Highlands Ranch gets new creperie

(Delaney Van on Unsplash)

By Margaret Jackson / NewsBreak Denver

(Highlands Ranch, Colo.) James Beatty was hiking through the mountains of Austria when he came across a woman making crepes in a small hut.

That’s when he got the idea to open a creperie, an idea that simmered for a decade before he pulled the trigger.

Now, Beatty is poised to open Zell Mountain Creperie on July 1. The restaurant, near Thunder Ridge High School, is located at 2229 Wildcat Reserve Parkway in Highlands Ranch.

“We’re targeting to be near high schools because we can provide a good health lunch option for high school students,” Beatty said.

“Crepes are not expensive, and they’re relatively fast.”

To ensure speed, Beatty purchased what he describes as the “Cadillac of crepe makers” from France. Each cook will work with two of the high-end machines at a time.

The batter will be made from scratch daily using a traditional French recipe. Zell’s also will offer a gluten-free option.

The restaurant will make paninis with the same batter it uses for crepes.

Beatty’s goal is to open two creperies over the next year and sees an opportunity to open up to six in the Denver area.

“If you go north around Boulder or Fort Collins, the opportunity increases more,” he said. “We will have all the systems set up in a way that it could grow.”