Champaign-Urbana's Favorite Pancakes

Pancakes aren’t just a kid favorite — Champaign-Urbana serves up incredible pancakes, including a number of specialty pancakes

A perfect compliment to nearly any breakfast, pancakes are a reliable family favorite. But in Champaign-Urbana, we don’t just see pancakes as a side dish to a breakfast order. Pancakes are their own shining star in a number of stand-out ways. And team Chambanamoms loves to try them all whenever we get the chance!

Fun fact! Did you know that Mardi Gras is also known as Pancake Day? Pancake breakfasts (or let’s be honest – lunches or dinners too) are a traditional way to enjoy rich foods that one might be planning to give up for Lent, starting the very next day.

As with all of our “favorite food” lists, we focus on locally owned restaurants around Champaign-Urbana and beyond. (This list is in alphabetical order.)

It goes without saying that all of these establishments have so much more to offer than just pancakes! Without further ado, let’s look at the best pancakes you can find in Champaign-Urbana and beyond.

The Original Pancake House, Champaign

When we break the “this list is in alphabetical order” rule in one of our favorite food lists, you know it is for good reason. If there is one place our team goes to again and again for pancakes, it is OPH, also known as The Original also known as Pancake House. These are some of the very best pancakes we’ve ever had in our lives, and if that sounds dramatic, that might be because we are. If you’ve never experience these pancakes, we recommend you run (don’t walk) to OPH to get some soon.

Cinnamon raisin pancakes are out of this world, pumpkin pancakes are a seasonal favorite and you always, always want to order them with plenty of whipped butter.

Weekends are always crazy, so weekdays make a great option to fight the crowds (a great day off school tradition). Get on the waitlist online if you’re visiting during a peak time.

Courier Cafe, Urbana

There is something so warm and cozy about the Courier! And a plate of pancakes (or flap jacks, as the menu refers to them0 served up any time of day is a great option at the Courier. We’re fans of banana walnut, though they’re delicious any way you want them.

Harvest Market, Champaign

Harvest Market’s Farmhouse restaurant has great breakfast and brunch options! Kids love to order the buttermilk pancakes, which are a good size here. Their butter is freshly churned in-house and we guarantee that offers a little something extra to the pancake experience.

Lazy Daisy, Urbana

Located inside Lincoln Square Mall, Lazy Daisy is quickly becoming a breakfast-food favorite for Champaign-Urbana families. Our kids love the giant pancake that will be placed in front of them when they order one.

Le Peep, Champaign

Find a “pancake of the month” on Le Peep’s menu regularly (pumpkin, cinnamon roll, red/white/blue, etc.), along with many other regular options. The kids pancake option is adorable (pictured below), and Le Peep is a family favorite for Champaign-Urbana area families. Some say they remind them of Aunt Sonya’s, a nostalgic C-U favorite of yesteryear.

Maple & Yolk, Urbana

New to the breakfast scene, Maple & Yolk has a number of indulgently sweet options on their pancake menu. White chocolate raspberry and s’mores pancakes are two of the stand-outs that make this place unique.

Merry Ann’s, Champaign

Few dining establishments are as well known to both University of Illinois students and the general Champaign-Urbana community at large, but Merry Ann’s Diner definitely fits the bill. Students know Merry Ann’s as the place you can stumble for some food and a cup of hot coffee 24 hours a day, UIUC parents know it as an easy spot to take your college student out to eat when you’re visiting and families who live in the community also revere Merry Ann’s as a reliable breakfast option. Nothing too fancy here on the menu, but classic buttermilk pancakes are on it and a good compliment to any other order you may have.

Sam’s Cafe, Champaign

Sam’s is a classic diner experience, so you can count on breakfast favorites to be served up here, including pancakes. We enjoy the downtown location. This is an option where you likely won’t encounter overwhelming wait times and you will encounter reliably delicious food!

Honorable mention – a short drive beyond Champaign-Urbana

Flesor’s, Tuscola

We love the small-town charm of Flesor’s Candy Kitchen (which is also a full restaurant). Pancakes are on the menu, and our kids love sprinkling them with powdered sugar themselves.

Did we miss your favorite spot to order pancakes? Email us and let us know!

Champaign-Urbana’s Favorite Pancakes