Custard Doughnut London — the Vanillissimo at Bombolone
Silky crema pasticcera. Real Madagascan vanilla. The one that tastes like it should.
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Best vanilla custard doughnut in London
The Vanillissimo is Bombolone’s answer to the classic custard doughnut — find it in London at 21 Whitcomb Street WC2H 7HA, two minutes from Trafalgar Square. A soft Italian brioche-style doughnut filled by hand with crema pasticcera, made using Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans. Vegetarian and Halal. Available in two sizes from £4.90
Made with real vanilla pods from Madagascar— smooth, clean, exactly as good as it should be. The best custard doughnut in London. Perfetto.
Made fresh every morning. Popular flavours sell out before noon — especially on weekends.
Doughnut Boxes
Bundle of 12 big personalised logo dounuts
Twelve big doughnuts, each topped with your logo. A collection of our best sellers — your brand on every one.
Want specific flavours?
Add them in ORDER NOTES at checkout — all the same or a mix. Leave it blank and we’ll send our best-seller mix (contains nuts — note any allergy at checkout).
…
£59.00
Birthday box of 6 big doughnuts
Six big doughnuts, topped with a “Happy Birthday” plaque in Callebaut Belgian chocolate. A collection of our best sellers.
Want specific flavours?
Add them in ORDER NOTES at checkout — pick any six, all the same or all different. Leave it blank and we’ll send our best-seller mix (contains nuts — note any allergy…
£24.00
Box of 6 big vanilla doughnuts
Bombolone’s custard doughnut in London — A two-star Great Taste Award winner. Filled with in-house crema pasticcera made from Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla. Real vanilla — not extract, not flavouring. Split open by hand so every seed counts.
£24.00
Bundle of 36 small vanilla doughnuts
Bombolone’s custard doughnut in London — A two-star Great Taste Award winner. Filled with in-house crema pasticcera made from Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla. Real vanilla — not extract, not flavouring. Split open by hand so every seed counts.
£108.00
Some of our menu items contain allergens.
All food is prepared in a kitchen that handles gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs, and other allergens.
What is a custard doughnut?
A soft Italian brioche-style doughnut filled with vanilla pastry cream, made from scratch every morning at 21 Whitcomb Street. If you’re looking for the real thing – a proper custard doughnut in London – this is where you come.
- Filling — Crema pasticcera — in-house vanilla pastry cream
- Key ingredient — Grade A Madagascan Bourbon Vanilla Beans
- Glaze — None
- Decoration — Icing sugar
- Sizes — Big doughnut — approx. 125g | Party-size — approx. 55g
- Dough — Italian brioche-style, made in-house
- Price — From £4.90
- Labels — Vegetarian | Halal
- Allergens — Contains: Gluten (Wheat), Eggs, Soy, Milk. May Contain: Gluten (Barley, Rye, Oats), Nuts, Lupin.
For full nutrition, allergen and ingredient information, see our allergen matrix
For UK food allergy guidance, see the Food Standards Agency
The one people come back for
"The best doughnut I have ever had in my life."We hear that a lot. Usually from someone halfway through their first vanilla one.
Sometimes it’s followed by this:
“We came for one… and left with six.”
“Dangerously addictive. Stopping at one is nearly impossible.”
“Soft, fresh, generously filled.”
“Light, fluffy and perfectly balanced.”
One vanilla custard doughnut explains all of it. That’s what makes Bombolone’s custard doughnut in London different from anything you’ll find in a chain.
ORDER A BOX
That meeting’s been dragging. This fixes it.
A box of Vanillissimo in the office at 3pm changes the energy in the room. No explanation needed — people just stop what they’re doing. Order a box for the team today.
This is the one people actually remember.
If you’re looking for a gift that isn’t flowers, isn’t a voucher, and won’t be forgotten by Tuesday — a box of Vanillissimo is it. The one people mention for weeks.
Going bigger? Doughnut towers, hampers, logo toppers, and handwritten cards all available. Same and next-day options possible for Central London. For corporate orders and events, our catering team handles everything — tell us the occasion and we’ll take it from there.
