Every morning would be vastly improved with one of the Dusty Knuckle’s sugary, buttery buns. Irresistibly flaky croissant-like dough is rolled and topped with a liberal sprinkling of cinnamon sugar. Dusty Knuckle’s bun is the best kind of pull apart the layers, sugary finger-licking affair. Get to Dalston, stat.   

The Belgian bun at the old school bakery mini-chain Percy Ingle embodies everything a proper one should be. A thick cinnamon-spiced bun is filled with juicy raisins and smothered in the best kind of teeth-rotting icing. The (literal and metaphorical) glacé cherry on top? They have bakeries all over north and east London, and Greater London.

Do as the Swedes do and fika — that is to say, take a break, have a coffee and eat something sweet. For a doughy sugar rush, head to Stockholm import Fabrique. There are various locations around London but the Hoxton café is also their bakery — the heady, comforting aroma of spice greets any who step through the door. Fabrique is well known for its cinnamon buns but give the cardamom ones a go — the heady buns still contain a hint of cinnamon.

A pleasing golden hue gives this bun’s secret spice away. While Pavilion Bakery’s cardamom and cinnamon buns are strong contenders at its East London shops, this delicious little knot of delicately spiced turmeric-spiked dough pulls out the big bun guns. A ray of sunshine in leavened bread form.

Not content with just acing bagels and Rueben sandwiches, Monty’s Deli has thrown a challah egg and cheese bun gauntlet into the arena. Available at the Old Spitalfields Market stall, the glossy challah bun bookends a thick Swiss cheesy egg omelette — the stuff of dreams. Go, go, go. 

Step inside the Chinese bakery with shelves upon shelves of treats and stock up on their lai wong bao; egg custard buns. Biting into the steamed pillowy dough will release the soothing custard infused with creamy coconut paste. Buy one to snack on while wandering around Chinatown, and a few more to take home.

Live out a true Scandi noir drama over one of Nordic Bakery’s signature cinnamon buns. Available in little and large versions (is there even really a choice to be made?), these flawless buns have a sticky glaze and are perfectly sweet, spicy and buttery. They’re also baked throughout the day in the Soho café for that fresh-out-of-the-oven flavour.

Sold out of Black Swan Coffee on Bermondsey Street on weekdays and out of Maltby Street Market on Saturdays, the cardamom bun is one of London’s finest — maybe even the best. A stickily glistening glaze, the unapologetic, enticing reek of cardamom, and fluffy dough: impeccable, unimpeachable, a joy.

The sweet duck yolk custard bun gets the most Instagram airtime (it resembles a white peach) and is delicious in its own right, but don’t overlook the wild mushroom and truffle steamed bun. Appearing at first to be a portobello mushroom served on astroturf, this bun at A Wong in Pimlico has got hidden depths. It’s earthy, rich and immensely comforting. 

“Flavour in the hand” is the literal Urdu translation for bun kabab, a traditional Pakistani street food found particularly in Karachi. And boy, does Empress Market’s deliver on this promise. Spiced, slow-cooked beef and a chilli omelette is sandwiched between a toasted brioche bun, with salad, coriander chutney and raita added for good measure. There’s also a chicken and a lentil version. After closing its Mare Street site earlier this year, Empress Market has been popping up at street food markets, supper clubs, and in mid-June will be opening at the new Eat17 food hall in Hammersmith.

The Chelsea buns at the Old Post Office Bakery in Clapham are generous in every sense of the word. The doorstep buns are satisfyingly plump, spiced with nutmeg and mixed spice, contain a smattering of currents and are liberally glazed. Just add tea.