'I visited a Polish bakery in Yorkshire that went viral for its huge queues'

I stumbled across House of Bread on Instagram, which is hardly surprising, as the family-run bakery has amassed millions of views online.

Located on Bradford Road in Frizinghall, the bakery sells additive-free goods – often advertising weekly specials, like karpatka and coconut cake.

However, it’s not just the pastries that have got people talking; House of Bread has gone viral for its queues.

Last weekend, curious to see whether the bakery lived up to its hype, I decided to test it firsthand.

Perhaps naively, I arrived at 10am, when the bakery had opened at 8am. I spotted the queue before I saw the shopfront, parked on a nearby street, and approached the bakery with some trepidation about wait times.

The bakery had attracted a mixed crowd: couples, families, solo customers, and what looked like a run club, stopping en masse for a post-exercise pastry.

Clearly they knew what they wanted, though; despite being eighth in the queue, I was stood by the glass-fronted counter within five minutes.

The choice was overwhelming. There was a wall displaying sourdough loaves of all varieties – and even pizza, which I mentally noted to remember for a midweek takeaway.

The counter itself was bulging with stacks of pastries of all sizes, shapes, and descriptions. I eyeballed the selection, which included meringue-topped cheesecake, medovik honey cake, caramelised banana buns, and crispy focaccia.

Ultimately, I settled on a cappuccino and three items: a £2.90 hummus bun, £2.80 cinnamon bun, and a traditional jagodzianka for £2.80.

There was seating available outside, but since Saltaire was just a five-minute drive away, I asked for a takeaway bag.

I parked near Salts Mill, crossed the River Aire Bridge, and found a comfortable bench in Roberts Park, surrounded by autumnal leaves.

It seemed a peaceful place to put the pastries to the test – and my stomach grumbled in agreement.

The savoury bun was first on my list: topped with seasoned cubes of feta and sliced cherry tomatoes, its centre oozed with hummus.

Next came the cinnamon bun. It was a classic, and I wasn’t disappointed; House of Bread wasn’t shy with the cinnamon, and this lightly flaked pastry packed a punch.

The real wildcard was the jagodzianka; I’d read about traditional Polish blueberry buns, but never tried one before.

Biting into the pillowy soft brioche bun, I was surprised to find the blueberry filling wasn’t overly sweet. Instead, the crunchy crumble topping gave it a sugary touch. Delicious.

On reflection, I was impressed by both the quality and the price tag. For two cappuccinos and the three pastries, £13 felt extremely reasonable.

I also appreciated the nudge to return to Saltaire. House of Bread is easily combined with a visit to Shipley Glen Tramway, Salts Mill, and the riverfront trails in Roberts Park.

For future visits, I’ll be more than happy to queue – and perhaps next time I’ll try a pizza.