Pancake Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday, takes place on the 25th February this year. This  celebration takes place in February or March immediately preceding Ash Wednesday, otherwise known as the first day of Lent. We’ve put together a list of five places in and around Newmarket that will be well worth visiting to get your Pancake Day fix!

This feast does not have a set date but is determined by Easter and the dates that it falls on each year. The idea around the celebration is that rich foods like eggs, milk and sugar are all used up before the 40 day fasting season which is associated with Lent. The key ingredients in pancake batter being eggs, milk and flour. When it comes to eating these wonderful delights, the question always arises, do you go for sweet or savoury when it comes to toppings?

Some of the common celebrations in the United Kingdom have also included ‘mob football games’ and pancake races. The tradition of pancake races is said to have started in 1445 when a Buckinghamshire housewife got so involved in making a batch of pancakes that she lost track of time. It was only the sound of the church bells that alerted her to the possibility of missing the service so she ran, frying pan in hand, to church.  Not quite sure where to go to enjoy Pancake Day this year? Take a look at our list below:

The Heath Court Hotel

Between 12 noon and 6pm the Heath Court Hotel will be serving unlimited pancakes, toppings and ice-cream in the Berties Restaurant. Create your own combinations from a selection of sweet toppings and fruits as well as soft-serve from a brand new ice-cream machine! This is being offered at £5 for one adult and one child and there is a £2.50 for each additional child and £5 for each additional adult. Call 01638 667 171 to reserve your tables!

Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa

The team at the Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa have five exciting combinations on their menu for Shrove Tuesday with a mix of sweet and savoury. Choose from Oriental five spice crispy duck pancakes or Seared mixed  seafood in Herb pancakes. The sweet options include a traditional Crepes Suzette or Apple and Aspall’s crepes which is apple compote, golden raisins and Aspall’s cider sauce. The final sweet treat is chocolate and banana crepes, a decadent finish that includes Nutella, glazed banana, vanilla ice-cream and dark chocolate. Call 01638 663 175 to make a reservation. 

The Tack Room

The team at The Tack Room will be serving up three varieties of blini’s : Royal Pancake, Benedict Pancake and a Caesar Pancake on their specials . These are the perfect lunchtime treat! Pop into Palace House for a look around the wonderful museum before heading to The Tack Room for lunch where chef Ben and his team will be waiting to impress with their celebration of Pancake Day. Call 01638 666 390

Watch what happened when we caught up with Head Chef, Ben Cockhill for a taste of what’s on offer at The Tack Room for Shrove Tuesday:

Nancy’s Vintage Teashop

A familiar favourite among Newmarket’s Afternoon Tea lovers, a visit to Nancy’s Vintage Teashop is always a winner.  They’ve got three great variations on their menu. For £4.50 you can enjoy traditional pancakes with lemon and sugar, always a treat, or you can add extra sweetness with some Maple syrup or go with the Bacon and Maple syrup option. While not exactly part of the Pancake Day celebrations you could also go with the Nancy’s Crumpet Stack. You can all 01638 667 064 to reserve your tables.

Poet’s House

Our friends in Ely are offering pancakes all day with their celebration of Pancake Day 2020. Poets House will be serving pancakes between 8am until 9pm with a delicious three layer pancake special with fresh raspberries and strawberries. To book your