I been going to Bourke street since it was, well, at Bourke street and needless to say they have…read morebeen consistent in their quality and execution! The tarts and pastries are on point and coffee is great! Only problem, they seem to been going up in price higher than inflation by a mile, but which shop isn't these days especially when you're good!

After a friend of mine suggested Bourke Street Bakery in Parramatta to try out their infamous Creme…read moreBrulee, I was eager to have a taste. Unfortunately for me, they had sold out of Creme Brulees (I arrived their at 3pm so i guess they must be pretty popular) However, FORTUNATELY for me, since I was already lured into the bakery and gawking at the delicious tarts, I had the urge to purchase two of the tarts (~$10 together) which I do not regret depositing most of my daily calories into. The furnishing of the interior and exterior of the store is quite retro and the feels of raw-ness, but its just the perfect balance. I will definitely be coming back for a visit,.. until I get my creme brulee ;)

Finally, a pretty decent place to get a feed up on Level 5 foodcourt in Westfield. Great selection…read moreof salads and patient staff (for those of us who just can't decide on what to order). So here's the deal, you select the size of your takeout container, point to the salads you want and off they go. The grilled chicken and the beef salad are both exceptional and surprisingly, a fair amount of that protein is packed into your container. They suggest various dressings (apparently the lime mayo dressing is to-die-for) but the classic evoo and lemon is perfect to coat the luscious greens in the salad. I suspect my server thought he was an extra in Cocktail - spinning and flipping his spoons and tongs - seriously dude, like I get it, its impressive, but I'd rather keep my eye thanks .. ohh and that's a NO to salad stains on my clothes.

Great selection of sandwiches and rolls, awesome coffee and fantastic friendly staff. Quick service…read moreduring busy time too!

This was a great place to pick up a salad sandwich or chicken schnitzel toastie on a work lunch…read morebreak. Was being the key word. Being convenient and popular, it was the place to get lunch with plenty of seating inside and out. But they just don't have any consistency with pricing. I ordered the same sandwich every day, and each day the price would change. After querying the price differences the sandwich hand was rude and called me a liar. This kind of rudeness is disgraceful and is not warranted, especially when they do not have set pricing, and change it daily. Will not be going back.

Located just beside the wharf this place has a relaxed feel. I opted for the Kick Start brekkie…read more.. Poached eggs, bacon, tomato with Turkish bread. There were a couple of other early bird customers, & then a group of 8 arrived. Parking was breezy caus it was so early. I wondered about so many staff, but in the first half hour I can count at least 25 patrons!

I was waiting for this place to open & I am so glad it has…read more Pit stopped here while doing some late night shopping. I have a soft spot for Vietnamese food and this was great. Food was fresh, hot and flavoursome. Spicy chicken ribs were exactly that. Yum! Crispy pork with crackling was super crunchy just as it should be. Service was very friendly and quick. I'll be back for some phô!

I have been waiting for this place to open! Finally got the chance to try it out and was impressed…read morewith the menu variety. Can definitely see myself being a regular.

Circa is a work of art, a home away from home and an exquisite culinary experience. Baked eggs and…read moresujuk, Ottoman eggs and the coffee are just some of the standouts. The venue itself isles a tip of the hat to Melbourne. The owner and founders are true artisans. The staff are exceptional - professional, friendly and helpful.

Visiting Australia and I could see this becoming a locomotive go-to if I lived nearby. They worked…read morewith my order (Iced Oatmilk latte stirred with honey) and were very accommodating. Friendly baristas, smiles as I walked up. You need to walk through the barista station to get to the dining area but it made it pretty intimate. Small dining area but very cool "Indie" type vibe. My coffee was good and the people were cool. The only thing I would like to see would be a bit more signage out front. It was a bit hard to locate but when you need your daily coffee fix, you're gonna do whatever it takes. Lol. The parking garage was packed but that's not the coffee shops fault. I would say check them out if you're in the area for sure.

Looking for a brekky spot in Parramatta? Look no further than the Paper Plane Cafe. Fast friendly…read moreservice at this quaint cafe. The menu has a surprising amount of options and the back wall featured some of the top ordered items. We chose the Brunch bowl served with grilled haloumi, avocado, quinoa, grilled tomato, spinach, poached egg, pumpkin seeds topped with roasted sesame dressing, a delight that was delicious from the first bite to the last 5/5. We also ordered the French Toast, two French brioche toasts, vanilla ice cream, custard, berries, compote, crushed pistachios and maple syrup 4/5. A delicious breakfast after a nice walk around Parramatta Park!

I just had the best vegetarian breakfast of all time…read more Paper planes cafe is always busy hence the waiting list at the entrance however they're lots of seats around so it was a good sign were in for something special. We were greeted and provided menus. All the food coming out from the kitchen was well presented. Finally I order my vegetarian plate and I see beauty out right before my eyes. Every component had a purpose and even the rocket was dressed with vinegar to dance on my tongue of course. It was much better than the photo posted around 10 months before my visit today. Even then I was keen but now it's blown my mind- never underestimate good food. B-fast plate is $18 add on from bacon, sausage, hash browns are $2. This is now the to go brunch venue. When you try it it sure will be yours too. You can see me there ever lunch from now till forever.

