What’s the best part of visiting a ski town anytime of year? Adventure galore! Outdoor fun from skiing to mountain biking to hiking, they all involve a lot of calories being burned. This means you need to fuel up in the morning & what better way to do this then with a stack of melt-in-your mouth buttery flapjacks! After some research and personal experience, here’s the best pancakes in a ski town. Some of these spots we’ve enjoyed while others are on our bucket list.
Polly’s Pancake Parlor
Sugar Hill, New Hampshire
Located in the heart of New Hampshire’s ski country, Polly’s is the perfect spot to fuel up before hitting Cannon Mountain, Bretton Woods or Loon Mountain. Since the Great Depression (and we’re not talking about the one in the 2000’s), they’ve been flipping their legendary fluffy three-inch discs since 1938. What makes them so special? Well, their organic corn flour is stone-ground on site & served with local New Hampshire maple syrup. You’ll be sure to make it a tradition. If that wasn’t enough, diners can customize their batter with plain, oatmeal, buttermilk, buckwheat, gingerbread and whole wheat.
The Nova Café
Bozeman, Montana
While most tourists whisk their way up to Big Sky Resort, the locals and hardcore skiers know it’s all about Bridger Bowl. Just like the ski area, Nova Café is a MUST when in Bozeman. Sourcing local food whenever possible, this lively diner serves up the best pancakes not just in town but quite possibly in the state of Montana. Their mainstay blue cornmeal pancakes are amazing. But if you’re lucky enough to be there on the weekend, the Flathead cherry cottage cheese pancakes are the way to go. As the tourism bureau proudly shouts, you can get them “only in Bozeman!”
The Bunnery
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
How do you know if a recipe is unique & special? If it’s so good that you can purchase the mix not just at the restaurant as griddle cakes but in their online shop too. Well, that’s what the Bunnery does in Jackson! Their proprietary O.S.M. blend was developed in the 70’s with hearty, whole-grain flour containing whole wheat, oats, sunflower seeds, and millet. Even though it sounds heavy, they’re not. In fact, they retain a light and fluffy texture. Just like the Jackson Hole Air Force, you’ll flip after a bite of these tasty creations.
Penny Ann’s Cafe
Salt Lake City, Utah
As the KISS principle dictates, keeping it simple rather than over-complicating it will produce the best results. Penny Ann’s “heavenly hot cakes” are the perfect example. These house-made sour cream johnnycakes are served simply with butter & real maple syrup. And their flavor cannot be expressed in words… but we’ll try. Their sweet-and-tangy formula produces a batter that is light and airy & just simply irresistible. With not just one but three locations and a perennial winner in best of state award for best breakfast, the people have spoken just how good they are.
Sugar and Spice
Mendon, Vermont
Less than 30 minutes from the “beast of the East” known as Killington is a gift shop, working sugar house and diner. It’s situated on a classic Vermont estate featuring maple ice cream, maple sugar candies and of course pancakes inside the restaurant. The clear winner is the pumpkin variety followed by the sugar & spice stack that has their special cinnamon and maple sugar right in the batter. If you’re there for spring skiing, you’re in for a treat! You can watch the sugar makers turn tree sap into maple syrup right on the property. It doesn’t get much more “Vermont” than that.
Poppycock’s Cafe
Aspen, Colorado
After 4 decades of being in business, you can call Poppycock’s an institution in Aspen. This affordable café is everything you’d hope in a pre-mountain breakfast. Sure the French toast breaded with pecans and topped with bananas & grand marnier butter is an awesome option or maybe the corn griddle cakes served with Colorado wildflower honey is tempting. But the star of the show is the old-fashioned oatmeal buttermilk pancakes. These sizzling concoctions are moist inside like a hot oatmeal and match well with the tangy buttermilk. They’re so good that they ship over 50 bags of this batter per week across the country for people to make at home.
The Pancake House
McCall, Idaho
We know what you’re thinking, “Hey Local Freshies®, isn’t this a chain?” Nope, the Pancake House is a local joint in McCall. Before we delve into their griddle options, an honorable mention must be made of their cinnamon roll. The size of a dinner plate (literally), this warm, gooey, and fluffy breakfast dessert will satisfy any sweet tooth minded person. Something a bit more unique for the rest of the country is their sourdough pancake variation. Sour like sourdough bread & smothered in syrup, these pancakes offer up a sweet ‘n sour bite like nothing we’ve ever had before. Definitely an acquired taste, but a must try for any ski foodie.
I’ve ate at a couple of those places. Most recently Penny Ann’s in Salt Lake City. Huge fluffy pancakes. Great affordable breakfast in a relaxing atmosphere.