Flippin’ heck, it’s that time of year again. Shrove Tuesday falls on 4 March 2025. Here are some of the best Pancake Day 2025 events we’ve spotted around London this year.
Where to eat pancakes in London
First things first. Pancakes are for life, not just for Pancake Day, so whether you like yours stacked with fruit or smothered with Nutella, take a look at the best places to eat pancakes in London, all year round. We’ve got vegan and gluten-free pancake fans covered too. Bear in mind that crepe-centric restaurants are likely to be very busy on Pancake Day itself, and may be offering limited or special menus rather than their usual selection.
Pancake Day race at Leadenhall Market
The Leadenhall Market pancake race is much of a Shrove Tuesday staple as lemon and sugar, with local workers and visitors going head-to-head on a 20-metre cobbled course, flipping their pancake as they go. It’s free to enter, with up to four people per team, and you’ll need to register in advance (email lambtavern@youngs.co.uk). Bowler hats are very much encouraged as a hat tip to the market’s City location, and the winning team will have their name inscribed on the legendary golden frying pan trophy (and take home a Lamb Tavern hamper, but really, it’s all about that trophy).
The chef at The Lamb Tavern, which organises the whole shebang (and proudly displays the trophy for the rest of the year), will be cooking up pancakes for anyone who wants a taste. The event begins at 12.30pm.
Inter Livery Pancake Race at Guildhall Yard
Every Shrove Tuesday, members of City Livery Companies — plus City workers, Guildhall employees and others — split into teams, don colourful chef’s hats and race around Guildhall Yard, for the Inter Livery Pancake Race aka the Poulters’ Pancake Race (well, they’re the folks with the eggs). Naturally, the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers provides and fires the starting pistol, and the Clockmakers time the race. And in case you thought we were making this all up, the Fruiterers provide the lemons to go on the pancakes. Because of course.
The winning team gets a commemorative frying pan, and money raised is donated to the Lord Mayor’s Charity. It’s made all the more fun/ridiculous because many participants are in their ceremonial robes, lending proceedings a Harry-Potter-teachers-race vibe. It’s due to start at 12pm.
Bankside Pancake Day race near Borough
Anyone working around Bankside is invited to get a team together to take part in the Better Bankside Pancake Day race at Marlborough Sports Garden (just off Borough High Street). It’s £25 per team, with money raised going to Bankside Open Spaces Trust, which looks after green spaces in the local area.
Anyone can watch the race, and cheer on teams while making full use of the on-site pancake van.
Pancake Day race at Enderby House, Greenwich
Young’s riverside pub Enderby House in Greenwich invites teams of up to four people to go head-to-head in a pancake race — book online if you want to take part. 3pm-6pm.
Special Pancake Day menus in London
In addition to the above events, restaurants and cafes in London may be serving special menus or dishes on Pancake Day. They include:
The CFC (Cornflake Fried Chicken Pancake: a buttermilk pancake, topped with oven-fried chicken thigh topped with a fried egg — so one for those with savoury tastes) at all three branches of Where The Pancakes Are (Fitzrovia, Battersea Power Station and Flat Iron Square), available 4-7 March 2025. It’s a partnership with St Ewe Free Range Eggs, which may leave you pondering which came first as you tuck into that chicken thigh.
Both branches of the Table Cafe (Battersea Rise and Southwark) are doing pancakes for £10 all day on 4 March. Toppings include tiramisu, fried chicken, and mushroom and ricotta.A brand new venue, Market Halls Paddington happens to open on 4 March — one of its vendors being Aussie vegan/gluten-free pancake slingers Farm Girl. Toppings are apple & pear, cherry, and butter & maple syrup.
