Crepes by the Lakes brings “the delicious taste of Parisian street food” to West Michigan

MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI – Crepes by the Lakes’ mission is to bring “the delicious taste of Parisian street food” to guests on the lakeshore and in the surrounding communities.

Chicago native Stephanie Lenhart opened the popular food truck at Kalamazoo’s Bank Street Farmers Market in 2014 to offer sweet and savory crepes with a unique twist on traditional recipes.

Since its opening, the shop has become a popular destination throughout West Michigan for delicious crepes. Lenhart delights the palates of foodies in several communities, including Muskegon, Spring Lake, Holland and Grand Rapids.

“It’s European fare, something you don’t often see on food trucks, let alone in brick-and-mortar stores that offer crepes,” Lenhart said. “I think the uniqueness is in the crepe itself. It can be quite a challenge to recreate at home, so we’ve just gotten a really good response from everyone about offering that to people.”

Lenhart said she decided to leave the corporate world to pursue her passion for food, but it has been a part of her life since she was a child.

She said she grew up primarily in Southeast Asia and Paris, so diverse street food comes easily to her. Through her childhood travels and her experiences in culinary school, Lenhart had everything she needed to bring a unique food selection to Michigan.

“Because of my love for crepes, I ended up choosing the original street food from Paris,” Lenhart said. “I had a passion for them and knew how delicious they were, so I decided to bring that passion to Michigan.”

And boy, was “Crepes by the Lakes” a hit.

Customers flock to the food truck at every event. Whether it’s private catering events in Muskegon or festivals in Kent County, the community is part of the business circuit, Lenhart said.

This weekend, the truck can be found at the Beer City Open Pickleball Championships at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, according to the website.

Related: Beer City Open Pickleball Championships return to Grand Rapids

A best-seller on the menu is “The Cuban,” which comes with pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, and mustard, all wrapped in a crepe. For those looking for a sweet crepe, nothing beats the classic one with Nutella and strawberry.

New this year is the chicken pesto with roasted chicken, goat cheese, dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pesto, spinach, cheddar cheese and a balsamic reduction.

Prices range from $9 to $14, depending on whether it is sweet or savory.

Lenhart boasts that with each mobile stop, Crepes by the Lakes has helped spread the love of Parisian desserts.

“I’ve noticed a lot more people becoming fans, and that’s pretty cool, especially when they don’t think they’re going to like it,” she said. “When I started doing this, I just wanted something that would set me apart from everyone else.”

Check out https://www.crepesbythelakes.com/ for the nearest food truck location.

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