Pancakes — in all sorts of forms, made from all sorts of ingredients — have graced tables around the world for millennia, across every culture and creed.
They can be sweet or savory. Some pancakes are made with special kinds of flour such as chickpea flour. Others are made of potatoes or hemp protein. In their various forms, they are enjoyed across Europe, Africa, Asia and beyond. On the sweet end of the spectrum, pancakes are often topped with fruit or slathered with syrup, while sour cream pairs nicely with savory versions.
Since the batter often combines butter and eggs, which are rich foods, pancakes have historically been served before occasions of fasting. They are also frequently enjoyed as a weekend treat or holiday dish.
Although finding a definitive pancake definition is difficult, and doubtless contentious, here are some of the very best pancakes around the world.
French crêpes would be hard to beat in the Pancake Hall of Fame — if there’s not one, there should be. These ultra-thin pancakes originated in Brittany in northwest France, way back in the 13th century, but have since become beloved the world over.
