Circa Espresso

I went there for lunch today and asked for one of the meals to that came with poached eggs on the side to come without the eggs (no substitution, no discount, just no eggs on the side). A waiter came back and told me that the cook ‘doesn’t want to make it that way’ and gave me another menu. Interestingly enough the menu states at the bottom ‘if you have any dietary requirements or allergies please let us know’ (for what it was just flatly refused). I do agree that the customer is not always right however as a customer I have the right to vote with my wallet and decided that I didn’t wish to spend my money in a café where the cook believe’s his ego is large enough to judge my dietary requirements. There are enough excellent eateries in Sydney to not have to deal with that.

Best French Toast I have ever had. Everything we ordered was amazing. Going back again for sure.

A really nice café. Yummy and creative food + friendly staff. Coffee was above standard.

Amazing food in a unique café. The service was well above average. The food was well worth a trip back again and again.

Shhhh! don’t tell anyone about this place. I’m going back and try every dish, one by one

Food was great, but the service was very very slow. Took about forty minutes to get a seat, then another forty minutes to be actually served food :(

Best local café in Parramatta. If you can’t be bothered driving all the way to Surry Hills or Alexandria for a nice lunch, then this is the place to go if you’re in the Inner West.
Generous portions. The barramundi was nice and crispy and complimented well with the rice salad. Didn’t feel oily or over cooked. Perfect!
I would definitely come back. Not very good for big groups though as they have limited seats and there’s usually long lines especially during lunch hours and weekends.

Ambience was really quirky and antique. The furniture is very nice. The staff and service was great and the food was delicious.

This is a place that’s a place in the last place you’d look… riiiiiggghhht?!
Totes. So you should go there. They do a mean breakfast. Good coffee. The outside is like a terrace house with the bottom half ripped open, with inviting interior and coffee grinding in the background.
My feet took me in here before I even realised what was happening.
Don’t be confused by the lack of seats out the front, even though there is about 4 tables draiped along the footpath and through the terrace next door’s balconies… once you walk past the kitchen in the middle of the café, there’s more seating out the back! Long seating, booths & tables.
You also come out this way to go to the bathroom. Which I was delighted by when I visited because of the painting and wonderful design. Which more than makes up for the fact that it’s in a garage sort of thing.
Either way, both my dining partner and I enjoyed our meals so much that we’ve decided this is at least a twice a month breakfast on weekend affair.

From the eclectic décor to the passionate staff, everything about Circa Espresso is as balanced and flavorful as the coffee they serve.
Whilst there are many cafes that master great coffee and serve imaginative meals, few manage to ever become more than the sum total of their parts.
The welcoming vibes of the staff spill out over the sidewalk along with the chairs and tables that litter the entrance. The hosts exude a genuinely welcoming air, beyond great customer service and pan-​America smiles into a territory usually reserved for the most loyal of regulars at other businesses. Recommendations and discussions about the food and beverages available come easily to the staff who are not only passionate about people but also about food.
I was recommended the ottoman eggs and wasn’t disappointed. The meal was imaginative and flavorful, mixing taste with texture in a way that was bold and well presented whilst still being as comforting and filling as breakfast should be. The only thing that managed to pull me away from my meal was a delightfully cheerful offer for more of their delicious sourdough toast
The care and precision with which the food was prepared was only matched by the dedication they showed to the coffee they served. Watching the baristas carefully measuring out the grinds and milk — using scales for gram accuracy no less — conjures up the image of an artful alchemist, passionately preparing something warm and invigorating. The staff’s concern for their patrons overflowed into this process as I overheard them quietly discussing adjusting the temperature of the coffee to match the cold parramatta morning.
Having been made feel like a regular already I can’t help but feel I will become one from now on.

Passed by this café on the first day as I landed in Sydney. Unfortunately the first time I dropped by it was almost time for them to close (after 3pm). Yes, I saw the reviews and have bookmarked it for awhile too.
Came here after work on a Thursday evening. Plenty of other customers at the time I was there but managed to grab a seat on the balcony overlooking the passing cars and I was enjoying the scenery (blue skies, green plants, high rise building, etc). So seating wise, there is a few indoors, balcony or side street seatings — depending on how many of people in your group.
Ordered grapefruit juice first and the famous Ottoman Eggs. The words «freshly squeezed» attracted to me first. It was pretty sour as it was grapefruit on its own. Orange juice might be a better refreshing option. After finishing the cup of grapefruit juice, I went on to order the famous Egyptian tea. (I’m not a coffee person so I have no comments on how the different flavored coffees taste like). Egyptian tea was definitely refreshing. I was not too keen on the rosebuds as a mix but they managed to spin the taste around. Not too sweet either.
Ottoman eggs — need not go much about it as other Unilocalers have been recommending it (through different pictures or reviews). Couldn’t describe how tasty, flavorful this particular dish was. I am a fan of poached eggs and it definitely hit the craving spot in me.
Overall, even though the price is a little steep here but it is definitely worth an investment for unique flavors of dishes the cooks have created. Ottoman eggs and Egyptian tea are must-​tries here :)

