅

Third visit, this time the pulled pork burger and a pint of Guinness. All very good, upgraded to sweet potato fries too. All served promptly by friendly staff.

Great selection of products ... unfortunately the manager on the day I last attended was rude & interfering . She didn't leave a good impression on the staff I was having a simple conversation with or myself ...

Good selection of wine. Excellent 25% multi bottle discount on purchase.

Excellent cafe at the corner, service is great and staff are very attentive and helpful. I love the atmosphere. Even it was cold but like to sit out and have a cup of coffee. They offering fresh baker which is mouthwatering. Recommend this place so if you around, try it yourself.

Lovely little bakery. Can can busy in weekend. Few seating places outside. Fantastic basked good. It was hard to choose but pistachio croissant was the winner and was great.

Been coming to this place for a while now, mainly for a treat breakfast bap in mornings, which I generally cannot fault. Staff are generally good natured and chatty, though a few who are still waking up in the morning which is fine. The main reason for the 3 stars, is i thought id get an oat milk flat white with my breakfast bap today, instead of going to a different place. Sadly, it was pretty aweful. I dont' know if the Oat milk was off (often people think it lasts for ever, but after about 1-2 weeks it goes sour), or what, but, yea, very bad, not drinkable.

Our server was Jane. Her enthusiasm for her job was very much appreciated. I found out that tipping is not allowed. What a shame. Someone that works hard like Jane should be rewarded and recognized. We live in a time that we often find employees not giving their all. Jane was certainly a breath of fresh air. Thanks again kind lady Regards, Steve Zanmiller St Paul, Minnesota

Every time I visit Hitchin, I visit the bakery! Always busy, for good reason. Everything is really good. Try, you won't be disappointed.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Price For Food: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall the price of the food/drinks at Simmons Bakery is very good. The overall prices of the products are reasonable in regards to portion sizes and quality. I am aware that this specific Bakery is very desirable within the Hitchin area. Speed of Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ On this particular day the speed of service was fairly average. There was multiple members of staff on shift but the line never seemed to really end. Time between joining the line and walking out the door with my product was around 10-15 mintues. Although I am not sure if this is down to customers ordering huge quantities and awkward products. Food Quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall quality of my food was extremely good! All the products I purchased were top quality and extremely flavourful. As this is my first experience here I can assure you I will be returning. Restaraunt Cleanliness: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The overall cleanliness of the bakery was very good. A COVID secure business. However due to the high quantity of customers there was some general mess but I’m sure this would have been amended when it died down. AOB- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The outside building and colour scheme for the bakery is extremely aesthetically pleasing. It’s well maintained and suits the rest of the feel and atmosphere within Hitchin town centre.

Very racist, the large white lady with glasses and short brown hair was very unhelpful and fed up, unapproachable. We accidentally forgot one of our pastries and sat outside and she did not give it to us until we asked. Personally, i think she did not like brown people.

Sausage rolls not thoroughly cooked. Pastry was crispy and golden brown on the top, soggy and anaemic on the bottom. Greggs in Letchworth have really gone downhill lately. I won't be back!

Tall woman name beginning with F serving today, Saturday mid morning. Myself and sister went to get some breakfast. The lady serving us clearly needs retraining. And learn how to talk and acknowledge people. Working in a retail job myself, this lady's customer service was appalling. No basic skills such as even a hello from her. Completely ignored. Very rude. Sorry are you to busy to take an order from us? This is the person you chose for a busy Saturday run!? Embarrassing behaviour

Ordered a breakfast baguette which arrived in a timely manner but was freezing cold, baguette, hash browns and coffee all cold! Phoned the store who told me it was supposed to be cold.. I did point out it was advertised as being hot and came in packaging warning it should be hot and also coffee should never be cold but he seemed to think that was a difference of opinion. Will challenge the transaction through my bank as I know when I’m being taken for a fool

Come here every morning before work to get a cup of tea and a sandwich. The shop is always spotless and the staff that greet you are always polite and friendly. Sandwiches are made fresh each day and the tea is good aswell. Prices are very good, my order costs £3.60 which is very reasonable and a lot cheaper than other big name food and drink outlets on the High Street.

