If you go down to Grand Union today you’ll be in for a tasty surprise.
Located beside the canalside piazza, with views of the Grand Union Canal, a new crepes and coffee shop has opened onboard a narrowboat at Grand Union developed by St George (proud member of the Berkeley Group) in Alperton, North West London.
Named Crepes+Coffee, the business is run by Andrei Speriatu who has designed a delicious menu comprising a range of homemade sweet and savoury crepes, including a Nutella & Strawberries option or the Forestiere, made up on Cheddar cheese, spinach, sauteed mushrooms, toasted seeds and truffle oil.
An array of high-quality speciality coffee, as well as teas and hot chocolate, are also available.
What time is Crepes+Coffee open?
Crepes+Coffee is open from 7am until 2pm on Mondays through to Fridays, and 10am until 6pm at the weekends.
How was Crepes+Coffee created?
Having spent the first ten years of his career working as a butler and room service manager at the Connaught Hotel in Mayfair, Andrei, who was in his late twenties at the time, knew that he wanted to use his skills in hospitality and catering and First Class degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the University of East London to establish his own crepes and coffee business.
“I had a successful and enjoyable career at the Connaught Hotel but had always wanted to do something for myself and so around five years ago I started to slowly move out of the hotel industry to concentrate on my own crepe business”, explains Andrei.
Andrei’s decision to focus his business on crepes was influenced by the food’s ability to offer a wide range of sweet and savoury options that would appeal to both children and parents, creating a culinary experience suitable for diverse tastes.
“It was in 2019 that I founded my first venture - Crepe Masters, a mobile catering business run out of our vintage vans. We provide the catering at private parties and events across the country working with big brands such as Louboutin London and Lamborghini UK, serving our trademark crepes and delicious drinks”, shares Andrei.
“Crepe Masters continues to do very well but I have also always wanted to create a base for myself where I can really become part of a community and locals can visit every day. I was delighted when I was offered the opportunity from developer St George to operate from its historic narrowboat PAVO at its Grand Union development in Alperton.”
How did you find out about Grand Union?
As a local to Grand Union, which is a 3,350-home new community in Alperton, Andrei had travelled past the development many times and so decided to enquire about possible commercial opportunities there.
“The St George team presented me with some opportunities to set up within their café spaces but they were a bit too big for me. I didn’t actually know about PAVO, the narrowboat, at this time but they suggested it could be transformed into a kitchen where I could run my business, which I was immediately excited about”, Andrei shares.
Andrei launched Crepes+Coffee in November 2023 from PAVO, with a menu designed by a friend and French patisserie chef at the Connaught Hotel.
Does Crepes+Coffee offer table service?
“At the moment we are just offering takeaway options because of the weather but from the Spring we will be offering table service. I am also thinking about launching some special nights limited to three to four covers where we provide Italian or Spanish tasting menus with wine pairings. I work with some really good chefs who would join me for these events onboard PAVO - watch this space.”
“We are trying to develop something really cool here and have already worked up a loyal customer base who visit me every day for a coffee, a crepe and a chat. I love speaking with them and finding out what they like – that way I can make it a more personable experience.”
Despite the logistics of operating from a canalboat, Andrei is already receiving five star reviews from customers, which you can read for yourself here.
Where can I find it?
Crepes+Coffee can be found at Grand Union, a St George development, located on Beresford Avenue (HA0 1NW) in Alperton. If you are travelling by public transport, it is accessible via Stonebridge Park and Alperton stations, which offer direct links from central London via the overground & Bakerloo line, and Piccadilly line, respectively.
Can I follow Crepes+Coffee on social media?
Yes, you can find them on Instagram and TikTok, or better yet why not pop down and say hello and try a tasty crepe for yourself.