Knoxville couple brings French crepes to downtown Knoxville

Allen and Susan Tate had always dreamt of opening a crepe shop. While living in France for two years, they frequented a little crepe shop that was located just outside of their apartment.

"The guy just had lines out the door," Allen says.

"We had a crepe everyday," Susan says.

Six months ago, they decide to fulfill their dream and opened a crepe shop on Gay Street in downtown Knoxville. The quaint little shop, called The French Market, sweeps you away to the streets of Paris.

"We wanted it to feel like you were not in Knoxville," Susan says.

The green-blue paint on the walls evoke many of the painted roof tops and window trim in France. Actual photographs of Paris hang on the walls, while imported French knick-knacks fill in space as the perfect little gift shop.

"Our soaps and our lotions come from France," Susan says.

But the crepes are made right inside of their little Knoxville eatery. Susan's husband Allen taught himself how to whip up the French pancake.

"It's not sweet like a home pancake, and it doesn't rise real thick. It's a real thin pancake," he says. "You fill it with either fruits and sauces, or you can fill it with meat, and cheese, and vegetables."

The French Market has about 18 different crepes on its menu. The sweet crepes include nutella, strawberry, blueberries and cream, nutella and banana, banana and strawberries, and caramel.

The meat crepes come filled with ham, turkey and cheese, pork tenderloin, roasted chicken, spinach and tomato, and feta cheese. The most popular meat is the smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, and red onions crepe.

"That one is about the size of a piece of pizza," Allen says.

At The French Market, you can put just about anything inside of a crepe, but one thing Allen won't compromise on is the batter.

"They actually ship it to us Fedex, so we have the actual street batter that's used in France," he says. "The majority of the crepe shops in Paris, that crepe batter is what we serve here."

A visit to The French Market is certainly an experience that will have you saying bon appetit.

The French Market is located at 526 S. Gay St. across from Krutch Park in downtown Knoxville. The hours are Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The French Market is open until 9 p.m. for all special downtown events.