Dominique Ansel London Opens to a Line of 200 Cronut Lovers

Incredibly long Cronut® lines are baaaaack: The hybrid pastry that set off mass hysteria back in 2013 landed in London today, and people began lining up at 5 a.m. to get a taste.

The first European outpost of Dominique Ansel Bakery opened Friday at 8 a.m. in London’s swanky Belgravia neighborhood, home to some of the world’s priciest real estate (and now, some of the world’s most coveted baked goods). According to a spokesperson, there were more than 200 people in line when the bakery opened its doors for the first time this morning.

Dominique Ansel Bakery

There were plenty of reasons beyond the Cronut® to queue up, however: About one-third of the bakery’s menu is exclusive to London, with new creations such as a Liquid Caramel Peanut Butter Mousse Cake; panna cotta made with raw local cream and topped with a thin layer of balsamic vinegar and mead gelée; and the Paris-London, Ansel’s twist on the classic Paris-Brest choux pastry that’s filled with Earl Grey mousse and garnished with a dapper chocolate monocle and mustache. (The inaugural Cronut® flavor, which will rotate monthly, is Salted Butterscotch and Cocoa Nib.)

Just look at that fully stocked pastry case:

Dominique Ansel Bakery

The pastry wizard himself was present for his bakery’s UK debut, of course, emerging from the pastry shop on the bakery’s second floor to snap selfies with the line and and give high-fives to his future customers:

Ansel opened a Tokyo branch of his NYC-born bakery back in Summer 2015; clearly the Japanese are even more pastry-crazy than Londoners, because people began lining up at 9 p.m. the night before for their chance at a Cronut®.

Besides Cronuts® and pastries sporting monocles, DAB London also serves savory items like a croque monsieur and avocado toast; check out the full menu here.

Dominique Ansel Bakery London: 17-21 Elizabeth Street.

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