Review La Cigale - Parnell

If these amazing colours for fresh, local produce don't entice you to the French markets in Parnell, then perhaps the sweet Pacific inspired treats by master chef at Sweet & Me will! Go for the fresh veggies and fruit, but stay for the delectable ready to eat street food and great atmosphere! I am a regular here and it is always a winner way to start your weekend! Caution - lines for great food can be long but it's worth it.

One of the best market/cafe/bistro/shop. I've been at! They have a number of varied stalls to choose from, with good seating capacity-- although it gets filled up quickly, especially in Sundays. My favourites: - they serve the BEST coffee (Gravity beans). There's always a long line of people, waiting for their morning coffee fix ☕ - Tahsin's Market - sells the BEST hummus with so much variety. You can try to sample first before you buy, but everything is so good you'll end up getting confused on which to get 😅 It's typically $5 per tub, but when we went the next day, it was $10 for 3 tubs. Not sure if that's a usual discount, but make sure to take advantage of that - Paella Pan - there's usually a line here as well because of the delicious paella! I know rice in the morning is pretty heavy but so worth it. The guy cooking/serving is also quite nice so that's a plus. $15 for a small serving (good for 1-2), $18 for large (good for 2-3 people) - French Crepes - sweet ending after eating so much savoury food ❤ La Cigale is definitely a must try! 😍

I stopped by when I was at the French Markets on a Saturday. The main market is in the outside area but there were a few things inside here. The interior is decorated really nicely and has a unique French Feel. There was a patisserie stall here as well as a fromagerie and some hot foods. There were quite a few large tables in here. The fromagerie has a lot of different cheese and we had a few which were interesting. It was a nice place to look around and the market is a big plus.

If you come over to this French market, I highly recommend the Chorizo burger from Salami, served hot and it's super tasty. It's $10 for one but its worth it. The pastries here are great too. Have yet to try the other items. I do find this place a little expensive (for some items) but usually they are of good quality and sometimes they are on sale. Vegetables, eggs etc are usuallly very fresh. Might be easier to come here if you live in Parnell or if you drive, as the walk up the hills to the market might get tiring.

Interesting market and dined at the La Cigale Bistro during the market’s 21 birthday. Little hard to find tables initially but once we settle down it’s a great place to sample some great food 🥪🥘, do some people (and dog) watching and take home some crusty burgettes🥖🥖!! If you want to explore Parnell further, on a sunny day🌞, recommend that you visit the market, then walk to the Roses Garden🌹🌹and drop by the little inner-city forgotten paradise at Judges Bay reserve 😊...

Absolutely loved the French markets. Some great food outlets they have a great coffee selection inside and out. A good time to go is about midday on a Sunday an hour before it closes is a few vendors have specials like the Turkish guy was is hummus selection. Also they have a great range of organic vegetables.

The weekend markets are the buzz of Parnell, where people come to meet friends, get their weekly produce, and try some amazing foods. Featuring large open spaces, unique decor and frequent live performances. There is a full time cafe and a healthy food shops around. The food here is pretty great, especially the baked goods..worth a visit!

Love attending the weekend markets here. Always a fun and tasty breakfast. Then head indoors for some french wine and goods from the home wares section. It's a must visit each trip to Auckland.

We were there early and it was a very nice place to rest your feet and get some breakfast. There is a nicknack shop that sells lovely items which I feel it's slight expensive. The bee wax store is lovely, I didn't have time to ask for details on the wrappers which was worth considering to eliminate plastics wrappers!

Delicious array of food stalls, fresh produce a happy relaxed vibe so nice to come here to shop and eat

Very good experience with coffee and bakery. French market has been parked outside the cafe. It caters other varieties of food as well.

Love the variety and wide selection of food and drinks sold here. The ambiance is so relaxed even with the crowds. Such a cool food market. They open early on weekends until around 2pm if i'm not mistaken, so can get breakfast or lunch here and some souvenirs, clothes etc other than the food.

