There are pancakes, and then there are pancakes worth booking a flight for.
From towering Japanese soufflé pancakes that wobble like they have their own heartbeat to Dutch pannenkoeken that could double as dinner plates, pancakes have travelled remarkably well. They have crossed oceans, survived countless brunch trends and somehow convinced us that eating dessert at 9 a.m. is perfectly respectable.
So, if your idea of tourism involves syrup, butter and strategic stretchy trousers, welcome.
We’ve rounded up 20 of the best pancake places around the world, covering iconic American stacks, Australian ricotta hotcakes, Dutch pancakes, Breton crêpes, Japanese soufflé pancakes and wonderfully eccentric creations in between.
1. Clinton St. Baking Company — New York City, USA
History: Clinton St. Baking Company opened in April 2001 as a tiny 32-seat bakery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Its pancakes eventually became so famous that the restaurant turned from neighborhood bakery into a global brunch pilgrimage. The restaurant itself says pancakes are served all day and all night.
Year founded: 2001
Address: 4 Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002, USA
Pancake Style: American buttermilk pancakes
Toppings: Wild blueberries, bananas, strawberries, warm maple butter
Fillings: Blueberries and seasonal fruit
The Secret Ingredient: Their signature maple butter
Most Iconic Pancake: Blueberry Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately US$45–60
Instagram: @clintonstbakingco
Website: Clinton St. Baking Company
New York brunch without Clinton Street pancakes is like visiting Times Square and forgetting to look up. These thick, golden beauties arrive with berries, warm maple butter and enough fluffy texture to make your fork question gravity. The atmosphere is buzzy, the portions generous and the queue occasionally heroic. But once that first buttery bite lands, suddenly everyone understands the hype.
2. The Original Pancake House — Portland, USA
History: Les Highet and Erma Hueneke founded The Original Pancake House in Portland in 1953 after studying pancake recipes from around the world. The restaurant became known for specialties including the Apple Pancake and oven-baked Dutch Baby.
Year founded: 1953
Address: 8601 SW 24th Ave, Portland, OR 97219, USA
Pancake Style: American regional pancakes and oven-baked pancakes
Toppings: Apples, cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, butter
Fillings: Apples, blueberries and seasonal fruit
The Secret Ingredient: House sourdough starter
Most Iconic Pancake: Apple Pancake
Cost for Two: Approximately US$30–45
Instagram: @originalpancakehouse
Website: The Original Pancake House
This Portland classic treats pancakes less like breakfast and more like culinary archaeology. Recipes collected from different pancake traditions helped shape its menu, resulting in enormous baked creations, fluffy stacks and the famous Apple Pancake. Cinnamon-sugar apples practically melt into the batter. It is old-school American breakfast in the best possible way: generous, unapologetic and gloriously buttery.
3. Richard Walker’s Pancake House — San Diego, USA
History: The Walker family has been associated with family dining since 1948. Richard Walker’s Pancake House eventually brought the family’s pancake tradition to San Diego, where its baked pancakes became the star attraction. The downtown location is at 520 Front Street.
Year founded: 1989 for Richard Walker’s Pancake House
Address: 520 Front St, San Diego, CA 92101, USA
Pancake Style: German-style baked pancakes
Toppings: Apples, cinnamon, powdered sugar, lemon
Fillings: Fruit and buttery baked mixtures
The Secret Ingredient: Oven baking rather than ordinary griddle cooking
Most Iconic Pancake: Apple Pancake
Cost for Two: Approximately US$45–60
Instagram: @richardwalkerspancakehouse
Website: Richard Walker’s Pancake House
Richard Walker’s doesn’t believe pancakes should merely sit politely on a plate. Its baked pancakes arrive dramatically oversized, aromatic and almost dessert-like. The apple version is particularly famous, with fruit, cinnamon and buttery edges creating something halfway between a pancake, soufflé and breakfast-sized pie. Give it time to bake, bring an appetite and prepare for serious pancake architecture.
4. Pancake Pantry — Gatlinburg, USA
History: Pancake Pantry opened in 1960 and became Tennessee’s first restaurant dedicated specifically to pancakes. It remains one of Gatlinburg’s classic breakfast institutions and now has more than six decades of pancake history behind it.
