Hangar Cafe: Pull into Georgetown for delectable crepes, waffles, sandwiches

Talk about a sweet spot.

It's impossible to feel anything but love for this cozy nook, tucked into a tidy, 650-square-foot bungalow in Georgetown.

Owned and run by Justin Taft, former manager of the Essential Baking Company on East Madison Street, Hangar Cafe is a neighborhood favorite, and deservedly so. Taft has crafted a menu filled with staples that have been tweaked just enough to make them both comforting and adventurous.

A friend and I sat down for lunch recently. Unable to decide between the sandwiches, the crepes and the waffles, we ordered one of each. Two people, three meals and no leftovers. You do the math.

A lovely meal worth repeating.

The menu: Savory crepes ($7-$8), served with roasted red potatoes, are topped with crème fraîche and the cafe's signature poblano basil vinaigrette. Offerings include egg/ham/cheese, roast beef, turkey and caprese.

Sweet crepes ($5.25-$7.25) include lemon, pear/brie and coconut/chocolate/banana. The daily special on crepes the day we ate there was a bacon, tomato, spinach and onion concoction that would be hard to improve.

Salads ($5-$7), soup ($3.50-$5) and sandwiches (grilled and cold; $7.25-$7.75) round out a menu that also includes waffles so rich they turn breakfast into dessert ($6.75-$7.50). Stumptown coffee served in large mugs ($1.55 with free refills), teas and juice are available, as well as sides of bacon, yogurt, fruit and potatoes ($1-$4.25).

What to write home about: The crepes, and the poblano basil vinaigrette that turns delicious into divine. The Reuben ($7.25) was succulent and worth traveling for.

What to skip: The lines. The joint is jumping for lunch and on weekends.

The setting: There's seating for about 20 diners, with a little room for elbows. Parties of two are much more likely to be seated quickly, and a very large group arriving at once can all but shut down the kitchen.

Summing up: A grilled Reuben, pumpkin waffle, bacon-veggie crepe and coffee cost $33.

Susan Kelleher: 206-464-2508 or skelleher@seattletimes.com