Pancakes are happy foods, they comfort and cheer you up when you are in need of a little pick-me-up. They go well with bacon and eggs in the morning, and fruits drizzled with dark chocolate sauce as dessert. They can be eaten anytime, anywhere. We’ve rounded up the best pancake-serving shops in London for when you need your fix.
American Style Pancakes at Grain Store| © Jessie Lim
Buttermilk pancakes at Riding House Cafe | © Jessie Lim
Grain Store
Head to the Grain Store for the classic buttermilk pancake. The two fluffy American-style pancakes done to perfection, sweet, crisp exterior yielding a pillowy soft inside. They are lovely when eaten with maple syrup and some clotted cream, and also delicious when eaten plain. Though a little on the pricier side, they are definitely a must try.
Grain Store, 1 – 3 Stable Street, London N1C 4ABe, +44 20 7324 4466
Buttermilk pancakes at Riding House Cafe | © Jessie Lim
Riding House Café
Buttermilk pancakes, served with berries, vanilla clotted cream, and maple syrup are delicious here. If you are looking for more pancake for your buck, Riding House Café is your best bet. They serve three beautiful buttermilk pancakes, topped with the loveliest vanilla clotted cream and berries too. Drizzled with maple syrup and dusted with icing sugar, this is heaven on a plate. With a flat white on the side, this is one way to start your morning right.
Riding House Café, 43 – 51 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7PQ, +44 20 7927 0840
Pancake stack at Central & Co | © Jessie Lim
Rabbit
Rabbit is a restaurant celebrating British ‘wild food’ with a focus on sustainability, and they have created both savoury and sweet pancakes for Pancake Day.
Rabbit, 172 Kings Road London SW3 4UP, +44 20 3750 0172
Pancake stack at Central & Co | © Jessie Lim
Deep Fried Banoffee-inspired Pancakes at The Book Club | © Filipe Guerreiro
Granger & Co
For when you are in need of a fluffy ricotta pancake try the ricotta hotcakes served with banana and honeycomb butter. Ricotta pancakes differ from classic buttermilk American-style ones in that they tend to be lighter, fluffier, yet custard-creamy on the inside. It sounds like quite the paradox and an impossible feat to accomplish, but Granger & Co has got it right. These ricotta hotcakes are light, delectably moist, and so easy to finish. Very pricey, but so very worth it.
Granger & Co, 175 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2SB, +44 20 7229 9111
- Deep Fried Banoffee-inspired Pancakes at The Book Club | © Filipe Guerreiro
The Book Club & Stories
The Book Club & Stories in Shoreditch and Broadway Market respectively serve a special Pancake Day menu, ranging from the wildly sinful sounding ‘Deep Fried Banoffee inspired Pancakes with Salted Caramel Rum Sauce’ to the healthier option of ‘Gluten Free Buckwheat Pancakes’ with coconut yoghurt, berries and pistachios. There are savoury pancakes on the menu too, and Beer and Bacon ‘Mancakes’, whatever they may be.
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4RH, +44 20 7684 8618
Stories, 30 – 32 Broadway Market, London E8 4QJ, +44 20 7254 6898
Raspberry and ricotta pancakes | © Jessie Lim
Jackson & Rye Pancakes | © Jessie Lim
The Modern Pantry
Raspberry & ricotta pancakes, topped with berry compote and crème fraîche at The Modern Pantry are great. These ricotta pancakes come with the added bonus of raspberries in them. They come smothered in clotted cream and raspberry compote. Creamy indulgence in every bite, they are satiating, mousse-like pancakes, punctuated with bursts of tangy raspberry. They feel more like pudding than pancakes, and though only two are served, they are absolutely filling. However, they are only available for weekend brunches and do make a reservation before you head down.
The Modern Pantry, 47 – 48 St John’s Square, London, EC1V 4JJ, +44 20 7553 9210
Jackson & Rye Pancakes | © Jessie Lim
Jackson & Rye
Jackson & Rye is for when you are in need of hearty, comforting food. They have one of the fluffiest and softest buttermilk pancakes in the area, and best of all they are served from 8AM to 4.30PM. Make sure you try the Bacon and Blueberry pancakes, and not to mention the simple, yet delicious, buttermilk pancakes. For the latter, you get a choice of blueberry compote and house whipped cream, or banana and maple syrup cream. Why not get all of them.
Jackson & Rye, 56 Wardour Street, London W1D 4JD, +44 20 7437 8338
Continental Stores
For when you still want to feel healthy while having your pancakes try the wholemeal pancakes with mango, banana, and passion fruit at Continental Stores. Pancakes have got a bad rep for being bad for you, but who says you can’t make them healthier with substitutes like wholemeal flour, mango, banana and passion fruit? That is exactly what Continental Stores, sister store to Store Street Espresso, does. And they do it well. You can have your wholemeal pancake and eat it, too.
Continental Stores, 54 Tavistock Place, Kings Cross, London, WC1H 9RG
Dutch Style Pancakes | © Jessie Lim
My Old Dutch
For when you want a feeding frenzy without busting your budget, try My Old Dutch. The favourite of every student on a budget, the Dutch-style pancakes make the most of every pound spent. Much larger and much thinner than regular buttermilk pancakes, these Dutch pancakes are a closer relative to French crêpes. My Old Dutch’s pancake menu is extensive, with multiple savoury options such as smoked salmon, Hawaiian, and chicken curry. If you are not used to having pancakes with the savoury stuff, there are the sweet options such as berries compote, fresh fruit salad, and even Vermeer.
My Old Dutch, 131-132 High Holborn, London WC1V 6PS, +44 20 7242 5200