Circle Café

Circle Café is now a bit of a Balmain institution. I think they’re run by the Uniting Church, and the café is used for Sunday morning worship (and thus not open as a café on Sundays).
While the food is fairly good (with a bit of a Francofile & Mediterranean feel to it), I tend to come here for the venue, not for the food.
There’s a fabulous leafy front garden, with a mix of sun and shade, and plenty of tables. Inside, the café opens up into an airy atrium space, and sometimes this can provide a peaceful, quiet place to read or study (it still feels a little like a chapel in this section). Old movie posters line the walls. In winter they have a gas fire (the kind with the pretend flames) in the fireplace. The atmosphere is cosy, comfortable and neighbourly.
This is not a hip, trendy café — it’s a favourite of my parents’, and their friends. It’s good for kids too — and plenty of space for strollers (though you have to get them up some steps).

When I first walked the length of Circle Café — that is through the garden, up the stairs, past the counter, through the restaurant, past the stage with the grand piano and high ceilings, on my way to the bathroom — I thought ‘wow, what a fantastic live gig venue’. Having worked with musician and as compare for a gig night in London I have developed a knack for scoping out good venues for live music. This was a winner for sure. So I asked the lady at the till if they did indeed have live music nights here. She told me no. The piano is used for a church group that gather here on Sundays. OK cool. The potential of this old manor is huge. So until the day comes when someone decides to revamp a little the Circle Café will be a breaky and lunch hang out only. A good one at that.
Sitting off the street in the front courtyard you are high enough to not notice the traffic. I like the wooden logs for seats and the benches one level up again that you can sit at alone and ponder the world away.
Their menu has a French/​Mediterranean flavour. I love that they use organic butter and maple syrup as well as free range eggs and chicken. They do cater for those who are gluten intolerant thought the gluten free bread is a little cakey for my liking.
They use Neoma coffee.
High chairs available.