The Pancake Bakery

The Pancake Bakery has been serving Dutch pancakes since 1973 from a 17th-century warehouse on the Prinsengracht, a building known as Hoop en Liefde, Hope and Love, which was once used by the Dutch East India Company. The historic warehouse setting on one of the main canals gives the dining room a homely, traditional feel.

Dutch pancakes are thinner than the American kind but much larger than French crêpes, and they are served on big plates with sweet or savoury toppings cooked into the batter. The menu runs to more than 75 varieties, so there is something for every taste, from the simplest version with syrup to more elaborate combinations, and the kitchen also serves breakfast dishes, omelettes, soups and salads. It is a filling, good-value meal, and a classic choice for a first day in the city.

The restaurant suits families especially well, as children are usually delighted by the choice, but it is just as popular with couples and groups of friends looking for a relaxed meal. It opens early enough for breakfast and stays open into the evening, so it fits almost any itinerary.

Opening hours are 9am to 8.30pm from Sunday to Thursday and 9am to 9pm on Friday and Saturday. Smaller groups can simply walk in. Reservations are taken only for groups of six or more, and the restaurant advises booking at least three days ahead online; same-day group bookings are made by phone, and requests for more than 20 people are handled individually. Expect a wait at peak lunchtimes in summer. Allow about an hour.

The Pancake Bakery is on the Prinsengracht in the north of the canal ring, a short walk from the Anne Frank House, the Westerkerk and the Noordermarkt. Trams 13 and 17 stop at Westermarkt, around five minutes away. It makes an easy breakfast before an early slot at the Anne Frank House or a late lunch after a morning walking the Jordaan, and the Nine Streets shopping area is close by. If you are travelling with children, ask for one of the sweet pancakes to share as a dessert after a savoury one; the plates are large, and many visitors find one pancake per person is plenty for a full meal.