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Krepesz
Categories: Restaurants Hungarian Food Coffee & Tea Restaurants Creperies Hungarian, Coffee & Tea, Creperies [Edit]
253 Augusta AvenueToronto, ON M5T 2L8
Neighbourhood: Kensington Market
(416) 840-8930
- Hours:
Mon, Thu-Fri, Sun 11 am - 7 pm
Sat 11 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dessert, Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- Yes
18 reviews for Krepesz
18 reviews in English
-
Review from Heather B.
Scarborough, ON
Popped in here for a quick pick me up.
They KILL a Latte! Sooo yummy and not too strong. Just enough to give you that kick and who can't resist the foam art :)
Don't tell the headoffices of Starbucks, but I would choose these guys over them :D
Cheers! -
Review from Vivek S.
10/30/2011 1 photo
Not bad spot for crêpes in Kensington Market. It's worth pointing out right off the bat that these aren't the French crêpes you're probably used to. They are a bit thicker and taste like they have been cooked a little longer than typical crêpes, but they're still pretty decent and you get a good portion.
They serve both sweet and savoury Hungarian crêpes (palacsinta) here. They are pretty specifically priced at $7.97, and they have a combo deal where you can get soup and crêpe or coffee and crêpe for ten bones. Not too shabby.
They serve espresso here also (49th Parallel) and have free Wi-Fi. Given that ALL the furniture is patio furniture, I'm not likely to spend too much time here to work, but I'll definitely stop by if I'm feeling in a crêpe-y mood.
Obligatory Title Pun: Don't shed this PALACSINTA.
Menu Readability: Loosely wrapped in plastic. What up with that? Just laminate that beyotch.
Need to mention: They are licenced and have Mill Street and Flying Monkey on draught.
What this place teaches me about myself: I'm HUNGAR-ing for a better title pun.Listed in: Kensington Market
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Review from Reynold P.
Toronto, ON
11/7/2011
This is a stop my gf always brings her foreign visiting friends to. It's a crêpe place that isn't French. It's Hungarian. The menu reflects this in a good way but still caters to the traditionalist as well.
Because of this cultural mix and cuisine, it makes the experience unique. I'm not a huge fan of crêpes in the first place but it's good on occasion. I don't see them as a meal, I see them as a dessert or snack.
The crepes here do fill you up though, especially the savory type.
My gf raves over the Hungarian Stew crepe. It's hearty, flavourful and definitely different as far as toppings and fillings go for crepes. For around 8 bucks, it's a fair price.
To compliment the crepes, there are flavored teas which are good as well. I think I'd like it even more now that it's getting chilly outside.
Overall, Krepesz does a good job of bringing Hungarian flare to a French classic. Without being offensive or radical, they've managed to carry-out both culinary flavors we expect (or don't expect) through a crepe. It's a small casual cafe that does things right. -
Review from Sandra T.
Toronto, ON
6/30/2011
A friend told me that this place served the best savoury crepe she has ever tasted ... with that in mind, I couldn't wait to try it out.
Tried the Hungarian Chicken Stew crepe ... I was a little disappointed. The chicken was ground chicken and tasted a little "white" aka dry. The paprika sauce was not as savoury or fiery as I would have liked ...
The setting itself is quite nice. We dined on the patio and it was a pleasant experience.
I think my problem is I expect a mind blowing, life altering, taste buds exploding type of experience when people tell me its "the best"....
It is a very cute place :) -
Review from Sharky L.
Toronto, ON
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I LOVE CREPES BUT I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO THIS PLACE!
My girlfriend had to use the restroom so we stopped by. I was asked couple of time as I waited for her if I wanted anything, I looked at the menu but didn't feel like anything because we just ate.
As we were walking out one of the waitress yells "Don't come back here again, the washrooms are only for customers!"
1) I thought I was a customer because I came here couple of times with friends before.
2) I don't think the policy is good for business and I don't like it but I respect it. She could have came up to me in private and told me of the policy instead of yelling it out as I was leaving, very classless.
I don't get that attitude anywhere (rare times when I go in to places to just to use the restroom) but Kensington would be the last place I would expect it. Not cool.
Would never go back again and I plan to tell the story to anyone that talks about this place.Comment from Christian S. of Krepesz 10/10/2011
Hi Sharky, I'm sorry to hear what happened and I apologize… More » -
Review from Eric L.
Although the food looked and smelled great this review is only for the patio. It's not too crowded and the seats are just plain wooded chairs. Each table has a parasol which is a hit for hot and sunny weather.
Slightly more expensive for my taste, but I guess it's good for Kensington or any other patio for that matter. A SanPellegrino and Ice Coffee came up to 7$ with tip. -
Review from L L.