Year founded: 1960
Address: 628 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738, USA
Pancake Style: Southern American buttermilk pancakes
Toppings: Blueberries, pecans, whipped cream, fruit
Fillings: Blueberries, chocolate chips and nuts
The Secret Ingredient: Generations of Southern breakfast know-how
Most Iconic Pancake: Wild Blueberry Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately US$30–40
Instagram: @pancakepantrygatlinburg
Website: Pancake Pantry
Gatlinburg has mountains, cabins and scenic drives, but locals will happily add pancakes to the itinerary. Pancake Pantry has been feeding hungry visitors since 1960 with an enormous menu of fluffy cakes, fruit-packed stacks, crepes and Southern specialties. The wild blueberry pancakes are particularly memorable. Think old-fashioned mountain hospitality, except your welcome committee is covered in maple syrup.
5. Snooze, an A.M. Eatery — Denver, USA
History: Brothers Jon and Adam Schlegel opened Snooze in Denver in April 2006. The restaurant developed a reputation for playful twists on breakfast classics, including inventive pancake combinations.
Year founded: 2006
Address: 2262 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205, USA
Pancake Style: Creative American brunch pancakes
Toppings: Caramelized pineapple, whipped cream, pecans, seasonal fruit
Fillings: Fruit, chocolate and specialty ingredients
The Secret Ingredient: Unapologetic creativity
Most Iconic Pancake: Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately US$40–55
Instagram: @snoozeameatery
Website: Snooze A.M. Eatery
Snooze approaches pancakes with the enthusiasm of someone who has never heard the phrase “too much.” Its menu mixes fluffy cakes with combinations such as pineapple upside-down flavours, fruit, cream and decadent sauces. The Denver-born restaurant turned breakfast into an edible playground, proving that pancakes don’t have to behave themselves. Come hungry; leave wondering why lunch suddenly feels unnecessary.
6. Eggs ‘n Things — Honolulu, Hawaii
History: Jerry and Jan Fukunaga opened Eggs ‘n Things in Waikiki in 1974. The restaurant became famous for generous breakfasts, island hospitality and towering pancakes loaded with fruit and whipped cream.
Year founded: 1974
Address: 339 Saratoga Road, Honolulu, HI 96815, USA
Pancake Style: Hawaiian-American breakfast pancakes
Toppings: Strawberries, bananas, blueberries, whipped cream
Fillings: Macadamia nuts and fruit
The Secret Ingredient: Island hospitality—and generous portions
Most Iconic Pancake: Hawaiian Fruit Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately US$35–50
Instagram: @eggsnthingshawaii
Website: Eggs ‘n Things Hawaii
If a pancake could wear a Hawaiian shirt, it would probably come from Eggs ‘n Things. Since 1974, this Waikiki institution has piled pancakes high with tropical fruit, whipped cream and plenty of aloha. The portions are cheerful, the flavours sunny and the atmosphere distinctly island-style. Basically, it is breakfast wearing vacation mode—and honestly, we approve.
7. bills — Sydney, Australia
History: Bill Granger opened his first restaurant in Sydney’s Darlinghurst in 1993. His ricotta hotcakes became one of Australia’s most recognisable brunch dishes and helped define the modern Australian café breakfast.
Year founded: 1993
Address: 433 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010, Australia
Pancake Style: Australian ricotta hotcakes
Toppings: Banana, honeycomb butter, honey
Fillings: Fresh ricotta
The Secret Ingredient: Whipped egg whites and ricotta
Most Iconic Pancake: Ricotta Hotcakes with Banana & Honeycomb Butter
Cost for Two: Approximately A$55–75
Instagram: @billsaustralia
Website: bills
Bill Granger didn’t simply make pancakes; he helped make Australian brunch famous. His ricotta hotcakes are soft, airy and delicately rich, traditionally served with banana and honeycomb butter. They are elegant without being fussy, which is very Sydney: sunny, relaxed and suspiciously good-looking. One bite explains why this dish became one of Australia’s defining modern breakfast exports.
8. The Pancake Parlour — Melbourne, Australia
History: The story began with The Pancake Kitchen in Adelaide in 1965. In 1969, the concept moved to Melbourne and became The Pancake Parlour, eventually growing into a Melbourne institution.
Year founded: 1965
Address: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Pancake Style: Australian dessert and breakfast pancakes
Toppings: Ice cream, strawberries, chocolate, caramel
Fillings: Fruit, chocolate and cream
The Secret Ingredient: Nostalgia with a generous scoop of ice cream
Most Iconic Pancake: Golden Gaytime Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately A$45–65
Instagram: @pancakeparlour
Website: The Pancake Parlour
Melbourne’s Pancake Parlour has been serving pancake nostalgia since the 1960s. Its menu happily blurs the line between breakfast and dessert, with ice cream, chocolate, fruit and extravagant sauces joining the party. The Golden Gaytime Pancakes are the unapologetic show-off. Retro atmosphere, generous portions and sweet combinations make this one of Australia’s great pancake time machines.
