Review Espresso - Johannesburg

This restaurant is one of those that spill out onto the sidewalk in a very trendy suburb. The atmosphere is great. It is pricey and busy. No reservations can be made, and you might have to wait at the bar for a table. The kitchen is tiny, and I'm amazed at the quality and quantity of food that it turns out. The waiters are observant and very efficient. We will definitely return to this one.

Lovely pizza, great service, but incredibly hot and uncomfortable. (The weather is not your fault). But really enjoyed the food.

This is an awesome restaurant and we recommend it for anyone who hasn't been there. Menu options are a killer and the food is exquisite. Not too many options to pay though, Cash and Zapper.

Great place to have a chill day with friends. Food is worth the wait. Huge selection of items in the menu! Definitely something for everyone.

Menu and Vibe...the absolute best ❤️❤️🥳👊🏽 Had the Chicken Prego and Kingklip...ofcourse with extra bevis... best 👌🏽 👍🏽 😋😋😉

Really good food, excellent service, the vibes are really awesome.. A really nice place to chill. During the day or night. The staff are really friendly. Its also dog friendly

Was fine. We were there very early which grants them some leeway in my mind because I can only assume that maybe their kitchen staff weren't all there yet or something which would be why our food took so long and maybe wasnt 100 percent indicative of what they would usually put out.

Best pizza in the world! I had the most delicious pizza with chicken strips, bacon, avo and peri peri sauce and I was in heaven! On top of that, the atmosphere and service were superb. Thank you for a great experience, I will definitely be coming back here again!

Well presented and tasty food. Great atmosphere and first class service

superb superb superb... My new fav restaurant.. must try Peri peri chicken pizza or they also do veg option in the same sauce...dont forget to order extra peri peri sauce. CARRY CASH

Wide variety on their menu, great taste, portions and service. The ONLY take Zapper and cash (they have a facility on site where you can draw cash). Great place to sit and people watch.

Always friendly waiters. Good food and atmosphere.

Espresso is a very trendy restaurant in Parkhurst with a European style of a street eatery. It is a good vibe and has great food. I love the prego roll. The pizzas are also great.

Been going here since I was a boy. If I could give Espresso more than 5 stars, I would! Pizzas are the best in SA..

A bit expensive and takes a while for the food to arrive. But their food is so tasty, and their alcohol is strong (cocktails). They also don't have a card machine, make sure to take cash. Also a nice vibe. Would recommend

Fabulous restaurant! The food was absolutely delicious and the cocktails are amazing. Can definitely recommend for great service and atmosphere too.

Cosy spot, esthetic beautiful done, reasonable priced, I'm not a Vanilla person, but the cake was deliciously fresh,with coconut flakes. The rooibos tea was premium quality. 👌

Busy restaurant, Great vibe, delicious pizzas and drinks.. Cash only accepted, there is a Standard Bank ATM in the restaurant. The staff are great, we had an awesome evening!

This is one of our favorite restaurants. We often order the chicken prego and calzone Maria. The peri peri sauce is out of this world. We would buy it if we could. I have never found a chicken prego as good as here. The chicken itself is tender and flavorful. When we have strayed from our ‘usuals’ the food is always outstanding. We have found the service to be good too. They now have Zapper which makes it convenient to pay if we don’t have cash.

No better place to plug into the Jozi vibe. You’ll find The Who’s Who here on a Saturday afternoon. No bookings and no credit cards, but this doesn’t stop its loyal customers. Grab a table on the pavement, order a couple bottles of wine and watch the neighborhood pass by for a couple hours. Order anything with their peri peri sauce.

A really nice restaurant to go to. The staff are friendly. I would recommend the Chicken Prego - it is incredible. They only accept cash so just keep that in mind when going there.

Was really surprised when I saw their rating was 4.1 stars... Espresso is fing great, their fillet prego is probably the best in Jozi. I live around the corner from this place and have NEVER had a bad experience.

Having landed in this part of town needed a place to have a quick bite. Espresso has a European cafe feel with tables on the side walk. Our server was quite experienced and attentive. Ordered the Norwegian pizza which was really tasty. To my surprise the restaurant does not accept card payments, which I found to be quite an inconvenience, especially since the waiter didn’t tell us about the cash only payment option. There’s a standard bank atm on the premises which is still not good enough because you’ll be paying exorbitant bank fees if you bank with a different bank. Other than the payment debacle my overall experience was a pleasant one.

