Category: Best Pancakes

Shoop’s Semi Annual Review: The Best of the Best of the Best

…what can only be described as delicious genius…

People frequently ask me where to get the best pancakes in the LA area. The answer is, hand down and without a doubt, Shoop’s Delicatessen in Santa Monica. 

They are now the standard to which I hold all other pancakes. They have mastered the art of pancake fluff and broken all the rules about savory pancakes in what can only be described as delicious genius.

Most notable about Shoop’s is the quality of their stuffed pancakes. Many places will throw on toppings like sliced strawberries and bananas without a care in the world about pancake integrity. Shoop’s will expertly bake these toppings into the pancake. They are evenly cooked throughout, with crisped buttery edges, and pancake fluff that would make even the harshest of food critics mouth-happy. 

This round of reviews takes a bite into: the Savory Tomato Basil Pancake, Savory Salmon Pancake, and Banana Pancakes.

Savory Tomato Basil: A tried and true favorite, always outstanding, consistently amazing. I have had this many times and it never disappoints. You might think there is too much going on in one oversized pancake – it’s filled with fresh tomato and basil and topped with two eggs, pesto, and feta. But somehow it works in the best way possible.

  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks

Savory Salmon Pancake: This was not my favorite to be honest. It could be because I am a salmon snob and like my salmon grilled on a George Foreman or in a backyard in Venice only. The smoked salmon by itself was delicious, and there was so much of it! No stingy toppings in sight at Shoop’s. The pancake was similarly delicious, expert level fluff with tasty, unexpected pockets of cream cheese. But something about the combo together just didn’t work for me. Because the technical pancake skills were obvious, no TastyStacks points were deducted for this. 

  • Image via TastyStacks

Banana Pancakes: Yes, just like the song, but way better because you can actually eat these, and they are mind-blowingly delicious. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since I first tried them. They are truly a “taste sensation,” just like the menu describes.

  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks

JUST THE STACKS – 10/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Sweet & savory pancake fluff heaven.

Mouthfeel: FUCKING LUSCIOUS.

Size: Strikes the perfect chord between thickness and width.

Presentation: A meaty stack of three or a giant pancake with all the fixings. Mouthwatering on all accounts.

Price: $11.95-$17.50

Location: 2400 Main St A1, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (Blocks from the beach! Ample cheap parking in the back.)

All Shoop’s Reviews!

Shoop’s: Pancake Fluff Heaven
Shoop’s Part Two – Takeout Pancake Heaven
Shoop’s Part Three: Pancake Mecca

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Trader Joe’s Ube Mochi Pancakes: The Purple Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of

Who wouldn’t want purple pancakes?

I finally got my hands on the coveted Trader Joe’s Ube Mochi Pancake & Waffle Mix. I saw these years ago at my local Trader Joe’s and made the mistake of not buying them. Then I didn’t see them again for YEARS…until last week. 

The magic ingredient in these is ube (pronounced “ooh-bay”), a purple yam native to Southeast Asia. It has a mild flavor that is both slightly sweet and nutty and it is often used in desserts. The most alluring ube feature is its gorgeous purple color. Who wouldn’t want purple pancakes?

These required a lot more prep work then I’m used to. And by that I mean I had to get an egg out of my fridge and melt a tablespoon of butter in separate bowls. Crazy! For what it’s worth I’m used to using Kodiak Cakes mix where I just add water. And I don’t even measure the water anymore, I just kind of splash an unknown amount in there until it feels right. 

Anyways, I followed the directions exactly and whisked together the egg, melted butter, and water. Then I combined the wet mix with the ube mix and got a lovely lilac batter, which I poured on my griddle in very satisfying purple circles.

The pancakes retained most of their lavender color despite some browning on both sides. They weren’t as fluffy as I’d like, but that might be due to my griddle, and not the mix. I’d give them another .5 to 1 point increase if I can up the fluff factor.

The taste was unexpected and delightful! They were slightly chewy and sweet and tasted like a purple coconut delight. Were they a touch too sweet for everyday breakfast? Maybe. I’m more inclined to stick with my tried and true pancake mix for regular pancake-ing.

JUST THE STACKS – 7.5/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: If purple had a flavor this would be it (you might be thinking if purple had a flavor it would be grape but you would be wrong.)

