Pocahontas Pancakes and Waffle Shop

Sunday, James suggested that we take a break from watching the news, from errand running and go out to brunch. It seemed like the perfect idea; a little break and some togetherness was just exactly what was needed. We headed down to the Oceanfront, to Pocahontas Pancakes, at the corner of 35th and Atlantic.

Pocahontas Pancakes is a little bit of a landmark. It's been around since the 1970s, and in 2002, the Food Network featured it in their "Best Of" series, naming it the best pancake house in Virginia Beach.  A conclusion that we definitely agree with after eating here.

From a kid-friendly standpoint, Pocahontas Pancakes is the perfect mix of food and atmosphere. It's cheery and bright and welcoming -- not to mention bustling enough that nobody seems to notice a happy toddler making a joyful noise over chocolate milk. But unlike a lot of kid-friendly joints, the food is good enough to satisfy even the most sophisticated and grown-up diners. Baby A. had a kid-sized serving of the signature pancakes, I ordered the famous pecan waffles, and J. (the contrarian) went for eggs. We shared bits from our plates with each other and agreed that everything was perfectly delicious.

It was a little rainy and overcast, but that didn't stop us from crossing the street to walk the boardwalk for a while after we left the pancake house. We stopped to visit the Virginia Beach police memorial, which put me in mind of a Mr. Rogers quote I've been saying over and over to myself a lot while watching the news this weekend:

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of "disaster," I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world.

Here's to the helpers, and all of the caring people out there. Stay safe, everyone. x