France might be 4,000 miles away, but lately, a good crepe has never been closer to Madison. After painstaking research, we have found the best crepes around the city.
Inspired by Brittany
If you ever wanted to taste a crepe flavorful enough to inspire a flashback to the French countryside (like in “Ratatouille”), try the crepes at Far Breton Bakery at 1920 Fordem Ave. Owner Marie Arzel Young grew up visiting her mother’s family in Brittany, learning how to make crepes from the culture where they came from.
Born as a survival food for Bretons facing hard times, crepes are now a daily indulgence with bold flavors and lots of variety. Young’s advice for new crepe cooks is that it’s good luck if the first crepe doesn’t come out right.
“That’s almost like you’re sacrificing that crepe to the crepe gods,” Young said. “When the first crepe is ruined, the rest of the batch is gonna be great.”
Seasonal and local ingredients are the priority at Far Breton Bakery, where fresh flavors really shine. Right now, Far Breton’s new summer crepe with white tomatoes, shallot jam, whipped brie and a buckwheat batter ($10) captures rich flavors of French cooking. It’s savory and satisfying take on a classic crepe…