Original Pancake House brings fresh breakfast to Westport

WESTPORT — There’s a new breakfast spot on Main Street, and everything on the menu is made from scratch.

A franchise location of The Original Pancake House opened on Jan. 11 in Westport, its first location in Connecticut. 

“Westport’s just a great community,” Angela Marple, the company’s northeast regional director said. “The location we have is so beautiful on the water.”

Marple said OPH opened its first location in 1953 in Portland, Ore. Outside of Westport, there are eight locations in Washington, and one in White Plains, NY.

The company chose Westport because of the community, and its proximity to the New York location, Marple said. The Westport location was originally expected to open in summer 2022, but permitting took longer than expected, she said.  

The Original Pancake House is open every day from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a variety of fare. 

“The quality of ingredients that we use and our recipes being made from scratch sets us apart,” Marple said. “We don’t use any mixes for our batters; it’s all just ingredients.”

“Our flavors speak for themselves,” she added. 

Some of the specialties include the apple pancake and Dutch baby, which are both made with German batter and are oven baked, Marple said. 

“They do take a bit longer to prepare, but they’re delicious,” she said. 

Outside of that, the restaurant offers omelettes, fresh-squeezed orange juice, breakfast meats, crepes, waffles, oatmeal and more, using high quality, fresh ingredients, Marple said. They also do not use any freezers, fryers or microwaves.

Downstairs, OPH has self-service bar seating, though they do not serve alcohol. Marple said this is good for people who may be in a hurry or are eating alone, where they can scan a QR code to order. 

“So far, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “People have been really gracious and kind knowing that we just opened and we’re working through some of those kinks.”

“We’ve had a lot of good comments about our food, which is really the heart of what we do,” Marple added.

And OPH doesn’t just want to serve food to Westport. Marple said the company is always looking to get involved in the community. 

“We want to just familiarize ourselves with the area,” she said. “Become a bigger part of the communities, get to know the communities a little bit more and get out there as a company, finding areas that we can volunteer in.”

At other locations, OPH has worked with charities around the holiday season to collect toy donations, sponsored local sports such as with coupon books and worked with other charities to help families in need, Marple said. 

OPH is currently looking for sponsorships and partnerships in the Westport area. 

Marple said they are planning to expand further into Connecticut and into the northeast, though there aren’t any definitive areas yet.  

“It’s been pretty warm,” Marple said about the atmosphere since opening. 

kayla.mutchler@hearstmediact.com