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A stack of pancakes topped with strawberries, butter, and blueberries.
Pancakes from Three Decker Diner in Greenpoint.
Three Decker Diner

12 Perfect Pancakes in New York City

From blueberry-studded flapjacks to tangy sourdough stacks

by Eater Staff Updated
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Pancakes from Three Decker Diner in Greenpoint.
| Three Decker Diner
by Eater Staff Updated

A tall stack of pancakes is a breakfast staple for a reason: They’re filling, full of carbs, and often feel like dessert, even if they hit the table first. In New York City, there’s a variety of excellent pancakes worth seeking out: Some are faithfully presented with a dollop of butter and seasonal fruit, while others come thin, crisped up, and dotted with holes — a loaner from a restaurant that got its start in Los Angeles. These are a dozen of our favorites.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Good Enough to Eat

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This brunch staple on the Upper West Side has been serving up homey, hearty comfort food since 1981. There’s a wide variety of fluffy pancakes on the menu, including the place’s namesake four-grain version, a Belgian chocolate-coconut option, and a seasonal fruit variety. There’s pastel pink-hued strawberry butter to smear on all versions, too.

520 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024
(212) 496-0163
(212) 496-0163

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Breakfast by Salt's Cure

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Can the “griddle cakes” at Breakfast by Salt’s Cure be considered pancakes? The restaurant’s publicists insist the answer is no, but these thin, crispy whatever-they-ares will definitely satisfy a pancake craving. The original location of this restaurant opened in Los Angeles in 2010. Like out West, their signature pancakes come in five flavors: original, blueberry, banana nut, apple, and chocolate chip.

27 1/2 Morton St, New York, NY 10014
(646) 719-1850
(646) 719-1850
Griddle cakes with cinnamon butter as well as eggs, and sausage on a white plate atop a tan background at the Santa Monica location of Breakfast by Salt’s Cure.
Are griddle cakes pancakes?
Andrea D’Agosto/Breakfast by Salt’s Cure

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Chez Ma Tante

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Does anyone go to Chez Ma Tante for any other reason than the pancakes? Likely so, but all the noise, and lines, seem to be for the flapjacks. These not-too-sweet pancakes at this Greenpoint restaurant sport a distinctively thick, nearly blackened char that lends more flavor and crunch than most pancakes. They’re made with more egg yolks than whites, which them richer, and are topped simply with a giant disk of French butter and plenty of maple syrup.

90 Calyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-3606
(718) 389-3606
A stack of thick pancakes with butter melting on top.
Chez Ma Tante’s legendary pancakes.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

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Three Decker Diner

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In January, the decades-old Greenpoint diner relaunched under new co-owner, Gavin Compton of Variety Coffee fame. Where items were frozen, they are now fresh, and margarine has been swapped for butter, the team told Eater. Three Decker’s pancakes, too, have never been better and, like any true diner, you can get them in variations like blueberry, banana, or chocolate chip. Wash it all down with a mug of jo, now, fittingly of the third-wave variety.

695 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-6664
(718) 389-6664
The exterior of Three Decker Diner.
The exterior of Three Decker Diner.
Three Decker Diner

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Clinton St. Baking Company

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These are probably the most famous pancakes in the city, as underscored by the long lines of people vying for a stack on any given Sunday. Here, the wild Maine blueberry pancakes are the big draw: They’re light and fluffy, made with egg whites, and accompanied by warm maple butter. Not much of a berry fan? Choose the banana walnut or chocolate chunk varieties instead. Bypass the lines by opting for breakfast for dinner, which is an entire section on the nighttime menu.

4 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002
(646) 602-6263
(646) 602-6263
An overhead photograph of a plate of pancakes with blueberries.
These may be the most famous pancakes in the city.
Time Out Market New York

Also featured in:

Bubby's

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Bubby’s is the basic pancake pick of the lot. They’re not winning creativity points for their pancakes, but the restaurant group — currently open in Tribeca home and a Laguardia Airport outpost) serves incredibly fluffy versions. Find a little something for everyone — an especially solid pick if you have relatives visiting in town or kids in tow.

120 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 219-0666
(212) 219-0666

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Sunday In Brooklyn

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If Instagram-famous pancakes are what you’re after, head to Williamsburg for the malted pancakes that made their way across citywide influencer feeds. They’re served with hazelnut maple praline sauce that’s like chunky hazelnut praline butter, plus a pat of brown butter.

348 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(347) 222-6722
(347) 222-6722
Sunday in Brooklyn’s pancakes
Sunday in Brooklyn’s famous pancakes.
Sunday in Brooklyn

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Golden Diner

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The pancakes at this Two Bridges diner are the stuff of legend. Its honey butter cakes come two to an order with a dollop of honey maple butter. if you shell out five more dollars, you can add a heaping of blueberry compote (The restaurant considers the topping optional, but we beg to differ.) Thick and fluffy with a crisp exterior, these are some of the best pancakes in the area.

