The best things to order at Happy Sky Bakery

Happy Sky Bakery has been quietly bringing Japanese breads and pastries to Shepherd’s Bush since 2007, and yet somehow it’s taken me this long to visit.

Still, curiosity wins. Plus, the bakery has recently gone viral on TikTok and now the urge to visit can’t be rebuked.

The Shepherd’s Bush branch of Happy Sky Bakery is small but workable. There’s just enough room to queue and admire the pastries behind glass before paying.

There are no tables or seats – you buy your pastries and step back out into the street. Even so, it’s spacious compared to the newer Oxford Street branch, where the door opens straight onto the counter and only one person can technically stand inside at a time.

Let’s get into what to order and what to avoid on the Happy Sky Bakery menu.

Quick info on Happy Sky Bakery

• Cafe: Happy Sky Bakery
• Location: Shepherd’s Bush
• Known for: Japanese-inspired breads and pastries
• Must order: melon pan
• Skip: Kuromame Black Soy Bean Kinako Latte

Read the full Happy Sky Bakery review to find out more.

Kuromame Black Soy Bean Kinako Latte

Sounds better than it tastes

The kuromame black soy bean kinako latte catches my eye on the paper menu. It sounds earthy, nutty, comforting.

In reality, it arrives looking completely homogenous. It’s one colour, a milky white, which is totally different to how the drink looks on the menu.

I take a sip and it just tastes milky, with the lightest hint of any other flavour.

It’s very, very milky. If there’s soy bean depth or roasted kinako warmth hiding in there, it’s whispering. And for almost five pounds, I want more.

I’d actively avoid any of the milky drinks at Happy Sky Bakery. I just don’t think they do them well, and I don’t love the disparity between what the picture on the menu promised and what actually was served.

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Yuzu Lemonade

Bright and unapologetically sharp

The yuzu lemonade, on the other hand, wakes everything up.

Sharp citrus hits first, but not the blunt acidity of regular lemon. Yuzu carries that floral, slightly perfumed edge that feels more elegant. It’s bright without being sour for the sake of it.

It cuts through sweetness beautifully and feels like the drink you actually want alongside pastries.

This is a much stronger drinks choice from the Happy Sky Bakery menu.

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Matcha Macadamia White Chocolate Cookie

Earthy, salty, deeply satisfying

This white chocolate cookie is where Happy Sky Bakery really begins to shine.

It’s thick, slightly craggy on the outside, soft and chewy in the middle. The matcha brings that grassy, almost savoury depth that keeps sweetness in check. Then come the macadamia nuts, buttery and crunchy, adding texture and richness.

And then, crucially, salt. A gentle splash of salt threads through the cookie and lifts everything.  It’s balanced, layered, and genuinely delicious.

This is a repeat order at Happy Sky Bakery.

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An Pan Red Bean Bun

Classic but not my favourite

The an pan is a soft bun filled with red bean paste.

Now, full transparency: I am not a red bean person.

The bun itself is beautifully made. Soft. Slightly springy. Pillowy in that Japanese milk bread way that feels like biting into a cloud.

But the red bean paste is dense, sweet, slightly earthy, and for me, a little claggy. It coats the mouth in a way I don’t love.

If you adore adzuki bean paste, you’ll probably think this is spot on. There’s a clear balance between sweet and savoury here. It’s just not my flavour profile.

Melon Pan Brioche with Soft Vanilla Biscuit

Cloudlike and quietly beautiful

The melon pan brioche might be the sleeper hit.

At first glance it looks simple. A rounded bun with a crackled biscuit-like top.

But that top is where the magic lies. It’s delicately crisp, almost like a sugar shell, giving way to the softest, fluffiest interior. The bun underneath is tender and airy, subtly sweet but not overpowering.

The contrast between crunchy top and cloudlike centre makes each bite textural heaven.

It’s understated. It’s elegant. It’s a very solid Japanese pastry from Happy Sky Bakery.

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Matcha Mochi Ribbon

Strange, playful, fascinating

The matcha mochi ribbon looks like a pastry bow, laminated layers twisted and baked into shape.

The exterior is crisp and flaky with a sweet savoury edge. Inside sits sweet matcha flavoured mochi, gelatinous and stretchy, almost jelly like.

It’s unlike anything I usually order.

The crunch of pastry against the soft chew of mochi is genuinely interesting. The matcha brings depth again.

Although I admire the uniqueness of the pairing, I wouldn’t rush to order this again. There are other fillings I prefer in laminated pastry. But as an experience, it’s memorable.

Chocolate Caramel Cookie

Solid, no drama

The chocolate caramel cookie at Happy Sky Bakery is thick and squidgy, with pockets of molten caramel running through.

It’s comforting and pleasantly indulgent.

Not life changing – just a good cookie.

Final Thoughts on Happy Sky Bakery

Happy Sky Bakery clearly has craft behind it. Motoko McNulty has spent nearly two decades bringing Japanese breads and pastries to West London, and that dedication shows in the textures alone. The milk bread softness. The precision of the melon pan crust. The careful matcha balance.

However, it’s not a bakery I’d cross London for.

There are definite highlights, particularly the matcha macadamia cookie and the melon pan brioche. But the drinks can miss, and some pastries feel more niche than irresistible.

If you’re in Shepherd’s Bush, absolutely stop by. But as a destination bakery, it doesn’t quite reach cult status.

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Happy Sky Bakery review
Address – 94 Askew Rd, London W12 9BL
Nearest Tube – Shepherds Bush Market