Double waffle drizzled with milk chocolate served with strawberries and 1/2 banana on the side for…read more$20. A trio is $26. A lovely snack in between shopping. Value for $? not quite but definitely a good a treat for kids and a pregnant woman with massive cravings.

Firstly, poor customer service as my friend and I were waiting for our Berrylicious pancakes, for…read morequite some time. The strawberries tasted stale and the pancakes weren't warm. I ordered the 80's milkshake, expecting it to be served in a dine-in coffee cup or such, however I received the milkshake in a take-away cup, not properly filled and no proper explanation as to why the milkshake was not served as a dine-in drink, after asking the staff about the poor drink appeal. I expect better next time, please. If you do not have enough dine-in cups for specific drinks, stock up on extras. It ruins the atmosphere and enjoyment of the place.

A GEM, HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT!*…read more The Gatehouse Tea Rooms' gabled gothic architecture, bathed in dappled afternoon sunlight and set within a garden of topiary and roses is a touch of old England framed by beautiful big trees that embody Australiana. Built in 1887, this would have been a perfect synthesis of the old and new worlds in the colony. So what more perfect place could there be to do as the colony's crème-de-la-crème once did and take high tea here? I adored the quaint interior of this recently restored world heritage-listed cottage, looking out a bay window onto the glorious Old Government House across the way with soft jazz playing in the background; it all added to the charm. For only $39 per person** we enjoyed the Gatehouse's star attraction: a high tea full of delectable dainties; fresh sandwiches and quiche, zingy mini lemon meringue tarts, pastries, rich chocolate tarts, and teeny-weeny cupcakes, candy-pink macarons and jam and cream scones. By far, this was the best high tea I've ever had made all the more special, as it was Mothers Day. We enjoyed each and every morsel immensely and, since these were combined with unlimited top-ups to the gorgeous selection of teas we tried -- including Rose Gray (the best!), Goji Acai and Lime and Ginger Green Tea -- we were so satiated we were compelled to ask for a container to take some of our dainties home for later on when we recovered, which was graciously supplied by the lovely, attentive staff here. Evidently, high tea at the Gatehouse is an experience in and of itself, but if you are city-based and need further persuasion to come out to Parramatta to experience it, indulge me for just a moment; I can see you (OK...it's me) donning a velvety, Phryne Fisher-esque devoré cardigan-cum-kimono and enjoying a high tea in this historic gatehouse as a perfectly divine denouement to a day that began with a scenic ferry ride down the Parramatta river followed by a tour of a plethora of Parramatta's heritage sites, most of which are within easy walking distance of the Macquarie Street Gatehouse Tea Rooms. (Be sure to go for a turn around the old convict lumberyard -- now the wondrous Rumsey Rose Garden -- located directly behind the tea rooms. The Gatehouse is positively stunning from that angle!) Of course, if you're just looking for a quiet spot in the area and don't need the pomp and ceremony of a high tea, know that you can get a beautiful cappuccino, try one of their quality teas, milkshakes or iced coffees/chocolates, order a piece of cake or freshly-baked croissants filled with butter and seasonal jam or savoury muffins that come with highly recommended fresh cucumber yoghurt, too. Dropping in for a lovely bite and beverage is a cinch on the weekdays it is open, (Wednesday to Friday), but can be a slightly more considerable feat on the weekend when it gets very busy, so bookings are recommended. 'Twould seem the secret of this hidden gem is getting out, and rightly so! FIVE STARS. * Oft' I wax lyrical about the heritage gems t' be found within the bounds of Parramatta Park, and yet - I am ashamed to admit it - this one escaped my attention until recently. I found this charming little gatehouse cottage nestled in beside the entrance I most frequently use to enter the park - on Macquarie Street. In my defence, it only opened as tearooms in October 2013, but that doesn't explain how I hitherto failed to see this architectural beauty. The poor lass has only been standing there, looking utterly fabulous waiting to be noticed for 127 years! ** $39 per person is a brilliant price for high tea. Note that there is a full gluten-free high tea option for $44 per person as well! *Review originally written and posted 4 June 2014.

It has a lovely outlook but there is no reason at all for everything to cost almost double what it…read moredoes in other cafes all throughout Parramatta. A standard coffee is 5 bucks and a small muffin size frittata was $13. The food and coffee I tried was nice but nothing to rave about. I was amazed at the sheer number of people who appeared to have gotten dressed up to come to Parra Park and pay big $ for high tea. I guess that's the market its aimed at and they seem to have hit that mark. I think there are a lot of tastier and more affordable options within a few hundred meters.