It’s fair to say that London isn’t short of top breakfast and brunch places, and of course, no breakfast menu would be complete without pancakes! From authentic, thick American style pancakes to more unusual savoury creations, here are, in no particular order the ultimate bucket list of where to eat London’s most delicious pancakes!
1. Buttermilk Pancakes, Outsider Tart.
…with salted butter and maple syrup.
Outsider Tart is the home of true southern American cooking and no American restaurant would be complete without a stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes on the menu. Outsider’s pancakes come in a short stack (2) mid-stack (3) or long haul (4), and all come with real maple syrup and a dollop of salted butter melting in the middle. A really quirky and unique place for brunch.
83 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, London W4 2EF www.outsidertart.com
2. Buttermilk Pancakes, Chiltern Firehouse.
…with blueberry compote, fresh blueberries and creme fraiche.
Chiltern Firehouse is a 5* hotel and former fire station in Marylebone serving up 5* pancakes. This is the place to go when a regular stack just won’t do and you REALLY want to treat yourself (and indeed your waistline) . The pancakes come plain with toppings on the side which means you can design them to your own liking. A place for great pancakes and the occasional celebrity sighting!
1 Chiltern St, Marylebone, London W1U 7PA www.chilternfirehouse.com
3. Hotcakes, Angie’s Little Food Shop.
… with espresso mascarpone and vanilla cinnamon syrup.
Angie’s is a gorgeous Australian brunch spot in leafy West London. Their pancakes or ‘hot cakes’ as they call them are not really like any others I’ve tried before. Rounder, smaller and a little bit savoury; They come with a dollop of espresso cream and a cute pot of cinnamon syrup to drizzle. Expect lots of locals and yummy mummies!
114 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick, London W4 1PU www.angieslittlefoodshop.com
4. Berry Banana Pancakes, Balans.
…with warm maple syrup.
Balans do some of the best pancakes I’ve had in London. They are the thick American style and come drowned in maple syrup, lots of toppings and are VERY generous in size. Have them as bressert (breakfast dessert) to one of Balans’s full English breakfasts and you can’t go wrong. Always a friendly welcome at the original site in Soho.
60-62 Old Compton St, Soho, London W1D 4UG www.balans.co.uk
5. Dulce de Leche Pancakes, NAC.
…with dulce de leche sauce, bananas and icing sugar.
NAC is a popular brunch spot in London’s super swanky Mayfair and one thing everyone raves about is their pancakes. They are completely covered in dulce de leche sauce (a sweet caramel) and are topped with banana and icing sugar. If you’re in a need of an extra sugar hit this is one for you.
41 N Audley St, Mayfair, London W1K 6ZP www.naclondon.com
6. Galettes & Crepes, Senzala Creperie.
…with multiple topping options. (GF, DF & V options available)
Senzala Creperie is a small, independent creperie in the vibrant and bustling Brixton Village. They have a large menu of both sweet and savoury galettes and crepes so you’re sure to find something you’ll love. I’d recommend the savoury cheese, asparagus and egg for dinner and the one that tastes like apple pie for dessert.
42 Coldharbour Ln, Brixton, London SW9 8PS www.senzalacreperie.co.uk
7. Japanese Souffle Pancakes, Fuwa Fuwa
… with honeycomb butter
Fuwa Fuwa are the first of their kind to arrive in London cooking up their amazing Japanese Souffle Pancakes. Unlike anything else you have eaten before, these beauties are a labour of love and take 20 minutes to cook to pancake perfection. You’ll be glad you waited for them once you experience their signature jiggle and them melting in your mouth. BELIEVE ME – it’s an experience. A must try in London!
Unit 18, Brunswick Centre, Marchmont St, Bloomsbury, London WC1N 1AE
8. Nutella Poffertjes, Camden Market.
…with shed loads of Nutella.
Poffertjes are the small, sweet Dutch pancakes which come in perfect bite-size pieces. Watching them being freshly cooked in front of you is mesmerising … especially when they pile them high with Nutella and strawberries! Find them in Camden Market.
Camden Lock Pl, Camden Town, London NW1 8AF www.camdenmarket.com
9. Pancake Stack with Forest Fruits, Cafe Miami.
… with forest fruits compote and creme fraiche.
Cafe Miami is an art deco style cafe in Hackney that has a whole section of the menu dedicated to pancakes. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Their flavours include pancakes stuffed with Nutella, pancakes that taste like cinnamon rolls and pancakes topped with forest fruits and copious amounts of cream. A great place for a weekend brunch!
24 Lower Clapton Rd, London E5 0PD www.cafemiami.co.uk
10. Build your own pancakes, Christophers.
… with whatever you want!
Instead of being stuck with one topping, Christopher’s gives you the option to build your own pancakes. Each table comes with a pencil, a tick sheet and you get to select from a whole list of toppings. Set right in the heart of Covent Garden.
