Shrove Tuesday is on the horizon, and if you haven't mastered the pancake flipping tricks, or just don’t want to be stuck with the washing up, why not visit one of Cheltenham’s many cafés and restaurants to get your pancake fix?
Here’s our rundown of the 13 best places to enjoy Pancake Day in Cheltenham on Tuesday 17 February, including a few hidden gems popular with locals...
Pho
The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham, GL50 4EF
Celebrate Shrove Tuesday with something completely different this year and grab a Bánh xèo from Pho in the Brewery Quarter. Bánh xèo is a traditional street food in Vietnam. A crispy, stuffed rice pancake whose name refers to the sound it makes in the skillet (from xèo – 'sizzling')
Pho's speciality Bánh xèo pancakes are stuffed with chicken and prawn or tofu, as well as wok-fried onion and bean sprouts, served with fresh herbs like perilla leaves, rice papers and a nuoc cham dipping sauce – perfect for sharing!
The Little Coffee & Donut Stall
Cheltenham High Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1EW
A staple of Cheltenham town centre, The Little Coffee & Donut Stall has been serving residents and visitors from their cosy wooden stall on the High Street since 2005.
With delicious sweet and savoury fillings, there's sure to be something to delight all customers this Pancake Day. Choose from lemon and sugar, cinnamon, banana and Nutella or marshmallows – or create your own perfect pancake combination.
WoodKraft
13 Regent Street, Cheltenham GL50 1HE
Spread across three floors of a beautiful period property on Regent Street, WoodKraft features the best local, seasonal produce using the philosophy of farm-to-fork. It was brought to Cheltenham by Simon Wood, MasterChef Champion 2015.
It's a local favourite for brunch, serving buttermilk pancakes topped with tiramisu, plum and pistachio or streaky bacon and maple syrup for the perfect pairing of sweet and savoury.
Chaplais Kitchen/Deli
15 Rotunda Terrace, Cheltenham GL50 1SW
Located in Montpellier and Tivoli respectively, Chaplais Kitchen and Chaplais Deli are sister sites offering uncomplicated, delicious food to have in or to grab and go, for breakfast, lunch, brunch and dinner.
Although the Kitchen has a wider variety of dishes on offer than the Deli, both have American pancakes for diners to enjoy. Have yours topped with fresh blueberries or chipolata sausages and maple syrup.
Curious Cafe, Bistro & Deli
204 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7NE
The Curious Cafe is a popular independent, small family-run business on Bath Road, with welcoming atmosphere, gorgeous garden, boutique decor and fabulous food.
It's known for its hearty breakfasts and brunches, which are served every day from 8am–2.45pm (bookings are available on weekdays but weekends are walk-ins only). Their tasty four-stack buttermilk pancakes come piled with seasonal berries and Chantilly cream, or crispy bacon, butter and berries as accompaniments.
Number 85 Coffee & Kitchen
85 Hewlett Road, Cheltenham GL52 6AJ
Founded in 2017, Number 85 Coffee & Kitchen has quickly become known for being one of Cheltenham's independent hidden gems. Their bespoke cakes and pop-up evenings sell out in minutes, and their following has been steadily growing throughout Fairview and the rest of Cheltenham.
For fluffy American pancakes drizzled in the finest maple syrup, this is the place to go! Enjoy with a large cup of delicious coffee to put a spring in your step for the rest of the day.
Café Boho
8 Great Norwood Street, Cheltenham GL50 2AN
Located on Great Norwood Street, Café Boho is a little piece of Holland nestled in the heart of The Suffolks in Cheltenham.
Their menu of mini pancakes and Belgian waffles ranges from a traditional lemon and sugar to decadent peaches and cream or Biscoff toppings. Or why not go Dutch with warm apple, maple syrup, cinnamon sugar and cream? Gluten-free and vegan pancakes are also available.
Boston Tea Party
45–49 Clarence Street, Cheltenham GL50 3JS
Boston Tea Party is a family-owned independent café that's part of a small chain, with their Cheltenham café located on historic Clarence Street, close to the Wilson Museum & Art Gallery.
American buttermilk pancakes are a mainstay of the menu, with two toppings available – smoked bacon and maple syrup, or blueberry compote, natural yoghurt and maple syrup. The café doesn’t offer bookings, with tables available on a first-come, first-served, so make sure to get in quick.
Sisu Pancakes
25 Clarence Parade, Cheltenham GL50 3PA
If you’re looking to go all out this Shrove Tuesday, then look no further than Sisu Pancakes. Born from owner Laura’s childhood dream of a pancake cake on her birthday, Sisu’s offers pancake cakes with various unique flavours and combinations, as well as bespoke orders.
For Pancake Day, we recommend trying their luxurious crème brûlée or Nutella slices – or try something different with their new limited edition Taro Chocolate Lunar New Year slice.
The Alchemist
The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham, GL50 4EF
Add a bit of theatrical flair to your Shrove Tuesday breakfast this year with The Alchemist in the Brewery Quarter. As well as their creative cocktail menu, they also serve food all day, putting their own spin on a classic breakfast and brunch menu.
Their maple bacon pancake stack comes with all the accompaniments you could want: smoked bacon, fried eggs and a syringe full of maple syrup, because why not?
Creams Café
The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham GL50 4EF
Creams Café proclaims itself as the UK’s favourite dessert parlour. With over 90 cafes serving ice creams, waffles, crepes, doughnuts, sundaes and milkshakes there something to suit every sweet tooth.
The Cheltenham Parlour can be found in the Brewery Quarter and has huge variety of options to choose from this Shrove Tuesday, including classic crepes topped with strawberries and chocolate or Millionaires Biscoff and caramel. Or why not try their hot pockets – warm crepes stuffed full of sweet or savoury fillings.
Fioro Lounge
252 Bath Road, Cheltenham GL53 7NB
Fioro Lounge is a colourfully decorated, relaxed neighbourhood café and restaurant on Bath Road which serves food every day from 9am to 10pm (11pm on weekends).
This Pancake Day you can tuck into a hearty stack of fluffy buttermilk pancakes smothered in blueberries, maple mascarpone and berry compote or smoked streaky bacon and maple syrup. Delicious!