Japanese Pancakes in London: Where to Find Soufflé Pancakes

Japanese pancakes, or soufflé pancakes, are a super popular, delightful brunch dish that have quickly become a social media sensation. 

Originating from Japan, these pancakes get their famously light, fluffy texture by carefully whipping the batter to introduce plenty of air, and cooking them slowly on a low heat, covered with a lid to create steam and help them rise like a soufflé. 

Japanese pancakes have become a trendy item on brunch menus over the last few years, and recently I’ve been seeing them all over my Instagram and TikTok feeds. I wanted to find out just how this dish has earned its immense popularity here in London, and exactly where to find the best ones in the city. 

If you’re looking to try these delicious treats, and are curious to see whether these trending London hotspots lived up to the hype, then stay tuned! 

Here are my favourite spots to head to for some fluffy goodness: 

The Best Japanese Pancakes in London

Fuwa Fuwa – Fluffy by Name and by Nature

With locations in Soho, Bloomsbury, and Canary Wharf, Fuwa Fuwa is a haven for pancake enthusiasts. These cafés are all laid-back and effortlessly chic, with clean, minimalist interiors, they’re the perfect background for your foodie photos. 

Fuwa Fuwa literally means ‘fluffy fluffy’ in Japanese, and I thought that their pancakes certainly lived up to their name! Each bite of these soufflé pancakes was a delightfully soft, fluffy experience.

Their menu offers a wide variety of toppings to add to your pancakes, such as fresh fruits, syrups, Biscoff, Nutella, and matcha. Their best-seller is the tiramisu pancakes which are topped with whipped cream, mascarpone, and cream cheese, and comes with a pot of coffee syrup.

Bear in mind that Fuwa Fuwa can get incredibly busy at times, and they don’t take bookings, so be prepared to wait for a table and for your pancakes to arrive. Don’t worry though, they’re worth the wait! We tried to arrive just after they opened to avoid queuing and were served nice and quickly. 

All of their dishes are less than £10, with most being priced around £8, so this is a great spot for a budget brunch with friends.

Address:

• Soho cafe, 57A Dean St, London W1D 6AJ
• Bloomsbury cafe, Unit 8, Brunswick Centre, London WC1N 1BS
• Canary Wharf – Little Fluffy Kiosk, Unit 8, Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HX

Héfaure – Authentic Japanese Pancakes in Chinatown

If you’re looking for authentic Japanese pancakes, Héfaure is the place to go. The location makes this spot perfect for dessert after dinner in Chinatown. 

This café has a tiny storefront, if you’re not paying attention you could easily walk straight past it. Although, I was pleased to find that downstairs there was plenty of extra space to sit and enjoy the pancakes. 

All of their soufflé pancakes are made to order, but I found the service surprisingly fast, even during busy periods. It wasn’t long before I was tucking into my stack of fresh Japanese pancakes covered in Biscoff sauce. 

I thought that the Biscoff and Nutella sauces were more mousse-like than the original spreads, which made the meal less heavy and sickening than I was expecting them to be. They’re good value for only £7, so a great spot if you’re on a budget!

Héfaure serves a few exciting Japanese flavours too, if you’re looking for a more authentic soufflé pancake toppings, why not try the matcha red bean or brown sugar tapioca pearls?

Address: 108 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 5EH

CA Japanese Pancakes – The Most Instagrammable Café

CA Japanese Pancakes is a cute little café in Victoria, you really can’t miss its bright pink exterior!

This café’s aesthetic was just so cute. Think neon signs, flower walls, and pink furniture – perfect for Instagram! The soufflé pancakes are just as pretty as the location, topped with colourful sauces, fruits and edible flowers. 

CA Japanese Pancakes has a long list of toppings available, with a fun, modern twist on the traditional dish. The most popular options are the ‘Ultimate Crème Brulé’ which comes with vanilla custard and a crunchy caramelised top, and the ‘Ube Filipino’ which is served with a beautiful purple ube cream and ice cream. Delicious!

They even do savoury options, including the ‘Little Italy’, which is topped with pesto, tomatoes and mozzarella, and the ‘Truffle 24k Gold’ which comes topped with egg, truffle sauce and edible gold leaf.

I’d say that CA Japanese Pancakes wins the award for the most creative topping combinations, and I liked having the option to go savoury instead of only sweet like with most Japanese pancake spots in London!

You can make bookings for this café on their website, which means you don’t need to worry about waiting for a table at the weekend. However, as their menu states, it can take over 25 minutes to get your pancakes, so plan some extra waiting time if the café is busy. 

Address: 324 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London SW1P 1NH

Cha Cha Roll – Perfect If You Want Pancakes On-The-Go

Another Chinatown spot, Cha Cha Roll serves up gigantic sushi rolls and equally gigantic Japanese pancakes. 

This location is takeaway only, and, as with a lot of places in Chinatown, it can get very busy at peak times, so don’t be surprised to see a long queue outside. 

I had to wait a while to be served, but it was totally worth it when they handed me a box of huge fluffy Japanese pancakes covered in matcha sauce! It was difficult to choose a flavour as they all sounded delicious – the strawberry pistachio pancakes definitely caught my eye for next time. 

I thought that these soufflé pancakes were exceptionally light, and they were really generous with the toppings. Great for an on-the-go treat while in Chinatown!

Address: 39 Frith St, London W1D 5LL

3 Tips for Choosing the Best Japanese Pancake Spot:

1. Read reviews. Have a look on Google and on social media to see what people thought of the food and service.
2. Consider what kind of meal you’re looking for. Do you want a sit-down brunch with your mates, or would you prefer having your pancakes on the go?
3. Be adventurous! Whether you’re a pancake aficionado or a curious foodie like me, these restaurants are the perfect opportunity to experience Japanese soufflé pancakes for the first time. You might discover a love for a new topping that you’ve never even heard of before!