Coming from Hawaii, I always believed we had incredible service, food, culture, taste, etc. This… PRIZEWINNING boutique restaraunt was beyond anything I’ve experienced. Our server angelina, was just amazing and truly made the Sydney experience soooo much greater. She was there in a jiffy if my friend and I needed something. The wait was never long for anything Bc she was so attentive.
The food, was… Truly something else. It looked so delicately beautified, I was too scared to eat it and mess it up. Not only was the appearance grand, but the taste, was out of this world. Not to mention the banana bread, & lilikoi jam!!! Truly something else! If only there were more stars. Thankyou to this beautiful place, who’s customer service is unbeatable

Amazing coffee and lovely breakfasts in this smallish café. It’s feels very Melbourne which I wasn’t expecting in Parramatta. Only negative I have is that the door of the back room opens onto a car park which spoils the overall atmosphere a bit. Not too expensive either.

This place is the best!!! The coffee is to die for. I had this really lush ricotta, fig, cinnamon toast dish and I nearly had a foodgasim. Hubby had the eggs with chorizo — it comes out in the pan which it was cooked in which is pretty cool!
This is probably the coolest café in Parra! I felt like a true hipster! :)

This blew us away. It really was a shot in the dark using the Unilocal tool and it just happened to be amazing. Great staff, manager was welcoming and was on top of it the whole time despite the place being packed out.
Coffee was great, meals were exceptional and it was much better than many of the inner west cafes it keeps on getting compared to. I can really recommend this café if you are out for the day in Parramatta and need a good coffee and meal.

It was great to stumble across a place like Circa out west. They have all the traits of your typical indie café without the pretentiousness, whether it’s from staff or fellow customers.
The coffee is a nice creamy blend, and the sparkling water is definitely a nice touch. I would highly recommend the ottoman eggs and the soft boiled eggs with avocado toast.
I also saw the French toast being taken out from the kitchen — that’s next on my hit list.
Review update: I hit the French toast — it’s as good as it looks!

The coffee is yum, the staff are both friendly and knowledgable.
The décor is mishmash and somewhat «hipster»
It’s packed during prime brunch times and I’m yet to sample from this menu but the food I’ve seen walk by me looks pretty tasty.
Coffee comes with a small shot of sparkling water — a very nice touch.

Circa also known as the only hipster Café outside of the inner west of Sydney. It’s just 2 minutes walk from the Parramatta Station however limited seating does limit the number of customers unless you are ok with a street table. If you do bring your sunnies and sun-​block, it’s in direct sunlight.
OTTOMAN EGGS $ 17 (Poached free range eggs with crumbed eggplant, garlic labne, burnt chilli & sage served with a sourdough seeded baguette)
Quite a unique take on eggs. Poached eggs were slightly overcooked, meaning less yolk porn that there should have been. I’m just a fan of fried eggplant, it brought back memories of that street food back home. However, overall was a well balanced dish, although will not fill you up, very small portion indeed.
BACON AND EGG ROLL SPECIAL
Probably one of the best bacon and egg roll I’ve ever had. The bacon strips were flash fried to a soft texture. The x factor was those crispy bacon bits bringing texture, flavour and saltiness to the roll. The rest of the ingredients were faultless.
FRENCH TOAST $ 15 (French toast with poached rhubarb, brulee banana, mascarpone yoghurt, cinnamon and spiced honey syrup)
This French toast is quite the opposite to the norm of a square toast topped with ingredients instead the presentation is very refined and not drowning the toast with the garnish. I’m sure the chef made sure that each piece of fruit had a matching piece of toast. That precision is reflected in the cooking as the toast is lightly fried, the inside is still fluffy and could have been served by itself.
Conclusion
Very professional service, waitors take the orders without writing, constantly scanning the room to refill water, clear plates and update customer on food status. The menu had some quite unique dishes along with foodie café favourites. However I would only sit inside, not a fan of their outdoor seating. A local favourite for westies however not worth traveling for but you should check them out if you fancy their menu.
@thesydneynoob

It’s just on 8 on Saturday morning and the place is filling up! I grabbed a table out on the street. There’s not much of a passing parade… Everybody is coming here!
I ordered the Ottoman Eggs. Think poached, think crisp crumbed eggplant, labne, think burnt chilli & sage butter, think YUM.
When I’m out for breakfast I like to have something nicer than what I might make at home. This brekkie was a winner!!!
I’ll need to return to try some of their other treats.

Have been here now about 3 times and yes it’s been amazing all those times!
Located opposite the train station on Wentworth St. You will not see a sign but you can spot the outdoor seating and the colourful graffiti art wall!
There were a few seats outside or indoors, i tend to go inside as it is more cosy, plus you get to enjoy the wall artwork and books they have scattered around.
Everything on the menu sounds delicious. I have already tried the baked eggs, omlette and egg and bacon sandwich. All thats left to try is the ottomon eggs! :P
Staff are always friendly and attentive. Coffee is great, however, will have to trial out their African hot chocolate next time as it looks delicious!
Tables tend to fill up fast so try to get there early if its on the weekend!