In Amsterdam you can order pancakes for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Hell, you could have pancakes for all three meals if you wanted. It’s perfectly acceptable behavior and one of the reasons why I love Amsterdam so much.
No, I don’t often go around eating pancakes three times a day… but if I were to, I would go to The Pancake Bakery.
Amsterdam has dozens upon dozens of pancake houses, there is even a floating pancake boat! But The Pancake Bakery tends to come up on “best of” lists time and time again.
I always assumed The Pancake Bakery was simply a tourist trap. It’s but a stone’s throw away from the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht canal. Up until a few months ago, I had sent dozens of visitors craving pancakes here, but had never actually been myself. I know – oops.
Now that I’ve been, I can officially say this place lives up to the hype. The Pancake Bakery serves traditional Dutch pancakes. They are a cross between fluffy American pancakes and delicate French crepes. Thinner than America does them, and sweeter than the French.
Their massive pancakes come in pretty much every flavor combo imaginable. They’ve got some whacky savory dishes like the Indonesian topped with chicken, onion, mushrooms and peanut sauce or the Thai topped with chicken in a spicy red curry sauce with bamboo shoots. But the most wild sugar-coma-inducing pancake is the Dutch. It’s topped with stroopwafel chunks, cinnamon ice cream, chocolate sprinkles, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Talk about my childhood heaven.
If you’re feeling more traditional, don’t worry. You can create your own pancake or choose a classic. Last time, I chose the French with goat cheese, thyme, sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and honey. I didn’t need the honey, because it was already sweet enough. Luckily, it was served on the side. Otherwise, this pancake was the bomb.
Best advice, go for dinner. They’re open late and it’s the only time when there’s no line. Invite a friend and get one savory and one sweet to split. You won’t regret it.
The Pancake Bakery, Prinsengracht 191
