Stuff We Love
Danielle Issa

Five Of Our Favorite Crepes in Beirut

I can’t get past the fact that many English speakers sorely mispronounce France’s iconic street food. The delicate thin pancake, a source of joy for young and old alike and commonly known as “crêpe,” somehow gets butchered and corrupted into “crape,” and it irks me beyond words. Please, people, put some effort into it: “crêpe” rhymes with step, prep, and schlepp. Got it?

Ok, now that today’s linguistics lesson is out of the way, let’s dive into Beirut’s best specimens of the sweet crepe. Consider it a homage to the recently-deceased Michele Ferrero, inventor of Nutella, whose chocolaty spread remains the perfect complement to the French pancake.


1. The Buckwheat-Flour Nutella Crepe at Cafe Diem

(Image via fromagesandfridays.com)

For a classical French crepe, Carpe (Café) Diem in Sodeco is your best bet. The cute gourmet café, owned by the same folks behind Classic Burger Joint, makes one dazzling buckwheat-flour Nutella crepe that doesn’t scream soggy like most of its street vendor counterparts. It’s griddled to a perfect crisp, packs a delicious hazelnut-chocolate taste, and oozes with that creamy gooeyness we all know and adore. A solid 10/10.

Cafe Diem
Sodeco Square
Achrafieh
Tel.: +9611333607
Mob.: +96171059735


2. The Fettuccini Crepe at Dip ‘n Dip

(Image via dipndip.ca)

For something less traditional, dip ‘n dip will satisfy your creative crepe craving. The name says it all: the Fettuccini Crepe is a crepe cut up into fettuccini-like strips, topped with a scoop of ice cream and drizzled with the chocolate of your choice and – get this – as much of it as you want. No really, you can literally make it a chocolate soup with crepe strips if that’s what you want to do. We, however, recommend treating the chocolaty topping exactly as such—a topping.

Dip ‘n Dip
Bliss street
Hamra
Tel.: +9611370120

*Other locations across Lebanon.


3. The Crepico

(Image via Instagram)

There’s a newbie in town, and it goes by the name of Crepico. Adorably decorated inside and out like a Southern pastry shop, the teal-hued space serves an extensive menu of crepes, pancakes, waffles, ice cream and smoothies. Go for Crepico’s namesake, an endearing crepe formed into a parcel filled with marshmallows, Galaxy and Kinder chocolates, and crowned with liquid chocolate. A scoop of ice cream is offered to temper the sugar rush.

Crepico
Jean D’arc Street
Hamra
Tel.: +9611343984

Armenia Street
Bourj Hammoud
Tel.: +9611268888


4. The Mosaic at Ci Gusta!

(Image via Instagram)

Ci Gusta! in Hamra is not all about gelato, though you probably want to check that out on a dedicated ice cream visit. Today, however, might I recommend their crepe selection, where artwork takes center stage. The Mosaic features two different fillings: on one side, cloyingly sweet strawberry compote garnished with fresh strawberries; on the other, a sheet of liquid white and milk chocolate fashioned into a patterned mural. It’ll take you several minutes before you allow yourself to dive into that masterpiece.

Ci Gusta!
Jean D’arc Street
Hamra
Mob.: +9613053053


5. The Cannelle at Crepaway

(Image via Blog Baladi)

I bet you’re wondering if and when I’m going to pay reverence to the empire of crepes in Lebanon, a storied local chain whose history and name indicate it originally debuted with a focus exclusively on the French pancake. Crepaway is indeed a mainstay of Lebanese dining, though today it has evolved into a full-service diner with light and gluten-free options for the most stringent among us. But don’t neglect their sweet crepes, all eight of whose names are inspired by those of French girls. My favorite is the Cannelle, a reinvented cinnamon-apple crumble with luscious cheesecake filling. Aromatic. Fragrant. Heavenly.

Crepaway
Sioufi
Achrafieh
Tel.: +9611331919

Hamra Street
Hamra
Tel.: +9611745845

*Other locations across Lebanon.