123 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
(917) 472-7800
(917) 472-7800
A stack of pancakes with syrup, berry compote, and butter.
A stack of pancakes at Golden Diner.
Luke Fortney/Eater NY

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Pearl Diner

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This minuscule diner is an anomaly among the massive skyscrapers and fast-casual chains that primarily populate Fidi. Head here for straightforward, filling, affordable diner fare that includes serviceable pancakes. They come in flavors like whole wheat, oatmeal, banana, and chocolate chip at under $10 for a stack.

212 Pearl St, New York, NY 10038
(212) 344-6620
(212) 344-6620

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Vinegar Hill House

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The fluffy yet crispy pancakes here are made with sourdough, poured into massive rounds — each order is comprised of a single flapjack — with a bit of seasonal fruit, like sliced apples or pears, added to the bottom of the pan and cooked into the crunchy disks, which are then doused in maple syrup and topped with salted butter. The sourdough starter is over 60 years old, predating the restaurant’s 2009 brunch debut.

72 Hudson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 522-1018
(718) 522-1018

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Lulu & Po

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Once called Rosalu Diner, this Clinton Hill spot recently rebranded as Lulu & Po. Under the new name, the modern luncheonette decor remains, and dinner has been added. But the main draw continues to be the pancakes — easily a contender for some of the fluffiest on this list. Oh, and fans can rejoice in the fact that they’re now served on real plates versus paper ones, as they had been throughout the pandemic.

274 Hall St, Brooklyn, NY 11205
(917) 446-5569
(917) 446-5569
Pancakes at Lulu & Po placed on a table next to a water glass and white mug with coffee.
Pancakes at Lulu & Po.
Emma Orlow/Eater NY

Tom’s Restaurant

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A beloved neighborhood spot that’s been open since 1936, Tom’s is an excellent breakfast choice in general, but the pancakes are particularly satisfying. Highlights among the lengthy selection of flapjacks include a cinnamon roll variety and a sweet potato version. There’s also the Danish pancake, constructed from ricotta and, surprisingly, some parmesan cheese, plus blueberries and lemon zest.

4506, 782 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 636-9738
(718) 636-9738
A sandwich board is propped in front of a Brooklyn diner, Tom’s Restaurant, in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
Tom’s Restaurant in Brooklyn has been a neighborhood fixture since 1936.
Bess Adler/Eater NY

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Good Enough to Eat

520 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024

This brunch staple on the Upper West Side has been serving up homey, hearty comfort food since 1981. There’s a wide variety of fluffy pancakes on the menu, including the place’s namesake four-grain version, a Belgian chocolate-coconut option, and a seasonal fruit variety. There’s pastel pink-hued strawberry butter to smear on all versions, too.

520 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10024
(212) 496-0163
(212) 496-0163

Breakfast by Salt's Cure

27 1/2 Morton St, New York, NY 10014

Can the “griddle cakes” at Breakfast by Salt’s Cure be considered pancakes? The restaurant’s publicists insist the answer is no, but these thin, crispy whatever-they-ares will definitely satisfy a pancake craving. The original location of this restaurant opened in Los Angeles in 2010. Like out West, their signature pancakes come in five flavors: original, blueberry, banana nut, apple, and chocolate chip.

27 1/2 Morton St, New York, NY 10014
(646) 719-1850
(646) 719-1850
Griddle cakes with cinnamon butter as well as eggs, and sausage on a white plate atop a tan background at the Santa Monica location of Breakfast by Salt’s Cure.
Are griddle cakes pancakes?
Andrea D’Agosto/Breakfast by Salt’s Cure

Chez Ma Tante

90 Calyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222

Does anyone go to Chez Ma Tante for any other reason than the pancakes? Likely so, but all the noise, and lines, seem to be for the flapjacks. These not-too-sweet pancakes at this Greenpoint restaurant sport a distinctively thick, nearly blackened char that lends more flavor and crunch than most pancakes. They’re made with more egg yolks than whites, which them richer, and are topped simply with a giant disk of French butter and plenty of maple syrup.

90 Calyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-3606
(718) 389-3606
A stack of thick pancakes with butter melting on top.
Chez Ma Tante’s legendary pancakes.
Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

Three Decker Diner

695 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222

In January, the decades-old Greenpoint diner relaunched under new co-owner, Gavin Compton of Variety Coffee fame. Where items were frozen, they are now fresh, and margarine has been swapped for butter, the team told Eater. Three Decker’s pancakes, too, have never been better and, like any true diner, you can get them in variations like blueberry, banana, or chocolate chip. Wash it all down with a mug of jo, now, fittingly of the third-wave variety.