I come to this farmers market every week to do my local produce shop! The produce is always varied and fresh and the service is amazing! They greet me by name and I feel like a valued customer every time. In addition to the produce they have heaps of vendors serving ready to eat foods like crepes, paella, dumplings, smoothies and more! There’s also an amazing smoked salmon stand plus and stand with some amazing dips like flavoured hummus and eggplant. There’s usually live music playing and they allow dogs on the outside part (there is an additional indoor part for more food like coffee, fresh bread and pastries). I would recommend coming earlier as it tends to get busy later, especially if you decide to drive. There’s a fair amount of parking but I take the bus and walk (it’s uphill getting back - be forewarned!). And also right next to the market is Goodfor bulk store so you can do the entire weeks shop in one quick swoop! Don’t forget your containers!

Incredible French market! Delicious food and coffee. A must visit.

One of the best market/cafe/bistro/shop. I've been at! They have a number of varied stalls to choose from, with good seating capacity-- although it gets filled up quickly, especially in Sundays. <br/><br/>My favourites:<br/>- they serve the BEST coffee (Gravity beans). There's always a long line of people, waiting for their morning coffee fix ☕ <br/>- Tahsin's Market - sells the BEST hummus with so much variety. You can try to sample first before you buy, but everything is so good you'll end up getting confused on which to get 😅 It's typically $5 per tub, but when we went the next day, it was $10 for 3 tubs. Not sure if that's a usual discount, but make sure to take advantage of that<br/>- Paella Pan - there's usually a line here as well because of the delicious paella! I know rice in the morning is pretty heavy but so worth it. The guy cooking/serving is also quite nice so that's a plus. $15 for a small serving (good for 1-2), $18 for large (good for 2-3 people)<br/>- French Crepes - sweet ending after eating so much savoury food ❤<br/><br/>La Cigale is definitely a must try! 😍

Came in today to try out some french food. Got a hotdog and a chocolate smoothie. Chocolate smoothie was actually really good. Didn't expect banana and chocolate to go so well together. I reckon $9 was a bit pricey for the size but drinks like milk tea have a similar cost. Was going to go for the mango smoothie but friend suggested we try the chocolate one and I did not regret it. Hotdog had two sausages inside and bun was firm and not soggy (the way I like it). Hot dog was $10 but I think I still prefer the $2 sausages. Tried the grown up donuts here before and they were amazing, especially the custard ones.

Love the variety of food choices, love the pastries and the market, we live all the way up north and would drive down just to visit the market. Great people, great environment and good coffee.

Tasty pastries! They were super tasty, relatively fresh (even though we got there as they were closing up) and got a 2nd pastry for half price which was nice! Lovely ambience and people, La Cigale markets are a classic.

Love the variety of stalls and diverse food choices here. Gozleme is one of our favs and first choice is the spicy lamb. Cheesey and full of mince, super nice esp with a squirt of lemon juice. We always pick up fresh herbs, bagels and salami here.

Sunday farmer market in la cigale, Denny Setiawan had pretzel and pork belly bun and truffle chocolate ball for me.. nice and yummy food, and i think i addicted to the truffle ball.. definitely will come again

Best market around Auckland in my opinion! Such a great variety of things to try and look at! I had a crepe from one of the stalls outside the bistro while my partner had a giant burger inside and thought it was incredible. The pretzels are so good too! Very light and soft but with enough of a crunch when you bite into it.

This place is located in a warehouse with a massive wine stock in one side, a small shop the other and the cafe itself being in the middle. Ordered the croque madame and the fresh sandwich of the day (vegetarian ficelle), along with an iced coffee and an iced flat white (which we were reminded was the same thing). The service was glacial as our order came after 45 mins. We were given a complimentary hazelnut croissant to make up for it. Overall not a bad place for a quick bite and possibly some wine.

Great place for coffee and French patisserie. This place never fails and always busy on Saturday & Sunday morning #frenchmarket <br/>One thing that annoys me are dogs. Why? It’s crowded as it is with people, why bring dogs in?

Great thing about La Cigale - accomodating the other vendors to serve their food during their French market days. As long as you car doesn't get towed (there are many but they belong to other businesses) it'll be a good morning, it hasn't happen before but parking signs are very ambiguous (no parking 24/7 at all times). The La Cigale section during the weekend mornings are split to several types of businesses. The cafe is great, the sweet pastries are not bad when there are no flies (summertime), coffees are actually good with more savoury pastries, the pork belly buns are yummy depending on who's making it (still figuring out who's the best because they keep changing the person who makes it).

