A popular farmers market crepe spot opens in a permanent home.

From the moment Ehab Ali opened the doors of The Creperie Café for the first time regulars were waiting.

That a first time restaurant owner already has a following probably needs some context. For the past year people have frequented Ali’s farmers market crepe stand. And one of these familiar faces stood by the door at 7am on Monday, Nov. 28, when Ali’s new brick and mortar creperie welcomed its first customer.

“She left us a dollar as a souvenir,” Ali says, pointing to a bill temporarily secured on the wall behind the counter.

Ali is a griddle veteran, but had stepped away for several years to tend to a full time job at the Defense Language Institute. The Creperie Café—located on Fremont in Seaside—joins Monterey’s Crepes on the Row, Crepes of Brittany and Manasiri’s Crepes & Sandwiches as establishments dedicated to the dish.

“I’m very excited and very nervous at the same time,” Ali says of his venture into the restaurant industry. “We’re still learning.” Nodding to his young crew, he adds “They are new to this business, but I love their energy.”

The menu packs a lot into a short list. There are savory crepes layered with vegetables, cheese and even smoked chicken, along with a smoked salmon and all the garnishes. Sweet options include fruit, nutella, chocolate or all of the above. The batter for all crepes is vegan.

“We also offer gluten free batter,” Ali says. “It’s not a common thing to find.”

In addition to crepes, The Creperie Café serves bagels and a brief but compelling selection of panini. Turkey and apple or chicken pesto are perfectly good choices. But why not pear and gouda or chocolate and brie?

The creperie doubles as a coffee shop, and there are a number of teas from different regions.

For now, the shop opens 7am-2pm Monday through Friday and 8am-2pm Saturday and Sunday. After the holidays, Ali hopes to extend weekend hours.

The Creperie Café is located at 1123 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. 901-3900