Brunch has always been my favorite meal of the day. That is why, when I moved to St. Louis for college, I immediately started to scope out the best restaurants to get my fix of pancakes, waffles, French toast, and especially, crepes.
But even after finding some great brunch spots in STL, one of my favorite parts of going home is hitting up all of Chicagoland's most classic breakfast restaurants. I love going back to the little, quaint cafés that my hometown, Highland Park, IL, is known for, like Egg Harbor Cafe and Country Kitchen. And of course, Walker Bro's Pancake House—which boasts the famous giant apple pancake—is a must-have.
Feeling torn between brunch in the two cities I now call home, I decided to compare one of my favorite foods—crepes—in each city. I tried chocolate-Nutella-strawberry crepes (read: my sweet tooth got the best of me) in both cities and ranked them according to presentation, the crepe itself, the filling and toppings, the crepe-to-filling ratio, and finally, the overall quality.
Chicago: Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe
While I was home for spring break, I decided to stop at one of my go-to brunch restaurants: Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe. Wildberry, located in several locations around Chicago, is known for its unique brunch creations, including Oreo-S'mores Pancakes and Red Velvet French Toast. Everything that I've ordered there is delicious, and the crepes were no exception.
Presentation: 9. Wow. Look at how nicely these crepes are rolled. And that chocolate drizzle, though.
Crepe: 5. Not gonna lie, the actual crepe itself was not my favorite part. It was a bit too thick and too gooey. That said, it still tasted delicious with the chocolate and strawberries.
Filling & Toppings: 8. Chocolate chips + chocolate drizzle + strawberries + Nutella—can you really go wrong? The strawberries tasted really fresh without being overripe, and the crepes had a gooey, sweet chocolate and Nutella filling and drizzle.
Crepe-to-Filling Ratio: 6. While the filling was delicious, the sheer amount of it was a little bit overwhelming and left the crepe soggy.
Overall Quality: 7.
St. Louis: City Coffeehouse & Crêperie
Back at school in St. Louis, I decided to try City Coffeehouse & Crêperie, located in Clayton, MO, just a few minutes away from Wash U's campus. It's easily the most coveted spot for crepes in the area. From the moment I walked in the door, I was blown away by the mere smell of the place. And an extensive menu and cozy atmosphere added to the restaurant's charm.
Presentation: 7. Sometimes, simplicity is key.
Crepe: 10. I have tried a lot of crepes in my life, and the texture of this one was, without a doubt, the best I have ever had. It was perfectly thin and just soft enough, with a little bit of crisp on the outside.
Filling & Toppings: 6. The chocolate and Nutella were thick and creamy. The strawberries, however, were a little soft and did not taste as fresh as the ones from Wildberry.
Crepe-to-Filling Ratio: 9. I think that something about the triangular folds of this crepe make a pretty perfect crepe-to-filling ratio. The crepe never got soggy and every bite had a great combination of all of the toppings.
Overall Quality: 8.
The final decision? I liked City Coffeehouse & Crêperie's crepes a little bit more—so, I have to give St. Louis the win here. Each crepe has different strengths, though, and either way, you can't really go wrong. If you live in Chicago or St. Louis, you certainly will not be deprived of good crepes.