9. Pancake Manor — Brisbane, Australia
History: Roger Meadmore transformed a historic Brisbane church building into Pancake Manor in 1979. The restaurant became a Brisbane landmark, famous for serving pancakes around the clock.
Year founded: 1979
Address: 18 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
Pancake Style: Australian sweet and savoury pancakes
Toppings: Fruit, ice cream, maple syrup, chocolate
Fillings: Banana, berries and savoury breakfast ingredients
The Secret Ingredient: A 24-hour pancake philosophy
Most Iconic Pancake: Classic Pancakes with Maple Syrup & Ice Cream
Cost for Two: Approximately A$40–60
Instagram: @pancakemanor
Website: Pancake Manor
Imagine eating pancakes inside a former cathedral at an hour when sensible people are asleep. Welcome to Brisbane’s Pancake Manor. Since 1979, this landmark has mixed historic architecture with all-day pancake indulgence. Sweet, savoury, creamy and chocolatey creations keep arriving until your self-control files a formal complaint. It is wonderfully old-school, gloriously filling and unmistakably Brisbane.
10. The Pancake Bakery — Amsterdam, Netherlands
History: The Pancake Bakery opened in 1973 inside a former 17th-century VOC warehouse on Amsterdam’s Prinsengracht. Today it is one of the city’s best-known destinations for traditional and international pancakes.
Year founded: 1973
Address: Prinsengracht 191, 1015 DS Amsterdam, Netherlands
Pancake Style: Dutch pannenkoeken
Toppings: Bacon, cheese, apple, syrup, fruit
Fillings: Cheese, bacon, ham, apple and other savoury ingredients
The Secret Ingredient: Thin Dutch batter with serious versatility
Most Iconic Pancake: Traditional Dutch Bacon & Cheese Pancake
Cost for Two: Approximately €35–50
Instagram: @thepancakebakery
Website: The Pancake Bakery
Amsterdam’s pancake game is gloriously democratic: sweet, savoury, enormous and occasionally both at once. The Pancake Bakery has been flipping Dutch pannenkoeken since 1973 inside a historic canal-side warehouse. Expect thin-but-substantial pancakes loaded with cheese, bacon, fruit or syrup. They are bigger than crêpes, thinner than American stacks and dangerously easy to order “just one more.”
11. My Old Dutch — London, UK
History: My Old Dutch was established in London in 1958 and has since expanded to Holborn and Chelsea. Its menu focuses heavily on Dutch-style sweet and savoury pancakes.
Year founded: 1958
Address: 131–132 High Holborn, London WC1V 6PS, UK
Pancake Style: Dutch pannenkoeken
Toppings: Banana, syrup, berries, bacon, cheese
Fillings: Cheese, mushrooms, bacon and fruit
The Secret Ingredient: A Dutch batter designed to handle both sweet and savoury toppings
Most Iconic Pancake: Dutch Bacon & Cheese Pancake
Cost for Two: Approximately £35–50
Instagram: @myolddutchpancakes
Website: My Old Dutch
My Old Dutch has been making Londoners happy since 1958, one giant pancake at a time. These aren’t shy little breakfast discs; they’re expansive Dutch pannenkoeken designed to carry everything from bacon and cheese to bananas and syrup. The result is wonderfully flexible comfort food. Think of it as the pancake equivalent of a Swiss Army knife—only much tastier.
12. Where The Pancakes Are — London, UK
History: Where The Pancakes Are began as a Hackney pop-up in 2016 before establishing itself as a dedicated pancake destination. Its menu now covers sweet, savoury, vegan and gluten-free options.
Year founded: 2016
Address: Southwark Quarter, Arch 35A, 85A Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 0NQ, UK
Pancake Style: Modern British/American-style pancakes
Toppings: Banana, marshmallow, fruit, caramel, savoury toppings
Fillings: Seasonal fruit and savoury breakfast ingredients
The Secret Ingredient: Buttermilk—or its vegan, gluten-free alternative
Most Iconic Pancake: Miso Pear Caramel Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately £35–50
Instagram: @wherethepancakesare
Website: Where The Pancakes Are
London’s Where The Pancakes Are takes the humble pancake and gives it a modern wardrobe. Miso pear caramel, banana marshmallow and savoury creations happily share menu space with classics. The restaurant also caters for dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan diners. It began as a pop-up and evolved into a serious pancake destination, proving that pancakes can be playful without becoming ridiculous.
13. Breizh Café — Paris, France
History: Bertrand Larcher conceived Breizh Café in 1995, blending his Breton roots with influences from Japan. The historic Paris Marais restaurant opened in 2010.
