I love hotcakes. It is almost impossible for me not to order hotcakes if I see them on a menu. Typically, hotcakes and pancakes refer to the same thing. For the purpose of this post, I am defining hotcakes as the larger and thicker version of pancakes and I will not be comparing the two different styles.
Deciding to share this list has been a challenge for me. On one hand, I want to share my favourite food spots with you all and on the other hand, I don't want to give these secrets up.
Most people already have a favourite hotcake spot and with such a great array of Sydney cafes making different hotcakes, it is really hard to choose the best … or is it?
The following is a list of my top 5 hotcakes. I will also introduce you to my favourite hotcakes ever! It’s a big call but I stand by it whole heartedly. I hope you enjoy the list as much as I enjoyed eating my body weight in hotcakes.
Harry's Bondi
An easy choice for my top 5 hotcakes is at Harry's Bondi. The ricotta blueberry hotcakes are a signature dish and in my opinion are synonymous with Bondi. Conceived by chef Bryan O'Callaghan (who has since departed the cafe,) these golden baked beauties now have blueberries throughout the hotcake mixture. They are beautifully decorated with strawberries, blueberries, almonds, passionfruit, organic maple syrup and a delicious lemon balm double cream.
Bills
Highly rated both amongst Sydney siders and International travellers, these were my favourite hotcakes for a very long time. Bills keep it simple, ricotta hotcakes with banana, honeycomb butter and maple syrup. You won't find any edible flowers here. Fresh ingredients, minimal flavours and consistently cooked to perfection, if you're looking for a classic hotcake, this is for you.
Flat White Cafe
Flat White Cafe make the BEST hotcakes I've ever eaten and I've had a lot of hotcakes. What sets these apart is the way they are cooked. The chefs manage to caramelise the outside whilst keeping the inside gooey, almost undercooked. Traditionally, they are served with strawberries, bananas, and maple syrup. Recently, they've given the hotcakes a facelift by adding rhubarb, banana mousse, shaved Nutella and some edible flowers. Although these modern hotcakes are still delicious, I prefer the original. The good news is, if you mention to the staff that you'd like your hotcakes in the traditional style, they will happily oblige.
Sonoma Cafe Alexandria
This hidden little gem tucked away in the back streets of Alexandria are serving up not so little ricotta hotcakes. I recommend sharing all of the hotcakes on this list, however these are the biggest and sharing is highly recommended. These hotcakes are topped with the ever popular honeycomb butter, berry compote, caramelised bananas and bacon maple syrup. Bring an appetite.
Blackwood Pantry
It’s hard to have a meal at Blackwood Pantry without finishing with their coconut hotcakes, not only do they look the business but they taste delicious too. These made to order hotcakes come with fresh blueberries, pomegranate, passionfruit curd and fresh coconut. The menu states, "best shared after meal." Personally, I think sharing in this case is over rated, I'm having them all to myself!
Note: This is an independent review, food purchased was a combination of complimentary visits and self funded visits by "Itd be rude not to".