We come here on a regular basis. Love waking up on a sat morning and then heading to the French market for an almond croissant and a coffee! Perfect way to start the weekend.

One of the best thing to do on a weekends morning for breakfast/brunch, especially when you don't know what to eat, and not to mention, the stands filled with local farmers/growers where you can stock up on organic produce and small businesses that you can support. Everything is fresh and the best! Also love that it is a pet friendly place :) This is one reason i look foward to the weekend!<br/><br/>My favourite brunch combo (is becoming a tradition now) is: <br/><br/>- The Crepe from the crepe stall, yummm (5/5) <br/><br/>- Freshly pressed juice, next to the crepe stall (4.5/5)<br/><br/>- Freshly baked savoury pastries, next to the juice stall. Note: I think they regularly change their menu. I had the Curried Chicken pie and it was BOMB.com (6/5)<br/><br/>- Freshly baked sweet pastries, inside of the building next to all the wines. They have a range of sweet pastries from crossiants to sweet tarts. That day I had the Apple Tart. Looked real goood! Those with a sweet tooth will deffs enjoy this, but found it abit too sickly sweet for me (3/5). <br/><br/>

Came here for dinner, wasn't sure what to expect as the menu changes every week. We didn't book as we didn't expect it to be very busy on a weeknight but it was absolutely packed, I think they had recently had a Grab One voucher out which probably contributed. Service was very slow, we waited for maybe 15 minutes for anyone to take our drink order and give us menus, then another 15 minutes for the drinks to arrive, the food took a good while to arrive as well. However, they were exceptionally busy and I don't think they were expecting to be, so this is understandable.<br/><br/>With it being so busy, I didn't have high hopes for the food, but it was exceptional. It's not often you get a vegetarian meal in a French restaurant that isn't just an afterthought, but my meal was absolutely delicious, with a multitude of flavours and textures. This some time last year, and I have now forgotten what the dish was exactly, but I do remember being upset that the menu changed weekly and I would be unable to go back and order it again! My boyfriend got some kind of meat and mash and praised it just as highly. In fact, just remembering it now is making me want to go back here for dinner as soon as possible. Highly recommended.

By far the best morning food market in Auckland City. <br/><br/>I was shocked to see the amount and stalls and people this morning that was there. I did not expect something so big with so many options!<br/><br/>All the food we bought were yummy and shopping here was quite fun too. Stocked up our fridge for the week!<br/><br/>Environment: 4/5<br/>Food Quality: 4/5<br/>Food Quantity: 4/5<br/>Service: 5/5<br/>Price pp: $20-$40

A nice market vibe with a lovely setting however the service and the quality was very disappointing! We were expecting some fancy French brunch but what we got was very average food (like hotel mass produced, like even We could make them with better ingredients). <br/><br/>My friend's French big breakfast felt like homebrand sausages with soggy potato hash and sloppily put together. Wasn't cheap either.<br/>My croque Madame wasn't too bad but that should be hard to get wrong?<br/><br/>Coffee wasn't too bad but the cups were way too big for my liking. I thought I asked for smaller cups but meh. <br/><br/>The Danish did look good but the Russian tea cake tasted slightly weird, and we couldn't make it out. <br/><br/>Let's just say after brunch, we walked around the markets craving for what we could have had that looked way better.

The French market is an absolute delight on the weekends! In one venue you can be transported to France, spain and Morocco.<br/><br/>Venture inside for the best coffee and Croc Monsseuire (Ok its the only one i've had because where else can you find them??). The ambience is great and you can walk around and try all the samples on offer. Stand outs include the fresh breads, variety of hummus and absolutely fresh vegetables and herbs for sale. Also a haven for those with a sweet tooth as crepes and filled donuts are on offer.<br/><br/>I would highly recommend going very early in the morning as all the good food is gone by noon (even the paella!). Docking points only because of the crowds and lack of seating at lunch time.<br/><br/>PS: Lovely to see all the well behaved dogs out and about :)

