Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
‘There’s still nostalgia for our pancakes’
MENTION Dundee fixtures and you’ll likely think Dens, Tannadice, the McManus, the V&A and the dragon that snarls at you in the Murraygate.
But every Dundonian will have sweet memories of another less obvious, but no less important, destination – The Pancake Place. Since 1973, it has offered teas, coffees, breakfasts and of course pancakes to hundreds of thousands of people.
It has seen much larger, brasher Reform Street competitors come and go, witnessed two Overgate revamps and provided sustenance for students, shop workers and office staff alike.
And one thing a lot of people ask — how does it endure?
Central to the success of the Pancake Place is Sam Wilson, the restaurant manager. She has worked there for more than 30 years, starting as a Saturday girl and working through university, before eventually running the shop.
Owners have come and gone, the current boss is Perth businessman Blain Ross, who took over the restaurant at the start of the year. But Sam remains and she is proud of the cross-section of society which visits the restaurant, adding it is difficult to define who or what a Pancake Place customer is.
“There is still a lot of nostalgia for the Pancake Place,” she said. “We get an awful lot of customers who say they used to come here when they were wee, that their Granny would bring them in and there is a lot of goodwill for the place.
“I don’t think there is a particular demographic here, we get a good crosssection. Everyone likes to come here.
“There is a good student population so we do get quite a few in, but across the board I wouldn’t say there was a particular type of customer.”
What maybe does set the café apart is its pancakes. Taking a look at the menu, customers are offered a wide array of food, including breakfasts and sandwiches.
But the pancake stands out, as Blain
explains. “Our pancakes are made fresh to order, straight off the griddle. The batter is made fresh each morning.”
He credits this for drawing people in. The recipe has remained unchanged since opening day in 1973.
“As money gets tighter, breakfast is the first thing that feels the pinch – people will stay at home and eat cornflakes. But if people are out and about in town or shops, being able to come somewhere familyfriendly, with our price points where they are, it is an attractive draw.”
Sweet pancake dishes like banoffee continue to be the most popular dishes, but Blain said they would not shy away from the growing interest in savoury styles like chicken sriracha.
“There are a few eateries on Reform Street, there are some large competitors, but it is on us to bring people in. We will always welcome more people through the door and offer more takeaway options.
“If the customers want to spend, then they want good value. And we want to make this place just that wee bit special.”