CIRCA ESPRESSO: ALL ABOUT COFFEE WORDS James Perkins PHOTOGRAPHY Circa Espresso F A little café in an alleyway brought colour and character to Wentworth Street and put Parramatta on the Sydney brunch trail. Frustrated by a lack of good food and coffee in Parramatta, Aykut Sayan looked at the vacant space between two heritage-listed terraces on Wentworth Street and decided to build a café. He laid the foundations by hand, added the roof, and connected the water and power. “Let me try and see what happens,” he thought to himself at the time. The space reminded Aykut of romantic Melbourne alleyways, a feeling he hoped to recreate in Parramatta. He worked to construct the quirkiest venue in what was then a conservative and unoriginal area. That was back in 2010, and Aykut didn’t expect to be there for more than six months. In fact, he was deciding on his exit before Circa Espresso even opened, as he didn’t think the concept would gain traction. Three years later, though, Circa Espresso was recognised with Three Cups and the Café of the Year award in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Café Guide. Circa Espresso was there to stay, and those streets near Parramatta railway station would never be ‘boring and unoriginal’ again. A FUSION OF FRANCE AND THE MIDDLE EAST Circa Espresso is a reflection of Aykut and all the elements that give him comfort. He has an affinity with Middle Eastern flavours, but he is also infatuated with the Frenchstyle,andhehascreatedauniquefusionofthetwoculturesatCircaEspresso. At the entrance, an enormous painting of a French Bulldog, who became friends with Aykut at the time he was creating the café, welcomes guests. Inside, there are penny-farthings hung on the walls, and diners sit on rustic timber furniture surrounded by brass fittings that create a lived-in feel, while providing a glimpse of another time. “It’s the kind of space that has the old Melbourne feel to it,” says Aykut. “The café is continually evolving but the feel and concept remains the same.” SEARCH ENGINE 19