Year founded: 1995
Address: 109 Rue Vieille du Temple, 75003 Paris, France
Pancake Style: Breton crêpes and buckwheat galettes
Toppings: Salted butter, caramel, seasonal fruit
Fillings: Ham, cheese, egg, vegetables, seafood
The Secret Ingredient: Breton buckwheat combined with Japanese precision
Most Iconic Pancake: Complète Oignons
Cost for Two: Approximately €40–70
Instagram: @breizhcafe
Website: Breizh Café
Breizh Café is where Brittany and Japan apparently met over coffee and decided to make crêpes more interesting. Buckwheat galettes come filled with savoury ingredients, while sweet crêpes embrace salted caramel, fruit and inventive combinations. The result is elegant but never precious. In Paris, where breakfast competition is fierce, Breizh Café wins by making simplicity taste exceptionally sophisticated.
14. FLIPPER’S — Tokyo, Japan
History: FLIPPER’S emerged in Tokyo’s pancake boom, with its first location opening in Shimokitazawa in 2016. Its signature “Kiseki” or miracle soufflé pancakes became synonymous with the modern Japanese fluffy-pancake movement.
Year founded: 2016
Address: 1-15-5 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Pancake Style: Japanese soufflé pancakes
Toppings: Fresh fruit, cream, maple syrup, caramel
Fillings: Light custard and seasonal flavours
The Secret Ingredient: Carefully whipped egg whites and fresh eggs
Most Iconic Pancake: Kiseki Pancake
Cost for Two: Approximately ¥4,000–6,000
Instagram: @flippers_pancake
Website: FLIPPER’S
FLIPPER’S makes pancakes that look like they have been inflated by tiny breakfast engineers. Their signature Kiseki soufflé pancakes are impossibly airy, soft and delightfully jiggly, with fruit, cream and sauces providing the finishing drama. The texture is the real headline: part cloud, part soufflé, part pancake. Eat slowly, because watching them wobble is half the entertainment.
15. Gram Café & Pancakes — Osaka, Japan
History: Takeshi Takata founded Gram Café & Pancakes in Osaka in December 2014. The brand rapidly expanded across Japan and internationally, becoming known for its three-tiered Premium Soufflé Pancakes.
Year founded: 2014
Address: Osaka, Japan
Pancake Style: Japanese premium soufflé pancakes
Toppings: Whipped cream, butter, maple syrup, fruit
Fillings: Seasonal cream and fruit combinations
The Secret Ingredient: Aerated soufflé batter
Most Iconic Pancake: Premium Soufflé Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately ¥4,000–6,000
Instagram: @gram_pancakes
Website: Gram Café & Pancakes
Gram Café & Pancakes entered Osaka’s pancake scene in 2014 and promptly decided ordinary pancakes were insufficiently dramatic. Its Premium Soufflé Pancakes arrive as three pillowy tiers, supported by whipped cream, butter and maple syrup. They are airy, delicate and almost suspiciously tall. If regular pancakes are breakfast, Gram’s version is breakfast after attending a very expensive architecture school.
16. Micasadeco & Café — Tokyo, Japan
History: Micasadeco became one of the names associated with Tokyo’s soufflé-pancake boom, combining Japanese techniques with Western-inspired café dishes. Its Jingumae location now serves fluffy, ricotta and seasonal pancakes.
Year founded: 2012
Address: 6-13-2 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan
Pancake Style: Japanese fluffy and soufflé pancakes
Toppings: Berry sauce, mascarpone, matcha, cream
Fillings: Ricotta cheese, custard and seasonal ingredients
The Secret Ingredient: Ricotta and carefully aerated batter
Most Iconic Pancake: Ricotta Cheese Pancake
Cost for Two: Approximately ¥4,000–6,000
Instagram: @micasadecoandcafe
Website: Micasadeco & Café
Micasadeco takes the Japanese fluffy-pancake obsession and adds a creamy, slightly sophisticated personality. Its ricotta pancakes are layered, airy and gently sweet, while seasonal creations introduce matcha, berries, jasmine tea and other Japanese-inspired flavours. The Jingumae café is a strong choice for anyone who believes breakfast should feel light, elegant and just photogenic enough to make your phone hungry.
17. Pancake Original Story — Seoul, South Korea
History: Pancake Original Story is a Seoul brunch café known for its light and fluffy pancakes alongside toast, omelettes and pancake sets. The café’s Yongsan location is listed by the official Seoul tourism guide.