Mouthfeel: Sweet, chewy, and coconutty – a real delight!

Price: $3.99

Available at: Your local Trader Joe’s. Maybe. Also overpriced at Amazon.

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The Friendly Toast: Quirky Breakfast Delights

On a recent visit to Portland, Maine I was thrilled to discover The Friendly Toast had opened a local location. I fondly remember the Friendly Toast from my days of living in Boston. Known for their impressive kitschy décor (think troll collections and cat figure displays) and all day breakfast, this was an obvious choice for pancakes. I grabbed two other breakfast buds and between the three of us we ordered the perfect trifecta: pancakes, waffles, and French toast. 

I had the Monster Breakfast, which is a stack of two pancakes or French toast, served with two eggs, homefries, and choice of side meat. The “sweet cream pancakes” are also available with blueberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, bananas, as well as a variety of more extreme variations, such as Oreo Cookie, Caramel Macchiato, and King Cakes.

The pancakes arrived topped with strawberries and powdered sugar, which might be my favorite current pancake style. They tasted slightly sweet with a hint of vanilla, making for an almost lovely bite. 

What’s missing from these stacks is the fluff factor. There is something so satisfying about biting into perfect pancake fluff and it can be noticeably disappointing when missing. Thicc stacks are not only aesthetically pleasing, but they’re better able to absorb syrup and other toppings. Despite this pancake misstep, The Friendly Toast excelled at their other breakfast options.

The waffle was described (unprompted) as “phenomenal” by my handsome dining companion. It had the same slightly sweet vanilla taste as the pancakes and the perfect outside crunch, making for delicious pocket bites of butter and syrup.

My second breakfast accomplice described the French toast as “one of the best I’ve ever had”, which might be one of the best reviews she has given any menu item, anywhere. Made with thicc sourdough, the bread was sweet, and the bites were luscious. 

After trying both the waffle and French toast, it’s clear the pancakes are not the stars at The Friendly Toast, but they more than make up for that with their other options. My rating is a reflection of the average score of the pancakes (6.5), waffles (10) , and French toast (10).

Despite the lackluster pancakes, I very much wish The Friendly Toast would open a location in Southern California. I would be knee deep in waffles and mimosa flights every weekend.

JUST THE STACKS – 8.8/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: De-fucking-licious.

Mouthfeel: Aside from the flimsy pancakes, the waffles and French toast qualified for fluff heaven.

Size: Generous belly-filling sizes.

Presentation: Served on colorful plates with indulgent scoops of butter, strawberries, and powdered sugar. 

Price: $10-$20

Location: 211 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101

Various other locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont.

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Namale Resort and Spa: The Ultimate Pancake Date 

All the mouthfeels at once!

Namale Resort and Spa, located in Savusavu, Fiji has some of the best pancakes I’ve ever tasted. It didn’t hurt that I ate them on a private deck overlooking the Pacific Ocean with a lush jungle background all around me, next to my favorite pancake date.

The pancakes are served in cute stacks of two or three, with a scoop of sweetened coconut crumbles on top. One bite and I was in heaven. They were slightly sweet with a soft undercurrent of vanilla and coconut. The outside edges were just slightly crispy and they had the perfect inside fluff factor. I added a small amount of syrup and butter for a truly decadent experience.

Namale also serves waffles, which have the same delightful coconut vanilla taste as the pancakes. They were a touch too dense for my liking (if I were going to critique one thing) but still delectable. Served with a light and sweet coconut cream and crisped coconut chunks, these had a playful texture.

I would have eaten pancakes every morning I was there, had the rest of the food not been so delicious as well. Thinking back, the 15 hour travel time it took to get from Los Angeles to Savusavu, Fiji was a small price to pay for these unforgettable sumptuous stacks.

JUST THE STACKS – 10/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Magnificent, magical, luscious.

Mouthfeel: Fluffy, sweet, soft, and slightly crispy. All the mouthfeels at once!

Size: Just right whether you get them in stacks of two or three.

Presentation: Perfect pancake colors, perfect use of coconut.

Price: All inclusive means I ate as many pancakes as I physically could.

