From Flipper's miracle 'kiseki' pancakes to fluffy souffle-style creations at A Happy Pancake, these are the tastiest stacks in town
Flippers 'miracle' pancakes.Pancakes are always a good choice for a meal, whether it’s for a filling breakfast or a nice afternoon dessert. We sent four of our cadets to scour the city for the best stacks on offer, and here are their top picks.
Flipper’s
Flipper’s is a popular Japanese pancake spot brought over from Tokyo to similar success here in Hong Kong. It’s famous for their jiggly “kiseki” pancakes, which translates to miracle pancakes.
The soufflé-style pancakes (HK$99-HK$119) come served plain, with a dollop of cream and powdered sugar, or topped with fruits. We’re glad to report they are as delicious as they look, and we were impressed by how light they were.
With its wooden furniture and minimal decoration, the restaurant reminded us of a modern warehouse, adding to the overall quirkiness of the place.
Overall rating: 9/10
Address: 6/F Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
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Yukinoshita
If you’re into soufflé pancakes, another place to check out is Yukinoshita. This award-winning dessert shop – also from Japan – specialises in thick, fried pancakes. Theirs are about three times thicker than the regular soufflé pancakes you can find elsewhere in Hong Kong.
Though they are quite dense, they are still light and fluffy, with nice crispy edges. The pancakes come in a range of special flavours including matcha topped with azuki or red beans, but our favourite was the dark chocolate with raspberries and cream (HK$78). It was rich and chocolatey and tasted like a molten lava cake. Those who prefer milk or white chocolate might not like it as much, though.
The shop is small but cosy. The kitchen is right next to the seating area, so you can watch the chefs prepare your order.
One thing to note if you go is that each person must pay a minimum charge of HK$50, so you can’t just order one pancake to share between two.
Overall rating: 8/10
Address: 1-5 Haven St, Causeway Bay
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Brick Lane
Brick Lane is a British eatery with branches in Causeway Bay, Admiralty, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Sha Tin. It’s known for having a great all-day breakfast menu, but other dishes such as skillet pancakes and cakes are also available.
Their skillet pancakes (HK$88- HK$99) are the perfect balance of sweet and savoury. We tried the one with apple, vanilla, which is served in a small skillet. The pancake was filling but not too heavy.
The cafe gives off chill vibes and plays upbeat music in the background. The interior has a rustic feel with lots of brown furniture, and the staff are very friendly.
Overall rating: 7.5/10
Address: G/F, Lee Garden Six,116 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
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A Happy Pancake
Originally from Osaka, Japan, A Happy Pancake offers the fluffiest stack of pancakes in town. Their signature happy pancakes (HK$108) melted in our mouths, and the cream on top tied the dish nicely together. We loved the minimalistic plating – perfect for that Instagram shot. What makes their pancakes so special is that they say they only use the best ingredients, and don’t use additives.
After the first couple of bites, we understood why the place was so packed. It’s worth booking on their website at least a day in advance if you want to go. Also, we waited about 25 minutes for our pancakes, so it might not be the ideal place if you’re after a quick bite, but we think their soufflé pancakes are definitely worth the wait!
Our favourite part of the restaurant is the kitchen’s large windows so that you can peer in and watch the chefs at work.
Overall rating: 10/10
Address: 2/F, Lee Garden Three, Shop 203-205, 1 Sunning Road, Causeway Bay
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The Flying Pan
The Flying Pan is an American-style diner in the heart of Wan Chai (with a second branch in Central) offering typical diner fare. Standouts include the massive all-day breakfasts, indulgent milkshakes, and hearty pancakes.
The cosy environment seems to be taken straight from the US in the 1950s, with neon lights, booths, and a chequered floor. We think the space is ideal for families looking to spend quality time together.
The American-style pancakes (HK$88) came with lashings of blueberry sauce and maple syrup, topped with a generous scoop of butter. The butter and sauces was soaked into the pancakes, and saturated every bite with flavour.
We found the pancakes a little too dense and heavy, so we would not recommend these as a light afternoon snack. We also thought the blueberries in the pancakes tasted a little dry.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Address: 1/F, David House, 37-39 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai
Edited by Nicole Moraleda