Unearthing the best coffee and most unique breakfasts in Parramatta
What makes Parramatta’s cafe scene so strong is the way it reimagines the flavours of our many local food cultures, with dishes paying homage to the Mediterranean, India and beyond.
In the past decade, Parramatta has witnessed a cafe culture (and specialty coffee) boom. Ask any coffee lover in the area where it all began, and they’ll likely bring up Circa Espresso — a much-loved, hole-in-the-wall credited with pioneering farm-to-table breakfasts and setting the bar for our coffee game since 2010. What makes Parramatta’s cafe scene so strong is the way it reimagines the flavours of our many local food cultures, with dishes paying homage to the Mediterranean, India and beyond.
On top of that, there’s been a recent wave of new-gen café founders entering the fold, like Hannah Kassis, who left a career in graphic design to open June in Winston Hills in 2022. She was just 22 years old at the time, but with the highly residential area yelling out for a place for the community to gather and with rents being more affordable than more popular city centre locations, she decided to take the plunge. How’s it been going so far? See it for yourself below — we caught up with her over fudgy, moreish brownies baked by her sister.
As for the rest of our must-visit cafes in the area: read on for our picks, plus the most unique dishes to order once you’re there.
Threefold Pastry, Parramatta CBD
Come early for the: monthly-rotating loaded croissants
Stay for the: pies
Ask anyone who works in the Parramatta CBD where to get a good coffee and pastry, and they’ll likely direct you straight to Threefold Pastry. As you wait in line (often long winding out the door) you’ll get to watch the chefs’ prep rows upon rows of sandwiches and croissants.
Misc., Parramatta CBD
Come early for the: ricotta hotcakes
Stay for the: breezy brunch cocktails and leafy view
A leafy haven perched on the riverfront of Parramatta Park, Misc. is arguably the best brunch spot in Parramatta — if not the entire city. Since 2022, food lovers from all over Sydney have been descending in droves to feast on breezy cocktails and Mediterranean mezze-style spreads, with a chili-honey-doused saganaki dish that is well worth the trip and, of course, the fluffiest ricotta hotcakes topped with berry butter and aniseed maple syrup.
June, Winston Hills
Come early for the: Smooth date smoothie
Stay for the: Avo Good Day – a unique take on a crowd favourite
June's location in the heart of Winston Hills gives it a distinct local flavor that attracts a chic and trendy crowd, making it an ideal spot to hang out and soak up the neighborhood vibe. Snag yourself a spot outside in the sun, order your coffee of choice (beans by Single O) and don’t leave without getting one of their homemade brownies to-go. Fun fact: they are a family recipe and gluten-free.
Thirsty Monkey, Wentworth Point
Come early for the: soft serve açai bowls
Stay for the: Wentworth Point harbour views
With their mix-and-match style soft serve açai menu, Thirsty Monkey has seen a meteoric rise, which saw the opening of their second outpost in Marrickville. The original, however, is worth the visit - especially if you catch ferry over to soak in those harbour views. As for the toppings? There’s peanut butter, biscoff, nutella and everything in between.
Chatkazz, Harris Park
Come early for the: assorted jalebi
Stay for the: Idlhi Sambhar
Chatkazz has long been a popular destination for lunch and dinner, but what many of you may not know is that, recently, they’ve opened on weekends for breakfast! This Harris Park favourite is known for one of the most extensive menus out there, but if you’re going to try just one thing, make it the Idlhi Sambhar — a popular Southern Indian breakfast of steamed, savoury rice cakes surrounded by a mix of warm, fragrant stews and chutneys.
Darcy St. Project, Epping
Come early for the: a steamy pour over coffee
Stay for the: eggs on toast with a side of chorizo
As a social enterprise, Darcy St. Project is a true community cafe in every sense of the word. When enjoying a breakfast here, it’s good to know you’re supporting one of their many social initiatives, all designed to feed and provide training for those at risk in our communities. On the coffee front, theirs is about as good as it gets — owner John Cafferatta is a true coffee obsessive who hunts out beans from the best local roasteries around.
Homage Specialty Coffees, Parramatta CBD
Come early for the: housemade bircher muslei
Stay for the: cheeseburger jaffle
Liza Chehade founded Homage in tribute to her brother in-law Sam who passed away from brain cancer. Inspired by the grungy cafes and terrific coffee of northwest Melbourne, this industrial-style spot in the throng of George St serves up coffees with beans by Five Senses and Proud Mary. Their sandwich game is also hard to pass on — especially that cheeseburger jaffle.
Circa Espresso, Parramatta CBD
Come early for the: Ottoman eggs
Stay for the: a sunny courtyard seat (if you can snag it)
Circa Espresso has been dishing out great coffee and Mediterranean-inspired breakfast to hungry locals (and food tourists) since 2010. In that time, they’ve developed cult-status dishes that never leave the menu, like their creamy, dippable Ottoman eggs. Don’t leave with trying them, with rosehip and hibiscus iced tea to wash it all down.
Lucien Baked Goods, Parramatta CBD
Come early for the: morning sunlight
Stay for the: pistachio scroll
From the team behind Circa comes Lucien Baked Goods, an all-day bakery. Grab yourself a coffee and a bag of treats — from smoke ham danishes to caremalised canelés and Persian love cakes — then head down to the nearby Parramatta River-front, and dig in.