Had dinner here Sunday evening. Food was excellent. Service was not great. The waiter was seldom around and seemed irritated with having to serve us? Then we discovered they don’t take cards. You have to pay cash or Zapper only? Really?? Mixed emotions about coming back.

Came here on recommendation to try their pizza, in specific the Espresso Filletto. <br/>The pizza was good, just a bit on the saucy side, so my husband ended up eating it with a knife and fork as the topping would not stay on the base. Excellent tasting pizza, but in hind site would go with it in a calzone next time. <br/>As I have been craving halloumi, I went with the ravioli - unfortunately I couldnt taste the halloumi due to the napolicrema sauce, but it was still a decent pasta. The waiter did recommend the pumpkin ravioli with the sage sauce. <br/>We ended off with the hazelnut meringue, which is good for 2 people to share. <br/><br/>They have a selection of craft beers, local and imported beers and a few gins on offer. <br/>The restaurant does get quite busy, lunch time is probably better than dinner time. <br/>Staff are very friendly and service times are not bad. <br/>Overall a good experience and I would recommend espresso's to anyone in the area looking for a chilled vibe with plenty to offer on the menu.

Still one of my favorite restaurants! The prego sauce is out of this world on everything from Pregos to pizzas or both! Love the cocktails and friendly waiters!

Man I love this place! When you get a table, you’re not going to wanna leave.<br/><br/>We just went for breakfast, but when I drive past usually they are so packed because of popularity.<br/><br/>Service is great, food is great, vibe is great.<br/><br/>Definitely a Parkhurst must!

Great food selection. Lovely calamari and my husband loves their pizzas. Not a big selection of craft beers which are over priced .<br/>NO cards accepted though which makes it a bit annoying.

A lovely little restaurant on the streets of Parkhurst.<br/><br/>Their menu has a wide variety. Our table ordered their artichoke and ham pizza, chicken schnitzel (which is a rather large portion) and I had ordered the sesame seed chicken strips with chips with a warm honey mustard sauce. The food was delicious and well prepared.<br/><br/>Service was lovely. Our waitress was patient and made sure all our needs were attended to.<br/><br/>The restaurant does not have card facilities so be sure to have cash on hand or the Zapper app, which is what our table used to pay the bill.<br/><br/>We thoroughly enjoyed our girls lunch and will definitely be back to try out the breakfast menu.

What a nice restaurant that’s vibey, filled with people and the menus great! Only problem is, you gotta pay cash!!! It’s a bit inconvenient but if you’re a fan then you just gotta remember to go to the atm before you head there.

Just had the most amazing calzone at Espresso. perfectly cooked, unbelievable flavour, absolutely unreal. My wife had veal and my daughter an Alfredo pasta, just spectacular. Our waiter has been attentive and quick to help, all in all a great dining experience.

We visited Espresso on a Friday evening and thoroughly enjoyed our meals.<br/><br/>We ordered the Espresso Cotta pizza, which was so delicious, i couldn’t even wait for a photo before tucking in.<br/><br/>The prego roll was also very good, however, a bit plain.<br/><br/>The service was slow and we battled to track down our waitress to bring us the bill.<br/><br/>I will definitely be back for that pizza.<br/><br/>

Oh my word the best Chicken prego of my life. I can’t wait to go back. Good service, nice atmosphere and delicious food. It is a must for pasta, Prego’s or pizza!

Large menu yet good quality food. The fillet is great, callamari is amazing and the spare ribs pizza is beyond. Consistently good service and food. Sometimes they run out of the limited craft beer selection. But always a good spot to chill and have a drink or 2.

Espresso has been a long time favorite of mine BUT WHAT THE HECK HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR PORTION SIZES? I am beyond dissatisfied and disappointed. We ordered 2 portions calamari doppio (which means double...lol) for over R100 each and gnocchi napolicrema. Take a look at the pictures if you don't believe me. You guys seriously need to up your game. Just because we got take out and didn't sit down, doesn't mean you can be so damn stingy. Get your sh*t together. Andrew J Barker TheJoburgFoodie

You call yourself Espresso Caffe but your staff have no idea what a Cortado is and don't know anything about the beans. I didn't bother asking for a flat white. This confuses me, but it upsets me because I feel misled. Don't you feel it's misleading? For example if I had a place with the name Pizza in it, I would expect my staff to be able to tell you about the cheese, and know what a Margherita is. If you could help me understand, that would be great. Points for friendly staff though.

Had an amazing pasta here, really wholesome and a great portion size for the price paid. The service was great considering the place was busy. Love the ambience of being on the street in parkhurst at night with low lighting and a candle on the table.

