Crêpes vs Galettes — What Sets Them Apart

Wheat crêpes are tender and buttery; buckwheat galettes are earthy, crisp at the edges, and built for savoury fillings. The difference starts in the flour and ends on the plate.

Flour decides everything

A crêpe batter uses soft wheat flour, milk, eggs, butter, and a pinch of sugar. The gluten network is loose, so the batter spreads paper-thin and cooks in seconds. A galette — properly a galette de sarrasin — uses 100 percent buckwheat flour, water, and salt. No gluten means no elasticity; the batter grips the pan, sets fast, and laces into a brittle lace at the rim. That crisp fringe is the signature.

The pan and the turn

Both batters hit a hot, seasoned billig (cast-iron crêpe griddle) or a heavy non-stick skillet brushed with oil or lard. Crêpe batter is swirled with a rozell — a wooden spreader — to reach the edge in one motion. Galette batter is poured thicker, then nudged outward; it does not flow. Thirty seconds per side for a crêpe, a minute or so for a galette. The first one always sacrifices itself to the pan.

Sweet versus savoury — but not absolute

In Brittany, galettes carry ham, Emmental, and a cracked egg (complète); crêpes get butter, sugar, jam, or salted-caramel sauce. Yet a buckwheat galette folded around sautéed mushrooms, spinach, and a runny yolk is breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner. A wheat crêpe rolled with Nutella and banana is dessert. The batter dictates the pairing: nutty buckwheat stands up to cheese, cured meat, and brassicas; buttery wheat carries fruit, chocolate, and citrus.

What the menu at Vogue Cafe shows

The printed menu separates the two families cleanly.

Savoury Crêpes — $17 (thin buckwheat pancakes, savoury filling)

• European Ham, Cheese & Egg
• Sautéed Spinach, Feta, Tomato & Egg
• Beer Sausage, Tomato & Cheese
• Sautéed Mushroom, Spinach & Egg
• Sautéed Mushroom, Beer Sausage, Tomato & Cheese

Sweet Crêpes — $14 (thin buttery French pancakes)

• Nutella & Banana · Chocolate Strawberry · Sugar & Lemon · Apple & House-made Caramel · Sugar, Butter & Cinnamon · Suzette (orange sauce, Grand Marnier)

The kitchen labels the buckwheat versions "savoury crêpes" — common in North America — but the batter, the crisp edge, and the fillings make them galettes in every way that matters.

Gluten note

Pure buckwheat contains no gluten. Cross-contact is possible in a shared kitchen; call (604) 370-4444 to ask about current prep.

What people ask

Are galettes always gluten-free?

Traditional galettes use only buckwheat flour and water, so they are naturally gluten-free. Some modern recipes cut in wheat flour for elasticity — ask the kitchen.

Can I get a sweet galette?

You can, but buckwheat's earthiness fights sugar. A crêpe Suzette needs wheat batter, butter, and a hot pan for the caramel-orange sauce to cling.

Why does my galette crack when I fold it?

Buckwheat has no gluten to stretch. Fold gently, or roll like a cigar. The crack is normal — it eats the same.

What drink goes with each?

Dry cider or a crisp Loire white (Muscadet, Sancerre) cuts the richness of a complète. Sweet crêpes love a late-harvest cider, a glass of Sauternes, or simply coffee.

Next step

Walk in at 12251 No 1 Rd #130, Steveston Village, or reserve at (604) 370-4444. Brunch runs until 3 pm; the galettes and crêpes come out all day.