Pancake Hopping in Berlin: Soufflé or Fluffy?🥞

My younger daughter, now a high school student, is really into pancakes these days. After school, she often stops by her favorite cafés with friends to enjoy bubble tea or cake, and she also loves exploring new places that serve crêpes or pancakes. Her favorite type? Fluffy pancakes with a soft, cloud-like texture.

Back when we lived in Japan, we used to go as a family to a pancake café in Kichijoji, Tokyo that she absolutely loved. So when we discovered that a few cafés in Berlin now serve those fluffy-style pancakes too, we couldn’t resist setting off on a pancake-hopping adventure together!

Here, I’d like to share our impressions from two Berlin cafés where we tried fluffy pancakes—and how they compare to the pancakes we remember from Japan

Soufflé Pancakes in Kreuzberg

Our first stop was a café in Kreuzberg, where the menu described them as “soufflé pancakes.” True to the name, they had a fluffy, airy texture just like a soufflé.

At this café, the pancakes are typically served as a tall stack of three. I went with the strawberry cream sauce pancake, drawn in by its pretty appearance. 🍓 The combination of soft pancakes, cream, and strawberries melting together in my mouth was pure bliss. 😊 However, maybe because of the generous portion size, I found myself getting a bit tired of the strawberry and cream flavor toward the end.

My daughter chose the tiramisu sauce version and happily declared, “It tastes just like real tiramisu!”—and she finished the whole thing in no time. 😋

As for the pancake itself, while it was light and pleasant in texture, it didn’t have much flavor on its own. It felt like the sauce was the main character, and the pancake was just supporting it. Still, the visual presentation and the towering height made a strong impression—definitely Instagram-worthy!

Dubai-Style Pancakes in West Berlin

Our next stop was a café in West Berlin, near the famous KaDeWe department store. Once again, we were served a tall stack of three pancakes, and I ordered the much-talked-about Dubai-style chocolate sauce pancake.

What’s Dubai-style chocolate, you ask? It’s a rich dessert-style sauce made with crispy kataifi (thin, crunchy pastry threads), pistachios, and a decadent milk chocolate base. The luxurious taste was just what you’d expect from Middle Eastern sweets—intensely rich and satisfying. The sauce melted into the pancakes, creating a dreamy, indulgent bite each time. ❤️

Visually, it was a showstopper—layers of glossy chocolate sauce, golden kataifi, and a sprinkle of pistachios made it look like something straight out of a dessert boutique in Dubai. The contrast between the crispy pastry and the soft, warm pancake added an extra layer of indulgence.

Meanwhile, she chose the blueberry sauce version, which had a mild sweetness and a refreshing touch. It was well-balanced and easy to eat until the last bite—she was totally satisfied. 😊

Japanese vs. Berlin-Style Pancakes: A Different Approach

It’s been five years since I left Japan, so I’m not completely up-to-date on the pancake scene there. But as far as I remember, Japanese pancakes are all about the flavor of the pancake itself. Of course, they come with sauces, but often the sauce is artfully drizzled or kept subtle—the pancake remains the star of the show. The emphasis is on delicate texture, gentle sweetness, and toasty aroma.
In contrast, Berlin’s pancakes are all about variety and presentation. The rich and creative sauces are the main attraction, generously poured over the pancakes, making the whole dish visually striking and fun to explore.

A Typical Berlin Café Experience?

Just a side note—when we went to the second café, I tried to order a coffee with the pancakes, but the staff told me, “The coffee machine is broken, so we can’t serve any hot drinks right now.”

To be honest, I’ve had similar experiences at other cafés here in Berlin, so I thought, “Here we go again…” and quietly settled for water with my pancakes. But just as we were finishing and getting ready to leave, I noticed other customers sipping coffee. Curious, I asked again, and this time the staff took my order like nothing had happened. 😅

No announcement or update from the staff, and unless you ask, you never really know—such a Berlin moment! But we’ve gotten used to it, and we ended our visit with a delicious espresso. These little hiccups have become part of our daily life, and somehow, they just add to the charm of living here. 🤭

Next time, though, I do hope to enjoy my pancakes with a good cup of coffee from the start! 😅

If you ever visit Berlin, I highly recommend trying these fluffy pancakes as a sweet treat—perfect after a classic currywurst!😋