There’s really no denying how much I enjoy pancakes. I just checked the calendar and realized that Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Tuesday as some call it, is just around the corner. I always try to remember to make pancakes with my kids on that day. It’s the day before the start of Lent, and growing up, Shrove Tuesday was always something my mom celebrated with me and my brothers and sisters.

Often I make a pretty straight forward pancake recipe, one you can’t really go wrong with. It makes nice fluffy, easy to please pancakes with ingredients I always have in my fridge/pantry. 1 egg, 1 tbs sugar, 1 tbs baking powder, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbs oil or melted butter. Love them. But I think my favourite pancake recipe is actually the whole wheat blueberry pancakes recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. It’s one of my favourite baking websites and these pancakes are a little more dense and filling and just plain delicious. You can check out the recipe for yourself HERE.

If you don’t feel like making the pancakes yourself and you’re looking for a nice place to eat out with the kids, here are some of my favourite Ottawa spots for pancakes. NOTE: THESE PLACES ALL PASS MY KID FRIENDLY DESIGNATION.

• Eggspectations – 171 Bank Street, this downtown spot is a great place to go with the kids. It’s busy, but big enough that I’ve never had to wait for a table. They have a delicious menu, with some fun pancake options and a really good, inexpensive kids menu.
• Elgin Street Diner – 374 Elgin Street, this Ottawa landmark offers all day breakfast and a fun atmosphere. They have highchairs and colouring for kids as well as a kids menu. It’s a great place to get pancakes anytime of day, and just around the corner from the Nature Museum 🙂
• Baker Street Cafe – 385 Richmond Road, this Westboro hotspot is one of the most popular, if not THE most popular places to grab breakfast in Ottawa. I don’t get to eat there often because there is always a line-up out the door on weekends. But if you are able to get there on a weekday (and sometimes I do) it is worth it! They bring plates of fruit and colouring for kids right away, and they have such a delicious menu with lots of pancake options.
• Flapjack’s Canadian Diner – 354 Preston Street, Flapjack’s used to be a food truck operation until they set up this permanent spot in Little Italy. It’s a little on the pricier side, but a lot of fun with plenty of pancake “pan-wiches” options (pancakes sandwiches).
• Stoneface Dolly’s – 416 Preston Street, this is another Little Italy spot, and it has been featured on You Gotta Eat Here. It can get very busy on the weekends, so be prepared to possibly wait for a table. But their brunch menu is offered during the week too, and they make some great from-scratch pancakes. There is a more traditional pancake option, but they also make some delicious ricotta blueberry pancakes.
• Wellington Diner – 1385 Wellington Street, a true family diner welcoming to kids of all ages. The Wellington Diner serves an all day breakfast, and they are another restaurant that guarantees to make your pancakes from scratch. It’s a good alternative to the Baker Street Cafe, because I haven’t found it to be as busy on the weekends.

Of course there are also the many sugar shacks now open, where you can always get pancakes with fresh maple syrup. I would love to hear feedback from you with any more suggestions for favourite places to grab pancakes/brunch with the kids in Ottawa.

Happy Shrove Tuesday!