11 cafés in the Klang Valley for your pancake fix

Shikomi Coffee is a fresh face in the Klang Valley’s breakfast scene, nestled in a quiet neighbourhood shop lot of SS18. Having opened in 2023, Shikomi Coffee houses a quaint wabi sabi inspired loft interior peppered with antiques and rustic charm. The Subang Jaya cafe offers freshly brewed cups of coffee and a unique take on pancakes. Instead of stacks, Shikomi Coffee serves a singular but whopping pancake. Each pancake is perfectly plate-sized and consistently golden, dressed with butter and your choice of classic maple or local gula Melaka syrup. 

Shikomi Coffee
Address: 5, Jalan SS 18/6, Ss18, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor. +603-5612 3180

Neighbour’s Coffee Bar specialises in the art of Japanese-style pancakes. More akin to soufflé than beloved buttermilk iterations, these pancakes are delightfully wobbly and custardy on the inside. Heightened with whipped egg whites, soufflé pancakes prove more indulgent and dessert-like breakfast alternatives. From taro daifuku to matcha adzuki, Neighbour’s Coffee Bar boasts an assortment of pancake flavours and a larger variety of gelato toppings.  

Neighbour's Coffee Bar
Address: A-G-1, Seri Gembira Avenue, 6, Jalan Senang Ria, Happy Garden, 58200 Kuala Lumpur. +6012-238 7185

See also: Tatler Dining Guide 2023: The best Japanese restaurants in Malaysia

These speciality coffee roasters are also at the forefront of KL’s brunch scene with an extensive menu of elevated staples. Featuring incredibly fluffy pancakes, Common Man Coffee Roasters tops their saccharine breakfast offering with caramelised bananas, salted caramel sauce, and a drizzle of bright berry coulis. 

Common Man Coffee Roasters - Kuala Lumpur
Address: Plaza Vads, A-G-1 New Podium, 1, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, 60000 Kuala Lumpur. +603-7731 7095

A tropical retreat in the middle of Plaza Damas, Quack imbues its offerings with Malaysian influence and a selection of local favourites. Their pancakes are down-to-earth, homestyle variations with a webbed golden brown exterior and crisp edges. Served with a side of bananas and strawberries, Quack’s pancake stack is a foolproof start to any morning. 

Quack
Address: 60 Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Plaza Damas, Lot K-0-8B (G/F), Dorchester Service Apartment, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. +6011-6989 1438

Beaming is a group of breakfast enthusiasts focused on gourmet English muffin breakfast sandwiches and operating through pop-ups at local cafes or hidden locations. While on a short hiatus, Beaming’s most elusive menu item is their fluffy pancakes served with clarified butter. They typically sell out within the first hour of service, so keep your eyes peeled for their next pop-up. 

Beaming 
Address: Multiple locations. Instagram / @omgimbeaming

Spillstone Coffee is the first of its kind in the Klang Valley—serving a menu of exclusively decaffeinated coffee. Housing a variety of handcrafted specialty drinks, this Pudu café serves pancakes of both savoury and sweet profiles. Expect fried chicken pancakes doused in gochujang, chocolate brownie pancakes smothered in chocolate syrup, decaffeinated tiramisu pancakes, and matcha red bean pancakes topped with ais krim potong. 

Spillstone Coffee
Address: 199, Jln Pudu, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. +6018-271 0214

Don't miss: The story behind Croisserie Artisan Bakery

Open only on Sundays, this family-style café is set in the garden of a Shah Alam home. Their most famed menu offerings are their signature homemade pancakes. Grams & Griddle’s menu varies weekly, but their pancakes are a Sunday staple, available in cinnamon roll, maple syrup, or peanut butter banana options.

Grams & Griddle 
Address: 2, Jalan Akuatik 13/76B, D’Kayangan, Seksyen 13, 40100 Shah Alam. Instagram / @grams.n.griddle

Urban Daybreak is a well-loved and longstanding café bringing Melbourne-inspired spreads to the brunch haven of Bangsar—Jalan Telawi. Serving all day breakfast, their perfectly fluffy pancakes are slathered in sunny lemon curd and topped with homemade ricotta. 

Urban Daybreak
Address: 11, Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur. +603-2303 0172

An entirely plant-based haunt in Chinatown, The Hungry Tapir serves vegetarian and vegan alternatives of local cuisine and plates spotlighting Malaysian produce. Alongside brunch classics with homegrown twists, The Hungry Tapir’s nangka pancakes are the breakfast staple’s healthy, vegetarian counterpart. Gluten-free buckwheat pancakes are topped with ripe jackfruit, caramelised bananas, and strawberry coulis drizzled with gula Melaka syrup.

The Hungry Tapir
Address: 135, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur. +603-2022 2137

Despite being experts in wood-fired, rustic bread, these bread-smiths craft a smorgasbord of other baked goods and sweet treats. On the menu is their popular German pancake or Dutch baby pancake. These pancakes are traditionally baked, not fried, in cast iron skillets with risen sides and sunken centres, making these breakfast delicacies more similar to Yorkshire puddings. Smith Breads & Café’s German pancakes are made from scratch and require a 30 minute wait. 

Smith Breads & Café
Address: 71, Jln Setia Bakti, Bukit Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur. +603-2011 2682

NOW READ

10 new restaurants, cafés, and bars in Malaysia to visit in January 2024

The ideal first meal of the New Year, according to chefs

Malaysian snack brands to satisfy midnight cravings