The Pancake Bakery

Just a few blocks beyond the Anne Frank House in Jordaan lies a terrific place to enjoy the Dutch version of pancakes…but not for breakfast! The Pancake Bakery doesn’t open until 11AM, but it is certainly worth the wait. You may find their offerings so tasty that you order a couple, in which case it is worth the weight. When we ate here (around 11:30AM) it was a decidedly tourist crowd – there were four tables in addition to ours with an Amsterdam guide book on the table. But the cozy atmosphere (loved the open kitchen) and reasonable prices leads me to believe locals also visit this eatery.

Dutch pancakes (pannenkoeken...which I originally spelled here as 'pannekoeks', but as you see below, Agnes helped me with my Dutch plurals!) are not American pancakes. They are more like pizzas with a delicate crust (like a crepe) and the Pancake Bakery lavishes a lot of winning combinations to top things off. I ordered their Chilean Pancake - one of many on their long list of “International” pancakes – chili, beef, mushrooms, onions, spices, mmmmmmmm! Kim’s pancake came with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and cheese and she seemed to enjoy hers just as much. The only part I didn’t get was all the syrup setting out and the open vat of molasses on the table with a big wooden spoon resting in it --> I wouldn’t be inclined to dump sticky stuff on a pizza even if I could. But the option is yours when you check out the delectable Pancake Bakery!

For about 9euro an entree, this place is a bargain for what you get. Delicious and HUGE Dutch-style pancakes with a variety of sweet and savory toppings. The pancakes are thinner than Americans would be used to, and there's a big pot of what looks like maple syrup but is really a very sweet melted sugar concoction to drizzle on top. Plus, they don't normally have pancakes for breakfast - this is an excellent choice for lunch or maybe even dinner.

I almost feel like if you're going to do one with more than one topping, you might want to split it with someone or do a bit of extra exercise afterward, lol. I had the ham and cheese pancake and it was divine; plus, I didn't really need to eat the rest of the day, haha.

Well worth it! Great location for a stop off before or after the Anne Frank Huis, but really its easy access from anywhere in the general center of the city.

If you are looking for a huge pancake filled with anything you can imagine...this is the place! I ordered a bacon pancake and was pleasantly surpirsed by the full strips that I found inside of it. My friend ordered the Apple pancake, which came covered in powdered sugar! I topped it off with a hot chocolate! Sooo good!

It is also right near the Anne Frank's House!