5 Pancakes to Start Your Day With in Greater Boston

Trident Booksellers Cafe in the Back Bay

By Naomi Kooker

Pancakes, griddle cakes, flapjacks - the breakfast item may go by many different names, but whether you order it by one term or another, it's the same satisfying way to start your day. If you need some help finding some of the top ones to try, check out the five spots below. Your pick not on the list? Please do share it in the comments.

Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe: Pick a stool at the counter or a seat at a table - wherever you sit at this South End neighborhood institution, you'll be able to enjoy the large-as-the-plate griddle cakes (in flavors like blueberry, banana-nut, cranberry, raspberry or chocolate chip). Just be prepared: it’s cash only (617-536-7669).

Deluxe Station Diner: You’ll dig the array of flapjacks at this Newton diner (the original is the Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown, with the same menu) where you can indulge in the “deluxe” flapjacks made with sour cream and buttermilk, the johnny cakes - a white cornmeal cake from Rhode Island - or the ones that take the cake: sweet potato flapjacks, a nutty, almost savory version made sweet with butter and syrup (617-244-2550).

Moonakis Café: With a friendly and warm staff, it’s easy to fall in love with this local diner in Falmouth. The options don't hurt either - real blueberries saturate the golden-brown cakes, and they also have chocolate chip, cranberry pecan and daily specials like pumpkin. So bring your appetite and smile, and bring your bills cause it's cash only (508-457-9630).

Sweet Life Bakery & Café: Locals at this Dorchester Lower Mills haunt elbow their way to the marble counter where you'll find butter melting over short stacks of warm and wonderful blueberry pancakes. As a bonus, the coffee is plentiful and the mood light - just like the pancakes (617-696-6510).

Trident Booksellers & Café: We love this indie bookshop/cafe in the Back Bay where you can tuck into delish buttermilk pancakes with bananas, granola or blueberries. Or, better yet, order the banana and caramel-stuffed version, which is two buttermilk cakes stuffed with cream cheese vanilla pudding, caramel and bananas. Dessert or breakfast? Possibly both, and delicious either way you choose to enjoy them (617-267-8688).