Best Pancake Houses in New England
For an authentic pancake house experience, count on these New England eateries to deliver — deliciously.
By Cathryn McCann|Mar 29 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanThere’s something so warm and homey about a New England pancake house, especially when that stack of fluffy cakes comes with a side of genuine (and maybe even freshly made) New England maple syrup. We love these northern New England pancake houses for their inviting atmosphere, delicious food, and high-quality syrup. All are especially good destinations during New England’s maple season (approximately late February to early April), either as a much-needed respite from a long, cold winter or as a hearty fuel-up for warmer-weather activities.
Best New England Pancake Houses
Polly’s Pancake Parlor | Sugar Hill, NH
An iconic restaurant in the White Mountains town of Sugar Hill, Polly’s has been serving up homemade pancakes since 1938. So it’s safe to say they’ve figured out the formula for the thickest, fluffiest pancakes — the kind that can make an instant flapjack convert out of anyone. In fact, the folks at Polly’s are so confident in their recipe that they actually sell pancake mixes so that their fans can enjoy a delicious stack of cakes at home. In addition to the vaunted pancakes (all of which are served with New Hampshire maple syrup, Polly’s maple spread, and granulated maple sugar), look for a wide selection of other breakfast options, as well as soups, salads, and sandwiches.
See More: Polly’s Pancake Parlor | Best Breakfast in the White Mountains
Intervale Farm Pancake House | Henniker, NH
For more than 30 years, Intervale Farm has been serving up top-notch pancakes at its rustic restaurant on Flanders Road. The property also doubles as a maple sugaring operation in the spring, meaning your stack of pancakes comes with a generous drizzle of authentic maple syrup made on-site. The pancakes can be prepared plain or with blueberries, cranberries, apples, or chocolate chips. Intervale Farm also offers other breakfast staples, like the “Hungry Man” (three eggs with toast, home fries, bacon, sausage, and pancakes) and the lighter “Not-So-Hungry Man” (for those without time for an afternoon nap).
Johnny Boy’s Pancake House | Killington & Rutland, VT
Johnny Boy’s Pancake House guarantees that you’ll never leave hungry, and — given the wide selection of not only pancakes but also breakfast staples here — we’d say that’s an accurate statement. Choose from pancake varieties including buttermilk, blueberry, strawberry, chocolate chip, banana, silver dollar, and multigrain, all served with Vermont maple syrup. Or try the hearty “House Omelet” or one of the rotating specials, such as fresh blueberry cream cheese French toast. Lunch is served, too, making Johnny Boy’s a great stop before or after you hit the slopes.
Parker’s Maple Barn Restaurant | Mason, NH
Few places are more quintessentially New England than the famous Parker’s Maple Barn Restaurant, with its unique dining room in an 1800s wooden dairy barn and silo, plus handmade tables, decorative antique farm items adorning the walls, and a wood stove with a burning fire when it’s cold. Parker’s is located in the rural woods of Mason, NH, and is also the home to a maple sugaring operation, where all the maple products and syrup served with breakfast are produced. Before or after your meal, be sure to take a full tour of the operation during maple season. Try the 6-inch buttermilk, blueberry, buckwheat, pumpkin, or special flavor of the month pancakes to soak up that delicious homemade syrup, or make it a full Parker’s special by adding eggs, bacon, ham, and sausage.
See More: A Visit to Parker’s Maple Barn Restaurant in Mason, NH
Photo Credit : Aimee Tucker
Stephanie’s Village Pancake House | Rowley, MA
Situated in a c. 1660 white colonial home and outfitted with charming country farm decor, Stephanie’s offers an ideal setting for a delicious meal — especially a stack of pancakes selected from a wide range of flavors, from classic buttermilk to banana dot, cinnamon, peach, and potato (served with sour cream and hot apples). Bottomless coffee accompanies those tasty pancakes — or waffles, omelets with all the fixings, sandwiches, or entrees. And thanks to its North Shore location, Stephanie’s provides the perfect excuse for a quick, tasty trip out of Boston.
