How to Enjoy Authentic Buckwheat Galettes from Brittany Like a French Local
“Galette” is a traditional dish from the Brittany region of France. Though it looks similar to a crêpe, it’s made with buckwheat flour and typically filled with ingredients like eggs, ham, and cheese. In Brittany, where wheat doesn’t grow well, galettes were once eaten as a staple food in place of bread. Since their shape and style differ from sweet crêpes, you might feel unsure about how to start eating one if it’s your first time. So, we visited the galette specialty restaurant Le Bretagne to learn the best way to enjoy this delicious French classic!
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【Advised by】Le Bretagne
Table of Contents
Savor the Flavor of the Crêpe Itself
This time, we tried a galette from the “Traditional” menu. It comes with a side salad and is filled with a sunny-side-up egg, ham, and artichokes—specialties from Brittany. The buckwheat crêpe is topped with salted butter, which adds a distinctive touch.
If a galette cools down, the crêpe becomes firm and harder to cut. Start eating as soon as it’s served!
First, cut a small piece from the edge of the galette and savor the flavor of the crêpe itself. Without any toppings, the nutty aroma of the buckwheat flour fills your mouth. Some guests even start by tasting all four corners of the crêpe.
Spread the Butter
Spread the butter over the entire crêpe. In France, unsalted butter is more common, but in Brittany, people prefer salted butter. The saltiness enhances the umami of the crêpe. At “Le Bretagne,” they even import handmade salted butter from France. On other menu items, butter is brushed along the edges of the crêpe as a finishing touch.
Dip It in the Egg Yolk
Break the sunny-side-up egg inside the galette. The rich, runny yolk starts to ooze out, whetting your appetite.
Start by dipping the crêpe into the yolk. The nutty flavor of the buckwheat flour blends smoothly with the rich sweetness of the yolk.
Enjoy It with the Salad
Eating the galette with the accompanying salad is also recommended as a palate cleanser. The texture of the artichoke pairs well with the crêpe.
Roll It Up
It’s perfectly fine to enjoy your galette cut into bite-sized pieces, but you can also try cutting a larger piece and rolling it up. As shown in the photos, slice a narrow strip from the edge, add a bit of salad, and fold it over as you roll.
Eating it this way allows the ingredients—salad, ham, and more—to be wrapped up in the crêpe, giving you a balanced taste in each bite.
You can even roll up the salad and dip the galette in the egg yolk! This kind of tip is something you wouldn’t know without being shown.
Galette and Cider: A Classic Pairing
Since grapes don’t grow well in Brittany, locals drink “cidre,” a lightly sparkling apple wine. There are said to be over 300 varieties of apples cultivated solely for cider production in the region. The sweeter the cider, the lower the alcohol content, so find one that suits your taste and enjoy it with your galette. The fresh apple aroma pairs beautifully with the dish.
Galettes are hearty and satisfying thanks to their variety of ingredients—one is usually enough! But in Brittany, the standard is a full meal of appetizer + galette (some people even eat two!) + crêpe. While galettes are made with buckwheat flour, crêpes use wheat flour, making them a perfect sweet dessert after your savory course.
Why not enjoy a galette and cider yourself and let your mind wander to the distant lands of Brittany?
【Advised by】Le Bretagne
They serve authentic traditional buckwheat galettes originating from Brittany, France. With a strong focus on the quality of each ingredient, the restaurant offers a wide variety of galettes and crêpes to enjoy. Special thanks to Le Bretagne Kagurazaka for their cooperation in this photo shoot.
*The information is based on the time of reporting or creation, and may differ from the current situation.
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