Yann Bris, owner and chef, originally from Brittany in France, more precisely from the city of Paimpol, a small fishing port in the Cotes d'Armor, settled in Quebec in 2005. After earning his degree in hotel and restaurant management, he worked for the Accor Group as director of hotel-restaurant in the southwest of France, a bastion of French gastronomy. He opened his first crêperie in Fort Lauderdale, on the coast of Florida, in the United States.
This success and some leisure travel to the beautiful city of Montreal, prompted him to return and try the Quebec experience. He opened a decoration boutique in downtown Montreal, on Amherst Street, which he calls Karactère with a "K". Despite the success of this enterprise, he misses restauration. He decides to close the shop and starts a project that is closer to his love of gastronomy by opening a crêperie in the now trendy district known as Griffintown.
He sets his sights on a former hairdressing studio that he completely transforms to create Spanel, the Breton word for "spatula" Spatula for turning pancakes. Spanel's philosophy is based on a cuisine made exclusively with fresh, quality products. Thanks to the proximity of the Atwater Market, Yann can fulfill his wish to serve his customers crepes and gourmet dishes. Spanel is also committed to offering its customers a warm and friendly atmosphere.
The choice of a shady terrace, surrounded by trees and equipped with heaters, allows them to make the most of outdoor dining, from the first days of summer until the arrival of winter. The chef hopes you'll enjoy discovering Spanel and come back often to spend pleasant moments.
Reviewers describe SPANEL CREPES ET GOURMETS as a warm, welcoming, family-run spot with attentive service and a cozy, homey vibe. The menu offers a diverse range of buckwheat crepes, savory and sweet, with many vegetarian and gluten-free options and generous portions. Guests praise the high quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and comforting flavors that suit brunch, lunch, or a casual coffee break. The setting features a charming interior and a back garden patio that adds to the relaxed atmosphere. The staff are friendly, patient with non-French speakers, and accommodating of allergies or special requests, making guests feel welcome. Prices are fair and the experience is consistently delicious, inviting visitors to return to try more crepes such as the Verdun and Atwater varieties. This spot stands out for tasty crepes, warm hospitality, and a neighborhood-friendly feel.
A very nice brunch place on Notre Dame street! We all had buckwheat crepes & it was so delicious & filling! We started with cappuccino & orange juice & then I had the smoked salmon Atwater buckwheat crepe while others had ham Quartier Latin crepes & everything was so delicious ! Very good service & the perfect place to bring family & friends :) Would love to try sweet crepes next time! UPDATE: Went for brunch & as always great food & fantastic service at this awesome 11/10 brunch venue 🎉🎉 MORE UPDATES: Went for a late brunch & had coffee, hot chocolate , Parisienne, & Atwater crepes & as always fantastic food with fantastic service & fantastic music playing in the background 🥰🥰
Mar 3, 2026
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Nous aimons ce restaurant, qui propose habituellement de très bons repas. Cette fois-ci, nous sommes venus pour un brunch entre amis & l'expérience a été plus mitigée. L'accueil manquait un peu de chaleur & le service était peu présent (on dirait pas assez des serveurs pour la clientèle ). Nous avons été installés près des portes de la terrasse, ce qui rendait l'espace assez froid & moins confortable.
Côté cuisine, la crêpe du jour était trop cuite & servie froide, avec un jambon plutôt dur. La crêpe sucrée était malheureusement à moitié cuite.
Dans l'ensemble, cette visite n'a pas répondu à nos attentes, autant pour le service que pour la qualité des plats, nous sommes repartis gelé & insatisfait. Nous espérons que ces points pourront être améliorés.
My partner & I were staying in Griffintown for a few days, & tried this place for breakfast/brunch one day. What a gem..!!! They had their patio at the front of the restaurant, which meant we were able to eat with our furbaby (very important!), & the crêpes were amazing. I also paired mine up with some pineapple juice, which was so perfect & fresh. Service was quick, friendly, & easy-going. Everything about that meal was perfect, that when we ended up in Montréal again a few days later but was too far from Griffintown to walk to the restaurant, we ended up ordering the crêpes online for delivery to a hotel on the other end of downtown! & how those crêpes held up so well despite a 20-minute drive is honestly beyond me. (All their food packaging was also environment-conscious, recyclable or compostable, a huge plus for me!). We will most definitely be visiting Spanel every time we find ourselves in Montréal.
The best mushroom, cheese & shredded duck Crepes, the Westmount one! Wow! Amazing & spectacular taste & service!
