Pulp, London. Scrollsant, wine and the little pleasures of life

«I believe that the everyday is just as important as special occasions, and that our job is to make people feel it, so that they can trust us.»

There’s a particular kind of energy you feel the moment you step into Pulp, in Ealing, London. In the morning, it wakes up as a bakery, with the sound of coffee beans falling into the grinder, a counter lined with scrollsants, pain au chocolat, brioche and sweet and savoury viennoiserie.

By the afternoon, the bulk of the pastries make way for sourdough bread, focaccia, cheese boards and sharing plates, while milk and coffee flow into a thoughtful selection of English and international wines.

But more than anything, it’s the welcome, the warmth, the sense of being at home that stays with you. Pulp is a place to build connections. It’s a bakery, a wine bar, a deli and a community hub all at once. It’s the home of the scrollsant, but above all, it’s the creation of Suzy Nutt, who, along with her husband Pan, has woven two careers in food into a space that breathes, evolves and embraces.

«I’ve always worked in food & drinks and always wanted to open something that put emphasis on quality produce in a relaxed setting. Whether on a date, having a celebration or finding some solitude , I longed to create a space that I wanted to come to, somewhere that constantly evolved and grew, that felt alive and where I could explore and learn,» Nutt says.

Here, the line between guests and friends fades away. «I want people to feel like they’re in our home, part of our community and family. I came from a big family where the kitchen table was the centre of our home. From morning till night, it was filled with friends and family. Coffee and wine play a big part in my life: you share it and you take time to enjoy it. I want people to see the journey, understand that this is a space for life’s little pleasures.»

The symbol of that philosophy is the scrollsant, Pulp’s signature pastry. A hybrid between a scroll (think cinnamon roll) and a croissant, it’s made with buttery, layered croissant dough, rolled up like a scroll and filled with different ingredients depending on the season. Sweet or savoury, it always keeps that light, flaky texture of French viennoiserie.

«My husband Pan is the creator of the scrollsant,» explains Nutt «It came about through the pandemic, when we were without staff, paying rents on multiple shops (but not being able to trade), managing a toddler and trying to keep our businesses alive. We had to eliminate a dough (Pan was making brioche, sourdough and all the other baked goods on his own, by hand), so he developed the Scrollsant. It’s simple, but it’s delicious. It’s accessible, interesting and constantly changing with the seasons».

For Nutt, quality and respect for the customer matter equally,  whether it’s a small purchase or a fine bottle. «I believe that whether you’re spending a few pounds on a pastry or hundreds on wine and food, you should be treated with respect and that the act of making them should be respected too. Making a coffee right can make someone’s day, and answering their questions about a wine can make it an occasion. I believe that the ‘everyday’ is just as important as the ‘special occasions’ and that our job is to make sure people feel that and trust us to do our best.»

This deep care and respect for service has built a strong sense of community, Pulp’s beating heart. «I love my shop, I love my staff, I love our community. I respect the people who are there from the first coffee of the morning to the last glass at night

, customers and staff. And people feel that. I take time to talk to people and understand what makes them happy. We’re all here because of the support around us, and I respect that fully. No man is an island! I treat people how I want to be treated. I serve people as I want to be looked after. I put things in place that I would want to experience.»

And in a city like London, with an almost limitless hospitality scene, Nutt believes the difference lies in the atmosphere you create. «I think people feel the love and the passion and the commitment, and that’s what makes it stand out. It’s a place that is always changing. I won’t ever rest on my laurels; I’m always critiquing myself and the way we do things to hopefully improve and get better. I want to be as good as I can be, and I want to feel confident that we’re working to the best of our abilities».

As for the future, there’s only one certainty: to keep surprising people. «Always new scrollsants! We always change with the seasons, as well as our small plates in the evenings and the wines on the shelves. We’re working on making Pulp online a more efficient, slick experience, with deliveries of everything from the shop. Then… who knows!»