Polly's Pancake Parlor
A White Mountains institution since 1938, Polly's Pancake Parlor sits at 672 Route 117 in Sugar Hill — a small hilltop village with panoramic views of the Franconia Ridge and Cannon Mountain. The restaurant serves buckwheat, whole wheat, and cornmeal pancakes cooked on a wood-fired griddle, along with local maple syrup tapped from the surrounding property. The farmhouse setting, mountain backdrop, and breakfast-focused menu have made it a must-stop for generations of New England touring riders. Open seasonally; call ahead for current hours.
Polly's has been a family operation on this hilltop since 1938, founded by Polly and Wilfred "Sugar Bill" Dexter as a way to move more of the farm's maple sugar products, then grown into a full restaurant by successive generations of the same family. The restaurant stone-grinds its own grain to make the flour for its batters — oatmeal buttermilk, buckwheat, whole wheat, and cornmeal among the options — and your server is the one who cooks your pancakes at the table, which keeps the order straight and the food hot. New Hampshire maple syrup, maple sugar, and maple spread come with the meal, all from the surrounding property.
Route 117 off I-93 exit 38 runs about a mile and a half up the hill from the Franconia junction to the restaurant, and that stretch sets the tone: a continuously curving ridge road with light traffic and views opening toward Cannon Mountain and Franconia Ridge as you climb. The parking area is flat and easy, which matters after a morning on twisty roads. Be aware that waits can run an hour or more on busy mornings — call-ahead seating is strongly recommended, and hours vary by season, so confirm before you ride.
Route 117 is a lightly traveled, continuously curved road across the ridge connecting Franconia with Lisbon — locals and touring riders use it as a shortcut that's better than the route it shortcutted. Polly's sits at the top of the hill with a view that goes on forever, and the parking is flat and easy on loose gravel. The combination of a genuinely historic restaurant, great food, and a scenic perch above the Franconias makes this a top tier food stop in the state.
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