Dining Guide

If you crave pancakes, a visit to this homey Portland-based chain is well worth the pilgrimage. You can get buttermilk pancakes anywhere, but how about bacon pancakes (filled with real bacon bits) or flavors like Georgia pecan, coconut and Hawaiian? (The pancake batters are made fresh every morning after a four-day sourdough-starter process.) Our favorites? The 49er Flap Jacks—thin, chewy, crepe-like cakes that cover the whole plate; and the Dutch Baby, a decadent oven-baked treat that rises high as it bakes and deflates to reveal a moist, dense base with crispy edges, served with butter, lemon and powdered sugar. And don’t forget the apple pancake, smothered in Granny Smith apples and a sweet cinnamon glaze. Sure, there are also waffles, French toast and eggs, but the pancakes are the real stars here. And late-risers rejoice: you can get your pancake fix until 3 p.m. every weekend.