Due to his passion for ham and cheese crepes, Finbar O’Connell and his partner Pippa Dawes decided to bring posh pancakes to Brighton.

One of the few creperies in the city, Crepe Boutique is a welcome alternative to the ubiquitous sandwich bar, not least because crepes (at only 80 calories) are lighter and less fattening than sandwiches – depending on what you decide to load it with, of course.

There’s an imaginative range of hot, cold, sweet and savoury fillings on offer, from the Big Breakfast (£2.95) and the Popeye (spinach and ricotta, £2.75), to the Galette ham and cheese, £2.75), cheesecake (£2.95) and classic lemon and sugar (£2).

The batter used to make the crepes is shipped in from France and is made from only natural ingredients. There are also more sinful fillings to indulge in, such as the Strawbella (strawberries and Nutella, £2.50) and the Saucy (chocolate sauce and toffee sauce, £2.50).

A basic crepe with one filling costs £2.50 but customers can build their own pancakes from the selection of extra fillings at 40p each.

To wash down the tasty snack, there’s a range of flavoured milkshakes, and tea or coffee to choose from.

A children’s menu is also provided, with half-sized crepes for £1.50.

Crepe Boutique is currently take-away only. But with the beach just a stone’s throw from the shop, why not find a comfy patch on the pebbles and indulge? Watch out for thieving seagulls, though.

■ Open Mon to Friday 10am until 5.30pm, Sat 10am until 6pm and Sun 11am until 5pm.