Galettes & Crêpes in Paris

Little Breizh: Sea chic galette, butter galette, & side salad

I researched beforehand and knew I wanted to try traditional Breton galettes and crêpes in Paris.  Galettes are made out of buckwheat flour while crêpes are made of white flour .  Galettes, such as this plum one, are also freeform pies that make for an easy, rustic dessert.  The two can be quite different though equally delicious.

Breton galettes, which hone from the Brittany region of France, consist of just buckwheat flour, water, and salt.  The galettes come out browned and crispy with a nutty flavor from the toasted buckwheat flour.  Fillings are simple, often consisting of emmental cheese, ham, and a sunny-side up egg.  I wasn't used to seeing savory crêpes/galettes like these.  The ones in the US are often folded into cones and stuffed with a variety of ingredients and sauces.  I loved the simplicity of these galettes and especially how crispy, buttery, and flavorful they were.

Breizh Cafe: Salted Caramel Crepe

Of the sweet crêpes, we tried salted caramel and chocolate crêpes. These crêpes were made of regular flour and had the more eggy consistency I'm familiar with. I liked how they were filled or drizzled with only a couple of add-ons, allowing one to really taste and enjoy each ingredient.

Little Breizh on the Left Bank and Breizh Cafe on the Right Bank are two prime places to get traditional Breton galettes and crêpes. Little Breizh is on a narrow street off Blvd. St. Germain. They have a great lunch gourmand menu that includes a savory galette, sweet crepe, and a cup of apple cider for under €15. Apple cider, the alcoholic kind, is a popular beverage to accompany crêpes.  It's often served in small bowls that remind me of an over-sized tea cup or a rice bowl.

Breizh Cafe: Mushroom Complete Galette & Complete Galette

Breizh Cafe is a small spot in Le Marais and busy throughout the day so reservations are recommended. Breizh Cafe is owned by a man from Brittany and his Japanese wife. In addition to the Paris outpost, they have shops in Cancale, France and Tokyo, Japan.  The menu is known for its Japanese touches, such as the use of yuzu, wasabi, and seaweed. They are also known for their large artisanal cider menu. Next door to Breizh Cafe, the owners have opened an épicerie selling products from Brittany, such as Bordier butter, sardines, jams, and caramels. I saw waiters carrying food from the main cafe over to the shop so I assume you can also sit and eat there if the main cafe is full.

I've yet to find any place in California that serves up buckwheat galettes like these.  Has anyone seen these around here?

Little Breizh
11 rue Gregoire de Tours
Tel: 01.43.54.60.74
Open Tues-Fri, 11am-3pm and 6:15-11:30pm
Open Saturday-Sunday, 11am-11:30pm
Closed Monday

Breizh Cafe
109 rue Vieille du Temple
Tel: 01.42.72.13.77
Open Wed-Sun, 11:30am-11pm
Closed Monday, Tuesday, and 3 weeks in August

L’Épicerie Breizh Café
111 rue Vieille du Temple
Tel: 01.42.71.39.44
Open Wed-Sun, 11am-9pm

Closed Monday, Tuesday, and probably the same 3 weeks in August

Another spot on my list that we didn't get to try:

Crêperie Josselin (€10 lunch special!)

67 Rue du Montparnasse
Tel: 01.43.20.93.50

Open Tues-Sun, 11am-3pm and 5:30pm-11:30pm

Closed Monday