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Filipino-owned Kanto Cafe & Bakery named one of Britain's best in 2025

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ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

<div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-4" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DItwPk-Ic5A/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A4%2C%22os%22%3A9875826.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="838" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-4" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>Kanto Cafe &amp; Bakery, a Filipino-owned bakery in Cambridge, has been named one of <a href="https://www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/best-of/best-bakeries">Britain’s Best Bakeries for 2025 by The Good Food Guide</a>.</p><p>Founded by Theresa Pascual, a 29-year-old Filipina, and her Korean husband Seungnim Kang, the cafe began as an unexpected hobby during the pandemic when Pascual started baking to bring comfort to her family.</p><p> “My family was missing Filipino baked goods. So, that&#x27;s when I just like, &#x27;Okay, I&#x27;ll try and make ensaymada,&#x27;” Pascual recalled. “After noon, I started to make a lot more baked goods from the Philippines, like pandesal, and give it to friends and family.”</p><p>Pascual used to work as a web developer and had never baked professionally. But with passion and support from her family, she turned her hobby into a real business. In December 2023, they opened the first Kanto Cafe &amp; Bakery.</p><p>Why Kanto? “Kasi lahat ng mga sari-sari store or lahat ng mga places na gusto mong puntahan, palagi nating sinasabi na ‘Saan mo ba nakuha &#x27;yan?’ kaya gusto naming masabi ng mga tao na parang,’Oh, diyan lang sa kanto,’&quot; she explained. </p><p>It captures the essence of something easily accessible and comforting. And that’s exactly the kind of familiarity and warmth Pascual wanted the cafe to bring to the Filipino community in Cambridge. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-2" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIZDeuYPavg/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A9855508.400000095%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-2" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p>The bakery now offers a mix of Filipino favorites and Korean flavors, like ube pandesal, garlic cheese bread, and their best-selling calamansi cinnamon buns, a sweet bun with a tangy Filipino twist. </p><div><strong>Slow but sweet start</strong></div><p>Pascual and her husband opened their shop outside Cambridge city center, so at first, not many people knew about them. </p><p>“It was a very slow journey from the start. Kasi we don&#x27;t usually have like [customers] when we first opened. So, only the locals, [through] the word of mouth knew about us,” she said.</p><p>Still, many locals and Filipinos in the area came back regularly. But that changed when the cafe was featured in The Good Food guide. </p><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DJKcx-roAPS/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=540&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A9832411.700000286%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="881" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><p> “After the recognition, there was continuous increase in terms of customers.” Pascual said. “The fact na nagustuhan nila [&#x27;yung food] is pinaka-big points.” </p><p>Asked how it feels to represent Filipino culture in a foreign country, Pascual responded: “I&#x27;m very proud and honored as a Filipino to be able to introduce the baked goods to other culture[s].” </p><p>Looking ahead, the couple hopes to expand -- not necessarily with more branches, but by finding a larger space to explore new creations like French pastries with Filipino flavors. </p><p>Their message to aspiring overseas entrepreneurs?</p><p>“If you have a really good concept, it will be very hard. It&#x27;s s a lot of hard work and if you&#x27;re prepared for that, then go for it. People here are very welcoming with trying different new things. So, keep going and there will be a time that it will do well,” she said </p><p>From a small kitchen during lockdown to one of the UK’s best bakeries, Kanto Cafe and Bakery shows what happens when love for food, culture, and family come together. </p><p>“Nagbe-bake pa rin po ako. Nowadays, since…..super dami na ng mga products na inilalabas namin. So, &#x27;yun, so everyday po mga 5 a.m….magbe-bake na kami and then magpe-prepare for the next day,” Pascual said. </p>

<p>Kanto Cafe &amp; Bakery, a Filipino-owned bakery in Cambridge, has been named one of <a href="https://www.thegoodfoodguide.co.uk/best-of/best-bakeries">Britain’s Best Bakeries for 2025 by The Good Food Guide</a>.</p>

Kanto Cafe & Bakery, a Filipino-owned bakery in Cambridge, has been named one of Britain’s Best Bakeries for 2025 by The Good Food Guide .

Filipino-owned Kanto Cafe & Bakery named one of Britain's best in 2025

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Filipino-owned Kanto Cafe & Bakery named one of Britain's best in 2025

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern,

Fritz Aranda

Published May 18, 2025 09:55 AM PHT

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Updated May 19, 2025 08:21 PM PHT

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Kanto Cafe & Bakery

Filipino food

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