Danish bakery opens London flagship

A Danish bakery is launching its London flagship store on Charing Cross Road.

Shaftesbury has announced the opening of Ole & Steen’s 3,000 sq ft London flagship as part of Central Cross – a £15m, 48,000 sq ft mixed-use development at the heart of the West End.

Spread over two floors, the new bakery has space for 63 covers and will offer Danish favourites alongside an all-day menu including traditional Danish skyrand bircher muesli pots with fruit toppings, and a lunch menu with Danish open rye bread sandwiches.

Ole & Steen is also open in the evening for pre-theatre drinks and food offering single estate coffee, as well as a wine and beer list.

The bakery, founded by Ole Kristoffersen and Steen Skallebæk, first opened outside of Denmark in 2016 in nearby Haymarket.

Julia Wilkinson, head of group restaurant strategy at Shaftesbury, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ole & Steen’s flagship to this prime location, which connects Theatreland and Soho to Covent Garden.

“The Scandinavian brand complements the area’s diverse food and beverage offering, and highlights Shaftesbury’s ongoing commitmentto creating destinations that excite the senses and inspire discovery in London’s West End.”

Camilla Hansen, head of openings at Ole & Steen, added: “It’s a really fantastic opportunity for us to open our latest store at Central Cross on Charing Cross Road.

“Being situated right in the heart of the West End was a huge draw for us, and the location benefits from its connections and multi-cultural, engaged audience. We are thrilled to offer our loyal customers another store to enjoy, and of course to welcoming new customers to experience our Danish bakery.”