Toronto, ON
7/21/2011
Iced Americano was good. Better than Bull Dog's for price and quality (less ice). Chicken stew crepe was so so although it was supposed to be their signature item as they say. Crepe was a little soggy as I would usually prefer a bit crispier one.
Overall OK but not enough to make it as a destination for me. -
Review from jocelyn l.
6/26/2011
I didn't have the crepes, just a soy latte, which was very tasty. The crepes smelt really delish though...will have to come back to check it out.
I like the outdoor patio; great place to read and have a coffee while the streets in Kensington Market were closed to traffic on Sunday. Festive -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
I am easy... Krepesz Cafe won me over easily...
- Empty on a Sunday lunch time at Kensington Market area
- rainy outside
- free WIFI just ask for password
- Crepes!! Yes Freshly made Crepes!
- Combo Deal?!!! Crepes and Cappuccino for $9.99
- Nutella!! (My default fillings for a sweet crepe!)
I just hang around here for awhile until the rain stop.. enjoying my crepe which was deliciously.. a little more doughy but great as a brunch..
I will be back for their Chicken Stew Crepe,,,, since of course it is a Combo Special deal! -
Review from Sahara A.
East York, ON
7/3/2011
Nutella &Banana Crepes... yum!
It's a cute store, I enjoyed my time there with friends, but it isn't the best if you're looking for a great dessert place :) -
Review from Tanya N.
4/24/2011 5 photos
Came here and got the crepe & coffee deal for $10. It's limited the nutella banana crepe and cappucino/americano. I opted for the cappucino & added ice cream to my crepe for $1. Normally the crepes are $7.97.
Thought both were great. The crepe itself was soft and had thin slices of banana in the middle with nutella drizzled on top. Simple and satisfying.
The espresso beans are from 49th Parallel which brings me back to Vancouver so needless to say, I also enjoyed my cappucino.
This place as ample seating inside and outside on their patio with a variety of sweet & savoury crepes.
Great place for dessert. -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
4/1/2011 1 photo
I inadvertently turned my head and notice this cafe the other day. It's unsuspecting. I suppose in the market with signs everywhere some places can get lost.
I've read more about the business and their story. My whole lean towards walking is always the coffee so I had no intention of trying anything else. However, I can't say I noticed anything particularly unique about the place except that I found it quite modern for a Kensington cafe. I liked that aspect though.
49th parallel coffee is their beans of choice here. I have tried that coffee at 49th Parallel Vancouver. I've even bought their beans and made it at home. I really, really want to like this but I have to say it always falls behind, Every time I have had a cup of any 49th parallel derivative it always goes down as OK.
That's how i feel about my drink. I think the pastry would be better but the coffee is OK. You won't be disappointed but at the same time you won't drop dead and kiss the ground at the wonder of the cup o'joe you just had. -
Review from Michael P.
Toronto, ON
10/16/2010
Reviewed café for my espresso blog blog - I am typically very skeptical about having espresso in a place that has any other focus other than coffee as I often find that espresso usually lacks the attention it requires. For example, I never order espresso in a restaurant. A friend that I met at the recent espresso tasting, recommended that I check out Krepesz in Kesington Market, as he had tasted some of the best espressos outside of Crema in Toronto.
I took his recommendation seriously, and I am happy that I did because it probably would have taken me a lot longer to find Krepesz by myself. Before I actually paid a visit, I did a little research through the Krepesz website which discusses the seriousness with which they take coffee including 49th Parallel beans, a Synesso machine, and professional training by Geoff Polci. Yes, he is the owner of Crema, one of my favourite places in Toronto.
Now, before going any further, I have to break another one of my rules. When I started this blog, I said that I would stick to reviewing espressos, and that I wouldn't be discussing pastries. Well rules are made to be broken, and I promise you the circumstances are exceptional. I grew up in Romania until about the age of 6. One of the fondest memories that I still having was spending summer vacations with my grandmother in the mountains in Transylvania. When I was well behaved, we would go down to the village and get a freshly baked Kurtos Kalacs, a Transylvanian specialty.
Essentially, this is a really buttery dough that is wrapped around a wooden form and basted with more butter, sugar, and cinnamon for good measure and than roasted over a hot charcoal barbecue. Certainly a deperature from the low-fat, organic, gluten-free, vegan, free-range fare that some cafés seem to promote these days. How was the kurtos kalacs at Krepesz? No they don't roast over a charcoal barbecue, but use a specially made oven. But nonetheless, My two-year old daughter had to be stopped after devouring three quarters of the large pastry, so that her Dad could have a taste. She was right. It was that good. Krepesz does also specialize in Hungarian style crepes, but reviewing those would be breaking my rules too much.