Flapjack’s Pancake House | Lincoln, NH
Located in the heart of the White Mountains, Flapjack’s is a cozy farmhouse-style restaurant where the thick, fluffy pancakes are always made from scratch. There are plenty of inventive flavors to choose from (even fluffernutter!), along with classics such as buttermilk, blueberry, chocolate chip. Look for hearty breakfast options, too, such as three-egg omelets and thick Texas toast with maple butter, to top off your tank before a day of fun in the mountains.
Do you have a favorite New England pancake house? Let us know!
This post was first published in 2018 and has been updated.
SEE MORE:
Favorite Pancakes in Every New England State
Guide to Maple Syrup Grades
Favorite Fluffy Pancake Recipe
Thanks!
Always a good subject, and while admirable selections you definitely missed one of the best in Vermont, when you chose Johnny’s in Rutland, VT, but did not travel up Rt.4 and the mountain towards Pico/Killington Ski areas and find Mendon’s own Sugar & Spice Restaurant. Built like an old sugar house, great hospitality and an extra charge ONLY if you want fake syrup, as they only serve REAL VERMONT MAPLE SYRUP!
Hi there! Thanks for the tip. While for this list we only included places that identify as pancake houses, you may be happy to see we did include Sugar & Spice on our list of favorite pancakes in New England, found here: https://newengland.com/today/travel/new-england/places-to-eat/best-pancakes/.
Jeffrey, I absolutely love that the Sugar & Spice Restaurant charges extra for the fake stuff and doesn’t charge for the real maple syrup! Makes me want to drive all the way to Killington,VT from midcoast Maine just to support this restaurant!
Our favorite is Benton’s Sugar Shack in Thornton, New Hampshire. Only real maple syrup, made on site, comes to your table in squeeze bottles. They have amazing omelets as well. Only downside is that they are only open on weekends.
Not wishing to be rude, Pollys Pancake House (your first on the list), was not good at all. The waiting time for our order was not worth it at all. They got all our orders wrong except for one person, and the waitress couldn’t have cared less. This restaurant is not like it was years back, it has changed and not for the better.
We were a family of 5, and neither one of us would return.
getting stuck with a bad waitress (or a good waitress on a bad day) can happen anywhere.. but I agree, pollys no longer appeals to me…the food is still good, but the new building has none of the cozy ambiance and history of the original venue…the new restaurant seems impersonal, almost has a ‘corporate’ feel to it…
Perhaps you got to Polly’s on an unusual day. If you call ahead, you may not have such a long wait. We have found the waitstaff to be exceptionally accommodating, and their menu and food is excellent. We return again and again, and always bring our out-of-state visitors there, who then insist on going back to Polly’s every time they visit.
pancakes? they’re excellent at gould’s sugar house in Shelburne, Mass., but the real draw that has been getting us up there for about the last 40 years is the corn fritters! pancake & waffle joints abound, but try finding anything to rival helen gould’s corn fritters,,,love to visit when they are sugaring! open seasonally, so check ahead.
In addition to the continued special service and atmosphere, Polly’s is the only pancake house I know of that serves Gluten free pancakes, and I am grateful. Been a loyal customer of 60 years as is my entire Anderson family. Parker’s was the choice of our families rehearsal dinner and they are also very true to their NE quaintness. We are very lucky to have both in NH.
The last I knew, there were six states in New England. Surely you could have come up with a more comprehensive list than this!
