Wheelcake Island: Taiwanese‑Japanese Pancakes Winning Londoners One Flip at a Time

When JC and Yin set up a modest griddle stall in an Oxford market back in 2017, the goal was simple: pay rent and cure homesickness with the sweet, round pancakes they grew up eating. Six years and thousands of wheel‑shaped cakes later, Wheelcake Island has become a fixture at Old Spitalfields Market, luring queues with the hiss of batter and the scent of custard and azuki bean.

A “fun‑to‑watch” dessert that caught London's eye

"People were intrigued by the cooking process," Yin recalls. "They watched the batter puff up and the fillings disappear inside, then told us they really enjoyed the taste."

That early feedback convinced the pair that the concept could work beyond Oxford. By late 2017, they had migrated to London, landing a pitch at Old Spitalfields. Locals returned week after week; tourists posted videos; repeat customers asked for new flavours.

Wheelcakes were born in Japan in the 18th century and travelled to Taiwan during WWII. "We tell new customers it's basically a stuffed pancake, easy to picture, easier to love," JC laughs.

From Azuki to Oreo: a menu that balances tradition and play

• Traditional azuki bean | Sweet red‑bean paste, fluffy centre. A must‑try for purists.

• Custard classic | Smooth vanilla custard that oozes like a hug.

• Chocolate Oreo | Western nod with crushed biscuits folded into velvety chocolate.

• Matcha cream | Japanese matcha imported directly from Kyoto for an earthy kick.

JC and Yin source azuki beans from trusted Asian wholesalers, import matcha from Japan, and pick up staple ingredients locally to keep quality tight. "Reliable suppliers are everything to us" JC says.

One French customer insisted on the azuki bean flavour after watching a Japanese film about perfecting bean paste. He came back glowing and told us he really enjoyed it! Yin found the film that night and watched it with her mum. "Moments like that keep us going" she says.

Wheelcake Island once dreamed of multiple stalls, but COVID refocused the vision. "We scaled down, made things stable, and put our energy into product R&D" JC notes.

🎥 Check the featured video below

Visit

Wheelcake Island at Old Spitalfields Market, London Mon - Sun 11 am – 6 pm

Follow: @wheelcakeisland on Instagram

Enjoyed this? Check out More ESEA food → and this month's events →

You Might Also Like

• Sosaku Onigiri: How Masami Brought Creative Japanese Onigiri to Shepherd's Bush — Masami came to London at 23 and never left. Thirteen years later, she's at Shepherd's Bush Market making onigiri with th

• Yokimono Japanese Market: How One Woman's Community Became East London's Favourite Japanese Market — How one woman's community became East London's favourite Japanese market.

• Nha Trang Kitchen: Vietnamese Street Food Stall Built on One Family's Recipes — A Vietnamese street food stall built on one family's recipes.

• Physiolosophy: Zhi Wei on Why Pain Is Never Just Physical — Zhi Wei left the NHS, was diagnosed with Grave's Disease, and built Physiolosophy around one idea: pain is never purely

• Chiharu Shiota & Yin Xiuzhen at Southbank Centre: Threads, Suitcases & the Things We Carry — There's something about visiting two exhibitions in one go that feels indulgent, like ordering two desserts without feel

📩 Never miss what's on. The NOVA ESEA newsletter — ESEA events, new food spots and stories from across London. A free fortnightly round-up. Subscribe →