A Crepe Grows in Brooklyn!

I love crepes! My love affair began when I spend a month studying in Paris during the summer of 1985. There was a little crepe stand on the corner near my school and almost daily I would get “un buerre et sucre,” a crepe that was lightly butter and filled with sugar. Not exactly gourmet cuisine, but I was 14. Years later, as an adult living in New York City, I could regularly be found at weekend street fairs in Manhattan at crepe stands getting one with caramel sauce, strawberries, bananas and whipped cream. That all stopped when I went vegan. Since going vegan, I have learned to make crepes, but I don’t do it often. Now however, when the urge to indulge strikes, I can satisfy it with a quick walk to Little Choc Apothecary, NYC’s first 100% vegan creperie.

Located at 141 Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, Little Choc Apothecary offers a delightful selection of both sweet and savory crepes along with fresh pressed juices, smoothies, coffees, teas and baked goods. In addition to being vegan, the crepes are also gluten-free as are many of the baked goods. There is truly something for everyone on the menu. As owner Julia Kravets says on their website, “My goal is to make healthy, cruelty-free food delicious, and more readily available to an ever-growing community of conscious eaters, and anything-goes foodies alike.” She exceeds this goal seemingly effortlessly.

The bi-level space is warm, bright and welcoming. When you first enter on the street level, you see a large kitchen and display case showing the days selection of baked goods. You can watch them make your juices and smoothies fresh to order. My favorite part is watching the crepe batter being poured onto the giant crepe pans, then expertly spread out to cook for a few minutes and then effortlessly flipped. If you’ve ever made your own crepes, you know how nerve wrecking that flip can be.

Upstairs is a nice seating area with large windows that fill the space with light. There is an entire wall of loose teas from which you can choose your own special combination or simply order off the menu. It is the kind of place that invites you dine in an unhurried manner so you can fully enjoy your meal and spend time talking with friends.

The meal started with a Piña Green Smoothie and a cappuccino with their homemade almond milk. The smoothie is made with kale, spinach, pineapple, banana, homemade coconut milk and dates. It is beautiful bring green with a wonderfully satisfying flavor. The homemade coconut milk is tasty without being overwhelming as coconut milk can be sometimes.

The cappuccino arrived with the image of a bird flying across the top made from a dusting of cocoa powder. The homemade almond is rich and has a lovely almond flavor that is generally missing form most commercially available brands.

For our meal we chose one sweet and one savory crepe. From the selection of seven savory crepes we chose The Breakfast. This crepe is filled with scrambled tofu, spinach, coconut bacon, tomato and coconut bacon. The scrambled tofu is lightly seasoned and pairs well with the sweet and smoky coconut bacon and sweet tomatoes. The cucumber is an interesting addition that I would never have thought to add into a crepe. Friends with whom we were dining ordered the Khail Seitan crepe, which I sampled as well. Because of the seitan, this is the only non gluten-free crepe offered. This crepe is filled with homemade seitan, kale, caramelized onion, roasted red pepper and homemade barbecue sauce. It is delicious, and would be great for lunch or dinner.

The menu of sweet crepes is a mix and match to make your own combination. You can choose from a variety of spreads including Newtella (a raw, vegan, homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread), caramel, peach jam and peanut butter. Once you choose your spread, you can add in a filling, the choices of which include banana, mango, strawberry and sliced almonds. With seven spreads and seven fillings, there are 49 possible combinations from which to choose. We went for caramel banana. Seriously delicious! The caramel is rich and smooth, just as a good caramel sauce should be. With the addition of fresh banana you can pretend it is a health food.

Even though were stuffed, we ordered dessert as well. (The sacrifices we make for our reviews). We tried the Chocolate Chip Cookie, the Chocolate Mud Cake with Peanut Butter & Caramel Frosting and the Raspberry Almond Scone. They were all superb. Rather than containing chocolate chips, the soft and chewy cookie is filled with layers of thin chocolate so you get chocolate in every bite. The pie is rich and filling without being heavy. The scone comes served with mini mason jars of clotted cream and jam. Scones can often be dry and crumbly, but at Little Choc Apothecary, they texture is ideal, drier than a muffin, but with enough moisture to hold together well. When eaten with a spread of jam and a dollop of clotted cream it is a beautiful mix of flavors and textures.

Living this close to Little Choc Apothecary could be dangerous. At least the walk each way will be exercise. Come for any meal and you will leave happy and sated. Whether you want a light snack or a rich dessert, Little Choc Apothecary has something for everyone.

Little Choc Apothecary
141 Havemeyer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
718-963-0420