I asked for a white coffee and took a sip to find it was black I politely told the assistant to be told that’s how it comes out of machine ,I have had lovely white coffee from greggs so I know this is not the case and said this to the young lady she would not offer another or look to confirm it was black ….maybe milk had run out? Very rude and totally unprofessional.I ended up with no coffee and left disappointed ☹️

Was with my grandchildren and ordered snacks and cakes. Asked 3 times for cakes to be put in box but assistant was more interested in talking to friend or listening to her music! Result was éclair with chocolate stuck to top of bag and caramel donut squashed! Not impressed with staff lately!

Good variety of hot & cold food at reasonable prices.Staff very friendly. Open until late .

A beautiful Napoleon cake that AI Bakery did for my sons 3rd birthday, all guests commented on how extra special and delicious it was, it was huge with plenty of leftovers to distribute for guests to take home, the special touches she made in personal decorations is lovely and the taste was so delicious! Layers of puff pastry that melt in your mouth with the not too sweet cream which reminds of Cornish ice cream, certainly will be ordering again and highly recommend to others :)

My daughter’s disco birthday cake was so beautiful and yummy. It was a hit with the parents too. I have never had a cake so moist and it was not too sweet as well. It was just perfect. Thanks for making my daughter’s birthday complete. Asides the cake itself, service was also great. I highly recommend your service.

Anastasia is a fantastic baker! She made the process of choosing the right cake for my husband’s 40th birthday simple and enjoyable. The cake looked great, transferred well and tasted delicious! Highly recommend!

I can’t say enough great things about Anastasia! Every time I have an occasion—whether it’s a birthday, or just a special celebration. I always order from her!! Her cakes are not only stunning but also absolutely delicious. The flavors are rich, moist, and perfectly balanced, and she always customizes each order to match my vision. The level of detail in her designs is incredible, and she truly brings creativity and passion to her work. Beyond the cakes themselves, her professionalism and customer service are outstanding. She’s always communicative, punctual, and willing to go the extra mile to ensure everything is perfect. If you’re looking for the best cake baker, look no further AI cake bakery is simply the best! I wouldn’t trust anyone else with my cakes. Highly recommend!

My birthday honey cake was delicious, so tender and moist, all my guests, grown ups and their children, absolutely loved it! I've ordered another honey cake for my son's birthday 🎂

The bakery makes amazing cakes, really tasty and nicely decorated! It offers a great choice of sponge and fillings that allows you to 'build' your own cake! Also they have a great choice of traditional cakes, including East-European recipes. The service is very good too with the delivery option to surrounding towns. I was ordering a 'Ptichie moloko' gluten-free cake which was so yummy!

Got a set of biscuits and. Cupcakes along with a birthday cake. The biscuits were nice and crumbly. Cupcakes tasted amazing with the dangerous amount of cream cheese topping. Birthday cake was a vanilla sponge which was very light and moreish. All these were done in a dinosaur theme. The cute dinosaur on the cake looked really good. The whole presentation was well done.

We ordered parathas, dum aloo sabzi and veg kofta for take away @ Gulwan's takeaway in Hitchin Market. Food was very homely. All of the dishes turned out good and tasty.The service was excellent and was on time.The quantity was right.

I had an absolutely fantastic experience with The Gulwan's today morning! The paratha was delicious, perfectly prepared with just the right balance of flavour, spiciness and crispness. The sarson ka saag and makki di roti were a highlight—10/10 for authenticity and taste. Everything was fresh, and the attention to detail in every dish was remarkable. I will surely be a regular one. Highly recommended!

Best Indian food in Hitchin. Their Samosas are best starters and followed by Dal makahani and Parathas

Nice Indian in hitchin market. Well.plriced and delicious. Family restaurant and food is reflected in this.

