The Dusty Knuckle

Popped in for some pastries. The bakery was very busy but take that as a sign of how good it is. We waited for about 10 minutes to be served. Staff were really friendly. Great range of bakery staples and special treats on offer. The orange and poppyseed and morning bun (cinnamon) were both really delicious! Will be making a repeat trip for sure

This place has earned its reputation for a reason — the baking is clearly skilled, and some items are genuinely excellent. The potato sourdough was my favourite: bouncy, airy, and full of quality flavour (my dad preferred the house one). The feta, honey & fennel seed swirl was light, balanced, and spot-on. But the crust on both sourdoughs was extremely tough and rigid — more hard-to-chew than pleasantly crisp — which made slicing (especially the massive unsliced loaves) a real struggle, and eating it fresh felt like work. Toasting transformed it though — crunchy, tasty, and way more enjoyable. If you’re buying for toast, go for it! The sticky bun was heavy and dense — not bad, just not the light, indulgent treat I’ve had elsewhere. The in-store fennel sausage & greens sarnie on focaccia was the biggest disappointment: the bread was well-made but swimming in oil (too greasy), and the sausage completely overpowered everything else with intense fennel — nothing balanced about it, and it left us both feeling off. Shame, because the focaccia had potential. Overall, impressive bakery with clear talent, but the hype doesn’t fully match our visit. A bread slicer would make a huge difference for me — I’d happily return for toast-ready loaves and that swirl. Worth trying if you’re in the East London area, but temper expectations if you’re chasing perfection!

This place is so popular on instagram & so many bakers recommend it We had taken vegan nduja pickled pineapple sandwich & orange chocolate swirl Sandwich was decent but I felt it tasted very sour & tomato concentrate like. I found it very expensive for its price. Ambience is very rustic & different which was giving place am impressive look. Visit if you are in the area, but I won’t rate it as my favourite

🥐 ☕️ Dusty Knuckle, Dalston 9.6/10 Fruit custard danish 8/10 Buttery and flaky with a rich custard centre, topped with fresh fruit which cuts the sweetness perfectly. My love hate relationship with danishes is why I rate it an 8/10. Personally, I prefer the filling to spread across the whole pastry so I get it with every bite. Feta, fennel seed and honey swirl 10/10 The star of the show. Salty feta, sweet honey, aniseed hit from the fennel — Impossible to stop eating! Date, apricot and cardamom bun 6/10 Sweet but dry bun, warm cardamom spice, good chewy fruit — solid but not the standout Chai latte & regular latte 8/10 Smooth, well balanced, compliments the bakes really well Overall: Worth the trip 🔥 And 100% Worth a bite ✅

Don't go to this place. You MUST run! Absolutely incredible. That focaccia is unreal, the best sandwich of my life and so is the quality of everything else. Great vibes