Great experience and ambience. The Espresso Cotta pizza is unbelievable 😍 and the grilled calamari is delicious. Pity they don’t accept cards.

I was there this morning. After buying a Texan Coffee for R50.00 as was most disappointed. They say it is 500ml coffee. The cup only hold 400ml (as I have thee same cup at home). Then they only fill it half way and the rest is frothy milk! And that now passes as a R50 cup of coffee. Disgusting and day light robbery! I joined up with Zomato just to leave this revue. NOT recommended at all.

Still the best pizza in Jozi! The espresso cotta is incredible and will always return for this. Food is always high standard and service always good. Great spot, long may it last

Really good steak pregos. The juices are pre-made and come bottled - it was ok tasting nothing spectacular. Service is decent. They don't take cards - cash only.:(

I love the espresso rump with the delicious sauce. It was absolutely delicious the first time we had it. So recommended it as a day out with friends and the second time wasn't so great. My steak was a bit chewy and some of the veg was still hard. We all experienced this. The food did take a very long time the second time we went. <br/><br/>I would still like to go back and hope for an experience like my first cos the food was just really good then.<br/><br/>The service has always been good.<br/>

I wish I had a photo of the scrumptious meal I had her unfortunately I don't. <br/>However I thoroughly enjoyed the flavors in their food. I find they really balance flavors well and pair them perfectly in their dishes. <br/>I have been stuck on rainy days before a long night of work and the serving staff are so lovely and friendly and really make you feel quite comfortable. <br/><br/>Highly recommend coming here to anyone.

I used to come here very often, and forgot how much I enjoy this restaurant! The food is consistently to my taste, the waiters friendly, and the atmosphere just as I like it. We had 3 very different meals and all agreed they were very good.

Went through to try their prego roll and was pretty impressed. The meal was delicious and portions are pretty big. Service was really good as well. Just a note that they don't take cards so make sure you have cash (or zapper) on hand if you're popping by. <br/><br/>Food 4/5<br/>Service 4/5<br/>Ambience 4/5

Dark, dingy, yet strangely attractive and enticing. How they have gotten away with only a cash service is beyond me. The service is good, food is good and this place pumps. It's become more of a drinking hole but as I said earlier....there is something that makes you come back for more. It's enjoyable and fun. Not a first date sort of place well may be during the week. But definitely not on the weekend.

I have always wanted to visit Espresso as it has been around for years and I have always heard good reviews. The decor is black and white, a little outdated. The service was good. The food we had was good. I especially enjoyed the beef prego. That peri peri sauce is deliciously creamy....I want to put this on everything. It came with yummy crispy chips too.

I love Espresso. It's one of my haunts that remains a crowd favorite. <br/><br/>Excellent staff and a wide selection of well prepared tasty food, bound to please all your guests. There's always a young fun and funky vibe at Espresso.

Espresso makes you feel as though you're sitting in a Parisian bistro, far far away from South Africa. Stunning atmosphere, lovely coffees. I highly recommend the hazelnut cafe latte.

Lovely waitress - very attentive and full of humor. Fantastic food - the Prego steaks were a massive hit at our table. Well priced menu with a fortune of variety. Espressos was packed - and for good reason. Note: it's cash only, so remember to draw money beforehand.

Brilliant meal and great service. Went with friends for dinner and throughly enjoyed every mouthful. You can't book or pay by card so download zapper or remember to take cash.

Espresso is one of the longer standing and consistent restaurants on the Parkhurst strip with people flocking here to eat great Italian food and drink copious amounts of wine.<br/>We got here and squeezed into one of the last available tables. <br/>Due to how busy it is the restaurant is very loud so is not the ideal place for an intimate gathering.<br/>I just had a minimalistic pizza to eat, the base was nice and thin however it was a little too heavy on the cheese for me which drowned out any other hint of flavour.

Extremely friendly staff, great service. Staff are engaging and make the experience pleasant. Have only had a few of the pizzas. All very tasty. Unusually Runny topping, but can overlook that for the great tastes. Might want to ask for a spoon for some of the pizzas 😆, especially Mince ones.