All of those places sound awesome, but coming from Aroostook County, in Northern Maine, when we get to Portland, we all go to IHOP’s, the last time my daughter in law and granddaughter was there (about a year ago) the waiter that took care of us had a memory of a steel trap, teased our granddaughter (1.5 at the time) told me I didn’t want my eggs over easy, (too runny) and helped us make up our minds on what we should have for the perfect breakfast, pancakes, sausage and eggs all arrived, fresh, piping hot and to perfection, the other wait staff who cleaned off tables were all terrific, one guy spoke some Spanish to us and I knew little of the language, but spoke some back, all super friendly and the girls that run the place, their dad and mom started the place back before IHOP became such a huge chain. Price is right and spacious enough for elbow room and quiet enough to have a conversation. We spent two nights in Portland and hit IHOP both mornings….
Holly is so right about the S. Portland IHOP. I’ve been going there since they built their original structure many moons ago. Even though it’s a chain restaurant, the people that run it in SoPo make it feel very ‘local’ and are so inviting. No matter when we go, we always feel welcome and the service and food is always great. The only thing missing is the real maple syrup… maybe someday they’ll add it.
Stuart and John’s not included? It’s wonderful I’m a waffle gal, friends love the pancakes. In Westmoreland, NH.
The review of Stephanie’s Village Pancake House in Rowley, Mass. (When I lived there it wasn’t called “Stephanie’s” “The Pancake House.”) failed tomention the blueberry compote they give you for the blueberry pancakes. Those were always my favorite. They also have apple pancakes, with the pancakes folded over warm apple slices.)
Chip’s restaurant from Milford, CT
The best pancakes I have every had anywhere – At the Dam, Broadbrook, CT
My daughter went to New England College in Henniker and we use to go to Intervale Farm Pancake House when ever we went to the college. We always had a great meal . There was a crowd for breakfast each time we went and sometimes had to wait for a table and the hostess offered us a cup of coffee while we were waiting. Everyone was very friendly. Haven’t been there since my daughter graduated, hope its still the same. Also went to Pollys once before the new building. Had to wait for a table but the pancakes were worth the wait .
The Water Wheel in Jefferson NH has the best pancakes around ! I have even turned down lobster in Maine to have their pancakes ! Peanut butter and chocolate chip pancake is the very best !
List can’t be complete without the Palace Diner in Biddeford, Maine.
Sugar and Spice is an every Sunday morning breakfast for our family unless we’re at our cabin in Maine. Then it is Greg’s Place in China, Maine.
The Little Kitchen in Mystic CT has amazing pancakes and should definitely be included in this list.
Congdon’s donuts used to have a pancake house in wells Maine. It had like 50 different kinds of pancake ingredients you could have. I was partial to the lobster and clam pancakes. The salty seafood seemed to work nice with the pancake. I don’t thunk they are still in business though. Too bad. We had that place for breakfast and also the Ommelette factory in Ogunquit that served a bunch of different ommelettes with truly unique ingredients you could add. I worked at both places over the years many years ago.
Sugar Magnolias in Gloucester, MA serves amazing pancakes! Carrot cake pancakes are amazing and there is usually a special pancakes as well as the usual list.
Love Stephanie’s Village Pancake House I have been going there since 1979 my first year of College. Best Omelette EVAH!
For those complaining about Polly’s Pancake Parlor they must of never gone to the old Polly’s where you might be waiting outside for an hour or more to get seated . The man and woman bathrooms were “1 holers” where you watched to make a run when you saw someone coming out. It had a lot f charm with farm equipment and old signs hanging but it was your pleasure to wait and eat. Then as in now, the service was great and considering the amount of business, there were no errors on our table. You sat European style where you might not know your table mates when you were seated but left as friends. My parents went there long before they had kids and we took our kids and now our grandkids go there. Many times we have seen a helicopter land in the fields cross the road with folks crossing to get breakfast. The entertainment is free. Sorry the previous commenters did not enjoy their meal and service but it’s New England, get over it.
The Pancake Man in Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod has the best cinnamon bun pancakes that I have ever had. They melt in you mouth!
New England maple syrup can make any griddled pancake batter better! If you venture to Lake George and love a great pancake breakfast, Search- Lone Bull. Enjoy a great breakfast with family and friends. Be well