Planning something bigger? Corporate orders, event catering, and gifting enquiries welcome.
Leave it with us
Why vanilla crema pasticcera doughnuts?
The vanilla bomboloni has been on Italian pastry shop counters for centuries — the classic vanilla doughnut, long before it became a trend. The one Italian nonnas made on Sunday, the one that appears in every pastry shop from Florence to Naples. Egg yolk, milk, sugar, real vanilla — cooked slowly into crema pasticcera, the Italian pastry cream that has been the heart of Italian dessert making for generations. Simple. Irreplaceable.
Sonia and Paweł first tasted a vanilla custard doughnut in Tuscany. The crema pasticcera was silky, deeply aromatic — made properly, with real vanilla beans. They looked at each other. London needed this.
That doughnut became the Vanillissimo. Customers come in and tell us it tastes like something from their childhood. We know exactly what they mean.
What makes it special
Most custard filled doughnuts in London are filled with flavoured powder mixed with water. The Vanillissimo is filled with crema pasticcera — a proper Italian pastry cream made the way professional kitchens have always made it.
The difference starts with the vanilla. Bombolone uses Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans — split open by hand, seeds scraped into whole milk and cream, infused overnight. The black specks in the cream are real. That is not a styling choice.
The cream is piped by hand into every doughnut after frying, while the dough is still warm. Finished with a dusting of icing sugar. Nothing more is needed — the vanilla does everything.
How it's made
Most doughnuts are mixed by machine, injected by machine, and finished by machine. Bombolone’s are not.
Every morning before the cafe opens, the Italian brioche-style dough is mixed from scratch — flour, eggs, fat, yeast. Each portion shaped by hand, fried at the right temperature until the crust holds. Then the crema pasticcera — made that morning from Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans — is filled by hand into every doughnut. The icing sugar goes on last.
No overnight prep. Nothing reheated. The dough was refined over six months before the first Vanillissimo was ever served. That work is in every bite.
Why people keep coming back
Our bakers start before sunrise, every morning — not to warm things up, but to begin from scratch. The Italian brioche-style dough doesn’t reheat. It starts again, because that’s the only way it works.
Within the first month of opening, Bombolone became the #1 ranked bakery in London on TripAdvisor. Over 120 five-star reviews later, the vanilla custard doughnut in London is still the one people mention first.
DJ Angel: “Don’t leave without trying the classic vanilla custard — they never disappoint.”
Meg C: “We chose the vanilla and strawberry donuts and they tasted amazing and were so light!”
“I ordered one at first, and then I couldn’t resist ordering one more — vanilla and blueberry.”
“Must try the vanilla.”
If you’re looking for a pistachio doughnut in London, this is where people keep ending up.
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#1
Bakery in London
On Tripadvisor – Here’s What People Say
Every review below is from a real customer. No incentivised reviews. No paid placements. Just people who walked in off Whitcomb Street and wanted to tell someone about it.
Best custard doughnut in london? Here's why it's the vanillissimo
London has no shortage of fresh cream doughnuts and cream-filled doughnuts. Most are made commercially — mixed by machine, injected by machine, finished by machine. The filling is flavoured powder mixed with water. The dough was made yesterday. Not a chain cream doughnut in London. Not the real thing.
The Vanillissimo is a different thing. Italian brioche-style dough mixed from scratch that morning, crema pasticcera made with Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans, filled by hand. No shortcuts in it.
That is why people searching for the best vanilla doughnut in London, the best cream doughnut in London, or the best custard doughnut London has to offer keep ending up on Whitcomb Street. Not because of advertising. Because someone they know came here first.
Try our pistachio cream doughnut too — the one everyone orders alongside it
BEST PAIRED WITH
The Vanillissimo and a flat white is the pairing. The Moresso blend —Brazil, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, graded 80+ — has toasted nut and chocolate notes from the Brazilian beans that sit cleanly against the vanilla cream. The Ethiopian brightness cuts through the richness just enough. Order both. You’ll see.
