Londoners are swapping their pints of lager for sweet treats in a city that’s gone sober — or at least partly so.

The aftermath of COVID-19, the exodus of European workers post-Brexit and a new generation that’s shunning binge-drinking in favor of alcohol-free beer, chai and early-morning running clubs have all transformed the city, which used to party through the night.

Now people are getting high on the smell of cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate and brewing coffee, and piling into independent bakeries, which star personalities are opening across the city.

King Charles’ goddaughter India Hicks, an interior designer and former Ralph Lauren model, is just one of many pushing a sugar high.

She’s helped two brothers, Can and Cengizhan Ayan, who hail from a family of fourth-generation Turkish chocolatiers, set up Naya, a luxury patisserie on North Audley Street in Mayfair.

“I’m not a qualified person to take on the creation of a bakery, but I do know an awful lot about brand building,” says Hicks in an interview from her home in the Bahamas.

She says her expertise lies in creating an atmosphere — and drawing in a crowd. Naya’s interiors feature hand-painted de Gournay wallpaper as well as green velvet booths, cream chairs and leopard-print cushions.

The brothers have brought over recipes from their family bakery in Turkey and downsized each pastry, from chocolate éclairs to cream buns, into bite-size portions. Along with Champagne and iced pistachio lattes, there is also a range of detox teas.

Health is a subject that’s top of mind at Naya. “We know people are more health-conscious and we had a conversation about perhaps having a keto afternoon tea,” says Cengizhan, referring to the ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and protein and low in carbs.

He added that they’re working on updating the menu and introducing salads and more savory options, although there are no plans to enter restaurant territory.

A short ride away from Naya, on Fulham Road in Chelsea, is the new bakery called Reemies, which is hard to miss with its bright fuchsia pink and red exterior.

Its founder, Reem Abu Samra, is a lawyer-turned-full-time baker. She opened the shop last April after her cake delivery business started to boom. Her nonfussy cakes are now on the shelves at Harrods, Panzer’s Delicatessen in St. John’s Wood and Bailey & Sage in Battersea and Hampstead.

“I always loved very homely cakes, and I felt like I couldn’t really buy any without it being overly processed,” she says.

She’s been baking banana bread since she was 14 years old and it continues to win her fans. She started making the bread for friends who own the coffee shop Noxy Brothers, in London‘s Burlington Arcade, and the orders quickly multiplied.

Fans of Reemies include Idris Elba, the Ecclestone family, Viscount Linley and the Emirate of Dubai royal family.

Abu Samra sees her cakes as everyday treats rather than one-off luxuries. She grew up in a Lebanese household where her mother was a “systemic feeder.” 

“My cakes are for every generation — a grandma likes eating our cakes, but so does a kid,” she says, adding that her cakes offer comfort on a number of levels.

She believes the boom in baking is “because people need that comfort and food feeds the soul,” and that you can indulge in baked goods as part of your wellness routine — in moderation. She adds that a majority of the customers who stop by the shop have just come out of a Pilates class.

Luxury brands, too, are progressively tapping into catering for an audience that’s closer to becoming teetotal than any other generation. According to the U.K.-based charity Drinkaware, the number of young adults who don’t drink has increased from 14 percent in 2017 to 21 percent in 2023.

In London, bakeries and coffee shops have become hangout spots for many Muslims and Middle Eastern tourists who feel more comfortable in a place where alcohol is off the menu.

Café Leon Dore from the brand Aimé Leon Dore, Ralph’s Coffee and Nanushka’s in-store café are among the hot spots with young spenders from the Middle East.

The craze and appetite for bakeries is entering institutions such as the Connaught and Claridge’s.

Earlier this spring the Connaught Patisserie by Nicolas Rouzaud was rebranded as Nicolas Rouzaud at the Connaught, to reflect his new role as chef partner.

The French pastry chef has found a fan in his neighbour, fine jewelry designer Jessica McCormack. The two have come together to collaborate on a series of deliciously sweet images using small colorful cakes and the designer’s Fruit Salad collection, which was inspired by a pair of glass fruit clip-one earrings that belonged to her grandmother in New Zealand.

“I’m in his patisserie daily for my morning coffee. He’s a true artist and I feel like we are kindred spirits in our appreciation of expert craftsmanship,” says McCormack.

Rouzaud knows how to keep his customers happy and coming back for me.

“You must surprise them, which is why we change the flavor of our croissant balls daily and constantly evolve our dessert collections — we have, as a minimum, one new creation per month and we can go up to three per month. That way, even our regular guests always have something new to discover,” he says.

On social media, Rouzaud’s sweet treats have taken on their own lives, where each dessert is inspired by the concept of haute couture.

“We wanted to create a space that truly showcases the art of dessert, a place where craftsmanship is pushed to its highest level,” he adds.

Naya Mayfair: 16 North Audley Street, London, W1K 6WL, info@nayaandco.com
Reemies Cakes: 137 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6SD, chelsea@reemiescakes.com
Nicolas Rouzaud at The Connaught: The Connaught, Carlos Place, London, W1K 2AL, 020-7314-3522