Location: Vanua Levu, 1 Hibiscus Hwy, Savusavu, Fiji

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The Pancake Spott: Bring A Pancake Truck to Work Day

If whimsy were a mouthfeel these would be the definition of it.

As the return-to-work debate lingers on, many employers have turned to creative work perks to encourage employees to return to the office. One of the best things to come out of this pretty stupid circular discussion, was that I had the opportunity to bring in a pancake truck to one of my former workplaces. 

There is no shortage of pancake trucks and mobile pancake stands in the LA area that specialize in mini pancakes. I reached out to several via social media and ended up hiring The Pancake Spott. 

The Pancake Spott pulled up in a neon pink and purple trailer, decorated with giant mini pancakes all over. I know I’m not rating truck designs here, but it really set the pancake mood. 

Because this was a catered event, each person could order, in theory, as many pancakes as they wanted. Unlimited mini pancakes! Served in portions of ten mini pancakes, toppings included nutella, caramel sauce, dulce de leche, chocolate sauce, oreo crumbles, strawberries, bananas, fruity pebble cereal, and ice cream.

The pancakes were slightly sweet on their own, like little whimsical puffs of deliciousness. Something about mini pancakes (presumably their size) allows for the perfect bite-sized bit of fluff factor in the middle. 

I am usually a pancake topping minimalist at heart but in the name of pancake research, I wanted to try the full array of toppings. For my first round I chose nutella, strawberry, and banana, which is a guaranteed trio of deliciousness. The fruit was fresh, and in large enough quantities that you actually felt like you were getting a hearty serving. The nutella topping was well portioned and didn’t overshadow the pancakes themselves.

For my second round, I started with the same winning topping trio and added oreo crumbles, dulce de leche, and a scoop of ice cream. Too many pancake toppings can definitely overwhelm pancakes, but even with my second heavily topped serving, it was somehow the perfect symphony of sweetness and decadence. 

My favorite part was that The Pancake Spott set up a gorgeous platter of pancakes, using the rest of the pancake batter they had portioned for this event. Sprinkled with fruity pebble bits and a strawberry center, I wished I had a pancake party to take it to. 

JUST THE STACKS – 10/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Mini bursts of deliciousness.

Mouthfeel: If whimsy were a mouthfeel these would be the definition of it.

Size: Tiny masterpieces, bite-sized wonders.

Presentation: Ten of the cutest pancakes, topped with whatever your heart desires, as long as it has been previously stocked in the pancake truck.

Location: https://www.instagram.com/thepancakespott/?hl=en

Traveling in the Wilmington, CA area, also available for catering.

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Breakfast Bliss by the Bay: Sandusky Bay Pancake House

The best of both muffin top and pancake worlds.

The best thing about the middle of winter in Sandusky, Ohio is Kalahari Resorts – one of the largest indoor waterparks in the US. The very next best thing is the Sandusky Bay Pancake House, conveniently located just down the road. 

This place takes their pancakes seriously. They have stuffed potato pancakes (three kinds including pot roast!), vegan pancakes, oatmeal cream pie pancakes, and even a giant bloody mary that comes with a pancake. After careful deliberation (pancake triage), I ordered the Blueberry Muffin Top Pancakes and the Pigs in a Blanket Pancakes. 

The Blueberry Muffin Top Pancakes, made with blueberry muffin tops crumbled into the pancake batter, were divine. This was a pancake combination I hadn’t encountered before, a surprising feat in itself. Served as a spread out stack of three reasonably sized pancakes, drizzled with powdered sugar and blueberry frosting, it was the best of both muffin top and pancake worlds. The crumbly muffin texture paired perfectly with the fluffy pancakes.

The Pigs in a Blanket Pancakes, for all my meat eating readers out there, are exactly what they sound like – sausage rolled inside a pancake, served with powdered sugar on top. Also served in reasonably sized sets of three, these were a winning combination of sweet and salty, the perfect merger of meat and pancake. More foods should be rolled up into pancakes like this.

JUST THE STACKS – 9/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Buttery blueberry muffin pancakes and savory sausages inside a pillowy pancake base with slightly crisped edges, what more could you ask for?

Mouthfeel: Melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Size: Not too big, not too small – AKA Goldilocks style.

