Austin may be known for its breakfast tacos and chili, but sometimes there is nothing more comforting than a pancake. What’s more, finding great pancakes in Austin is not a difficult task. Thanks to a number of cozy cafés and gourmet places, the humble pancake is being elevated by lemon curds, fresh fruit, compotes, and more. Find yourself relaxing in an enchanting cottage or former laundromat indulging in a decadent stack of light and dreamy pancakes.
1. Uncle Nicky’s
Influenced by the nonchalance that comes with an all-day dining experience at cafés across Northern Italy, Uncle Nicky’s is one of those rare finds that combines quality and convenience. Find your morning, afternoon, and evening fix of fluffly pancakes at this popular spot in Austin. Their mini ricotta pancakes served with maple syrup and butter are the perfect pick-me-up. What’s more, if you’re not in the mood for flapjacks, Uncle Nicky’s extensive menu includes everything from frittatas to spaghetti with meatballs.
🥞 4222 Duval St, Austin
2. Tiny Boxwoods Austin
At Tiny Boxwoods in Austin, your pancakes are served with a side of picturesque surroundings and elegance. The dining space has lots of light streaming in on the wicker chairs and soft booth seating. Sit amongst the trees and greenery in Bryker Woods while enjoying a plate of blueberry pancakes topped with blueberry compote, whipped honey butter, warm maple syrup, bacon or sausage.
After a leisurely breakfast, you can explore the shops and cottages of Kerby Lane Village. Don’t forget to stop by Tiny Boxwood’s walk-up bakery, Milk & Cookies, and take some classic croissants, cinnamon rolls, or one of their daily sandwiches home with you.
🥞 1503 W 35th St, Austin
3. Pacha Organic Cafe
It’s no surprise that Pacha Organic Cafe has made it to this list as well as Secret Austin’s break down of the city’s best breakfast places. Pacha is a small café located at 2915 Guadalupe Street and they are known for their signature pear-bacon-scallion pancake. If sweet meets savory isn’t the way your tastebuds swing, you can also choose between Pacha’s fruit-filled or classic pancake.
Marjorie and her husband David run Pacha with a mission to support organic and sustainable food. Their larder is stocked to the brim with organic whole milk, handmade quiche crusts made from organic flour and butter, and organic vegetables and fruit.
🥞 2915 Guadalupe St, Austin
4. Launderette
The weekends call for brunch and this gas station/laundromat turned gourmet eatery is the place to be for an impressive stack of buttermilk pancakes. Served with blueberry maple compote and crème fraîche, Laundrette knows a thing or two about food from around the world. In the evening, the charming café switches to the dinner menu which features items such as charred octopus, sticky pork ribs, rainbow trout, and caramelized cauliflower.
🥞 2115 Holly St, Austin
5. Josephine House
From breakfast to Monday night steak frites, Josephine House is providing the Austin community with a homey place for experiencing an eclectic menu. Find a shady spot on the patio outside this little blue cottage in Clarksville and tuck into some lemon ricotta pancakes with strawberries, blueberries, maple syrup, and house cultured butter. As the sister restaurant to an Austin institution, Jeffrey’s, Josephine House certainly lives up to the standards of a fine-dining icon.
🥞 1601 Waterston Ave, Austin
6. Paperboy
Paperboy is one of the best places in Austin for brunch and a quality cocktail. The eye-catching, contemporary space was completed in 2020 and designed by Chioco design. Paperboy had its genesis in a breakfast fare food truck, and its brick-and-mortar restaurant embodies the al fresco spirit of the food truck scene and the streetscape. Try the Paperboy pancake with warm maple syrup, brown butter, and sea salt while taking in the restaurant’s striking modern design, you can even add some blueberries or chocolate chips for an extra kick of sweetness.
🥞 1203 E 11th St, Austin
7. Café No Sé
This sunny café finds its home in the South Congress Hotel. Café No Sé is an all-day spot serving brunch and dinner fare. Between 7am and 3pm, Austinites can order their buttermilk hotcakes with preserved lemon curd and hibiscus syrup. There are other brunch favorites available on the menu, including French toast and smoked salmon bagels. Café No Sé’s shabby chic interior sets the right tone for a casual yet sophisticated meal.
🥞 1603 S Congress Ave, Austin
8. Magnolia Café
Magnolia Café is another all-day eatery in Austin serving stacks of airy hotcakes. Buttermilk, gingerbread, and cornmeal pancakes can be ordered as single cakes or a full stack of three. Before becoming what it is today, the Magnolia Café has had a storied and fun history. Back in 1979, staff would stay behind after closing to work on homemade films, music videos, or make amusing staff glamour calendars. Regulars know the Magnolia Café as a place dedicated to the spirit of community.
🥞 1920 S Congress Ave, Austin