Wow this place gets busy on a Saturday night... while most of the restaurants on the strip had tables available, we obviously chose the one with the waiting list 😂 Luckily they have a bar you can chill at while you wait. It didn't take long until we were seated, and the atmosphere is nice and busy and quite intimate. The service was slow understandably but we all needed the extra time to decide what to have because everything sounded quite delicious.<br/><br/>Espresso Pizza: my main goal for the outing was to try their famous peri peri sauce. They serve it on quite a few items and I managed to try three different ways with the creamy sauce. I ordered the pizza with Calamari and Bacon. There wasn't much bacon, but the calamari was nice and tender enough. The whole pizza was swimming in the sauce and lots of cheese, which was all really delicious. I do however think Topo Gigio (which has a similar peri peri sauce and calamari pizza combo) did it a little better. However the pizza was still yummy and I was pretty satisfied.<br/><br/>Chicken Prego: I had a big bit of my boyfriends prego which was really good: the chicken was cooked well and the sauce worked so well with it. My only complaint would be the price... it's nearly R100 for one prego and chips, a bit much for the meal I think.<br/><br/>Calamari Pasta: I stole a few bites of my friend's pasta as that was my other option to order, and it was amazing. The calamari was bigger than on my pizza, and the sauce had a more spicy tang to it. It was really probably the best dish at the table. It's a bit steep at R130 though.<br/><br/>Overall it was a fun evening, it's a great place to go for get togethers and the food is really good, albeit a bit pricey.<br/><br/>Food: 4 / 5<br/>Value for Money: 3 / 5<br/>Ambience: 4.5 / 5<br/>Service: 3 / 5

The best thing about this restaurant is the diverse menu. Definitely a good spot to choose when going out for a meal with a bunch of people as there will something for everyone. Portions are generous and tasty - salads are very substantial! Only downside is the cash payment thing, but doesn't seem to deter anyone (just more of a pain than anything else). Always a reliable spot as food is always good.

I am a firm believer in the location of a restaurant determining what type of vibe you will get, and I will go on to further say that sidewalk restaurants give the place more of an edge. There is something very therapeutic about being able to sit at a restaurant, enjoy the warmth of the sun, and look out at people in a non creepy way enjoying their days. Hence why i really loved this place, my recommendation could be over hyped because of how much I enjoyed the scenery, but I like to think of myself as a pretty rational person, so those who go, will understand the admiration for the place.<br/> <br/>I can admit that it is very childish for a grown woman such as myself to go out to restaurants to eat chicken sticks when going out, but this one is justified because they were maybe better than any other meal that was served that day. The chicken had the perfect crisp, with really good soft chicken, accompanied by this incredible sauce that turned the sticks into something out of this world. If you are looking for a light meal, free yourself from the typical calamari and chicken livers, and try the chicken sticks.<br/> <br/>This kind of restaurant I think is perfect for a Saturday early afternoon lunch, when the sun is out, people have energy which gives of the vibrant vibe and there are positive spirits during the day. It is great for intimate social purposes, so coming here with people that you are familiar with and would like to join enjoy each others company, or the type of place that you have an informal meeting because the setting allows someone to be comfortable. The sidewalk vibes create a sense of relaxation, ease and comfort.<br/> <br/>I would come here with young mature adults, and adults. The type of people that would enjoy the mature vibe that it gives off, but not misinterpret it with serious/high end restaurants. It is more expensive than your typical restaurants, so that should be taken into account depending on the people you are trying to bring along.<br/> <br/>Overall, my chicken sticks were thoroughly enjoyed at this beautiful sidewalk restaurant. If you are looking for something to do on a fine Saturday, this is your best bet.

This place has a great vibe. We sat for hours just drinking and eating good food. Can't fault them with that at all. But it's so so so horrible that they don't have a card machine. Like i personally don't travel around with cash because it's dangerous. But you would think that there should be a card machine. But overall not a bad experience at all. Food was good.

Drove past this place numerous times , but never went there. Untill tonight. Not impressed by the decor but the food and service are great. We had the parma ham and buffalo mozzerella as a starter. Both very nice. Quite a big portion of mozzarella. For mains we had the steak prego and the cubes of fillet in garlic and olive oil. The prego sauce is very nice but the fillet was even better. This was a great dish. One of the most tender pieces of meat i ever had. Its a bit pricey and the fact that you cant pay with cards is ridiculous.<br/>Forgot to take pictures again....but we will go back there, so i'll get them next time.

Great menu with so many choices! Would recommend the gnocchi and baked Camembert! The fact that there are no card machines is a bit annoying and makes things complicated, especially if the power is out! Overall a nice experience though!!

Love love love their cheesecake and just adore the vibe of this street. Its a great place to enjoy a meal or even stop by for a drink or coffee and cake.  Espresso's pizzas are also really good.

