Kanto Cafe & Bakery, a Filipino-owned gem in Cambridge, has been named one of Britain’s Best Bakeries for 2025 by The Good Food Guide. Behind this rising star is 29-year-old Filipina Theresa Pascual and her Korean husband, Seungnim Kang — a couple whose love for food, family, and culture turned a pandemic hobby into a celebrated community bakery.
It all began in lockdown when Pascual, a former web developer, started baking to bring her homesick family a taste of the Philippines. “My family was missing Filipino baked goods. So I just thought, ‘Okay, I’ll try and make ensaymada,’” she recalled. That one batch quickly turned into more — from pandesal to other nostalgic treats, which she shared with friends and family.
Encouraged by their warm reception and driven by her passion, Pascual opened the first Kanto Cafe & Bakery in December 2023. The name “Kanto” reflects something close, familiar, and comforting. “Kasi lahat ng mga sari-sari store or mga places na gusto mong puntahan, palagi nating sinasabi na, ‘Saan mo ba nakuha ‘yan?’ Gusto naming masabi ng mga tao, ‘Oh, diyan lang sa kanto,’” Pascual shared.
Located just outside Cambridge city center, the cafe began quietly, relying solely on word of mouth from loyal locals. But everything changed after they were featured in The Good Food Guide. “After the recognition, there was a continuous increase in customers,” Pascual said. “The fact na nagustuhan nila ’yung food is pinaka-big points.”
Kanto offers a unique fusion of Filipino and Korean flavors, with bestsellers like ube pandesal, garlic cheese bread, and the crowd-favorite calamansi cinnamon buns — a sweet bun with a tangy Filipino twist. Even with growing demand, Pascual stays hands-on in the kitchen. “Nagbe-bake pa rin po ako… everyday po mga 5 a.m. magbe-bake na kami and then magpe-prepare for the next day,” she shared.
For Pascual, being able to introduce Filipino flavors abroad is a source of pride. “I’m very proud and honored as a Filipino to be able to introduce the baked goods to other cultures,” she said.
While the couple doesn’t plan to open multiple branches just yet, they hope to move into a larger space to experiment with new offerings — perhaps even French pastries with a Filipino twist.
Her message to aspiring entrepreneurs abroad? “If you have a really good concept, it will be very hard. It’s a lot of hard work, and if you’re prepared for that, then go for it. People here are very welcoming to trying different new things. So, keep going and there will be a time that it will do well.”
From a small kitchen during lockdown to one of the UK’s best bakeries, Kanto Cafe & Bakery is a heartfelt success story — proof that with passion, resilience, and a strong sense of identity, dreams can rise as beautifully as freshly baked pandesal.