Uncle Bill's Pancakes

​St. Louis, Missouri

How could we resist a 24 hour restaurant with a neon sign showing a snazzy cocktail glass and the word PANCAKES?

Breakfast at Uncle Bill's
​

We could have gone at any hour during our 2-night stay in St. Louis last fall. We chose breakfast.

​What's Through Those Doors?

I had a feeling when we stepped through those fine doors, we were going to stumble right back in time!  Even though Don vaguely remembered eating here when he was a student living in South St. Louis in the seventies, we still didn't know what to expect.

Would there be folks finishing up martinis from a big night of partying?  Would there be construction workers inhaling some calories before starting work?

​Neither

The first dining room revealed a pretty normal bunch of hungry South St. Louis locals.  We clearly were not locals because we were too busy looking up high at the stage set window boxes and shutters. I couldn't conceal my delight, seeing a brick wall and fireplace with Dutch Delft style tiles.  Banners and shields, tudor and brick. The busy patterned carpet held the fumes of syrup spills and smoking days and I found it all just too fun.

​Window Booth

The back room held two rows of booths.  Rounded stones decorated one of the walls and colorful windows decorated the other.  A hazy morning glow shone through the pale stained glass... and vinyl ghouls and pumpkins that had been added for the season.

​What to Order?

We of course had to try the pancakes and it seemed like the kind of place where we should order ham and eggs.  We didn't order a martini... this time.

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​Come Again!

Sharon stamped her name on our bill and invited us to come again. 
And I did 2 minutes later.


Display Case

I walked back in the door and rushed by this lovely display case, after I realized I'd left my sweater behind.  The bus boy came back from the booth empty handed.  Sharon went back to look, but found nothing.  I had to use my cell phone light to spot the black sweater under the table.  Guess whose sweater smelled like syrup and cigarettes? 

I guess I should be grateful that anyone offered to help at all!  Just lucky I didn't order that martini or who knows what else I might have lost!