To drown our sorrows over Trump’s election we went to Espresso for an exceptionally good lunch. We enjoyed calamari peri-peri pasta, an olive oil focaccia, calamari peri-peri dopio, deep-fried sesame chicken strips with a superb honey & mustard sauce and a baked camembert with a fruit glace and ciabatta toast. Everything was delicious and service excellent, as always, notwithstanding a torrential Highveld thunderstorm. Seems even the Joburg weather had issues with the new US president…

Hands down the best prego rolls I've ever had. <br/><br/>The restaurant is very vibey and gets very full but it doesn't seem to affect their service. <br/><br/>A bit on the pricier side but well worth it.

Great vibe for a nice Sunday afternoon snack and beverage. Sometimes it gets a bit too packed but I can't exactly complain about that now can I. If you are a car lover like I am, this is the spot to sit down and watch some beast coaster down the road. I see this place staying around for a very very long time.

Yeah, 'twas good. The place was vibey, ya know 'parkhursty' and the company, thirty (G&T anyone?). I had the "famous chicken prego" but I can't help but feel that I could have got something similar at the Keg and Whatever.

One of my favourite spots in Parkhurst. As a waiter once said, even a drowned rat would taste good in their signature sauce (sorry to all the vegans and vegetarians out there). <br/><br/>I keep going back for their Espresso pizza and it never fails to please. Their calamari is also delicious! <br/><br/>It's not a budget meal out but I've always enjoyed my visits!

When in Parkhurst I really need to be pulled by the hand not to go espresso! The comfort of knowing you will always have mouth watering food is amazing. Their pregos and the calamari dishes are my absolute favourite. The food at espresso is just amazing. I could mention everything on the menu and tell you how much I love it.

One of my all time favourites. The calamari pizza is my all time best!!! Nick has been hands on since day dot. Very trendy in the heart of Parhurst. I'm sure Espresso Caffè started the Parhurst night time trend. Will go back forever :)

Came here for dinner one night and the restaurant is at a great location. The staff were very helpful and service was quick.<br/><br/>I had the Penne Cota Pesto and if I remember correctly, my friend had the calamari pasta. I was terribly disappointed about how small the portions were. I was actually still hungry after I finished my bowl of pasta.<br/><br/>Would probably give the place another shot and try something else off the menu next time.

Went to Espresso in the evening with friends. The atmosphere was good and the food was also good. We had the veal limone, mussels, chicken roll. French fries also good. For dessert I had the Russian kiss slice of cake which was lovely.<br/>Down graded because you can only pay cash, no cards accepted, which is very inconvenient as one had to go to an ATM down the road and withdraw cash. There was also an overcharge on drinks on the bill which was then corrected when pointed out

Espresso is a landmark restaurant on the famous Parkhurst strip is a Johannesburg institution. This original sidewalk cafe boasts an enormous menu with everything from pizzas and pastas to salads and pregos, and a lot in between. <br/><br/>They're famous for their breakfasts - not so much for the food, but rather the smooth curbside vibe... it is usually packed over weekends for brunch, lunch and dinner. <br/><br/>Thursday nights get rather busy too, and their adjourning bar area makes for a somewhat rowdy crowd.<br/><br/>They still do not take ANY form of card payments, so it's cash only. I find it strange...<br/><br/>I'd recommend this place if you're a generally laid back person that's not too fussed about inebriated patrons and overly familiar staff.

Not the most modern decor but I was pleasantly surprised by the good food. I had the calamari which was very good. I would go back to try some other dishes on the menu. I didn't particularly enjoy walking through the kitchen to go to the bathroom which was at the back of the building but otherwise not a bad experience

Always love the vibe in Parkhurst and visiting Espresso this arvie was no different. Good food. Great vibe. Lots of wine. Maybe that last one had something to do with the enjoyment factor, without discounting the friendly and attentive waiter. Good times are destined to be enjoyed here.<br/>PS: Glad they serve their 1920 the way I like it.

