on Chagrin Boulevard in Woodmere is national, yet local in scope.
This restaurant traces its roots back to the first Original Pancake House, founded in Portland, OR, in 1953. Many of the recipes are ethnic, and were submitted by immigrant housewives. These are time-tested flavors known in Cleveland and worldwide. The sourdough yeast is still grown in the kitchen and gives the pancakes their original flavor.
When you visit the restaurant, you’ll be faced with several choices, so bring friends who like to share, or bring a huge appetite. Either way, there will be items left you’ll want to try next time.
The menu is large for a breakfast establishment. House specialties, pancakes, fruits and juices, cereals, side dishes, beverages, waffles, crepes, meats, egg specialties and omelets vie for your attention.
If you love apples, try the apple pancake. It is covered with Granny Smith apples and special glaze. Unlike other pancakes, this one is baked in the oven, and just one pancake will make a hearty breakfast. The Dutch Baby is also wonderful with tart lemon and powdered sugar for toppings.
The pancake section can be a stand-alone book. Choose from buttermilk, buckwheat, potato, sourdough flapjacks, '49er flapjacks and Georgia pecan, to name just a few.
The cereals and side dishes include hot and cold choices for a meal or a complementary flavor.
The waffle and crepe area is filled with classic and original choices. Coconut, bacon and strawberry top the list, but purists find that a plain waffle or a fresh fruit crepe is hard to beat.
Corned beef hash, bacon, breakfast sausage are also part of the heartier choices. Omelets not to be missed include the mushroom omelet with sherry sauce and the Spanish omelet with a tangy cheese sauce.
When you visit The Original Pancake House, you’ll be stepping back to a time when it was understood that breakfast was the most important meal of the day.