by Steinar Cramer
Whether you’re celebrating Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday) or have made it your mission to track down the best pancakes in the land, there’s never a bad reason to go in search of a stack. We’ve pulled together this list of some of the best pancakes that Canada has to offer. Try one or try the all – you’re sure to find pancake satisfaction at these fine establishments. [Image credit: iStock.com/Kanawa_Studio]
The legendary giant pancakes at Jethro’s have to be seen to be believed. These fluffy buttermilk pancakes often struggle to fit on the plate they’re served on – and just so you know, that’s a full size dinner plate. Get them straight up or with a variety of ingredients mixed into the batter: Frosted Flakes and berries, crispy bacon, dark chocolate chips and an espresso shot, cinnamon apples, or bananas, caramel, pecans and streusel. We strongly suggest you bring friends for support.
This is not your traditional greasy spoon breakfast joint, and these, my friends, are not your traditional pancakes. At H4C, the pancakes seem to change ingredients with the season, but the one constant is the rave reviews they get from pretty much everyone who tries them. They usually feature fruit – rhubarb and strawberries, poached pear, apple – and are topped with white chocolate. When it’s time to splurge on a brunch in Montreal, H4C and its pancakes should be at the top of your list.
Known to be one of the best brunch destinations in our nation’s capital, Stoneface Dolly’s hits all the right notes on the menu, from banana bread French toast to South African-inspired Chicken Bobotie. But it’s their ricotta blueberry pancakes that truly stand out. Two pillowy pancakes are served with lemon curd, whipped cream and maple syrup, as well as fresh fruit – a combination that has foodies calling these the best in town.
With a name like Mrs. Biederhof’s Legendary Light & Fluffy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, you know you’re in for something special. They are light. They are impossibly fluffy. And they come stacked three-high, topped with wild blueberry compote, whipped cream and Lanark County maple syrup. Do yourself a favour and chase these down at Mildred's the next time you’re planning brunch in Toronto. You won’t regret it.
With pancakes, there must be syrup, and you’ll find some of the best of both at Sugar Moon Farm, a working maple syrup farm in Earltown, Nova Scotia. Homemade buttermilk pancakes come in stacks for two, three or four, and are made with locally grown organic stone-ground red fife flour. Try them straight with the farm’s maple syrup or add sausages, knockwurst, or smoked bacon, as well as wild blueberry compote and maple whipped cream.
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If you happen to find yourself in Thunder Bay, we suggest a trip the unassuming Hoito Restaurant. This nominally Finnish establishment has been in operation for more than 100 years, serving up Finnish-style pancakes to hungry loggers and locals. Somewhere between a crepe and a regular Canadian pancake in terms of thickness and size, Hoito’s pancakes are a unique experience well worth a try.
Put away the menu. No really, put it away. If you’re going to have pancakes at The Red Wagon there’s only one choice: the pulled pork pancakes. We’re talking three thick, fluffy buttermilk pancakes layered with delicious pulled pork and slathered in maple syrup spiked with Jack Daniels. Try these indulgent pancakes – available on the all-day menu – and you’ll understand why a trip to this self-proclaimed “neighbourhood joint” is a pilgrimage of sorts for Vancouverites and visitors alike.
Ladies and gentlemen, we’d like to introduce you to Barque’s smoked duck pancakes. We think you’ll find them to be excellent company for brunch. Served in stacks of three, they come with smoked duck meat, blueberry compote and whipped chevre. These are, without a doubt, some of the best pancakes you’ll ever have. Don’t believe us? Try them and tell us we’re wrong. We dare you.
The pancakes here are so good, there should be a law against them … maybe, ahem, a prohibition? (Sorry, had to go there.) Nothing is sacred at Prohibition, save for great taste, which means they’ve taken a bold approach to creating what may well be the city’s best stack. It starts with five lemon ricotta pancakes – incredibly fluffy and seriously delicious – served with blueberry compote, syrup (of course) and sinfully good brown-sugar bacon. Consider yourself warned: brunch will never the same after you try these.
Sometimes it’s about the occasion as much as what’s on your plate, and this is very much the case when the Calgary Stampede rolls into town. The Stampede breakfast is a time-honoured tradition that sees organizations and businesses host pancake breakfasts all over town during Stampede week. Expect delicious pancakes with syrup, sausages and juice – and almost always some accompanying live country music to help you get your day started right.
