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Polly's Pancake Parlor

672 Route 117, Sugar Hill, NH - (603) 823-5575
Posted By Rich Kaszeta on 11/11/2008 8:47:00 PM
Anyone that has had breakfast with me knows that I'm a pancake aficionado. I'm very particular about my pancakes (they must have the right flavor, texture, crust, and toppings), and if I find a proper pancake I'll go way out of my way for them. Which brings me to Polly's Pancake Parlor. We make it a point to go at least once a year, usually combining it with hiking in the White Mountains.

Located in Sugar Hill, New Hampshire (about 20 minutes from Franconia Notch), Polly's is a modestly-sized pancake dining room attached to an old sugarhouse (in which they make their own maple products). Sure, New Hampshire and Vermont (especially during maple season) are chock full of sugarhouses and pancake joints. But, in my not-so-humble opinion, Polly's is the queen of New England pancake joints, and is tied for first place on my list (with Al's Breakfast of Minneapolis) for Best Pancake Ever and Best Breakfast Ever.

Why? Simply because Polly's does everything right for a breakfast. Perfect pancakes, excellent sides, good coffee, friendly service...

Notable pros:
1. Pancakes: They do everything right, from allowing you to mix and match your batter (usually buttermilk, oatmeal, buckwheat, and whole wheat are available) and add-ins (usually blueberries, walnuts, and chocolate chips), and they serve the pancakes to you in shifts of three so they are always fresh.
2. Maple products: The maple syrup at Polly's is very good, and free-flowing. No little tiny cups of syrup here. Same with the maple spread and maple sugar (mmm, maple sugar in my coffee).
3. Sides: Both my bacon (from Claremont's North Country Smokehouse) and potatoes (thin-sliced and pan-fried in butter) were excellent, and the other available sides (such as baked beans) are top-notch as well.
4. The environment: Polly's has an excellent view of the White Mountains, and the restaurant itself is very friendly (if, however, packed). One odd note: the servers are also the people that cook the pancakes.

Cons (no place is perfect):
1. I'm obviously not the only fanatic. It's usually very, very busy (it wasn't on a recent Saturday, however), and sometimes I've had to wait an hour to get seated.
2. It's not the cheapest breakfast out there; all that maple syrup and top-notch bacon comes with a price tag. Carol and I average around $12/person at Polly's, although we leave very full (they have an all-you-can eat option, but I've never been able to starve myself to the point that would be cost-effective). Still, at $12/meal, it's at least twice as good as most $6 breakfasts out there.
3. The drive: By the fastest possible route, it's at least an hour away from the Upper Valley. So you really do need to get up early and make a day of it by partaking of some of the other White Mountain attractions.

As I said, this place is good enough that I head up there at least once a season, if not twice. So I heartily recommend it. Best. Breakfast. Ever.

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Polly's offers its waffles made with one of several batters, including cornmeal and whole wheat. This is buckwheat, with walnuts added. Atop the waffle is a stupendous alternative to syrup or maple cream: maple hurricane sauce. That's apples stewed in maple syrup until tender. It was invented after the hurricane of 1938 when Polly's proprietor, Sugar Bill Dexter, found himself with a surplus of windfall apples.
"Polly's offers its waffles made with one of several batters, including cornmeal and whole wheat. This is buckwheat, with walnuts added. Atop the waffle is a stupendous alternative to syrup or maple cream: maple hurricane sauce. That's apples stewed in maple syrup until tender. It was invented after the hurricane of 1938 when Polly's proprietor, Sugar Bill Dexter, found himself with a surplus of windfall apples."
Michael Stern





A delightful gloss on cinnamon toast, made with maple sugar instead of cinnamon. You can have it made from Polly's white, whole wheat, dark rye, or oatmeal bread.
"A delightful gloss on cinnamon toast, made with maple sugar instead of cinnamon. You can have it made from Polly's white, whole wheat, dark rye, or oatmeal bread."
Michael Stern


Roadfooders who were on the Nashville tour will recognize Eric May, producer of the Roadfood documentary, at the far left. To his left are the crew: Lothar the sound man, Christian the cinematographer overseen by the waitress, then Karen the editor, and Friedrich the director. While some of them knew of maple as a fairly exotic import back home, they were wowed by what they tasted at Polly's.
"Roadfooders who were on the Nashville tour will recognize Eric May, producer of the Roadfood documentary, at the far left. To his left are the crew: Lothar the sound man, Christian the cinematographer overseen by the waitress, then Karen the editor, and Friedrich the director. While some of them knew of maple as a fairly exotic import back home, they were wowed by what they tasted at Polly's."
Michael Stern


You cannot eat at Polly's in the winter; it closes in October and reopens when the sap starts running in the spring.
"You cannot eat at Polly's in the winter; it closes in October and reopens when the sap starts running in the spring."
Michael Stern


Elixir of the gods of tree sap: maple cream. Its consistency is like that of peanut butter, making it eminintely spreadable on toast, waffles, or pancakes.
"Elixir of the gods of tree sap: maple cream. Its consistency is like that of peanut butter, making it eminintely spreadable on toast, waffles, or pancakes."
Michael Stern


Each order of pancakes at Polly's is six. But they come to the table three at a time, so the last few are never cold. These three are cornmeal, gingerbread, and blueberry.
"Each order of pancakes at Polly's is six. But they come to the table three at a time, so the last few are never cold. These three are cornmeal, gingerbread, and blueberry."
Michael Stern


Built around an early 19th-century barn, Polly's has expanded many times over the years. It still retains its rustic charm.
"Built around an early 19th-century barn, Polly's has expanded many times over the years. It still retains its rustic charm."
Michael Stern


A trio of blueberry pancakes, hot off the grill and glistening with butter ... waiting for a spill of maple syrup. (Beth Molaskey photo)
"A trio of blueberry pancakes, hot off the grill and glistening with butter ... waiting for a spill of maple syrup. (Beth Molaskey photo)"
Michael Stern



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