Three north London artisan bakeries have been named among the best in the UK by a national newspaper.

Local chefs and bakers across the country were charged with sharing their favourite spots for a slice of cake, croissant or sourdough to make up The Times' top 49 bakeries to visit in the UK. 

The capital's bakeries were chosen by Dee Rettali, co-owner of the Fortitude Bakehouse in Bloomsbury.

Pophams, with outlets in Islington and Hackney, and e5 Bakehouse, also in Hackney, were included in the north London list.

Little Bread Pedlar, with two outlets in Primrose Hill among its chain, was also among five bakeries chosen across the capital.

e5 Bakehouse has been stocking the bread bins of local residents and restaurants for 12 years from its base inside a London Fields railway arch.

Dee loved the "craft-y feeling of this community space". 

She said the best buy is the Stockholm load, baked hotter and free-form without steam "so the crust is dark and there's a light tender crumb".

Pophams opened in Prebend Street in 2017 as a cozy artisan bakery and cafe specialising in sourdough bread, croissants and pasta.

Two years later it opened a second site in London Fields, where from Wednesday to Saturday the daytime bakery transforms into to a lively neighbourhood restaurant, with pastas and small plates designed for sharing. 

Pophams' website says skilled chefs "partake in the daily ritual of hand shaping hundreds of individual pieces of pasta" and take inspiration from traditional Italian flavours.

Dee said "they are the masters of lamination" and the one spot in London "where I don't mind queuing".

She added: "When I get to the front I'm always happy to indulge in the warm pain au chocolat".

Other winners in London were the Arome Bakery in Covent Garden and the Happy Sky Bakery in Shepherd's Bush.