Newcastle to get viral Japanese soufflé pancakes as Fluffy Fluffy cafe plans revealed

Japanese soufflé pancakes and croffles will be on the menu to tempt in sweet-toothed foodies at a new dessert cafe heading to Newcastle city centre. Fluffy Fluffy already has nine restaurants around the UK and the firm’s food has gone viral for its giant, soft pancakes, served up with a range of toppings.

Now the company, the biggest soufflé pancake brand in the US, where it trades as Fuwa Fuwa, has announced plans to open its 10th venue on Newcastle’s Grainger Street - one of two planned UK openings by the Japanese dessert specialist, alongside a forthcoming site in Walthamstow, London.

Handcrafted soufflé pancakes originate in Japan and are traditionally served at weddings and celebrations for good fortune, but they have evolved to become a treat for any occasion. Made to order, they take longer to cook than normal – 20 minutes – because they need to be slow-cooked at low temperature to achieve their perfect, fluffy texture.

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The recent opening in Cardiff caused quite a stir, with huge queues forming outside the cafe with people eager to fill their faces with the company’s famed super-fluffy soufflé pancakes, which are dished up with huge dollops of classic and exotic toppings, fruits, creams, syrups, and house sauces, with flavours including fresh fruit, Nutella, Biscoff and matcha tiramisu.

As well as the soufflé pancakes, Fluffy Fluffy is known for its ‘croffles’ – a twist on a waffle with a crispy exterior and fluffy centre with flaky layers and caramelised edges. The firm also serves five savoury croffles, including the Avocado croffle with guacamole, feta, cherry tomatoes, and crispy onions, the Nordic, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onions and cucumber.

Speciality drinks are also on the menu, including the matcha espresso, matcha latte and pistachio latte.

Hoardings have now been placed outside the Grainger Street building while work is carried out to transform the shop unit into a Fluffy Fluffy venue, and once finished diners can expect to find bright yellow decor with booths and table seating, with neon signs of pancakes across the walls.

Fuwa Fuwa – which means ‘fluffy fluffy’ in Japanese – first opened in Toronto in 2018 and became an instant hit. By 2021 the company had expanded into China and in 2022 it explored further overseas sites, bringing its unique pancakes to the UK.