If you are looking for something fun to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning and which involves lots of delicious food, then I highly recommend checking out La Cigale French Market in Parnell. It is undoubtedly the best market in Auckland. Here’s a taste of what you may come across at La Cigale:– Delicious coffee, macarons and croissants just out of the oven– Rotisserie chickens, gooey croque monsieurs, breakfast buns and other savoury delights– Delectable tarts (my favourite being the Frangipani tart with rhubarb and pistachio) and eclairs from Amadine– Freshly made juices, plus smoothies from The Organic Mechanic– Muesli and chia seed bowls from The Vital Bowl– Various international foods like paella, crepes and gozleme– Freshly baked bread, smoked fish, fruit and vegetables

Dinners are served only on Wednesdays & Thursdays. My friends & I had vouchers for either an appetizer or a dessert, and a main with wine or a non-alcoholic drink. So, my wife chose garlic butter escargots & baguette, while I had pan-fried garlic & chilli prawns. Escargots were under-seasoned; prawns were beautiful. For the mains, we had beef cheek, eye fillet & pan-fried John Dory. All went well & I was absolutely happy with my eye fillet - lean & juicy.  (Food - 4/5; Service - 3/5; Ambience - 2/5)

One of the better lattes ive had in Auckland so far. I like the taste of strong brew of coffee with trim milk - and they have done it well. Wait time is relatively fast as well.

We were booked in for a business dinner here 2 days ago. We had a set menu that we selected our meals from, the atmosphere was amazing. The staff is very friendly and accommodating. Sorry I can't provide a price for the meal since it was paid for being a business dinner. I definitely loved the duck I ordered as this was cooked to perfection, it was tender and juicy. The potatoes were golden and crunchy and the salad was fresh. For dessert I had the apple tart which was a great way to end the night. I am still rating this place 5/5 even though I don't have a price for the meal because my meal was great and it a great place to go to. I will definitely go back to try some other meals here

I think the break in that place tastes so great but coffee is just so so. Very light and the clerks ear not so friendly because of crowed influx of people and noisy atmosphere. But the market is a good place still worthy to visit.

Very cute addition to Auckland's foodie scene. We went on a rainy Sunday & it was still pretty packed so I'd hate to see it when it was fully busy. Lots of delicious French pastries, a good range of other stalls (one has the most delicious labneh) and a nice cafe to take a break at inside. Reminds me of Borough Market in London albeit on a much smaller scale.

Apple pie was fantastic. But fig and blueberry pie was made of too much sugar, too unhealthy to eat it all. Just had the fresh fruits on the top, then threw all of the rest.

Such a fun and different way to have breakfast! A friend and I came to the well-renowned French Markets this morning. Set in Parnell with a decent amount of indoor/outdoor flow and enough covering for the wetter days. <br/><br/>We browsed through the large variety of stalls, sampling everything as we went- from cheese, to dukkhas and hummus, to sausages and organic mueslis. Then we set off to find our breakfast. I love this market for the fact that there are so many delicious food options. They have paellas, pastries, fresh smoothies/juices, crepes.. And the list goes on. Today I tried a pistachio and plum tart with a good old soy flat white. We enjoyed our breakfast while listening to live music in the courtyard. <br/><br/>Overall, a delightful way to spend a morning in Auckland- a lot of fun, a lot of of fantastic food options. Remember to bring cash however, as a few places only except cash, and there is no ATM available.

If you are looking for something fun to do on a Saturday or Sunday morning and which involves lots of delicious food, then I highly recommend checking out La Cigale French Market in Parnell. It is undoubtedly the best market in Auckland. Here’s a taste of what you may come across at La Cigale:– Delicious coffee, macarons and croissants just out of the oven– Rotisserie chickens, gooey croque monsieurs, breakfast buns and other savoury delights– Delectable tarts (my favourite being the Frangipani tart with rhubarb and pistachio) and eclairs from Amadine– Freshly made juices, plus smoothies from The Organic Mechanic– Muesli and chia seed bowls from The Vital Bowl– Various international foods like paella, crepes and gozleme– Freshly baked bread, smoked fish, fruit and vegetables

