Navelumi

Crepe

A crepe (クレープ) is a thin pancake cooked on a flat griddle. In Japan the best-known style is the hand-held crepe: folded into a cone, wrapped in paper and filled with whipped cream, fruit, chocolate or ice cream. French-style crêperies serve crepes on a plate instead, often alongside savory buckwheat galettes.

Places
21
Popular in
Tokyo · Fukuoka · Osaka
Often paired with
Parfait
Served in
Dessert cafe · Bakery cafe

History

Crepes come from Brittany in northwestern France. In Japan the hand-held cone crepe took off in Tokyo's Harajuku in the late 1970s, where crepe stands helped make it a youth-culture snack. Later, French-style crêperies and galette restaurants spread too, and today cafés serve everything from simple sugar-and-butter crepes to savory fillings.

Why people love it

A good crepe is soft and thin with lightly crisp edges, and the fillings are almost endless, sweet or savory. Hand-held crepes are easy to eat on the go, while a plated crepe at a crêperie makes a relaxed sit-down treat.

How people enjoy it

Hand-held crepes make an easy afternoon snack while exploring a neighborhood; some areas ask you not to eat while walking, so look for seating or a spot by the stand. For a sit-down meal, a crêperie lunch pairs a savory galette with a sweet crepe for dessert.

Places to visit

Find places serving crepes →

Related topics

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a crepe and a galette?
A galette is usually made with buckwheat flour and filled with savory ingredients such as ham, cheese and egg. A crepe is usually made with wheat flour and served sweet.
Are there savory crepes?
Yes. Many shops offer fillings such as ham and cheese, tuna, egg or salad alongside the sweet ones.
What is crêpe Suzette?
Crepes served in a buttery orange-caramel sauce, often flambéed with orange liqueur. Some tea salons prepare it at the table.
Is a mille crêpe a crepe?
A mille crêpe is a cake made of many thin crepes layered with cream, so it is usually counted as a cake rather than a crepe.