Covent Garden, 18 Wellington St, London WC2E 7DD www.christophersgrill.com
11. Galettes & Crepes, Crepes A La Carte.
… with various toppings. (GF, DF & V options available)
Whoever said pancakes (or crepes) had to be unhealthy? Crepes A La Carte, ran by French chef Eva, do a fantastic menu of inventive and good for you creations of their sweet and savoury buckwheat galettes. Buckwheat has amazing health benefits including high levels of antioxidants and helping to aid blood sugar control. Dishes are made fresh to order and are suitable for gluten, wheat and dairy free customers. Unhealthy options are also available 😉 A great local gem in North London.
112 Kentish Town Rd, London NW1 9PX www.crepesalacarte.co.uk
12. Vegan Cinnamon Pancakes, 90 Degree Melt.
…with banana and berries. (GF, V & DF options available)
It’s not very often you can say vegan pancakes are great (sorry but it’s true!). Thankfully, vegan/veggie cafe 90 Degree Melt have smashed that perception. Fluffy, sweet and thankfully not tasting of cardboard – you’d never know they are vegan and they’re absolutely delicious.
4BJ, 235 Mile End Rd, London E1 www.90degree.co.uk
13. Blueberry Pancake Stack, Proud Mary’s.
…with vanilla yoghurt and bananas. (GF)
Did someone say pancake or cake? Aussie brunch spot Proud Mary’s is just off the beaten track of West London’s Shepherds Bush and serves up the thickest, fluffiest pancakes you will ever lay eyes on. It’s seriously like eating three cakes. Plus they are gluten-free!
1C Oaklands Grove, Shepherd’s Bush, London W12 0JD www.proudmarys.co.uk
14. Ricotta Hot Cakes, Granger & Co.
…with banana and honeycomb butter.
Possibly the most photographed pancakes in London are the ones at Australian import Granger & Co. Their fluffy ricotta hotcakes are the reason you’ll never this popular cafe without a queue. It’s all about that honeycomb butter!
175 Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 2SB www.grangerandco.com
15. American Style Stack, Where The Pancakes Are.
…with bacon and berries. (GF, V & DF options available)
Where The Pancakes Are does exactly what it says on the tin. They serve up a menu made entirely of pancakes and are set in a funky little place called Flat Iron Square in South East London. Their pancakes are made with a buttermilk batter but for those with intolerances, they also do a vegan, dairy and wheat free batter. If you want to be more adventurous they also serve ‘Dutch Babies’ (not the human kind!) which are similar to a British Yorkshire pudding. Don’t go expecting huge portions as it’s more delicate than decadent.
Arch 35a, 85a Southwark Bridge Rd, London SE1 0NQ www.wherethepancakesare.com
16. Matcha pancakes, Avobar.
…with avocado butter.
Avobar is a restaurant in Covent Garden dedicated to all things avocado. If you’re a fan of matcha (Japanese green tea) these are a must try and paired with that avocado butter and caramelised banana they are fantastic. Get some avocado toast for brunch and these for dessert for the full avocado experience.
24 Henrietta St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 8ND https://www.avobar.co.uk/
17. Signature Pancakes, The Wolseley.
… with berries and extra bacon.
Eating pancakes at the famous Wolseley (next-door to the equally famous Ritz) is the ultimate breakfast goal! Eat a stack of their indulgent pancakes between silver teapots and opulent chandeliers. My tip is to get both berries and bacon. Seriously, that sticky bacon with the sweet fruit is the absolute dream.
160 Piccadilly, St. James’s, London W1J 9EB www.thewolseley.com
18. Homemade Pancakes, Burnt Toast Cafe.
…with berries and maple syrup.
Burnt Toast Cafe is a small, alfresco cafe in Brixton that does a FANTASTIC all day breakfast and brunch including their homemade berry or banana pancakes. Pair that with a cup of tea and a sunny Sunday morning in bustling Brixton Village; it’s the perfect place for your next brunch.
88 Brixton Village Market, Brixton, London SW9 8PS
…with coconut salted caramel sauce. (GF, V & DF options available)
Coconut water is a serious superfood and Osu use it to make their vegan, gluten and guilt-free pancakes. Find them in East London’s Broadway Market.
Broadway Market, London, E84QJ, http://www.broadwaymarket.co.uk
20. Garlic Mushroom Crepe, La Creperie de Hampstead.
… with mushrooms, garlic, parsley and pepper.
In London’s very lovely (and very posh) village of Hampstead Heath, sits La Creperie de Hampstead who have been serving up their takeaway crepes from their small cart since 1980. Very indulgent (as the French like it) and hardly ever without a queue. It’s a bit of an institution in the area and one to venture to for a weekend wander.
77a Hampstead High St, Hampstead, London NW3 1RE www.hampsteadvillage.com
21. Gunpowder, Tower Bridge
If you’re looking for brunch that is so much more than avocado on toast, Gunpowder it where it’s at. They do a weekend brunch menu off Indian eggs, spiced granola and these cardamon and banana pancakes. Enjoy with a side of their lamp chops and venison doughnut – I’m telling you it works!
4 Duchess Walk, London SE1 2SD, http://www.gunpowderlondon.com
Ooh they all look so good. I can’t wait for pancake day tomorrow, going to stuff my face! Yum!