One of my favorite restaurants to take visitors in Paris is Breizh Cafe. It captures all the best and quintessential French qualities in one place. Breizh is located in the Marais, which is one of the most dynamic and vibrant districts in Paris. They make crepes (very French) with the best ingredients (Bordier butter, debated to be one of the best beurres of France). They’re open on the weekend (but closed Monday and Tuesday) and the service is quite friendly (both rare finds in Paris!).
Although crepes are made in all parts of France, they originally come from Bretagne, or Brittany located in the north west, which is also where the owner comes from. The breton and Breizh specialty is the galette, crepes made with buckwheat flour.
I’ve been here a number of times and all the different dishes I’ve ordered have been successes. Their crepes are slightly different from the better known white flour version. I don’t prefer one over the other, but there is something a bit more profound and complex about galettes. The subtle nuttiness of the buckwheat flour adds a nice depth to such a simple dish. At Breizh the edges of the galettes are always crispier than the center, which I find is an interesting contrast in textures. I can’t remember the names of each of the dishes we ordered, but the menu does a good job of listing the components of each crepe. Anything with cheese, mushrooms, or caramelized onions is always a winner with me, but there are tons of other combinations that are equally noteworthy.
The dessert crepes are also excellent. My personal favorite is the banana, caramel, and vanilla ice cream galette, which by no surprise is popular with most everyone I know. I’ve also tried the flambeed varieties (pictured above) and ones with different fruits, but the banana caramel one is hands down the best.
At the end of the meal, little morsels of caramel are handed with the bill, which only adds to the sweetness of this restaurant.
Breizh Cafe
109 Rue Vielle du Temple
75003 Paris
M° Saint-Sebastien-Froissart
Map
Sunny says
Wow!!! I checked the website you linked and it looks like they have an outpost in Japan too? (I can’t read French so not completely sure..) Maybe you can convince them to open one in Korea? Better yet let YOU open one? 😛
Jessica says
Sunny- Yea! The owner’s wife is Japanese, so I believe that their first shop was actually the one there!
hungry dog says
Sounds like a lovely little place! We did not spend much time at all in the Marais when we were in Paris–we’ll have to make sure to do so on our next trip. I love the finishing touch of the caramels at the end. How Parisian!
babycakes says
yes agreed hands down salted caramel vanilla ice cream and banana crepe. i always feel like i’m so sick of crepes and galettes but whenever i walk by breizh i ALWAYS want to go in…lolol.
Bonnibella says
Buckwheat crepes are a rare find in San Francisco. I agree that anything with caramelized onions and cheese are a good combo especially with Bordier butter. Wish I knew about this place when I was in Paris.
candy closet says
This looks amazing! Next time I am in Paris (am trying to make it happen in the next year) I will check this place out.
Sweet Paris says
How funnny, I also wrote about this creperie yesterday! I love it! It’s too good!
A Little Yumminess says
you got me craving a crepe and wanting a trip to Paris!
mango says
If you like Breizh, you must give West Country Girl a try. Friends of mine who have been to both have all declared WCG to be a notch above Breizch!
PS – sorry for running away the other day when you returned my pants, was rushing to try the macaron samples from Superior! Let’s definitely grab a coffee some time 🙂
Jessica says
Mango- Haha no worries! I’ve done that plenty of times. We should definitely get together sometime. Let me know your sched so we can arrange something!
Jackie says
I love buckwheat crepes, which are hard to find in restaurants over here. Your post makes me miss France…
Chandra says
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