West Seattle restaurants: Firefly Café and Creperie almost ready to roll

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

This is a big week for Firefly Café and Creperie proprietor Charell Estby:

Construction is done for her soon-to-open restaurant on the northeast corner of California/Genesee on the north edge of THe Junction.

She’s awaiting plumbing and electrical inspections.

And as soon as those are passed, she can get ready for the final hurdle: The health inspection.

Otherwise, Firefly is ready to take flight. The menu’s even up (top photo) – sweet, savory, build-your-own, and a sizable portion of vegan/gluten-free offerings – but it’s more than crepes:

Firefly first came to light back in June. Its road to reality has generated, among other things, a thick folder of paperwork, including specs from all the different types of equipment they’ve needed – Charell is a first-time restaurateur.

When we visited this week, she and her family were working busily on a variety of fronts. Daughter Shay (below right, with Charell) is part of the team:

The cozy corner shop, in a space that hasn’t been open to the public since Divina was there a few years back, will have most of its dine-in seating in a back room that is set up with a cozy living-room feel – even the fireplace you can see in the photo of Charell and Shay. Art will grace the walls – and Charell’s working on a program to offer space to local student artists who’ll be free to sell it without Firefly taking a cut.

Elsewhere, rustic furniture lends character (treasures found on Craigslist, Charell confides). And they’re continuing to practice, from crepes to coffee.

Along with the crepes, other offerings include soup and salad. The coffee is Zoka; the tea is TeaSource; Wine Country non-alcoholic sodas are on the menu (see it here) as well. Charell says she’s worked hard to find local suppliers, “as close to West Seattle as possible,” for ingredients – such as Wheatless in Seattle, and Hot Cakes’ vegan caramel sauce.

For the vegan/gluten-free offerings, Charell is proud that they have perfected recipes so that those crepes are both. Read the menu’s details, and you’ll see nut cheese, cashew cream, tempeh. There’s even a healthy homage to Elvis – “The King,” with banana, sun butter, vegan chocolate, and cashew cream. (What? No bacon? Just kidding.)

She’s also proud of what they’ve learned along the way in terms of the process – patience, in particular: “Every step of the way.”

What’s next? Once they get word Firefly has passed the plumbing/electrical inspections, and the subsequent health inspection, they’ll have a very low-key soft open, and if that goes well, they’ll open up the following day. Charell is certain that’ll happen before month’s end.

And once they’re up and running smoothly, there’s something else she wants to add to the menu of what Firefly will be known for – monthly volunteer events. Plans are already in the works for another way to give to the community — donating any food that would otherwise go to waste, to Food Lifeline, for redistribution via the White Center (South Delridge) Salvation Army center.

When Firefly Café and Creperie does open, its hours will be 6 am-8 pm Mondays-Thursdays, 6 am-10 pm Fridays, 7 am-10 pm Saturdays, 8 am-6 pm Sundays. You can watch for updates on the Firefly Facebook page, here.

29 Replies to "West Seattle restaurants: Firefly Café and Creperie almost ready to roll"

  • DMC November 14, 2012 (12:45 pm)

    Looking forward to stopping in. We’ve moved from the area but I am around all of the time. Yay for wonderful places to get a great snack!

  • JordanP November 14, 2012 (1:54 pm)

    This place looks awesome. My sons and I love crepes and will definitely head there to give them a try.

  • Laura November 14, 2012 (2:07 pm)

    So excited to see they have gluten free and vegan crepes. Can’t wait for this to open!

  • Jennifer November 14, 2012 (2:08 pm)

    I’m excited they are going to have vegan options!! Thanks in advance. Can’t wait to stop in and try it out!

  • Jennifer November 14, 2012 (2:09 pm)

    On a side note…what is going on with the building a few doors up that is boarded up? It’s been that way for a long time.

    • WSB November 14, 2012 (2:21 pm)

      That’s the undergoing-remodeling future home of Sound Ad Group, which has been temporarily headquartered in the Junction storefront known as former Petco/future development.

  • Jenilee November 14, 2012 (2:29 pm)

    Charell! I wish you so much success in your new business! We are definitely coming in soon! Love that you have yummy vegan options. Can’t wait to try it and see you.

  • Traci November 14, 2012 (2:56 pm)

    Wow, this is awesome! I am so excited that you have GF/V options. It’s rare to find new places that both my husband and I can eat at. Can’t wait!

