Bringing a traditional Taiwanese treat to the streets of London, Wheelcake Island specialises in pillowy soft pancakes packed with a variety of fillings. These squishy sweets are made in a special cast iron pan, dotting with deep rounds to pour in the dough, creating two half-rounds that are sandwiched on top of each other, snuggling against your filling of choice.
With the exception of monthly rotating specials like rose custard or Cadbury creme egg (my kind of Easter egg hunt), the menu focuses on a handful of highly traditional flavours. These are my favourite ones, ranked by order…
Adzuki bean
A small red bean popular in Asian cooking, azuki is a thick, dense paste that tastes sweet and nutty at once – not my favourite, but definitely one to try if you’re looking for something different.
Matcha
No Asian sweet spot is complete without matcha, and Wheelcake Island blends the green tea leaves with custard. The result is a very creamy and craveable filling, oozing out after just one bite.
Vanilla custard
Combining carbs with custard is always a good idea (the joys of bread and butter pudding), but I’ve always wondered why pancakes are constantly paired with maple syrup. Imagine fluffy rounds of dough drenched in custard; this little custard-filled pancake is the next best thing.
Vanilla custard and chocolate
Just when you think your portable pancake filled with custard can’t get any better, Wheelcake Island delivers the same deal with a layer of chocolate. Custard and chocolate, enclosed in a puffy, warm pancake – I’m having this for breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between.
Address: Old Spitalfields Market, 16 Horner Square, London E1 6EW
