I was looking forward to my first visit to Gloucester Pancake House, being a big fan of breakfast. Maybe it is the combination of sweet and savory foods or maybe it is the nostalgia for family breakfasts at the local diner. Whatever it is, once you step inside, the nearby bustling traffic of Route 17 and West Main Street is forgotten. Everything about Gloucester Pancake House, from the warm greetings by staff to the comfort food on the menu, feels homey.
The restaurant was opened in 2022 by Atilio and Mary Benitez, who also operate another Gloucester favorite, nearby Las Tunas Mexican Restaurant. The relatively new eatery carries on a similar tradition of its decades-old predecessor in the same location, Sutton’s Restaurant. Both casual and family friendly, the atmosphere encourages a steady stream of neighbors and regulars who were not only greeted warmly by staff—sprinkling in a “cutie pie” and a “sweetie” or two—but were just as friendly with one another as they were seated. And despite staff being busy this Sunday morning, their demeanor was anything but rushed.
Coming from a breakfast food aficionado, there’s a wealth of breakfast classics on the menu, but you simply cannot go to a pancake house without ordering pancakes. Even then, you have a lot to choose from. There is, of course, the classic stack, and pancakes both sweet (chocolate and mixed fruit) and savory (bacon). With generous portions, you need to arrive hungry in order to clean your plate here. The buckwheat pancakes that filled my plate were fluffy and flavorful and the perfect delivery system for maple syrup. French toast and waffles, both Belgian and regular, are also available for those who love breakfast and dessert at the same time.
If you are not in the mood for carbs, eggs and omelettes with novel ingredients are an option. My husband chose the Greek omelette, which was loaded with fresh spinach, feta cheese, mushrooms and tomatoes. Whether you choose the Bourbon Street (andouille, onions, mushroom and cheddar); the Mexican (chorizo, onions, tomato, green peppers and red sauce); or any other omelettes and eggs, all are served with sides of homefries or grits and toast or biscuits. Speaking of sides, country ham, scrapple and sausage gravy are just a few of the other side options to round out your meal.
If, like our server Zuly, you prefer breakfast with a Mexican flair, there are also a number of options like huevos rancheros, chorizo huevos and breakfast chimichangas. If, like me, you like all of the breakfast foods, samplers and combo platters are another way to go. Offered with combinations of eggs, sausage gravy and biscuits, pancakes, French toast, sausage, bacon and homefries, you really cannot go wrong—or hungry…