Presentation: Spread-stack vs the traditional tall stack, allows for more universal coverage of the powdered sugar plus toppings. 

Price: $10+

Location: 4710 Milan Rd, Sandusky, OH 44870

Bonus quote presented without context by my pancake companion: “A cool day in hell when I eat a bite of pancake without any syrup on it.”

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Eat Local: Dutch Baby Travel Edition

Nestled in Prescott, Arizona among a sea of ponderosa pines is the restaurant The Local. If you visit in the winter you could be treated to a gorgeous snow cover and winter wonderland aesthetic that most people are unaware Arizona is capable of. 

No matter when you visit The Local, you can experience some of the best fucking Dutch Baby Pancakes I’ve ever had. These might have been the first Dutch Baby Pancakes I’ve had, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are the best. 

Dutch Babies, also known as German Pancakes, are baked rather than pan fried, and their sides rise up in the oven like a popover. The batter is made with eggs, flour, milk, and sugar, and is poured into a hot cast-iron skillet and baked in the oven until puffed and golden brown. The texture is slightly crispy on the edges and soft and custard-like in the middle. Their taste, if done correctly, is somewhere between a custardy crepe and a pancake.

The Local definitely gets the Dutch Baby done right. Appearing as an unassuming menu item, their menu describes the “Dutch Cake” as a baked light fluffy pancake served with fresh lemon curd. I loved that it was lighter than a standard pancake with an emphasis on a sweet eggy flavor. The lemon curd accompaniment elevated the Dutch Baby to a delightful level. They also offer old fashioned pancakes and blueberry spelt cakes, but I don’t think I could branch out beyond their Dutch Cake, it’s just too good to stray from. 

JUST THE STACKS – 9/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Slightly sweet, slightly eggy, overwhelmingly delicious.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light, luscious, and scrumptious.

Size: Medium-large, which turns out be just right, Goldilocks-style.

Presentation: Golden yellow eggy center with delicately browned edges, powdered sugar on top, and a side of creamy lemon curd and fresh fruit. 

Price: $13.75

Location: 520 W Sheldon St, Prescott, AZ 86301

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Petit Soleil: Central Coast Delight

If you were to take Amtrak’s Pacific Coast Starlight (or Surfliner) train from LA up the coastline to San Luis Obispo, you too might find your face in front of some of the most delicious melt-in-your-mouth pancakes you’ve had in a long time. You would also have to have booked a room at the delightfully charming bed and breakfast – Petit Soleil, where if you are lucky enough or maybe mention your penchant for pancakes, they will whip up a batch of banana chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast.

My pancakes were served as a modest stack of two regular sized pancakes, with fresh strawberries and powdered sugar on top. One bite and I was hooked. The pancakes had an almost creamy texture, likely due to the perfect melting of chocolate chips and bananas baked inside. I can’t even recall another place that has done banana chocolate chip pancakes (with a strawberry bonus) on top as well as this. 

They received an equally high complement from my dining companion, who doesn’t even like any “detritus” on his pancakes. Some might say he is a pancake purist, so when he likes a pancake with three different ingredients all up and around the pancakes, you know this is a strongly positive review.

Bonus points: If you happen to be here celebrating a special occasion, they might give you a complementary tiny bottle of prosecco and colorful glass of juice for a mimosa with your breakfast.

I often think about skipping work and hopping a train back to this place, just to get these pancakes again. 

JUST THE STACKS – 10/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Sweet, creamy, and delicious. 

Mouthfeel: Fucking luscious. 

Size: Two modestly sized pancakes.

Presentation: Charming, delightful, mouthwatering.

Price: Included in your stay.

Location: 1473 Monterey St, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

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Shoop’s Part Three: Pancake Mecca

Mouthfeel: FUCKING LUSCIOUS.

It has been over a year since I last reviewed Shoop’s, and because they have clearly usurped my old favorite Nighthawk for best pancakes – this was the obvious choice for birthday pancakes in order to carb up for a hike (humble hike brag). 


As a bonus, it’s clear all those mediocre pancake dates back in the day paid off – I found someone happy to drive the opposite way of his work on the 405 at 7am to take me out for breakfast, and then drive all the way back on the 405 during rush hour. LA people will understand this as the definition of love.