We had pakoras, samosa chat, and chole bhatura the first time.The taste was authentic and very good.The service was excellent. As a person who would love to have a comfort food this place was the best in Hertfordshire county.

Tried veggie samosa and it was pretty good.

The samosa and pakoras were very good.

My friend ordered a skinny hot chocolate extra hot for me. When it was delivered to our table my friend asked the young lady if it was extra hot and she said yes. I tried it and it was like warm. I went to the desk and explained to a different female member of staff what was ordered and she immediately said that it was as hot as could be made so not to burn the milk. Her attitude was very off hand and she was not prepared to discuss it. I said it was not hot at all and she ignored me. My friend had ordered a cappuccino which was clearly not. I am very disappointed and will not use this establishment again.

Chose to meet a friend here, to support small local business on a hot summers days. Flavour choice was OK, but I was very disappointed by the size of the single scoop, literally a small ball of ice cream around 4/5cm diam. Been on holiday in Yorkshire, Wales and Brighton this summer, where single scoops cost between £2.50 and £3.50, the portions were much more generous. Given that the cost of the actual ice cream is probably the lowest cost to the owner, I would recommend training the staff to be more generous with the scoop if they ever want returning local customers, not just one time visiting tourists. The ice cream itself was delicious.

Heard about this place and really wanted to go I wasnt disappointed they have loads of great sounding flavours to choose from and the scoops were generous I had a salted caramel cone which tasted amazing had little bits of salted caramel in it and my partner had a one scoop biscoff tub which i had a try of it also tasted great although I did prefer mine. This is a great place and I'd definitely recommend!

Always loved this place back to their Hermitage road location and the factory at the farm that we visit regularly. My last visit in Hitchin pissed me off. Rude staff, with zero urgency, and literally no interest whatsoever in offering a good service. No eye contact, not even a remote smile. Unwelcoming is an understatement. Not to mention the family ahead of me were allow to ask for like 400 samples. Check your CCTV and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Tasty gelato, helpful service and great location in the market place. The location is not very big so it can feel crowded when it is busy however there are plenty of tables outside and the gelato is great!

I love Fabio's! Great gelato and friendly staff. 100% recommend the Nutella and Milkybar combo.

A little box of happiness. Delicious. Yum!! Beautifully presented. Friendly staff. Busy on a rainy afternoon. Great menu, so hard to choose. Will definitely come back again. Thank you!

My daughter loves Box of Cakes and I don't mind going. Food is nice, lovely cakes and other options, nice daily specials. However, waiting time can be a bit long depending on how many take away orders and sit in customers as they have limited staff. Some items are a tad overpriced (jacket potato for £8-£10ish). It's a small place but worth a visit. Dog friendly too which is nice. Toilets are nice and clean.

Took my Nan here for lunch today - they welcomed her by name and popped her in her ‘regular seat’. The staff are so friendly, they made us welcome from start to finish and the food and coffee was absolutely lovely too. Will be back for sure. Thanks again for the great service.

Nice village cafe with super friendly service. Brilliant selection of cakes to try. Perfect stop for an afternoon treat. Will be back again soon. Thank you.

Lovely friendly staff run by a mum in the quirky former doctors surgery beside the library, great food (I had a milkshake and cake), extremely reasonable prices. you can sit inside or out and have a light bite for lunch or breakfast, hot or cold drinks, sweet treats like cake, buns, biscuits all day.

This place has been recommended to me by so many local people that I needed to try it myself. We popped over for breakfast on 17th Dec 22, it was delicious. We will be going back again ☺️

Last year my son got me my 60th birthday cake from them which I was over the moon with. I asked for Captain America cake. (yep no flowery cake lol) along with cup cakes. Then a year later he's now got his dad a James Bond cake. The cakes taste good as well as look good. Emma does an excellent job. Highly recommend her. Up date this lady made the 100th birthday cake for Captain Sir Tom Moore

Made a wedding cake for my daughter...phenomenal baking, looked fabulous and it went down a storm with guests who virtually scoffed the lot. I cannot recommend this company enough