Introduction
Wooooppp, how is your summer going? NYC went from humid summer to…flash flooding autumn in a blink of an eye, eek! Outdoor brunch was our lifesaver during the pandemic years of 2020-2022, and boy are we glad that that pandemic era is well and truly over this summer-to-autumn season of 2023. Here is our sixth volume of the latest and greatest pancakes to be had in NYC. And if you are wondering about other scrumptious pancakes, don’t forget about our previous pancake diaries (see here, here, here, here and here). Enjoy!
Dinner plate-sized pancakes
Dessert destination: Frenchette, Tribeca, Manhattan.- Short and sweet story: Levain Pancake ($26 + tax/tip). If you like your pancakes the size of a dinner plate, look no further than Frenchette. It has a deeper tan than we will ever achieve, is more dense than even your average politician’s brain, and in typical French fashion, ultra sweet and ultra buttery. We recommend that you share it with at least two friends. And as for Frenchette itself, it’s easier to score a brunch reservation here, as compared to a dinner reservation which in our humble opinion, is a far less memorable, overpriced affair.
Banana bread-like pancakes
- Dessert destination: 23 Grand, Soho, Manhattan.
- Short and sweet story: 9-grain pancakes ($19 + tax/tip). Upon entering 23 Grand, we think we might have been here before, but can’t quite remember what that restaurant was in the past. In any case, 23 Grand makes for an ideal lazy weekend brunch proposition. It’s lined with windows and trees, and has a fashionable Soho vibe to it. Don’t miss the pancakes, which resemble a giant cookie. Perched on a pool of maple syrup, it errs on the dense side with banana butter erupting from the centre.
Of apples and cinnamon
- Dessert destination: Leyla, Upper West Side, Manhattan.
- Short and sweet story: Apple pancakes ($15 + tax/tip). Leyla will always hold a special place in our hearts. Picture a bright summer afternoon when two souls first met at Leyla, and while they were not meant to be tied together in this lifetime, that fleeting moment gave hope for the future, or perhaps another lifetime. We will always remember the little medallion pancakes with cinnamon-dusted apples, as well as the other Middle-Eastern-accented brunch fare, including the hearty lamb burger.
Summer in Italy
- Dessert destination: L’artusi, West Village, Manhattan.
- Short and sweet story: Ricotta pancakes ($16 + tax/tip). L’artusi is a buzzy dressy-casual pasta spot, and while many come here for the pastas, don’t overlook other non-pasta things such as the lemon ricotta pancakes on the weekend brunch menu. We personally prefer our pancakes fluffy, somewhat moist rather than cake-dry, not ultra-buttery nor ultra-tanned/burnt, and L’artusi’s pancakes hits all the right spots.
French bistro style
- Dessert destination: Lafayette, Soho, Manhattan.
- Short and sweet story: Ricotta pancakes ($23 + tax/tip). There are many French restaurants in NYC, and after so many years here, Lafayette is still one Frenchie that we prefer over many others, including over the more famous Balthazar. You may recall that we featured Lafayette’s french toast previously. Although the french toast doesn’t seem to be on the menu currently, don’t miss Lafayette’s ricotta pancakes, which arrive as a short stack with lavish drizzles of maple syrup and berries. They aren’t particularly “omg-worthy,” but sometimes, all you want is just a simple sweet carb tower. 🙂
Dessert Correspondents 