Espresso Caffe and Bistro is one of my most favorite restaurants to enjoy a fine dinner with drinks .<br/><br/>The Chips and Prego Sauce is an unusual combination however it's really delicious !<br/>The desserts are worth the try- each one unique and delicious to ones tastebuds !<br/><br/>The service was excellent , and we were always checked on by waiters and waitresses .<br/>The vibe is hip and trendy - the selection of wine is average . <br/><br/>There's no reservations ,tables are given according to a first come first serve basis and the business only accepts cash transactions -NO CREDIT CARDS

Good food, good ambiance but a tad pricey on the coffee especially and the breakfasts. The coffee isn't bad but prices exceed speciality coffee spots like Origin, Father and Bean There.<br/>I had the 50/50 with scrambled eggs and chicken livers which was good but not great. <br/>Also it's frustrating that they are still strictly cash only and even though there is an ATM in the restaurant, it doesn't help if it's out of cash.<br/>Worth a try, but there are plenty of equal or better spots on 4th in Parkhurst without the hassle of needing cash. <br/>

The best Prego roll in Joburg and the people watching is so entertaining. Watching cars, beards and stilettos makes for a lazy Saturday afternoon. One of our favourites.

Went for breakfast at this lovely spot with my brother. Had an egg Benedict salmon which was very yummy and my brother had an espresso breakfast he also said it was too nice. Loved the decor as well but the only disadvantage is that this place has no credit card facility. It operates on a cash basis 😢. Hopefully this will change in the future since it is such a lovely restaurant with a vast yummy menu selection. Good service and very tasty food.

Grate place grate food grate service. Grate bar man. Loved my time there speaking to him. <br/>Pity there's no form of payment other than cash. At least a atm service beside would help.<br/>

A very social and relaxing old school feel to this restaurant. The food was all very good, with a very large menu to choose from. I had the Espresso cotta pizza which was so tasty and full of flavour. The crust was a bit thick and no toppings but it was a good pizza. And the service was fantastic

Went to Espresso on Youth Day, and with the majority of 4th Avenue out of power, was one of the few places to be able to serve coffee. My partner got a yummy milkshake and I a lovely coffee, accompanied by simple bacon and eggs which hit the spot. The service was attentive and friendly, and the menu broad and varied. It's no surprise that Espresso has remained popular, as it the sort of place one can just drop in and out of at pleasure. There might be better offerings foodwise elsewhere on the street but overall its consistency and value-for-money stands out. The only reason it gets a 3.5 is because you can't pay by card, which is very odd.

I hadn't been to Espresso for what felt like years but recently went for an early Sunday dinner. I had my favourite pizza, the "Espresso"...shit it's good! Wish I had a pic to upload but I inhaled it too fast to even think about getting hipster on it. #yum!!! Our waitress was a honey too...<br/><br/>

This is such a vibey, lively, happy place to share with friends and/or family. The food is great and there is a wide variety, so just about everyone will be satisfied. I had pizza (woodfired) which was really good. The base was thin and crispy with plenty toppings. My hubby had the pasta which was cooked to perfection and flavored superbly. You know it's great when you don't have to add salt or pepper... I would really recommend it for a lunch as the outdoors area is superb and inviting! Yes please!

This place has a good vibe, food and service. <br/>They got a variety of good dishes. Ravioli in napoletana sauce and fruit spritzer- my all time :)

I recently had a late lunch at Expresso with my boyfriend. <br/><br/>We both enjoyed the food but the service was slow and very average.<br/><br/>To eat, I had the Mexicana pizza which was saucy and thin based which is how I like it. My boyfriend had the cubed rump in their "famous" peri peri sauce which he enjoyed with a side salad.<br/><br/>To drink we had a red wine from Leopards Leap in Franschoek which was lovely. They have a good selection of wines to choose from.

I enjoy this restaurant and the menu has a great selection. I still rate the fillet prego roll up with the best , today I decided to try the mince and scramble egg on toast. Came 2 slices of toast one with egg one with mince, the mince was excellent , it was made with a creamy Peri Peri sauce and with the egg was a taste sensation. Good food at reasonable prices.

I don't know why it's taken so long for me to eat the famous prego here! It was absolutely delicious on all levels. The service was great with a chuckle here and there with the waiter. Great atmosphere, great food and great service 👍🏻

Awesome food and great service. The calamari doppio peri peri is the best I have eaten. I love it and will be back for more. Only downside is that it's a cash only place.

One of the busier spots along the 4th Ave in Parkhurst. They have a large (very large) menu selection, but their food that is served is good. I find myself going less and less due to their CASH ONLY policy, which means no credit cards. Service is just ok.

