Best places for crepes in Manchester

Located in the student heartland of Oxford Road, Ice Stone Gelato is a confectionary lover’s paradise. Serving gelato, cookie dough and even old-school roly polys, this place is the number one stop for all things pudding. Both the waffles and crepes are made according to their top-secret recipe and of course, served with a huge scoop of gelato. From the understated ‘French’ crepe with lemon and sugar, to the decadent ‘Royal’ crepe smothered in Nutella, caramel sauce and Ferrero Rocher pieces, there’s truly something for everyone on this menu.

With France being the birthplace of the crepe, it’s only fair that we include a traditional spot and a trip to the stylish Côte Brassiere on Deansgate is just as satisfying as hopping across the channel. Côte really flies the flag for French cuisine in Manchester, with a menu full of classic dishes including steak frites and moules marinieres. It’s a modern take on the famous bistros of Paris, inspired by the relaxed brassieres that line the streets. Alongside the authentic French desserts of creme caramel and tarte aux pommes, Côte serves a chocolate and praline crepe with caramelised bananas and Chantilly cream.

When it comes to traditional Indian cuisine, you can’t get more authentic than Sanskruti, which literally means ‘tradition’ in the ancient language of Sanskrit. From its colourful restaurant in Fallowfield, this popular jaunt is dedicated to vegetarian and vegan dishes which certainly don’t compromise when it comes to flavour. The ‘South Indian Paradise’ section of their menu is full of unique dishes that rarely grace the standard curry menu, including dosas – a crispy crepe made from a paste of soaked rice and lentils, often served with chutney. Sanskruti has a range of these delicate pancakes on offer, either mixed with chillies, or stuffed with spiced potato masala.

There’s an old ice cream van in Piccadilly Gardens, fairly unremarkable but always with a long queue. A pair of red Chinese lanterns hang outside the food truck, ‘Gerry’s,’ and the eager customers are waiting on a jianbing, a Chinese-style savoury crepe. Popular on the streets of Beijing, the breakfast staple is hard to locate in Manchester, which is why Gerry’s has developed somewhat of a cult following. The crepes themselves are huge and crispy, filled with eggs, spring onions and sesame seeds and with a choice of various meats and sauces. You can play it as daring as you’d like with the flavour combinations – we’d recommend hoisin sauce with salt and pepper chicken.

Image Credit: Culinary Backstreets

From a tiny stall on Market Street, Sugar Hut has been serving simple sweet treats for years. Located right next to the Arndale shopping centre, it’s in the perfect spot for a quick snack on the go. The crepes here are freshly made in front of you. You can pick from a range of toppings, including crushed Lotus biscuits and fresh strawberries, while they sizzle away on the hot pan. We also hear that they’re happy to take requests from customers – so if you fancy something wackier than the traditional sugar and lemon, now’s your chance.

After a successful stint at Arndale Market, Viet Shack opened a restaurant in 2018 to serve fresh and healthy Vietnamese food to the people of Ancoats. The feel-good menu centres around the concept of ‘do nhau,’ or ‘drinking food’ – small plates made for sharing over a beer. So where are the crepes amongst the noodles and loaded fries? The Vietnamese take on the crepe is the ‘bánh xèo,’ a thin savoury pancake, traditionally served with fresh herbs and lettuce. Viet Shack’s version of the street food classic is stuffed with seafood, herbs and pork, with Saigon beer in the batter for that extra crunch.

If you prefer savoury over sweet, head to the Street Urchin restaurant, nestled in the heart of Manchester’s coolest suburb – Ancoats. Here, you can enjoy fresh, modern dishes, which are ever-changing, depending on the season. Customers love the Banx Xeo Pancake packed with portobello mushrooms, spring onion, soy, ginger, mint, and peanut salad. Filled with all the right flavours, this Chinese crepe makes for the perfect small plates, alongside the fresh mussels and the stone bass ceviche.

Heavenly Desserts is the perfect spot to enjoy all your favourite sweet treats, including eight different flavoured crepes. Customer favourites include the Nutella Royale with warm Nutella, Ferroro Rocher and caramelised hazelnuts served with a soft cocoa hazelnut gelato. If you’re more of a white chocolate fan, opt for the white chocolate, ruby and raspberry crepe with warm white and ruby chocolate sauce topped with toasted coconut and fresh raspberries with a side of coconut gelato.

The Smithfield Social may not serve French crepes, but it has its own German version. The traditional German pancakes (Pfannkuchen) are a type of sweet pancake topped with coconut and toasted almonds with a serving of vanilla ice-cream, agave and berries. If you prefer traditional pancakes with a healthy twist, you should try the green tea and blueberry pancakes with agave syrup, Greek yoghurt, toasted pistachios and the option of adding bacon, if you fancy something salty.

The Cosy Club is known for its immaculate brunch and breakfast vibe, so it’s no wonder it’s made the best Manchester crepes list. For a sweet breakfast, you should go for the 3 or 6-stack spiced berry pancakes with a homemade spiced berry compote, mascarpone and a delicious shortbread crumb. They also serve traditional American pancakes with smoked streaky bacon, maple syrup and smoked streaky bacon.

If you wake up craving a sweet treat for breakfast, House of Chai is the place to go. At House of Chai, you can choose from a range of sweet breakfast options, including chocolate smothered French toast, fruit-topped waffles and the tastiest American-style pancakes. You can choose from classic strawberry and chocolate toppings or the summer fruit pancakes, which are perfect if you fancy something lighter.

Another spot where you can enjoy an alternative-style crepe is Manchester’s Scene, an Indian Street Kitchen which cooks up some of the most authentic Indian street food. Customers love the chicken dosas, which is an Indian-style crepe packed with all the best flavours. Scene’s chicken dosas are filled with lentils and savoury rice along with fresh chutney flavours, potatoes and onions. These authentic Indian dosas are great for sharing, tearing and dipping in your favourite chutney spread.