A South London bakery devoted entirely to Basque cheesecake has scooped the highest accolade at the 2026 Great Taste Awards. La Maritxu received a coveted three-star rating for its classic Basque burnt cheesecake, which judges described as extraordinary.
The three-star award is the top distinction in the world's largest food and drink accreditation scheme, placing La Maritxu among just 306 products globally to achieve this elite status this year.
La Maritxu's other creations also impressed the judging panel. Its manchego and tiramisu cheesecakes each earned two-star outstanding awards, while the pistachio cheesecake secured a one-star delicious rating, giving the bakery four award-winning treats in total.
A family recipe with Basque roots
Founder Lucía Larragoiti said: "Winning a Great Taste Award feels like an incredible milestone for us. We started La Maritxu out of a pure love for Basque baking, and the support from our London community has been overwhelming. This award is a testament to all the early mornings, hard work, and passion that go into every single cheesecake we bake."
Larragoiti, a former architect, founded the bakery in 2021 alongside her sisters Maria and Almudena. The trio wanted to bring the Basque cheesecake of their childhood to the British capital, and for five years Lucía balanced her day job with baking at night, only recently giving it up to focus on the business full-time.
The name La Maritxu carries deep personal meaning. "The name is a combination of my sister Maria's name and the common Basque suffix -txu," Larragoiti explained. "In the Basque country, ending someone's name with -txu [pronounced like 'choo'] is a sign of familiarity and affection. This reflects the fact that the recipe for our Basque burnt cheesecake, also known as San Sebastian cheesecake, has been in our family for generations and is made with a very special ingredient - love."
From architect to award-winning baker
La Maritxu has taken London by storm since opening its first site in 2021, quickly gaining a loyal following for its £6 per slice cheesecakes. The bakery's signature product features a caramelised, burnt exterior and a creamy, almost molten interior, a texture that has sparked a social media frenzy.
MyLondon praised La Maritxu in an October 2024 review, stating "the hype was very much deserved", while another reviewer declared its cheesecakes to be "the best I ever tasted". The latest Great Taste accolades cement the bakery's reputation as one of London's standout dessert destinations.
Great Taste 2026: the numbers behind the awards
This year, a record-breaking 15,000 products were submitted for Great Taste judging from companies around the world. Of those, only 4,286 (28.50%) received a one-star award, deemed simply delicious, while 1,596 (10.61%) claimed a two-star outstanding rating. Just 306 products (2.03%) achieved the coveted three-star exquisite and extraordinary award, making La Maritxu's achievement particularly remarkable.
The three-star rating places La Maritxu alongside the very best food producers globally, a huge accomplishment for a small family-run bakery in South London.
Where to find La Maritxu
The bakery currently operates four sites across London: Kingly Court in the West End, Connaught Village near Hyde Park, Greenwich in the southeast, and Coal Drops Yard in King's Cross. Each location offers the full range of Basque cheesecakes, with the classic burnt cheesecake remaining the hero product.
With this prestigious award now in hand, La Maritxu is likely to see even more customers queueing up for its celebrated cheesecakes. For Londoners who haven't yet tried them, the Great Taste judges have made it clear: these are not to be missed.