Year founded: 2010s
Address: 67 Dokseodang-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Pancake Style: Korean café-style fluffy pancakes
Toppings: Fruit, cream, syrup and butter
Fillings: Seasonal fruit and cream
The Secret Ingredient: Extremely light batter
Most Iconic Pancake: Fluffy Pancake Set
Cost for Two: Approximately ₩30,000–45,000
Website: Seoul Tourism – Pancake Original Story
Seoul knows how to turn breakfast into an aesthetic experience, and Pancake Original Story plays the part beautifully. Its signature pancakes are notably light and fluffy, arriving alongside brunch favourites and pancake sets. The vibe is relaxed rather than theatrical, making this a lovely stop when you want Japanese-Korean-style fluff without joining a pancake circus.
18. Pancake House — Manila, Philippines
History: Pancake House was founded in the Philippines in the 1970s, with its origins traced to the Magallanes area. The restaurant helped popularise pancakes and waffles in a market traditionally dominated by rice-based meals.
Year founded: 1974
Address: Magallanes, Makati/Metro Manila, Philippines — original location
Pancake Style: Filipino-American breakfast pancakes
Toppings: Butter, syrup, fruit
Fillings: Chocolate, fruit and sweet fillings
The Secret Ingredient: Familiar Filipino comfort-food nostalgia
Most Iconic Pancake: Fluffy Pancakes with Butter & Syrup
Cost for Two: Approximately ₱600–1,000
Instagram: @pancakehouseph
Website: Pancake House Philippines
Pancake House helped introduce a distinctly Filipino generation to the joys of pancakes, waffles and all-day comfort food. Founded in the 1970s, the brand grew from its early Magallanes restaurant into a nationwide institution. Its pancakes are familiar, fluffy and nostalgic rather than wildly experimental—which is precisely the point. Sometimes the best pancake is the one that tastes like childhood.
19. Slappy Cakes — Singapore
History: Slappy Cakes Singapore dates its local story to 2013. The concept turns pancake eating into pancake making, giving diners tabletop griddles and batter so they can design their own edible masterpieces.
Year founded: 2013 in Singapore
Address: 418 Northshore Drive, #01-11, Northshore Plaza II, Singapore 820418
Pancake Style: Interactive American-style pancakes
Toppings: Fruit, chocolate, sauces and local flavours
Fillings: Customisable
The Secret Ingredient: You are the chef
Most Iconic Pancake: DIY Pandan Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately S$40–60
Instagram: @slappycakes
Website: Slappy Cakes
Slappy Cakes refuses to let you simply sit there and eat breakfast like a responsible adult. Instead, diners pour batter onto tabletop griddles and create their own pancakes. Singapore’s version adds local flair, including fragrant pandan pancakes. It is part breakfast, part art project and part controlled kitchen chaos. Perfect for families, friends and anyone who draws terrible pancakes professionally.
20. IHOP — Burbank, California, USA
History: International House of Pancakes opened its first restaurant in Southern California in 1958. The original concept was explicitly international, with unusual pancakes inspired by flavours from around the world. The IHOP acronym became the brand’s familiar name in 1973.
Year founded: 1958
Address: Burbank/Toluca Lake, California, USA
Pancake Style: Classic American diner pancakes
Toppings: Maple syrup, berries, whipped cream, butter
Fillings: Fruit, chocolate and seasonal fillings
The Secret Ingredient: Endless pancake variety
Most Iconic Pancake: Original Buttermilk Pancakes
Cost for Two: Approximately US$30–45
Instagram: @ihop
Website: IHOP
No global pancake list would be complete without IHOP, the restaurant chain that practically turned pancakes into an international business category. Founded in 1958, its early menu included wonderfully eccentric creations such as Tahitian Orange Pineapple and Kauai Coconut pancakes. Today, the appeal remains wonderfully straightforward: fluffy stacks, syrup, butter and the glorious freedom to order breakfast at lunchtime.
The Final Flip
The beautiful thing about pancakes is that there is no single correct version.
In New York, they’re thick, buttery and proudly American. Amsterdam makes them enormous and versatile. Paris gives them Breton elegance. Sydney turns them into ricotta clouds. Melbourne adds ice cream because apparently restraint is optional. Tokyo and Osaka decided pancakes should jiggle. Singapore handed diners a griddle and said, “You make it.”
And honestly? More cities should do that.
If you’re planning a food-focused trip, these pancake destinations offer something much better than another generic brunch: they give you a bite-sized—or occasionally plate-sized—piece of local food culture.
So bookmark the list, pack stretchy trousers and remember the golden rule of pancake tourism:
There is always room for one more pancake.
