Situated on Cherry Hinton Road, Kanto is Cambridge’s first and only Filipino bakery.
But what is a Filipino bakery and how does it differ from your everyday bakery?
These were the burning questions I needed answering and finding out that Kanto was included in The Good Food Guide’s Top 50 Bakeries in the UK, only fuelling my need to visit further.
Clearly, I was missing out!
Planning ahead!
Due to its popularity, I decided to visit bang on opening time to avoid disappointment (8:30am). Even with this planning, I turned up 7 minutes late to find myself greeted with a queue out the door and the entire place packed š¤¦āāļø
These punctual yet dedicated crowds are a reassuring sign of quality but also problematic for those of us who have to travel far! Be warned!
With that said, the staff were doing a great job to manage the numbers (they are clearly used to it!). I was not waiting long and the queue moved quickly. The food was frequently coming out and empty trays were being replaced with full ones. If you find yourself in a long queue, don’t panic!
The Filipino difference
Everything available looked very different from what you would expect from your typical bakery. There was more colour and so many interesting dishes I have never seen before. I was in foodie paradise!
I knew I wouldn’t be back for a while and I didn’t want to miss out, so I decided to order one…two, of everything. I couldn’t control myself!
ā¢ Pandan De Coco – a doughnut made with coconut syrup and pandan juice.
ā¢ Ensaymada – A Filipino brioche pastry similar to a cheese roll with buttercream.
ā¢ Ube Pandesal – A purple yam breakfast doughnut (plum jam?).
ā¢ Calamansi Cinnamon Roll with citrusy lemon curd.
Pandan De Coco
Pandan is a tropical plant that is popular in Filipino cooking. This is infused into the doughnut with caramelised coconut in the centre, giving it an intensely sweet flavour. I absolutely loved the softness of the dough that really made it a joy to eat. It was familiar but unusual in all the right ways.
Unlike many doughnuts we may be used to, this one was not covered in sugar or icing, making it much easier to transport without making a mess. Keep this in mind if you are looking to eat while on the go!
Ensaymada
When I first saw the tray of Ensaymada’s, I thought it was some sort of coconut sweet treat, but it turned out to be a savoury dish similar to a cheese roll.
It is made from brioche pastry and topped with cheese and sweetened butter cream. I absolutely loved the fluffy softness of the base and the light cheese worked so well with the cream. It was a little unusual and nothing like you would get from a regular bakery but this is exactly why I visited Kanto in the first place!
Ube Pandesal
Ube is a purple yam which gives the doughnut a bright purple colour. This made the doughnut jump right out when looking at the trays of food. I was expecting a huge blast of flavour but instead it had a more subtle sweetness and mild hint of vanilla(?).
Ube Pandesal looked similar to the Pandan De Coco but it turned out to be more doughy. I’m not sure if this is on purpose or whether it was slightly undercooked? Either way, I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it to be something truly unique that I have never experienced in Cambridge before.
Calamansi Cinnamon Roll
Calamansi is a type of citrus Filipino fruit that has a tangy sweet flavour. It worked really well in a cinnamon roll, especially when they had been brought out fresh from the oven. The roll was a good size and incredibly soft. Loved it!
A real foodie find!
Kanto is an absolute must for any foodie in Cambridge. Not only is it truly unique being the only Filipino bakery in the city but everything it offers is fresh, interesting, and vibrant! If you are coming from out of the area, just be prepared because it gets busy…but it is so worth it!
Thanks for reading!
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