695 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
(718) 389-6664
(718) 389-6664
The exterior of Three Decker Diner.
The exterior of Three Decker Diner.
Three Decker Diner

Clinton St. Baking Company

4 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002

These are probably the most famous pancakes in the city, as underscored by the long lines of people vying for a stack on any given Sunday. Here, the wild Maine blueberry pancakes are the big draw: They’re light and fluffy, made with egg whites, and accompanied by warm maple butter. Not much of a berry fan? Choose the banana walnut or chocolate chunk varieties instead. Bypass the lines by opting for breakfast for dinner, which is an entire section on the nighttime menu.

4 Clinton St, New York, NY 10002
(646) 602-6263
(646) 602-6263
An overhead photograph of a plate of pancakes with blueberries.
These may be the most famous pancakes in the city.
Time Out Market New York

Bubby's

120 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013

Bubby’s is the basic pancake pick of the lot. They’re not winning creativity points for their pancakes, but the restaurant group — currently open in Tribeca home and a Laguardia Airport outpost) serves incredibly fluffy versions. Find a little something for everyone — an especially solid pick if you have relatives visiting in town or kids in tow.

120 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013
(212) 219-0666
(212) 219-0666

Sunday In Brooklyn

348 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249

If Instagram-famous pancakes are what you’re after, head to Williamsburg for the malted pancakes that made their way across citywide influencer feeds. They’re served with hazelnut maple praline sauce that’s like chunky hazelnut praline butter, plus a pat of brown butter.

348 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
(347) 222-6722
(347) 222-6722
Sunday in Brooklyn’s pancakes
Sunday in Brooklyn’s famous pancakes.
Sunday in Brooklyn

Golden Diner

123 Madison St, New York, NY 10002

The pancakes at this Two Bridges diner are the stuff of legend. Its honey butter cakes come two to an order with a dollop of honey maple butter. if you shell out five more dollars, you can add a heaping of blueberry compote (The restaurant considers the topping optional, but we beg to differ.) Thick and fluffy with a crisp exterior, these are some of the best pancakes in the area.

123 Madison St, New York, NY 10002
(917) 472-7800
(917) 472-7800
A stack of pancakes with syrup, berry compote, and butter.
A stack of pancakes at Golden Diner.
Luke Fortney/Eater NY

Pearl Diner

212 Pearl St, New York, NY 10038

This minuscule diner is an anomaly among the massive skyscrapers and fast-casual chains that primarily populate Fidi. Head here for straightforward, filling, affordable diner fare that includes serviceable pancakes. They come in flavors like whole wheat, oatmeal, banana, and chocolate chip at under $10 for a stack.

212 Pearl St, New York, NY 10038
(212) 344-6620
(212) 344-6620

Vinegar Hill House

72 Hudson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201

The fluffy yet crispy pancakes here are made with sourdough, poured into massive rounds — each order is comprised of a single flapjack — with a bit of seasonal fruit, like sliced apples or pears, added to the bottom of the pan and cooked into the crunchy disks, which are then doused in maple syrup and topped with salted butter. The sourdough starter is over 60 years old, predating the restaurant’s 2009 brunch debut.

72 Hudson Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 522-1018
(718) 522-1018

Lulu & Po

274 Hall St, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Once called Rosalu Diner, this Clinton Hill spot recently rebranded as Lulu & Po. Under the new name, the modern luncheonette decor remains, and dinner has been added. But the main draw continues to be the pancakes — easily a contender for some of the fluffiest on this list. Oh, and fans can rejoice in the fact that they’re now served on real plates versus paper ones, as they had been throughout the pandemic.

274 Hall St, Brooklyn, NY 11205
(917) 446-5569
(917) 446-5569
Pancakes at Lulu & Po placed on a table next to a water glass and white mug with coffee.
Pancakes at Lulu & Po.
Emma Orlow/Eater NY

Tom’s Restaurant

4506, 782 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

A beloved neighborhood spot that’s been open since 1936, Tom’s is an excellent breakfast choice in general, but the pancakes are particularly satisfying. Highlights among the lengthy selection of flapjacks include a cinnamon roll variety and a sweet potato version. There’s also the Danish pancake, constructed from ricotta and, surprisingly, some parmesan cheese, plus blueberries and lemon zest.

4506, 782 Washington Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
(718) 636-9738
(718) 636-9738
A sandwich board is propped in front of a Brooklyn diner, Tom’s Restaurant, in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
Tom’s Restaurant in Brooklyn has been a neighborhood fixture since 1936.
Bess Adler/Eater NY

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