FoodWaterShoes

Switzerland brings to mind images of watches, fondue and copious amounts of chocolate. For me, that no longer rings true. From this day forward, Switzerland shall now be known as the country where I discovered my first pancake burger at Pancs in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Come to think of it, this shouldn’t really be all that surprising. After all, the country is known for Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, so why wouldn’t it produce a foodie multi-tool too? Maybe it’s because Switzerland effortlessly pulls off so many classics that my mind just never thought chefs in the country would go to off the beaten path to nutty nom nom land. From the scrumptious caramel beurre-salé éclairs at Pâtisserie Pierre et Jean’s in Geneva to the delicious cups of coffee at Sleepy Bear in Lausanne, the Swiss have your typical brekkie basics (and then some) down pat.

When I first heard about a burger that substituted two pancakes for a bun, I was intrigued. My heart fluttered just a bit. Then slowly, just like a hiker packing their bag before a big climb, doubt began to set in. What if this super sized meal failed to impress? What if it lacked taste? There were plenty of other options on the menu like basic lemon sugar or even a less frightening sounding halloumi, pepper, tomato, spinach and yogurt combo, but instead I forged ahead ordering the yeti of burgers.

Clearly we’re gluttons for brilliant burgers. Curious about some of the other crazy burgers we’ve taste tested around the globe? Here are some of our favorite burger places in the world.

As soon as I picked the hefty chicken pancake burger up, I grew more alarmed. Both pancakes felt a bit moist to the touch. My heart sunk. (For the record, I’m more of a syrup dunker than I am a syrup slather. Soggy pancakes just aren’t my jam.) Seeing as how it was our first full day in Switzerland, my brain started saying this harebrained scheme was a disaster waiting to happen. Ordering a black bun burger at Wave Burgers in St. Petersburg, Russia was one thing, but a pancake Frankenstein burger is a whole different beast. Maybe I had taken things too far. Then I took a bite.

Oddly enough, the combo totally worked. It was like what you would expect the offspring of a chicken salad and short stack to be, except it wasn’t. The pancakes themselves have a nice robust vanilla flavor to them and because the inside is more salad like and less chicken breast like, the guts lend much needed moistness to the cakes.

In addition to Pancs, here’s a list of other neat little local spots we love across Switzerland.

The combo is substantially more filling than your average cheeseburger at McDonald’s, but not quite as filling as a double-double at In-N-Out Burger. Could I eat this once a week or even once a month? Nope, but it sure was an interesting summit to tackle. So if you find yourself in jet lagged haze in Switzerland, and you’re not sure if it’s technically time for breakfast or for lunch, opt for the chicken pancake burger instead. You just might end up getting the best of both worlds.

Pancs
*Pancs also has a London location.
Address: Rue des Terreaux 4
1003 Lausanne, Switzerland
Hours: Everyday 10:00am to 11:00pm
Phone: 021 311 19 79
Pricing (All in Swiss Francs): Pancs (Pancake Burgers and Sandwiches) 5.20 CHF to 10.90 CHF, Alcoholic Beverages 5 CHF to 5.90 CHF, Non-Alcoholic Beverages 2.20 CHF to 4.90 CHF

We get it, it’s tough work slogging through and reading word after word about ridiculous pancake burgers. Go ahead, give your pointer finger some much needed exercise after all that heavy scrolling you just did. If you enjoyed our article on Shōjō let us know. Please click the “like” button with a star on it at the bottom of this post or share our article to with someone you know who is heading to Switzerland. If you’re feeling super ambitious buy us a cup of coffee, so we can visit and review even more awesome places for you.