Before maincrop rhubarb season begins in the spring, it’s forced rhubarb’s turn in the spotlight
Forced rhubarb, produced in the Rhubarb Triangle around Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford, is so named because the plants are placed into darkened sheds and forced to grow quickly in search of light. The result is rhubarb that’s sweeter and more delicate in flavour, and with a particularly vivid pink colour. Some like to artfully tessellate the pink stems on pastries and tarts to rack up those likes, others like to stew it down, sweeten it up and slop it across puddings, normally custard based, for the ultimate nostalgia hit. Us? We just like to eat the stuff, and these are the rhubarb dishes in London that have got us tickled pink.
Acme Fire Cult
Acme Fire Cult is giving their bread and butter pudding – made with bread from neighbours The Dusty Knuckle – a pop of colour with a healthy dollop of forced rhubarb compote. A real winter warmer.
Jolene
Get down to the Redchurch Street outpost of Jolene early to score one of their rhubarb and custard danishes because these babies are popular.
Don’t Tell Dad
New Queen’s Park bakery and restaurant Don’t Tell Dad has gone rhubarb mad. There’s a rhubarb and Greek yoghurt danish available at the bakery during the day, with a rhubarb and almond sour and a rhubarb frangipane tart on offer in the restaurant in the evenings.
Layla
Can’t choose between a pastry and a cake? Get both at Layla. This pastry case has a slice of ginger cake inside and is topped with rhubarb compote, vanilla cream and poached rhubarb.
Garden Museum Cafe
There’s a lot to love at the Garden Museum Cafe but especially during rhubarb season thanks to this plump choux bun filled with Yorkshire rhubarb and custard.
Maya’s Bakehouse
You’re spoiled for choice at this Tulse Hill spot, which is promising many different rhubarb bakes throughout the season, including this pillowy maritozzi filled with rhubarb jam, vanilla cream and rhubarb slices.
Chatsworth Bakehouse
Crystal Palace fave Chatsworth Bakehouse is keeping it simple for rhubarb season, encasing the glorious pink fruit in flaky pastry and finishing it with a pearl sugar crust.

Lyle’s
Soft rhubarb, a crisp pastry case, a scoop of gently melting ice cream….puddings don’t get much better than this tart from Lyle’s.

The Dreamery
The Dreamery knows it’s never too cold for ice cream, especially when the scoops are rhubarb and olive oil and you can colour match them to your vino.
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Put the kettle on!