Corporate Doughnuts
Office treats, client gifts, branded doughnuts, and event catering for teams across Central London.
Enquire about corporate
Wedding Doughnuts
Bespoke doughnut towers and walls for London weddings and celebrations. Mixed flavours, custom display.
Plan your wedding doughnuts
Birthday Boxes
Personalised birthday doughnut boxes, available for collection or delivery across Central London.
Order a birthday boxLa dolce vita, in every bite
WHERE TO FIND US
Bombolone is at 21 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA — two minutes from Trafalgar Square, directly behind the National Gallery, and a short walk from Covent Garden and Leicester Square. The Vanillissimo is available every day we're open. Doughnuts are made fresh each morning — popular flavours sell out before noon on weekends. Come earlier for the best selection. Nearest Tube: Charing Cross (Bakerloo, Northern) | Leicester Square (Northern, Piccadilly) If you're near Trafalgar Square or Covent Garden — Whitcomb Street is the answer. The best vanilla custard doughnut in Central London is two minutes away.
Address
21 Whitcomb St.
London WC2H 7HA
- 2 minutes walk from Trafalgar Square
- 3 minutes from the National Gallery
- 6 minutes from Covent Garden
- 4 minutes from Leicester Square
- 8 minutes from Piccadilly Circus
- 6 minutes walk from Charing Cross
Opening Hours
Mon – Fri:
9AM – 6PM
Sat:
10AM – 8PM
Sun:
10AM – 6PM
Frequently asked questions
What is the Vanillissimo?
The Vanillissimo is Bombolone’s custard doughnut in London — an Italian brioche-style doughnut filled by hand with crema pasticcera, an in-house Italian pastry cream made using Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans, finished with icing sugar. Available in big (125g) or party size (55g). Vegetarian and Halal.
What does a vanilla custard doughnut taste like?
Smooth, clean, and unmistakably vanilla — not sweet for the sake of it. The crema pasticcera is rich without being heavy, with a deep aromatic flavour from real vanilla beans rather than flavouring. Paired with soft Italian brioche-style dough, it’s the kind of thing that’s hard to stop at one.
What is the vanilla filling made from?
The filling is crema pasticcera — an Italian pastry cream made in-house from fresh whole milk, whipping cream, egg yolk, caster sugar, cornflour, and Grade A Madagascan Bourbon vanilla beans. The beans are split open and infused into the cream. No flavouring. No shortcuts. The black specks in the filling are real vanilla seeds.
Is the Vanillissimo vegetarian and halal?
Yes. The Vanillissimo is Vegetarian and Halal certified. Contains: Gluten (Wheat), Eggs, Soy, Milk. May Contain: Gluten (Barley, Rye, Oats), Nuts, Lupin. Full allergen information
Can I order the Vanillissimo online?
Yes. The Vanillissimo is available as part of a Bombolone doughnut box, which you can order online for collection or delivery. For larger orders, event catering, or corporate gifting, our catering team handles everything — we reply within 24 hours.
Are the doughnuts made fresh every day?
Yes. Every custard donut at Bombolone is made from scratch each morning before the cafe opens. Nothing is frozen or carried over from the day before — when they’re gone, they’re gone.
Where can I find a vanilla doughnut in London?
Bombolone is at 21 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA — two minutes from Trafalgar Square, three minutes from the National Gallery, and a short walk from Covent Garden and Leicester Square. The best vanilla custard donut and custard doughnut in Central London is right here.
What time does Bombolone open?
Mon – Fri:
9AM – 6PM
Sat:
10AM – 8PM
Sun:
10AM – 6PMWalk-ins always welcome at 21 Whitcomb Street, London WC2H 7HA
Come and try it
The vanilla custard doughnut worth finding in London is at 21 Whitcomb Street. The Vanillissimo is the one that started everything for Sonia and Paweł in Tuscany — and the one people keep coming back for.
If you’re near Trafalgar Square, this is the one worth walking for.
See all our doughnuts in London
Or try something different — our pistachio cream doughnut