Meet The Boss Babes From Royal Pancake Copenhagen

Picture this: It’s a lovely, coronavirus-free, sunny day. You’ve spent the whole Saturday cycling around Copenhagen on your rented bike. You’ve visited everything from the jaw-dropping Strøget to the authentic Freetown Christiania, just like a real local. Take a breather from your tour around the uber-chic Scandi city and have a bite at Royal Pancake Copenhagen. Located in the heart of Copenhagen, Royal Pancake provides a variety of brunch dishes all day long. Whether you go for eggocado sandwiches or salmon toasts, make sure to top everything off with a mouth-watering pancake. 

Follow us, as we sit down for an exclusive chat and bite with Ivana Rogic and Ana Radocaj, owners of Royal Pancake. Born and bred in Croatia, we accompany Ivana and Ana on their journey towards success in Denmark’s capital – powered by cutting edge cuisine and exquisite service. 

How long have you been in the hospitality industry, and what has led you to that industry?

We entered the hospitality industry quite by accident, back when we were waiting tables as students. It all started a few summers ago when we decided to pack our bags and go to America. There we worked in various restaurants and hotels, and we got to meet many interesting people while gaining a lot of valuable experience. During those times, the love for people and the desire to provide the best service and food was born. We always wanted to have something of our own, a piece of paradise, where we could host all of our friends and family.

Opening up a restaurant is certainly expensive and requires a lot of resources. What advice can you give to someone who has a “restaurant dream”?

Opening a restaurant is an expensive undertaking for sure, but we certainly want to emphasize that even with minimal investments, you can start small, then upgrade and improve over time. People are often discouraged because they think it takes a lot of money and man-power, when in fact it’s the little things that matter. That’s why we always encourage anyone who has the desire to start their restaurant or any other type of business. Our secret weapon was a small savings account and the support of our family.

 What are your biggest “failures” And what did you learn from them?

There have been a lot of failures, however, we don’t like to view them as failures but rather as learning experiences and tools for growth. As two young entrepreneurs, we were ready to take big risks and we were certainly ready to fail. As the writer, Eloise Ristad said: “When we give ourselves permission to fail, we, at the same time, give ourselves permission to excel” – and that’s exactly what we did. 

Royal Pancake Copenhagen menu has a large representation of “brunch dishes”, why did you choose to work with this type of cuisine?

Royal Pancake CPH is centered around pancakes – shocker, right? The story starts with Ivana’s grandmother and her secret formula for perfect crepes. Each pancake has its own, carefully designed recipe, which makes the pancakes so special and diverse. We also offer a variety of brunch dishes – everything from tasty avocado and egg toasts to salmon bagels. We want our guests to enjoy these dishes throughout the whole day, whether they’re in a mood for a snack or a chocolaty pancake explosion.  

Which dish from your offer is a "fan-favorite" among the guests and what makes it special?

Our pancakes are unquestionably fan-favorites, someone even said that they’re addictive. The pancakes are so soft and juicy, and they come in all sorts of flavours, shapes, and sizes. Once you have tried them, you will just keep coming back for more. 

From personal experience I can say that Danes are very pleasant and heart-warming people. Have you two had similar experiences as businesswomen, given that you operate in completely different spheres of an industry that revolves around tasty food and serving-aesthetics?

We completely agree with you, Danes are indeed very welcoming and pleasant. We have received positive feedback from them and they are always happy to come back. In addition to good food and sweet treats, we always try to provide top service, while creating a welcoming atmosphere and ambiance.

Covid-19 has hit many industries, but especially the hospitality industry. What impact did this pandemic have on Royal Pancake CPH and what did you do to contain the situation?

Covid-19 made an impact on all of us, especially on the service industry. We decided to do, what we do best – stay positive and do everything in our power to continue delivering the best service and food with the implementation of all safety measures. We also used this time for further progress; Once all of this passes and returns to normal, we are going to be ready to host people from all around the world.

How do you make sure that Royal Pancake Copenhagen always stays in trend, fresh and exciting?

We try to be as unique and distinctive as possible, we follow our intuition and always think about what will attract our guests. Also, it is important to point out that we have gathered a team of chefs and experts within the fields of marketing and advertising. We all work together and create an alluring story that is interesting to all of the guests who visit us.

What does the future hold for you and your restaurant's success?

Like all entrepreneurs, we have big plans and dreams for the future. In the present-day economy, some of these dreams are being put on hold. The last few months were hard for everyone, and that’s why we want to give back to the community which supported us during these trying times. During December, the Royal Pancake team is giving away hot chocolates and tasty home-made crepes. We want to show support and share a hot beverage and a meal with all of those in need. All you have to do is drop us a DM on Instagram and reserve your pancake. 

Up Next, Chatting With Nika Erčulj About Her New Book: My Garden Of Flowers And Broken Pieces