  • Sue November 14, 2012 (3:09 pm)

    I’m also excited about the vegan/gluten free options! So looking foward to your opening!

  • let them swim November 14, 2012 (3:13 pm)

    let’s see how many people remember- “spud nuts”
    and the donut shop in this location.Holy Rosary students of old should.

  • Nic November 14, 2012 (3:15 pm)

    Hurray for vegan options!!!

  • george November 14, 2012 (3:29 pm)

    Hopefully Celiac customers can eat there too, not just GF ingredients.

  • datamuse November 14, 2012 (3:49 pm)

    Crepes! I love crepes. Can’t wait to check it out!

  • MARY November 14, 2012 (4:03 pm)

    Hurrah and also hurry! I’m a minority fan of gluten- and dairy-rich crepes but it’s great you’re addressing so many special diet needs as well.

  • sam-c November 14, 2012 (4:18 pm)

    can’t wait for this place to open.
    so glad they have plain ol’ butter and sugar crepe. always my favorite: my post bar hopping snack in Paris.
    can’t even get plan butter and sugar at the crepe place down in the market.

  • alkiwendy November 14, 2012 (4:33 pm)

    I remember Supd Nuts! They were so good.

  • miws November 14, 2012 (6:23 pm)

    I remember Spud Nuts being there, but don’t actually remember what the donuts were like.

    .

    Best of luck to Firefly!

    .

    Mike

  • SillyGoose November 14, 2012 (6:32 pm)

    Yeah welcome to west seattle, my daughter attends Holy Rosary School, and is excitd that she can have crepes before school!! Love the Gluten Free option!!

  • Sue November 14, 2012 (7:26 pm)

    george, regarding celiac, this note appears on the menu on their webpage:

    “*caution to folks with sensitivities to or allergic reactions from gluten or animal bi-products: This notice is to inform you that at this time, Firefly Café & Creperie is not able to provide a separate food preparation area for vegan/gf menu items. all menu items are prepared on the same griddle & kitchen space.”

    http://fireflycafe-ws.com/?page_id=42

  • LisaM November 14, 2012 (8:51 pm)

    omgosh, thank you for all the vegetarian and vegan options, I can tell it will be a fav!

  • SaraS November 14, 2012 (10:21 pm)

    Yay, a bowl of soup for $6.50!!

  • fiz November 14, 2012 (10:33 pm)

    I remember the Spudnut shop! Best big raised yeast donuts anywhere. They were a handful. The owner kneaded the dough in the window. Stopped there on many wet, cold days for a warm donut and mug of hot chocolate while walking home from WSHS. Made those last blocks doable.
    .
    glad to see the creperie going in there. See you soon.

  • george November 14, 2012 (11:26 pm)

    Oh well, so much for the gluten free option. Guess we can’t make it. Thanks Sue. It sounded good!

  • Fred Lott November 14, 2012 (11:36 pm)

    You will be Huge firefly !!!

  • guppy November 15, 2012 (3:05 pm)

    So happy you will have GF/vegan options!It’s so hard to find the combo. Looking forward to it!

  • Vegan Score November 16, 2012 (11:38 am)

    YAY for vegan crepes! Vegan Salted Caramel? Yes please. Thank you and I can’t wait to try it!

  • Jody Rodgers November 16, 2012 (4:29 pm)

    Three words that make my day: vegan caramel sauce!

  • lovetoeatinwestseattle November 30, 2012 (12:15 pm)

    The postings about the prices for this place are very misleading, from what we can see on the board through the window, you get an crepe for $2 with nothing in it,just the crepe, to add things like eggs or ham or vegetables etc…is $2 and $3 each, and to have one that is on the menu already $8.50 is the minimum, which is kind of high for West Seattle. Like Fiddlehead, the new breakfast place near the junction, we walked out of, we were shocked at the price of biscuits and gravy, $9.50 and you have to stand in line and order and serve yourself. We owned a restaurant in West Seattle for years until our retirement and recognize the cost of food prices in restuarants is just outrageous! We’ll stick to breakfast at Be’s where biscuts and gravy are still $4.50

  • lovetoeatinwestseattle November 30, 2012 (12:21 pm)

    and we do wish them luck with their opening at
    Firefly.

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