Dough in Bootham is nominated in The Press Best Bakery

Dough is the second of 10 finalists in The Press 'Best Bakery 2025' awards.

Press readers have nominated their favourite bakeries in York and North Yorkshire via an online voting platform. They will now be able to vote for their 'Best Bakery 2025' by picking up copies of The Press newspaper between September 1 and September 13, with the winner set to be announced shortly after that.

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Each copy of The Press in the coming days will feature a short profile on each bakery and why it thinks it deserves to be voted number one.

Dough, in Bootham, has served the surrounding community for the past eight years offering a wide range of pastries and bread, baked fresh every morning.

Whilst owner Dave Sturgess has no formal training as a baker, his past career in catering and hospitality helped him pick up the skills on the job and learn how to make a good loaf of bread.

Cinnamon buns at Dough (Image: Provided) He said: “I've gained most of my experience from making mistakes and burning bread! Bread wasn't particularly a hobby, I always loved eating it but once I started making bread, I really enjoyed seeing the end product.

“Sourdough can be frustrating, but when you get it right, it’s also immensely satisfying. I guess people like our bread, because if they didn't, they wouldn't come back!” 

Whilst sourdough is Dough’s speciality product, the bakery is known for its variety of bread – ciabattas, focaccias, spelt loaves, baguettes – and its sweet treats and pastries.

Baker Lee putting some of his bakes in the oven (Image: Provided) Current best sellers include the three-flour sourdough and the Cheddar and Marmite Saturday special, with millionaires’ shortbread and cupcakes also said to ‘go down pretty well’.

The team at Dough also sells a range of hot and cold drinks, working with York based Dancing Goat Coffee, and also sell retail products from other local suppliers including York based Grays Honey, Holgate Windmill Flour, Yorkshire Pasta Company and others.

Dave added: “We're lucky to have such a loyal and very friendly customer base, the staff are able to have a good chat and catch up (if we're not too busy) and I feel like we are a part of the community.”

Loaves of bread ready for the day at Dough (Image: Provided) “Nothing that Dough has achieved in the past eight years would have been possible without our team though, the bakers who come in in the middle of the night and get the bread out, the shop and bakery guys who produce some amazing cakes and create a welcoming environment, chatting to the regulars.

“Running a small business can be challenging and I am lucky to have the team that I have behind me.”