If you caught the show tonight you saw me countdown my three favorite spots for pancakes in Chicagoland! I've posted all of the info about each of my picks and the viewer's choice, and some extra info that couldn't fit into the show. Also, we've compiled more places to get fantastic pancakes. Video is after the jump, so keep reading...
Here's where you dubbed Chicago's top spot:
Here are the my top picks for flap jacks:
And here's info on all of the places featured in our search:
1. Sweet Maple Cafe
1339 W. Taylor St.
312-243-8908
My favorite cakes in town. I love the blueberry, there's just enough of them inside, and they're not oozing with fake-nasty blueberry juice. Plus they'll only cost you 7.65 for a filling batch. You can check out all of their other breakfast as well. I hear it's quite good, but I get the same thing everytime I go. And get extra syrup! It's REAL maple syrup made fresh by a company in Vermont, unlike that "High Fructose Corn Syrup" imitation stuff you find at a lot of other breakfast places.
2. Toast
2046 N. Damen Ave.
773-772-5600
-AND-
746 W. Webster Ave.
773-935-5600
I love Toast. There's something so fun about the place. If you're looking for lots of space or somewhere to have an intimate conversation over breakfast - this probably isn't the place for you. The restaurant just leaks personality - from the vintage toasters on the ceiling, to the family pictures of owner Jeanne Roeser. As I said on the show, you gotta love the mascarpone infused pancakes with pine nuts, lavender, and oranges. It might sound like overkill but the ingredients are perfectly balanced. The lavender just tends to linger in your mouth for a little while. It's pretty neat.
3. Walker Bros. Original Pancake House
153 E. Green Bay Road
Wilmette
847-251-6000
Oh, where do you start with Walker Bros? They've been a Northern Illinois staple ever since I can remember. The area's first Original Pancake House, the Walkers have been flippin' flapjacks to Chicagoans for decades. Everyone says you have to try the apple pancake. I recommend sharing that bad boy with a few friends/loved-ones. It's massive and sweet. Really, really sweet. Part of the big draw here is all of the stained glass throughout the place. I'm not too sure that kind of decor is aimed at impressing me, but it's nice to look at I guess. Some pancake-themed art would have made me just as happy.....and saved the Walker family about $3 million. But something tells me they're not hurting for the $$ these days!
VIEWER'S CHOICE: The Original Pancake House
Locations vary
Visit originalpancakehouse.com for a complete list
Over the past weeks I've been trying to figure out if the Original Pancake House was related to the Walker Bros. pancake house. The answer? Yes and no. Here's how it works. Every Original Pancake House is a franchise of the Mom and Pop restaurants originating in Portland, Oregon. The Walker family started their franchise nearly 50 years ago and built a name for themselves in the Chicagoland area. They were allowed to designate their restaurant the Walker Bros. Original Pancake House, though no other OHOP's in the Chicago area are allowed to do the same. I guess the Walkers were Grandfathered in. So technically all of the menu items should be prepared the same way at any OHOP, though some OHOP's feature different menu items from others. Regardless, the "metromix on CLTV" viewers seem to enjoy the OHOP's on the South Side so much we decided to make them the viewer's choice. You can check out their entire menu at their website (I suggest trying the Dutch Baby), and be prepared to wait when you get there. It gets packed...especially at their Gold Coast location off of Rush St!
Other Great Places for Pancakes:
Orange
3231 N. Clark
773-549-4400
I put Orange in the same "eclectic" category as Toast. The menu changes quite a bit and you can get different kinds of pancakes on different days, and they never disappoint. Try the pancake flight, it's a good time.
Kevin's Place
808 Waukegan Road
Deerfield
847-945-4577
A trusted source here at CLTV (who wishes to remain anonymous) tipped me off to Kevin's Place. Previously known as "The Cherry Pit," Kevin makes a pretty mean batch of Oatmeal Pancakes. I still haven't been there to sample them but he's on my list!
M. Henry
5707 N. Clark
773-561-1600
One of the most off-beat interiors to a breakfast spot in Chicago, and that's a good thing. M. Henry is a solid breakfast experience and the pancakes/food match the fun decor. A viewer on the blog raved about the Sweet Potato Pancakes, and they are delish. Hit them up if you haven't already.
Yolk
1120 S. Michigan
312-789-9655
I was at Yolk when it first opened and I'm glad to see they've been such a hit. The interior is bright, fun, and large. The food is phenomenal as well. They just missed my list and I highly recommend stopping in if you haven't already!