The food, an absolute 10! But wait, first things first, this eatery does not accept card payments! In 2016... Now I completely get that every eatery has a story to tell, but seriously this is the most ridiculous one I've ever heard. So this bistro has always been self made because banks wouldn't help with any financing when it first started out blah blah blah... And so they're all about remaining independent etc BUT my biggest gripe with this little history is that it actually adds nothing but frustration to the actual customer experience. It's 2016, we're more for convenience than anything and so the strictly cash or whatever statement is whack! It's ridiculous and I can't take it seriously 😏 <br/><br/>Anyway, back to the food - I enjoyed an amazing chicken dish with peri peri sauce and fries! My bestie had the same, only with the beef! It was amazing, no complaints, except that it could've had a bit more kick to it. <br/><br/>Espresso isn't cheap either. So not ideal if you're looking for value for money. All in all, it's really a great spot and I'd come back anytime! Friendly faces all round, the service was good though maybe not as efficient as one would expect at a restaurant that charges R250 for a bottle of Pierre Jourdan! Haha <br/><br/>I recommend anyone to try it out though!

Attentive staff. Vibe is always good. Really captures the Parkhurst village atmosphere. Cafe food at its best. Recommend the fillet prego, peri peri calamari and Mexican on 4th and espresso cotta pizzas.

This restaurant is always extremely busy and it's easy to tell why. The food is superb, the service is great and there is always such a wonderful atmosphere. The mussels and the calamari are fantastic but so too is everything on the menu is a crowd-pleaser. Well recommended for breakfast or lunch in Parkhurst.

Staff are super friendly and efficient. Food also arrived very quickly! Their signature pregos are delicious, however pricey they are... The only problem is it not having card facilities, and being relatively expensive , you are looking at +-R150 per person, which means if you go with 8 people you will need at least R1000 in cash which is a problem. Even with their being an ATM there, banks charge too much to draw from the ABSA machine they have, which adds an extra R50 anyway. Don't know why they don't just get card machines...

We were helped late in the evening, arriving as the kitchen was about to close. Our meals arrived in record time. The roadside cafe has an Italian feel to it. I ordered fillet with chips. I was impressed with the fillet.

This was an amazing experience. Great food and great atmosphere. We had a linguine cots, expresso calamari pizza and sweet chilli cota pizza. Everything was amazing and great portions .

Always a great dining experience with great quality ingredients and friendly, helpful service. Ambience is nice, albeit a bit dark and their cash-only policy is a bit inconvenient. Great, overall, though.

Pleasant service, tasty food. Good vibe but the lack of card facilities is a serious let-down/inconvenience. <br/><br/>Enjoyable overall and would recommend.

Im glad that i read the reviews of Espresso before i visited, so i was prepped for the cash only policy and no table bookings. There are tons of Parkhurst options but Espresso's extensive menu caught my eye.<br/>For Saturday at lunch the restaurant was busy but we managed to get a table. The waiter was very helpful even brought through a handbag table hook for our handbags so we could have more space on the table. I was thoroughly impressed with the service. We both order the squid heads and calamari under light meals one with lemon butter and the other with peri peri. It was so delicious and for light meals a huge portion. The iced espresso shake was delicious and our wine spritzers absolutely fab with the meals. The whole purpose of Zomato is for us to read up on reviews of restaurants before we visit so we cant really knock down Espresso for their cash only policy and no bookings as their food and service outweighs this.

Espresso is such an odd place... A nice odd though! <br/>The food and cocktails are to-die-for!!! I can't say it's hidden but it's certainly an undervalued gem. The staff are equally amazing and complete the experience.<br/>I'm still trying to wrap my head around it being a 'Cash Only' zone though.

Very underwhelming. My veal tasted like chicken and the cheese sauce tasted like nothing and it was pretty grainy. Spoke to the manager and he just looked like he wasn't interested in the slightest. Veggies were absolutely tasteless. Won't go there again.

No card facilities is always an inconvenience however it does not stop me from going back time and time again. Best pregos in town! Good service!! Fills up quickly so go early to get a table

Such a good vibe and our waiter "Sweetness" was excellent. We had Smelly Snails and Mussels for starters - absolutely delicious! Will definitely go back for those. For mains we had Cubed Fillet Peri-Peri and a Chasseur Mushroom Prego. The fillet was tender and the sauce super tasty. Only negative was that the actual roll of the Prego was a bit hard but all in all a great meal.

Simply top notch. Incredibly good value for money, every single dish was excellent - especially the fillet and the Bar One cheesecake! My favourite spot.