Shoop’s lets you mix and match items on the regular pancake list, so we chose buttermilk, bacon, and pineapple. We also ordered one of their savory pancakes: Pastrami and Swiss. 


My 405 guy, famous for historically declaring he doesn’t like “foreign objects” in his pancakes, thought the savory pastrami and swiss pancake was delicious. Delicious may be an understatement. It was an unexpected joy to eat. Composed of one giant pancake, the batter is mixed with chopped up bits of pastrami and swiss cheese, and topped with fried eggs and grilled onions. The top of the pancake was lightly crisped, the inside was mouth-happy and marvelous. Imagine pastrami pancake angels dancing on your tongue, encased in warm buttery fluff. Even better, go eat these and experience pancake fluff heaven for yourself. 


The bacon pancake, while still excellent, almost pales in comparison to the magic of the pastrami and swiss pancake. The pineapple pancake, which is stuffed with caramelized pieces of pineapple, and one that I’ve had several times before, held up to the standard of excellence I have come to expect from Shoop’s. If you’re into (or curious about) savory pancakes, Shoop’s has several other varieties: Tomato Basil (fucking fantastic), Bacon Cheddar Jalapeno, and Savory Salmon. The latter two are on my list to try as ASAP as possible. 

  • Birthday breakfast of champions
  • Bacon, Buttermilk, Pineapple
  • The glory of pastrami swiss
  • Pastrami swiss and stack of tasties
  • Tomato Basil from a previous visit
  • Tomato Basil plus pineapple from a previous visit

JUST THE STACKS – 10/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Sweet & savory pancake fluff heaven.

Mouthfeel: FUCKING LUSCIOUS.

Size: Goldilocks would say these are just the right size. Savory pancakes comes as one extra large one.

Presentation: Humble and unassuming. Shoop’s has no need for faff.

Price: $11.95-$17.50

Location: 2400 Main St A1, Santa Monica, CA 90405 (Blocks from the beach! Ample cheap parking in back!)

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Marcy’s Diner: TSA Approved

These were, in short, fucking delicious.

On a recent trip to Portland, Maine, I had a chance to try Marcy’s Diner – an adorably tiny but mighty gem.

It was the final stop before my flight back to LA, and because it was raining and there was talk of a city-wide hornet problem, I chose to take my stack of pancakes to go. In this case, that meant to the airport and through security, one of the ultimate travel tests for pancakes. In case you’re wondering, yes you absolutely can take your pancakes through security (domestic US flights). If you happen to have four sizeable pancakes in three different containers (bacon, coconut, and plain), your bag will need to be hand searched by TSA. My pancakes were inspected to make sure they were actually pancakes and happily passed with flying colors.

  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks
  • Image via TastyStacks

Takeout pancakes are an inherently risky business. Temperature variation, packaging consideration, and fluff deflation may all come into play. Marcy’s Diner had zero issues with these potential pancake pitfalls.

These were, in short, fucking delicious. All three kinds were perfectly fluffy, another hard to attain goal. The plain pancakes were slightly sweet just on their own. The coconut pancake had little flakes of coconut cooked right in and tasted like a kind of subtly sweet coconut heaven I didn’t know existed until just then. The bacon pancake had ample bacon pieces mixed in the batter – evoking that special salty-sweet tastebud dance in my mouth.

These aren’t pancakes that are trying to do too many things. They don’t offer an avalanche of unnecessary toppings or a whole other meal on top of them. They are high caliber, delectable pancakes that stand on their own.

I’m giving these stacks a coveted 10/10 on the TastyStacks scale. For any of my New England readers out there, I highly recommend stopping by Marcy’s Diner on your next Portland outing. If pancakes aren’t your thing, the Hobo Hashbrowns (with onions, peppers, jalapenos, eggs, and cheese) were also delicious.

JUST THE STACKS – 10/10 TASTY STACKS

Overall Taste: Fucking delicious.

Mouthfeel: Slightly sweet and dreamy.

Size: Large, fluffy, extra thicc.

Presentation: Takeout containers – these did their job of keeping the pancakes from deflation and general sog.

Price: $3.50 – $7.00 (More for extra toppings)

Location: 47 Oak St, Portland, ME 04101

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