One of the best days in the foodie calendar is hereand it's time to decide where you're going for the ultimate stack.
Whilst homemade pancakes hit the spot and attempting to flip them is definitely a laugh, it's always a treat to get out and about to celebrate the momentous occasion.
From thin crepes with lemon and sugar to pillowy, thick buttermilk stacks which are showered with a whole host of delicious toppings - there's a pancake dish for everyone to devour this Shrove Tuesday.
Keep reading for our top picks of cafes, restaurants and bars to visit this Pancake Day.
House of Koko
Chapel Allerton and Oakwood
Image: House of Koko
House of Koko have two locations on the outskirts of Leeds, one in Oakwood and one in Chapel Allerton and let me tell you, they are both the absolute bees knees when it comes to brunch.
Their pancakes are fluffy, pillowy, light, perfectly formed and just down right delicious. The list of toppings is almost overwhelming and you can mix and match yours to your heart's content, we're talking bacon, biscoff, kinder bueno, toasted nuts, white choc chips, banana and even ice cream, the list really does go on but you'll be here all day.
Moose Coffee
Bond Court
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Given Canadian pancakes are a worldwide favourite, you'd expect the best pancakes to come from Moose Coffee. Made fresh to order, there's a stack of three dusted with icing sugar, dotted with blueberries and served with Canadian butter on offer as well as a Biscoff Stack made from three pancakes, biscoff sauce, vanilla ice cream, white choc shards, lotus biscuit. The coffee shop will also see the return of the Benedict Stack, a team favourite, so whatever your preference this Pancake Day, your combination of sweet and savoury is pretty much guaranteed to live up to the famous Canadian combination- maple syrup included.
Farmhouse
Lands Lane
Farmhouse only opened a couple of months ago and they are already making waves for their epic super stacked pancakes - honestly they are the talk of the city.
Their famous blueberry and banana pancakes are available every day of the week but in aid of National Pancake Day from Tuesday 12 February to Sunday 18 February, there will be a different pancake special every day. Pancakes up for grabs will be lemon eton mess, Nutella and strawberries, rum and pineapple and loads more.
If Up North
Call Lane or York Place
Images: The Hoot Leeds
If you're a regular on the If Up North Instagram page, you'll know that these guys are big fans of pancakes. Given their obsession with posting their beautifully decorated variations online, we're confident that these pancakes will be lip-smacking, mouth-drooling good and packed with flavour.
Expect flavours like berry and Biscoff, fruits and cream, bacon and maple syrup as well as a whole host of different variations at any of their Leeds-based cafes.
The Savvy Baker
Lidgett Lane, Roundhay
Images: The Savvy Baker
Following the overwhelming success of last year's Pancake Day event at The Savvy Baker cafe in Roundhay, the stacks are returning for 2024 with a choice of the likes of Kinder, Biscoff, Nutella, White Chocolate, Maple Syrup, Sugar and Lemon.
Locally renowned for its coffee roast, North Star Coffee Shop is also a great contender for the best-looking pancakes around. Open from 8am this Shrove Tuesday, grab some fluffy pancakes topped with fruit, sauce, cream or chocolate- whatever your preference.
Olive & Rye
Inside Queens Arcade
Image: Olive & Rye
Located inside Queens Arcade in Leeds city centre, Olive & Rye is a well-loved brunch spot that's always busy. This Shrove Tuesday will be no different, given the cafe reckon they have the best pancakes in Leeds and already hold a great reputation with food bloggers, enthusiasts and Leeds locals alike.
If you're after something freshly cooked, artisan and homemade, as well as being beautifully presented and perfect for the 'gram, Olive & Rye is going to be your one-stop-pancake-shop this week.
Laynes Espresso
New Station Street
Image: Laynes Espresso
If they're made with buckwheat then it means they're healthy, right? Everyone's favourite coffee shop Laynes serve up a mouthwatering offering of Buckwheat pancakes smothered in fresh blueberry compote, greek yoghurt, sprinkled with a crunchy pistachio crumb and finished with a drizzle of sticky honey.
They of course go perfectly with a heavenly cup of coffee served inside their dazzling bright yellow, life-affirming coffee shop.
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
The Swine That Dines announces the official opening date of its brand new restaurant
Clementine Hall
Much-loved Leeds Bistro The Swine Bistro, formerly known as The Swine That Dines, has moved to a bigger space in Headingley.
Although it’s gone through a few name changes over the years since launching as The Greedy Pig cafe in 2012, this independent spot has long been a firm favourite for Leeds locals for some time now.
Run by chef couple Jo and Stu Myers, they’ve been operating out of North Street where it’s all about cooking seasonal produce simply and with an added ‘little bit of sunshine’.
But now Swine Bistro has moved up over to Headingley, taking up a unit previously occupied by Jam hairdressers on Otley Road.
Image: Supplied
And the time has finally come for them to open their doors, as they announce their first service will take place on Friday 4 April with bookings open from today, Thursday 20 March.
The Myers will be welcoming head chef Kirsty Cheetham, who won Observer Food Monthly’s Best Sunday Lunch award in 2018 and 2022 when she ran The Queen o’t owd Thatch in South Milford, Leeds.
The expanded space in the restaurant has allowed the team to curate a bigger wine list which will include natural wines from Wayward Wines and Latitude Wines as well as local beers from Ilkley Brewery and Horsforth Brewery.
Image: Supplied
The team remains passionate about locally sourced ingredients and has partnered with a variety of Yorkshire suppliers including R&J Yorkshire for its fresh meat, Tarbetts fishmonger, cheese from George & Joseph cheesemongers and beans from micro roaster, Chipp Coffee Co.
Jo Myers, co-owner of the Swine Bistro said: “It’s taken a huge amount of time and effort to realise our dream to revamp what was previously a hairdresser into a fully functioning kitchen and restaurant. It’s been a wild ride but we’re excited, and slightly nervous, to finally open our doors.
“We love the vibe in Headingley and the time out has allowed us to have fun with our menu as well as take part in lots of essential taste testing of ingredients and drinks from our brilliant local suppliers. We can’t wait to welcome guests into our new restaurant!”
The Hoot -
8th February 2024 
