Sofi’s Crepes to open on Rehoboth Boardwalk in May

For five years, Rehoboth Beach’s Frankis family has served visitors at three Greene Turtle locations. But for their next venture, the family is taking a page out of Monty Python with something completely different.

That something is Sofi’s Crepes, which has its roots in Baltimore and Annapolis and is expanding outside of Maryland for the first time. Owner William Frankis said he was recommended to try out Sofi’s Crepes in Baltimore by his stockbroker, who had worked with Sofi’s founder Ann Costlow at Merrill Lynch.

“We had never heard of it,” Frankis said. “We went and checked it out and were so impressed with it.”

Set to open in mid-May at 105 S. Boardwalk next to Playland Arcade, Sofi's will offer a simple menu: crepes and craft sodas.

Savory crepes will include The Godfather, a crepe topped with pepperoni, salami, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and spinach, and the Crepe Florentine, with fresh spinach, mushrooms, gruyere cheese, sunflower seed and pepper parmesean sauce. Frankis said a popular style is The Kevin Bacon, with turkey, bacon, cheese and tomatoes with 1,000 Island sauce. At Sofi's Maryland stores, the savory crepes are priced between $7 and $9.

Sweet crepes are just that, with styles such as the Crepe Suzette, s’mores, apple crisp and Nutella. Sweet crepes are priced between $4 and $7.

Sofi’s will be walk-up only, with no tables. He said Sofi’s is also conscious of its carbon footprint, so there are no plates, no forks and no knives. Much like a food truck, Thrasher’s or ice cream, Sofi’s Crepes are made to order, wrapped in foil and eaten by hand. Frankis said the intention is for people to get their crepes and eat them as they walk the Boardwalk.

“We’re always thinking outside of the box. We spend a lot of time pondering one question: What could this town use? And that’s how we come up with our next venture,” Frankis said.

Sofi’s is a family affair in more ways than one: it will be the first venture run by Frankis’ 21-year-old son, Mitch, who has been learning the business at the family's Lewes Greene Turtle.

“The opportunity to have my own thing going on is really exciting to me. To share a business that I’m excited about with all the people on the Boardwalk is going to be great,” Mitch said.

That excitement filters down to his dad as well.

“I’m always excited,” Frankis said. “I’m really confident. Crepes are really having a big resurgence.”

Sofi’s Crepes will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.