Essen Espresso & Eatery is a practical all-day café within Te Rapa Park, designed to cover a sit-down meal as readily as coffee and food to go. Its menu moves from cooked breakfast into burgers and substantial lunch plates, while an extensive cabinet supplies savoury choices, sweet treats and fresh baking for a shorter stop. Coffee comes from local supplier Weka Coffee, giving the espresso side of the business a clear place alongside the eatery's broader food offering.
Breakfast can be as straightforward or as filling as the morning requires. The Essen breakfast combines bacon, kransky, hash browns, tomato and eggs with ciabatta, while eggs Benedict sets poached eggs and spinach over potato rosti. A loaded bagel layers scrambled egg, hash brown, mushroom and spinach with hollandaise. For a sweeter direction, French toast pairs brioche with fried banana, bacon and mascarpone, balancing richness, fruit and a savoury edge.
Later in the day, sandwiches and burgers provide most of the heft. Sirloin steak comes on ciabatta with caramelised onion relish and salad, and the B.C.L.T. builds on the familiar format with both bacon and chicken. Burger choices are deliberately varied: barbecue bacon and cheese, chicken with cranberry and camembert, a vegetable patty, or a Kiwi version with beetroot and fried egg. Wedges, kumara fries and plain fries round out the more casual side of the menu.
The drinks and catering ranges widen Essen's usefulness beyond a standard café visit. Espresso drinks and tea sit beside milkshakes, frappes and smoothies built around fruit, oats or yoghurt, with alternative milks available. Corporate catering can be collected or delivered and extends through sandwiches, wraps, sushi, cheese and vegetable platters, savouries, dumplings, bao, baked goods and small sweets. The enquiry process also collects dietary needs, helping workplaces shape a spread for mixed groups.
Address: Unit 11, 43–45 The Boulevard, Te Rapa Park, Hamilton 3200, New Zealand
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