The newly opened bakery serves Welsh-inspired dishes including Caerphilly cheese sandwiches and Bara Brith. The establishment is a partnership between Cecily Dalladay, a MasterChef: The Professionals quarter-finalist, and chef Zoë Heimann
Bara Café is a recently opened Welsh-inspired bakery and sandwich shop situated in Peckham, London. The newly launched establishment – which opened its doors on 12th February 2026 – is a partnership between Cecily Dalladay, a MasterChef: The Professionals quarter-finalist, and chef Zoë Heimann.
The café celebrates produce sourced directly from Wales, featuring Caerphilly cheese, Pembrokeshire shellfish, and Coaltown Coffee from Ammanford. Standout sandwiches include Caerphilly Cheesesteak: 8-hour smoked Welsh beef brisket, melted Caerphilly cheese, onions, and Blas Y Tir leeks, alongside Swansea Breakfast – smoked bacon, buttered leeks, Câr-y-Môr cockles, and laverbread served on homemade focaccia and Lamb-iri Harissa Focaccia – slow-cooked Welsh lamb shoulder with yoghurt and dill-dressed cucumbers.
Baked goods also feature Bara Brith – a traditional Welsh fruit loaf made with tea-soaked dried fruit and spices, Bara Bun – the café’s distinctive take on a cinnamon roll, and Miso Brown Butter Cookies – a contemporary twist available at the counter.
At weekends, the cafe also offers Pembrokeshire Lobster Roll – a poached lobster with lobster bisque mayo and Crab Rarebit – brown crab and Caerphilly cheese rarebit on focaccia.
The bakery was recently visited by London food reviewers Gerry and Paul, who are known as @bitetwicefoodreviews online. Paul appeared in a clip filmed outside the establishment as it marked its soft launch.
He told their 257,000 followers: “It’s their soft launch at the moment, I turned up and they’d all sold out so I’ve got the last two bits on their shelves.”
Gerry was subsequently filmed sampling the Bara Brith, which he described as “basically a Welsh fruit loaf”, adding: “It’s got tea, bits of dried fruit, very malty.
“This is £3 usually, but it’s a soft launch so everything is half price.”
Gerry noted the Brith was “absolutely saturated in sultanas and various other bits of dried fruit”.
Delivering his verdict, he remarked: “I really like that, it’s so moist. Unbelievably moist and not too sweet. You can really taste the fruit apposed to the sugar. It’s gorgeous.”
Paul subsequently sampled a Miso Brown Butter Cookie, declaring it “very good” with a “perfect texture”, before adding: “It’s not too squidgy… really nice and sweet.”
The duo refrained from issuing a rating given the soft launch status, yet stated they “wholeheartedly recommend it”.
Beyond the culinary offerings, the founders have built Bara around a social mission, with plans to introduce an entry-to-work programme supporting marginalised communities in securing employment and training within the hospitality industry.
Any leftover food is donated to local food banks and community fridges.
Only Café visitor information
Address: 44–46 Choumert Road, London SE15 4SE
Opening Hours:
- Wednesday – Friday: 07:30 – 16:30
- Saturday: 08:30 – 17:00
- Sunday: 08:30 – 16:00
- Monday – Tuesday: Closed