I definitely will be back with my family. I meet a couple of friends at the place, we had a great talked, have fun & eat a brunch from 10:30am to noon. My friends ordered 1. the V.L.S a Crêpe with grilled chicken, Emmental cheese green pepper & tomatoes...Uff so good! The 2nd. The I.D.S very good plate with eggs & avocado salsa..delicious! Finally we shared a Nutella & Banana Crêpe... It was just a perfect time, food & environment!😉💯🎯
Spanel Crêpes & Gourmets - un brunch réconfortant à souhait 🌿
J'ai choisi la crêpe bretonne Outremont (champignons, asperges, béchamel, emmental), accompagnée d'un bol de patates assaisonnées.
🌾 La crêpe était parfaitement cuite - fine, savoureuse, & surtout pas pâteuse, ce qui est souvent un risque avec le sarrasin.
💛 La béchamel était une belle surprise : douce, bien équilibrée, pas trop lourde. Pour moi, c'est souvent quitte ou double… & celle-ci, c'est un oui!
🥔 Les patates en cubes? Un vrai délice. Bien assaisonnées, crousti-fondantes à souhait.
✨ Ambiance chaleureuse, décor rustique, service attentionné - j'ai passé un très bon moment.
Je reviendrai, c'est certain. 🤭
Spanel Crêpes & Gourmets - a cozy & comforting brunch spot 🌿
I went for the Outremont buckwheat crêpe (mushrooms, asparagus, béchamel, emmental), with a side of seasoned potatoes.
🌾 The crêpe was perfectly cooked - thin, tasty, & not doughy at all, which can be tricky with buckwheat.
💛 The béchamel was a lovely surprise: smooth, well-balanced, not too heavy. It's a hit-or-miss thing for me… but this one was definitely a hit!
🥔 The cubed potatoes? Absolutely delicious. Well-seasoned with that perfect crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside texture.
✨ Warm atmosphere, rustic decor, thoughtful service - I had a lovely time.
I'll definitely be coming back. 🤭
Mar 24, 2025
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This is a great place for brunch! Lots of savory & sweet crepe options. Also plenty of alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks (including coffee). In the summer they have a great patio out back for seating. Highly recommend!
Tellement contente d'être tombée sur cet endroit alors qu'il y a plusieurs places de brunch sur Notre-Dame! Les crêpes au sarrasin étaient croustillantes & succulentes. Les patates délicieuses. L'hôte très gentil (& ce, en dépit du fort achalandage d'un samedi midi!). L'atmosphère était chaleureuse. J'ai aussi beaucoup aimé le détail du menu papier fourni & avec écriture à la main, ainsi que les tableaux sur les murs également en belle écriture manuscrite. Dernier point intéressant & apprécié: table à langer dans la salle de bain! Comme il y a de nombreuses crêpes différentes, il faudra y retourner! & aussi venir essayer le menu souper :) Restaurant chaudement recommandé !
Très bel endroit pour bruncher. Les mets sont délicieux & le personnel très sympathique. Nous y avons été à 7 pour un brunch & tout le monde a été ravi grands comme petits.
Jul 25, 2024
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Always an amazing meal with excellent service & no difficulties making reservations. Gluten free crêpes, many vegetarian options, 2 vegan savoury options & lots of sides to choose from - my go-to for a group with dietary restrictions or just for a nice, casual brunch :)
There were so many options for great crêpes, we were really excited to visit. The backyard patio space is lovely too. The largest concern was the time it took to wait for everything. Getting a seat was fine as it was still quite early in the morning, but to flag down one of the three servers was impossible, so we waited 30 minutes to order. Once we ordered, it took almost an hour to receive the food. We did note there were many others in the restaurant, but it seemed like maybe they were understaffed in the kitchen as other tables noticed the wait for food too. I don't recommend going if your planning a quick brunch- but if you've got time, enjoy their lovely crêpes.
I love Spanel so much. Amazing brunch spot. They have so many different crepe options, their staff are wonderful, & the space is beautiful. This is my go-to for brunch with friends
Aug 31, 2023
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Excellentes crêpes bretonnes, qui me font penser aux meilleures que j'ai dégustées à Montparnasse à Paris. La pâte est simplement parfaite. Avec un service aimable en plus; le chef, un Breton d'origine (évidemment) est fort sympathique. Une des bonnes adresses du coin. Ne manquez pas le brunch du dimanche, très couru dans le quartier.
Je n'en suis pas à ma première visite & ce ne sera pas ma dernière! J'ai adopté ce resto & je prends plaisir à le faire découvrir! Au menu: crêpes! Minces, croustillantes... miam! Jusqu'à maintenant, j'ai toujours pris la crêpe brunch: 15$, café inclus. & du bon café :-)
Le service est attentionné & courtois. L'endroit est divisé en deux, ce qui en fait un endroit pas trop bruyant. L'été, il y a une petite terrasse dans la cour arrière.
Le menu est le même du matin au soir mais il y a toujours une crêpe du moment. C'est aussi sans gluten; avis aux intéressés!
