You know that feeling when you walk into a place and it just smells like home, but a slightly more expensive, buttery version of home? That’s basically the vibe at the Original Pancake House Cherry Hills. It’s sitting right there in the Cherry Hills Marketplace on South University Boulevard, and honestly, if you haven’t waited forty-five minutes on a Sunday morning while sipping mediocre coffee in the parking lot, have you even lived in the Denver area?
People get weirdly defensive about their breakfast spots. It’s almost tribal. But there is something about this specific location that feels a bit more "established" than your average chain. Maybe it’s the way the light hits the booths or the fact that the servers have been there since the dawn of time, but it works. It just works.
What's the Big Deal with the Apple Pancake?
Let's talk about the Apple Pancake because it’s the elephant in the room. It’s not really a pancake. It’s more like a massive, gooey, cinnamon-laden celestial body that crashed onto a plate. It’s huge. If you try to eat one by yourself, you’re basically committing to a three-hour nap immediately afterward.
The cooks at the Original Pancake House Cherry Hills bake these things to order. This isn't some "pour the batter and flip" situation. It takes time. They sauté the apples, they get that sugar to a point where it's bubbling and caramelized but not burnt, and then they bake the whole thing until it’s puffy and ridiculous. Most people don’t realize it takes about 20 minutes to prepare. You can’t rush art, and you definitely can’t rush that much sugar.
The Dutch Baby Dilemma
Then there’s the Dutch Baby. It’s the Apple Pancake’s lighter, airier cousin that somehow still manages to be incredibly filling. It’s served with lemon, whipped butter, and powdered sugar. There is a very specific ritual to eating this. If you don’t squeeze the lemon over it while it’s still steaming, you’re doing it wrong. Honestly, the contrast between the tart lemon and the buttery dough is what makes the Cherry Hills crowd keep coming back. It’s simple. It’s classic. It hasn't changed in decades because it doesn't need to.
The Secret to the Batter at Original Pancake House Cherry Hills
Most people think pancake batter is just flour, milk, and eggs. Wrong. At the Original Pancake House Cherry Hills, the process is a bit more scientific—or maybe it's just old-school stubbornness. They use a sourdough starter.
This isn't some trendy 2020 sourdough hobby thing. This is a "we’ve been doing this since 1953" thing. The starter is nurtured, fed, and kept at a specific temperature to ensure that the pancakes have that slight tang and the perfect rise. It’s why the buttermilk pancakes there taste different than the ones you make at home with the yellow box mix. The texture is velvety. It’s a texture you only get when you let chemistry do the heavy lifting over a period of days, not minutes.
Real Cream and High-Grade Butter
They don’t use the fake stuff. You won't find those little plastic tubs of "vegetable oil spread" here. They use 93-score butter. For those who aren't dairy nerds, that’s essentially the highest grade of butter you can get commercially. It has a higher fat content and less water, which means it melts differently. It coats the palate.
The whipped cream isn't out of a pressurized can either. It’s heavy cream, whipped until it’s stiff. It’s dense. When it hits a hot waffle, it doesn't just dissolve into a puddle of white liquid; it stays there, mocking your diet.
Navigating the Weekend Chaos
If you show up at 10:00 AM on a Saturday, you are going to wait. That is the universal law of the Cherry Hills location. The lobby is usually packed with families, cyclists in spandex, and older couples who have been coming here since the Eisenhower administration.
Here is the move: Use the Yelp waitlist. Or just get there at 7:00 AM.
The service is surprisingly fast once you actually get a table. These servers are professionals. They’ve seen it all. They know how to balance four plates of corned beef hash and a carafe of orange juice without breaking a sweat. It’s impressive, really. You’ll notice the staff doesn't rotate as much as other restaurants. You see the same faces year after year, which is a rarity in the hospitality industry these days.
Is the Bacon Actually Worth Five Dollars a Slice?
People complain about the price of the bacon. I get it. It’s expensive. But this isn't the paper-thin, translucent stuff you get at a diner that shatters like glass when you touch it. This is thick-cut, honey-cured, and slow-baked.
The cooking method matters. By baking the bacon, the fat renders out slowly, leaving the meat tender but the edges crisp. It’s a specific texture. Is it worth the premium? If you’re a bacon purist, absolutely. If you’re just looking for a side of protein, maybe stick to the sausage patties, which are also excellent and heavily seasoned with sage.
The Coffee Situation
Let’s be real: the coffee is fine. It’s not third-wave, single-origin, roasted-by-a-guy-with-a-handlebar-mustard coffee. It’s good, solid, drinkable diner coffee. But they keep it coming. They are relentless with the refills. In a world where some places charge five dollars for a single cup of lukewarm brew, the constant attention from the coffee pot at Original Pancake House Cherry Hills feels like a luxury.
Why This Specific Location Matters
There are other Original Pancake Houses in the Denver area. There’s one in Greenwood Village, and others scattered around the suburbs. But the Cherry Hills spot has a certain gravity to it. It’s located in a hub of the community.
- It’s where parents take their kids after soccer games.
- It’s a neutral ground for business breakfasts.
- It’s the go-to for "I don't want to cook on my birthday" requests.
The decor is slightly dated, sure. It’s got that mid-century breakfast room aesthetic—lots of wood, some kitschy art, and booths that are just a little bit too tight if you’ve eaten too many pancakes. But that’s the charm. It’s a time capsule. In a city like Denver that is changing so fast it’ll give you whiplash, having a place that refuses to modernize its menu or its vibe is actually quite refreshing.
Practical Insights for Your Next Visit
If you're planning a trip to the Original Pancake House Cherry Hills, don't just wing it.
First, look at the specials. Sometimes they have seasonal fruit crepes that are actually better than the pancakes. The cherry crepes, when they have them, are tart and not overly sweet, which is a nice break from the sugar bomb of the rest of the menu.
Second, the omelets are massive. They are oven-baked and incredibly fluffy. They look like giant yellow pillows. If you aren't in the mood for a sugar crash, the Mediterranean omelet is a solid choice. It’s packed with spinach and feta, and it’s large enough to feed a small village.
Third, bring a jacket. For some reason, the air conditioning in that building is either set to "Tundra" or the heat is set to "Sahara." There is no middle ground.
Finally, don't skip the fresh-squeezed orange juice. You can actually see the machine crushing the oranges. It’s expensive, but it’s probably the only vitamin C you’re going to get in a meal that consists mostly of carbohydrates and maple syrup.
Actionable Steps for a Better Breakfast
- Download the App: Check the wait times before you leave your house. If the wait is over sixty minutes, maybe consider a weekday visit.
- Split the Goods: Order one savory item and one sweet item for the table. The "half-and-half" approach is the only way to survive the menu without feeling like you've turned into a giant pancake yourself.
- Ask for the Strawberry Syrup: If you get the waffles, ask for the homemade strawberry syrup. It’s made with real berries and isn't that bright red corn syrup stuff you find at the grocery store.
- Park in the Back: The front parking lot at the Cherry Hills Marketplace is a nightmare. Save yourself the stress and just head toward the back of the lot near the grocery store and walk the extra thirty feet.
- Check the Hours: They close early. This is a breakfast and lunch joint. If you show up at 3:00 PM looking for a pancake, you’re going to be staring at a locked door.
The Original Pancake House Cherry Hills remains a staple because it focuses on the basics: high-quality ingredients, massive portions, and a refusal to follow trends. It’s a place where the food speaks for itself, even if that food happens to be a pancake the size of a hubcap. Whether you’re there for the sourdough pancakes or the thick-cut bacon, you know exactly what you’re getting, and in an unpredictable world, there’s a lot of value in that.