I have not had the current iteration of Epic Espresso at home or in other cafes. So a relative comparison is not possible, but I will say that this shot had more layers and complexity than any shot in memory, and I found it very satisfying in keeping in the tradition of great balance and sweetness combined with a long aftertaste of chocolate and stone fruits. The part that surprised me was that I took three sips, and each sip produced different tones including some brighter berries and citrus in the front, followed by some vanilla and flower tones, finishing with a bit of caramel blackcurrant highlights. I found the layers quite surprising and especially challenging upfront with brightness.
This review is slightly biased becuase of the kurtos kalacs which evokes childhood memories, but I can assure you that I have had a very nice shot. The dedication to quality is not only in the equipment and coffee used, but the careful preparation is dilligently followed by the owners who have been trained by one of Toronto's top. I also believe that the family ownership and involvement will result in this careful training to be maintained which is not as consitent in shops with high barista turnovers. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
11/21/2010 2 photos
Saturday 8 pm and hardly any shop open for a quick meal fix. Krepesz was open until 9 pm this night as I noticed couples and MacBook students making this place their comfy Cafe of choice. With this sign, I walked in to notice "Mom" greeting me where I ordered and she said I can take a seat while I originally thought it was a Pay & Take type of joint like other Cafes in the immediate area.
Sitting on the Patio Wooden Furniture at the back, this is quite a comfortable setting mostly due to the choice of Wall Color I believe. It was somewhat bright for my liking but those MacBook users, Magazine readers, Assignment students didn't mind it one bit as a Staff brought my meal to me.
Chicken Stew Crepe(Ground Chicken Breast, cooked in Hungarian Paprika Sauce with Sour-Cream, Shredded Cheese and Spinach
$7.97)
Gummy it was for the Crepe but that didn't make it an unappealing experience for me by any means. My comparison to this Gummy Crepe texture is of a Japanese Takoyaki which I'm a fan. It looks like a new version Taco/Burrito with a slight difference you might notice from the photos.
Personally, the Chicken in Hungarian Sauce is satisfying and homey which reminds me of same qualities of Hungarian Goulash that would have made it just as satisfying on a cold Autumn night. The seasoning here was actually on the light-handed side but that just made it feel more healthy for some reason. The choice of Chicken Breast and Spinach helped that effort.
Satisfied walking into the cool autumn's night...Listed in: 4+ ****Stars****
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Review from Ellie A.
3/19/2011
Great place for an evening tea and snack. My friends and I were sad (and still a little hungry) after a disappointing dinner (see my last review) and wanted some dessert to make us feel better.
Enter Krepesz. Cosy cafe with lovely art, terrific jazz (from a swank docking station), lovely tables and a smiley lady offering crepes. What could be better? We split a Nutella and banana crepe and a chocolate and cherry crepe. Both came quickly and hot. Our tea was fragrant, our crepes were sweet, chewy and crispy. Service was kind and unobtrusive. Conversation was great.
Highly recommended. Oh, and according to my friend, the hot chocolate is great. -
Review from Jon W.
North York, ON
10/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
Discovered this place while walking through Kensington Market. Their savory crepes were delicious and if we weren't heading to get some pie after (at Wanda's), I would have ordered their Nutella Walnut crepe.
They are definitely going to get a return visit! -
Review from Ares X.
Toronto, ON
5/30/2011
Been here twice now.
Crepes were alright, not really hungarian at all.
I had the chicken stew crepe to try it out, and it was pretty gross.
If you want to try something they would eat in hungary try the walnut and apricot jam crepe, that's the best one.
Ive also eaten their soup of the day, which was good.
Also, save your money and dont buy the palinka. They use a pretty garbage brand (I was hoping it would be an import from hungary) and they just dilute it with honey.Comment from Christian S. of Krepesz 5/30/2011
Hi Ares. My name is Christian, I'm the owner together with… More » -
Review from Steve P.
11/27/2009
Fiancee and myself were on a "Crepe Crusade" this visit, all in all we visited 4 different places. This was the last one we hit. Small and quiet little spot in Kensington Market. Easy listening music playing in the background we ordered a simple hazelnut with a glass of milk and a cookie. Out of the the bunch, I would say this was our least favorite crepe. It was very greasy and had felt like it wasn't cooked enough. Very gummy. The flavor of the crepe was on the bland side so all we really tasted was the nutella. While we were here 3 other people came in and ordered coffees which seemed to be what the server enjoyed doing more so than the crepes. Not bad, just not a place I feel the need to go back to.
Comment from Christian S. of Krepesz 12/15/2009
Hi Steve. I'm sorry to hear about your crepe experience.… More »
