Do you have either combination now? If so, what bugs you most about the current arrangement, and conversely, what arrangement will make you happier?

A larger pantry would supply more storage but less counter. So it is not necessarily a fair trade off. Apple_pie_order has given you the best suggestion.

Is there another place that a pantry can go? do you have countertop elsewhere? Is your layout changing from what you have now? Have you considered offsetting the stove so you can have a larger counter on one side to work on? Sometimes the smallest changes ( like going with taller cabinets ) can make all the difference that someone needs.

Good luck!

It's a tiny 8 x 8 galley box. I have no other place for a pantry (which I don't have currently) The wall cabinets will go to the ceiling and I only have a single 3 drawer base now.

Nothing about my current kitchen is ideal. This remodel will give me a minimum of 36" additional counter space no matter what I pick.

A few questions - How high are your ceilings? What size sink are you doing ( and what size is that sink cabinet in your picture? )? Since you are tight on storage, is there another option for the garbage? Do you like to prep more by the sink or by the stove? Does your cabinet line do any specialty cabinets? For example - can you do an inverted pantry where you have the garbage in the bottom and have the upper with rollouts as your pantry storage and then leave all the counter around the stove are free ( maybe off set the stove to maximize the sizes of available configurations )?

Drawers are far more functional than cabinets - "all drawers" is not a trend, but a vast design improvement.

For better use of space, do a single cabinet to the ceiling instead of stacked boxes. That allows you to add shelves and place them so that there is minimal wasted space between shelves.