On the Road: Ocean City, MD

Photos/GFGardenState

Happy Jack Pancake House is indeed a happy place for celiacs. After all, not only do they offer gluten-free pancakes, but there are plenty of options too!

On a recent trip to Ocean City, MD, where Happy Jack is a popular breakfast joint, I tried the Coconut Pancakes. Each pancake was big, fluffy and full of good flavor. The coconut flakes were tasty, but so were the pieces of plain pancake that I managed to taste. They were cooked perfectly and moist enough that I used only a drop of syrup, just to sample it


My dining companions even commented on how delicious the gluten-free variety looked.

If coconut isn't your thing, there are blueberry, apple, pecan, banana, chocolate chip, peanut butter chip and other choices to satisfy your palate. The restaurant also serves egg dishes, breakfast meats, juices and fruit. I have yet to try to Belgian Waffles on the menu, but there's always next time ...

More important than taste and hunger satisfaction, the servers are knowledgeable about gluten-free dining, and ours was more than happy to make suggestions and answer questions.

Overall, I've had great experiences at Happy Jack Pancake House and strongly recommend it for gluten-free eating on the road. They're open on weekends all year-round, and daily during the summer.