Always incredible service. Can never go wrong on A Sunny Sunday afternoon for an amazing vibe and tasty food! Espresso pizza is the best especially with their incredible secret chilli sauce ! And can't go wrong with a chicken prego, same sauce and tender chicken . Will always be back and stay a favorite

Espresso just gets it right - every time!<br/>A busy sidewalk bistro with a wide variety on the menu to suit every tastebud. <br/>Everytime I have been here, there is always a buzzing atmosphere. The staff are super. Always friendly, smiling and willing to assist.<br/>The food is always top class and fresh.<br/><br/>The only downside to Espresso is that you can't book a table and they don't take cards - cash only. The plus side is they have a bar on the side where you can have a drink whilst waiting for a table. This spot is always a regular come back on my list.

We love going to Espresso. Food is always great. Our service today wasn't great. Then to top it all off our bill came to about R1100.00 we gave 1200.00 and we know this because each couple paid 600.00 we split the bill and we got 30.00 back. We didn't question it because how do you prove that you actually gave 1200.00 so landed up giving in another 50.00. Patrons please check the cash you hand in. Also the guy who took the cash wasn't the same lady that served us : (

Grilled squids with chourizo souce might seem a odd combination but it is very enjoyable. Very noisy place great for an informal meal. Loved the oreo milkshake. Effective service and good prices.

Went their for a girls lunch and we were all impressed with standard of food. The menu is extensive with so many choices I have to go back to try something else. The peri peri seafood pasta was heavenly and good for those who don't enjoy strong chilli. The chicken prego is another firm hit from the Trademarks selection on the menu. The service is good but not attentive because the restaurant it is hustling & bustling. Small area but what comes out the kitchen is brilliant. The only downside is that there is no card machine this is inconvenient. <br/><br/>🙂😊🙂 = decor/ambience <br/>😄😄😄😋 = food<br/>😊😊 = service

Always a must for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Typical sidewalk cafe. Love watching the people walking by. It has a very diverse menu. Never had a bad meal. The only thing is not enough waiters to serve. Otherwise a fab trendy place. NO CREDIT CARDS accepted!

Another favourite haunt! They make great Calamari dishes with deliciously creamy sauces in a few variations. They also make a roquefort sauce that will blow your mind. Be sure to have cash on you as they don't accept credit cards.

Date of visit: 17 January 2016, late lunch.<br/><br/>Espresso is one of our favourite spots in Johannesburg. Consistent food, service and atmosphere - and all fantastic.<br/><br/>For starters, my wife and I shared a bruschetta, which was really yummy. For mains, my wife had the vegetarian ravioli, but found the sauce a bit on the sweet side. My chicken prego was as always - awesome.<br/><br/>Although we had no space for dessert, we often order the Bar One cheesecake to share, which is highly recommended.

Great food, average prices for the area, always busy and an atmospheric buzz. One of the few businesses on 4th avenue owned and run by people who remember Parkhurst before it was a trendy place to be seen. Best breakfast spot in the village, I particularly love the "Bullseye" breakfast!<br/>

Beautifully set up restaurant, especially considering the recurrent jhb heat wave. Good service, and good turn around time regarding courses. <br/>Really enjoyed the creamy chicken & mushroom pasta. The vegetarian ravioli was a little too sweet, for my liking. <br/>Serving cocktails in consol jars is very cute_ and special mention to well blended pina colada. <br/><br/>Will be back soon :)

I always enjoy going to Espresso. The vibe is great and the food is awesome. They have a large menu, but somehow we always go for the pregos. The food arrived quickly even though the restaurant was packed and our chilled waiter gave us excellent service. It would be a lot more convenient if they accepted credit/debit cards.<br/>I will be back for more and from looking at other reviews will probably try a pizza for a change.<br/>

We often go here for Sunday breakfasts. The portions are not very consistent, but always delicious, and upon mentioning the much smaller than usual portion to our waiter, she came back with extra! The creamed mushrooms are amazing, as well as the savoury mince and egg on toast.

A quick lunch catch up landed us at Espresso. <br/>I ordered the halloumi and avocado salad and it arrived with toasted pita bread on the side. What a treat, I loved the salad. Their peri peri sauce is really good, not hot rather creamy but tasty. <br/>My friends had chicken breasts and chips which they said was great. <br/>The only confusing aspect of Espresso is that they take cash only for the last 27 years, no cards.

I absolutely love their Calamari peri-peri pasta! The peri peri sauce at Espresso is so magical I want to put it on everything. It's always busy and takes no reservations, that's a bit of a bummer when you go during peak dining times :( but the wait is always worth it. It also has a atm in the restaurant now, so you don't have walk down the road to get cash when you've forgotten that Espresso is a cash only restaurant.