Where to head for crepes in Edinburgh

The most famous of all the crepes can be sought out at the popular French bistro, Chez Jules. Crêpe Suzette is served with brandy, lemon and orange (and optional ice cream) and is on the restaurant’s a la carte menu. Cooked in a skillet, it’s then flambeed at the table for dramatic effect. Not only is it delicious, providing an authentic taste from across the Channel, but it also provides a visually stunning experience. Combine this with an all-out rustic French atmosphere and you have the makings of the closest thing you’ll get to a trip to Provence, without leaving Scotland.

Finding gluten-free crepes can be a challenge, but Tupiniquim has lots of healthy Brazilian crepes to meet your needs, all stuffed with super-fresh ingredients. The only downside to the creperie is that the seating is exclusively alfresco. But visit in summer, or bring a warm coat and a wooly hat and you’ll be fine. The tiny kitchen is based in a Police Box on the edge of The Meadows, emulating the street food stalls of Brazil.

It’s run by Fernando and Gardenia and has been serving day in, day out (except Mondays), since 2010. The pair and their team make their crepes using rice, tapioca starch, maize, buckwheat and potato flour with eggs and milk, or almond milk for vegans. Steak, ratatouille, chicken curry and pumpkin are just a few of the items they’ll wrap up in your bundle of tastiness.

Crepes here are a snip, starting at just £5.99. And although this is a chocolate cafe, if you’re not a fan of cocoa you can still eat like a king or queen, as you can build your own without focusing on the brown stuff, by choosing toppings such as lemon, peanut butter, Lotus biscuit spread, lemon curd, maple syrup, toffee, salted caramel, fruit, meringue, pecans, toasted marshmallows, shortbread crumbs, fresh whipped cream and raspberry coulis.

But if you are in the market for some white, milk or dark , you can order up a Berry Bliss, Millionaire Shortbread, the Cookie Jar, Jaffa Cake, or Nutella and Strawberry bubble waffle (this takes on a hexagonal outer shape with large round “bubbles” at the centre). Then add on lashings of ice cream for good measure. With 50 possible toppings you can keep coming back and never get bored of the crepes at Coro the Chocolate Cafe.

Go a little off piste and try the Asian take on the crepe. The Prahna Indian Grill specialises in sugary delights and afternoon teas, alongside its grills. On the breakfast menu are crepes with creamy yoghurt that’s been infused with vanilla pods, maple syrup and Scottish mixed berries. Spice up your morning with a cup of masala chai, or even a house cocktail, to go alongside your sweet plate. The Prahna Indian Grill is located in the Corstorphine district of Edinburgh, speedily accessed from the city via the Airport Bus. 

Gorgie may not have as many options as other parts of the city when it comes to dining out, but one of its highlights is this chain diner. It’s all about desserts and crepes are a big part of its offer. Milk and white chocolate, banoffee, fresh strawberries, banana, whipped cream, choco-nut spread, warm fudge brownie, Kinder Bueno, Bueno gelato, salted caramel popcorn gelato and toffee popcorn are among the fillings you can have stuffed into your floury pocket of deliciousness. As Kaspa’s excels at both piping hot and icy cold puds, it’ll stave of your cravings in both the chilliest winter and the sunniest of summers.

Representing great value for money, this chain restaurant’s Prix Fixe menu comes in at £16.95  for two courses and £20.95 for three (available Monday to Friday noon to 7 pm excluding bank holidays). Under desserts, you’ll spy the inviting Crêpe Au Chocolat, an authentic take on one of France’s best-loved puds, with warm dark chocolate sauce, blackberries and tangy orange crème fraîche (extra lovely with a glass of chilled chardonnay).

Of course, you’ll have to eat your way through at least one other course to be eligible for it, but with so many tempting dishes on the menu, that’s certainly no hardship. Côte is hard to beat when it comes to refined French fare around the UK and the Edinburgh restaurant is a sophisticated affair, with Riviera-style canopies protruding from the venue’s front elevation.

While we can’t guarantee what will be on the menu from one week to the next at this Apprentice Restaurant, with French food being one of its mainstays, you have a good chance of running into some crepes as a regular. And by dining here, you’ll be helping the chefs of the future to hone their craft, in a safe and nurturing environment. The restaurant is a part of Edinburgh College, a training venue that allows students to learn on the job, at the same time as serving punters with some cheap eats. More than a meal, you’ll have a surprise dining adventure when you book a table here. Located in Granton, the Apprentice Restaurant is a handy doorstep option for those of you in the far north of the city. 

2011 saw the inception of this brand, at a time when dessert shops were just beginning to take off as a standalone concept. It now has three sites in the East of Scotland (one in Granton and the other on the Southside of Edinburgh), with more to come. Here the crepes are rectangular with additions on top. Chopped banana and hot Nutella with melted milk and white chocolate is one of the options you can scoop up while you’re here. The ice cream is made relatively close to home, in Glasgow, so will keep your carbon footprint low. And if you make a habit of visiting Scoopz for its crepes, do get yourself a loyalty card, so you can nab some freebies further down the line.

This venue is distinctly boho with its shabby chic decor (think mismatched furniture, bunting, comfy armchairs and exposed brick walls). The Haven Cafe has a homey atmosphere and has been serving up all-day breakfasts, lunches and home-baked cakes to the good people of Newhaven since 2011. Their crepes and pancakes are renowned city-wide though. So if you’ve not yet ventured to the fishing neighbourhood of Edinburgh, make a plan to get some sea air and some hearty homemade food in one. The Haven Cafe is only a street back from the water, so a harbour stroll is the ideal way to work off your crepe.