The Bakery Room: patisserie comes to Roman Road
Do dreary lockdown days have you feeling down? We’re bringing you some breaking news that will brighten your day; if you were walking along the market one last time before lockdown, you may have noticed a new pastel pink shop exterior that has popped up opposite Iceland, on the leafy corner of Libra Road.
Say hello to The Bakery Room. It is a new patisserie shop on the market stretch of Roman Road by the same team as Mile End’s The Pizza Room and The Coffee Room.
This is the newest venture of Pamela Tironi’s local dining empire, who is adding Italian and French inspired patisserie to her existing roster of local eateries.
Passing by the bakery, you will spot the windows of the pastel pink shop front, adorned with delicate tarts, cakes, brownies and other bakes.
Even though The Bakery Room opened on the front end of another lockdown, Tironi is pragmatic.
‘We’ve been working hard opening this before the new lockdown was announced so we’re just getting on with it now, seeing what we can and can’t do keeping people safe.’
They are currently open and are operating a takeaway, local delivery and collection service with made-to-order occasion cakes and other bakes. They are also selling individual portions by the slice and a warm drinks menu available for takeaway.
Meanwhile, the team is whirring away in their vast kitchen in the back, under the supervision of head chef Enrico Costi. Decked out with silver, industrial ovens and a large marble table in the centre, this is the engine room where most of their baked products for their other outlets are created, as well as orders for other business clients. This spot is also where Tironi is planning on holding baking lessons, once it is safe to do so, considering the pandemic.
During this interview, Costi is working on focaccia loaves, filling the air with wafts of the doughy scent of baked bread and olive oil.
The marble interior and gentle buzz of customers are a far throw from the previous occupancy on this spot, which the amateur detectives among you will know as the mysterious First Choice Cakes. It was left seemingly abandoned for years with ghostly display cakes left in the windows before The Bakery Room took over the lease.
But while Tironi’s team are busy on the front end of The Bakery Room selling their cakes, there are bigger plans for the bakery once the pandemic-related restrictions lift.
‘There’s a whole room downstairs and we are currently working on turning it into a seated area.’
The bakes themselves include classic French and Italian patisserie and flavours such as the zingy tarte au citron, and home comfort classics such as banoffee cakes, cookies, brownies, and more.
There is also a loyalty card for customers, as well as a special one for the market traders.
‘We have to recognise that as a bakery, or restaurant, we don’t exist in isolation,’ says Tironi. ‘It’s nice to acknowledge others and reach out to those around you.’
If this article piqued your sweet tooth, you might be interested in Mama Mae’s, the boutique bakery on Roman Road.
