East London is showing off far more exciting pancakes than the usual combination of lemon and sugar. Expect the same fluffy pancakes from your favourite East London spots, yet this time elevated with toppings from biscoff crumbs to Cointreau cream and many more naughty but incredibly fun additions…
The Breakfast Club
With a menu dedicated to the most important meal of the day, it’s no surprise The Breakfast Club reaches peak success on pancake day. There are several specials to choose from, including lemon meringue mess (napkins required), all the chocolate (pomegranate, vanilla ice cream and you guessed it, all the chocolate), and a somewhat, strange-sounding savoury option that brings together gammon ham with egg, pineapple and chips.
February 25th
Check website for all East London locations
thebreakfastclubcafes.com/
Café Miami
Home to the famous cinnamon roll pancakes with cream cheese frosting, Café Miami is on a whole different level when it comes to the sweet stacks. The coastal-inspired spot in Claption has you all covered for pancake day, serving specials with Biscoff crumbs, vanilla ice cream and salted caramel pretzels, or a childhood’s dream combination of Nutella and Kinder Bueno. That is, if you can ever come here without ordering the cinnamon roll pancakes…
February 25th
24 Lower Clapton Rd, London E5 0PD
www.cafemiami.co.uk/
24-hour Polo Bar
Serving towering stacks with ice cream and cake slices 24-hours a day, Polo Bar takes an unapologetic approach to pancakes. Not just on Shrove Tuesday, it’s a whole week of pancake fun with specials including Terry’s chocolate orange and Cointreau cream, smoked salmon and cream cheese, or a vegan-friendly peanut butter jelly stack. For the competitive type, take on the challenge with a stack of 10 pancakes served with your choice of berries, cookies and cream or banoffee – winner takes home a free bottle of Prosecco, but only if you finish the lot in fifteen minutes.
February 25th-February 29th
176 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4NQ
polo24hourbar.co.uk/
Ask For Janice
Bad dad joke pending… don’t Ask For Janice, but ask for the pancake specials at Farringdon’s favourite hangout. Here, you’ll find sophisticated stacks formed of forward-thinking ingredients such as sweet potato pancakes with beetroot sauce and kale, or Mexican-inspired sweet corn pancakes with melted cheddar, sour cream and black bean salsa. Save room for bressert (breakfast dessert), because pancakes featuring confit caramel apple or spiced rum flambéd banana are far too good to miss out on.
February 25th
50-52 Long Ln, London EC1A 9EJ
www.askforjanice.co.uk/
The Diner
Old-school and American at heart, but with a whole menu dedicated to vegan-friendly options, The Diner covers comfort food while keeping up with the times. Stacks are diner-style – simple with buttermilk batter and stupendously big – in five different varieties on pancake day. Chocolate sauce with m&ms, bright red velvet pancakes with blueberries, or apple pie-inspired pancakes with a scoop of ice cream on top – it’s going to be a tough choice.
February 25th
Check website for all East London locations
goodlifediner.com/