Houstonians can add another dessert destination to their lists. Lady M Confections,  an upscale dessert shop known worldwide for its Mille Crêpes (which translates to “thousand-layer” crepe cakes), has a permanent presence on Level 2 of the Galleria Mall across from the Apple Store.  It’s Lady M’s 18th boutique in the United States and officially opens on Thursday, May 25. In addition to the mille crepes, it offers cakes, including cheesecakes. “We specialize in creating a luxury cake that has a luxury experience with it,” says the Chief of Staff at Lady M. 

Lady M started in New York City in 2001 and quickly grew its reputation as a top confectionery took over the Big Apple with a sweet spell in 2004 by opening its first retail location in Manhattan. CEO Ken Romaniszyn was fascinated by how Japanese confections are only moderately sweet (compared to American desserts) and made with only the best seasonal ingredients. Since debuting in New York City, Lady M has expanded to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan and received overwhelming support from Asian populations globally. 

Each Mille Crepe Cake takes at least 30 hours to make. Each has— 20 layers of handmade, paper-thin crepes filled with a precise amount of flavored pastry cream. Because of the craftsmanship and quality ingredients, Lady M’s Mille Crepes are recognized as the Louis Vuitton of Cakes.

Lady M Galleria is opening with brand-new seasonal Mille Crêpe flavors, including guava and lavender. For the guava, expect a perfect marriage of fresh, tropical fruit purée and classic mille crepes. Houston is the first and only city that carries this flavor in May. 

The new lavender flavor is layered with scented blackberry jelly and lavender-blackberry cream between the lacy crepes, offering nuanced floral and fruity notes. Lady M has a long history of offering floral-inspired Mille Crêpes at other locations, such as Osmanthus in Hong Kong, the special rose for Mother’s Day in Taipei, and Jasmine-Calamansi in Bellvue. 

Lady M also provides cake options such as Checkers Cake, Berry Mont Blanc Tart, and Strawberry Shortcake. These are great options for those who want something more traditional — and durable, as these hold their shapes much better than the Mille Crêpes. These also tend to be visually appealing when sliced open, thanks to the careful construction. 

Lady M is also known for crafting city-specific flavors, such as Taipei Limited Sesame Ti Kuan Yin, Hsinchu Limited Brown Sugar Peanuts, Taichung Limited Hōjicha, Maccu Limited Coconut, and LA/OC Limited Peach Cobbler. Houston may be getting its exclusive flavor.

Lady M has had plenty of opportunities to test the Houston market, having held five pop-ups in the city over the past few years. Those pop-ups demonstrated customers’ eagerness for a permanent place to get the finely crafted desserts. 

The Signature Mille Crêpes and Green Tea Mille Crêpes are great starting points for those who’ve not tried Lady M’s pastries. The new Galleria shop should also prove an excellent spot for afternoon tea and after-dinner sweets. 

For those who love a melt-in-your-mouth sensation, any cheesecake-lover won’t resist Lady M’s Gâteau Nuage. The fancy name of this not-so-traditional cheesecake translates to “cloud cake,” It lived up to its reputation thanks to the airy cream cheese laden upon a cinnamon graham cracker crust and finished with a thin layer of sweetened sour cream, which gives it a smooth finish. It was named in Bon Appetit’s “Ten of the Best Cakes in America”t. Also, New York Magazine (in 2006) and TimeOut (in 2022) crowned it “The Best Cheesecake in New York City.” 

During Lady M’s first month in Houston, expect limited seating availability and possible wait times for pre-orders, pickup, and local same-day delivery. 

To enjoy the optimal taste of Mille Crêpes, keep them refrigerated within the first hour, and devour the cake within 48 hours.  Crepes are not inexpensive. A slice will hurt your wallet for $10.80; a six-inch cake is $66, and a nine-inch cake is $108.

Lady M Galleria is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.,  Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.   

Jean Lin

Lin is a Houston Food Finder contributor with a natural affinity toward Asian food and desserts.