Early start this morning to check out this much talked about market....and we weren't alone with a constant flow of foot traffic..fantastically range of freshly cooked and bakery items ,along with fresh produce..with maybe the stand out product here the smoke fish stall,with <br/>,the smoke salmon a stand out item...the food here was very moor,ish and wanting to try products from stall 2 stall...its mainly cash only here with only 1or2 stalls having eftpos,..there is a separate stall for cash out...... with the lady running this stall being very knowledgeable about the market,,,,<br/><br/><br/>

I've been to this market many times. What I like about it is the vibe of people who wake up early and come hang here but I don't think food are that great. <br/><br/>Everything looks so yummy!! you just want to have everything lol however when you really have them, you might not think the same as when you first saw them. I've bought coffee, dessert and food from this place many times and I've not impressed. I know they cook/bake food fresh and in front of you, they smell so good!! But the price of some dessert are pretty high like $7 for a small fruit tart. And if you go around 10-11am, expect not having seats to sit because there are always many people. <br/><br/>I know many people love this place but for me it's not the place I will go and expect good tasty food. Actually food from stalls outside are a lot better with similar price.

The place is so big, lovely, warm and exciting. They not only serve you with coffee, cakes, tartes, and many other delights, but also, they sell cheese, bread, sausages, and stuff like that. There is also a shop selling French things like soap, clothes, fragrances, etc. I loved it. If you go there on Saturdays and Sundays, there will be a farmers market out there selling international foods, olives, spices, and other such things. I totally recommend this place, and will definitely go there again.

It's been awhile but I met a friend for brunch here this morning and it's still amazing! I went with the croque Monsieur which is epic, it's almost too rich but it just works. They also have amazing coffee and sweet tarts! Definitely worth a Saturday or Sunday morning visit!

The French market is a popular destination on the weekends and offers a wide variety of French cuisine.<br/><br/>La Cigale does not come cheap at all, but I can't deny that the food they have is nice.<br/><br/>Food: 7/10 <br/>Service: 3.5/5 <br/>Ambience: 4/5<br/>Value: 3/5<br/>Overall: 17.5/25

Such a gorgeous little cafe with big wooden tables and plenty of delicious pastries for munching on. This place is always buzzing during the weekend markets, and some items do sell out quite quickly, so come early for first pick. I love the fruit tarts, as well as the hot savory options that they have out the front on the weekends. Can be a bit pricey but very much worth it!

French market day! This is one of the few markets open on Sundays, and lucky for me that they do, because since I work Saturdays, I miss everything. Plus, this is one of my favourite markets because... it's French (European)?!. Brunch today was Tartiflette I didn't get to have in France because I couldn't find them in the Christmas markets in Paris on time,

I have heard this weekend French market for a while, I finally came here this morning with my friend, we arrived around 11.30am, which was a bit late, so some popular food had sold out. I had a Turkish spinach gozleme and an apple&almond tart, which were so lovely. Will definitely come again!!!

Went to the Sunday Market day today - absolutely LOVE !!! so much yummy food and sweet treats to choose from, lots of people and good vibes. highly recommend the House of Dumplings - Y U M 👅⭐️ also the fresh squeezed juices were amazing xxx will be back next weekend

Here for the market and oh my gosh the foods were amazing!!!! 😋😋😋 love the vibe!

The food was amazing! Everything was so fresh and yummy. I loved it there. The atmosphere was great too. Would definitely go back again! :)

Love wandering around this market in the weekends - the vibe, music, stalls and vintage stores.. Their baked goods/coffees aren't the best and relatively expensive, but the paella stall outside is delicious and flavourful. Recommend the black and seafood ones.

Just been for Friday ngt French evening . Very disappointed with my meal .Main course very dry . We love the spot , service , ambience etc . Perhaps I was remiss in not commenting at the time but didn't want a fuss .!!

Coffee is good. Reasonable price too. Best almond croissant and fantastic range of French baked goodness.. However during the weekend markets.. Some foods are quite expensive. Overall good.

Beautiful markets, lovely for a wander on a weekend. Lots of variety from fresh pastries to raw desserts, to antipasto offerings. Enjoyed some stunning olives and cheese which we boxed up to take home. They were delicious. Worth visiting, cosy interior - reminded me of a beer hall or a mini hogwarts halls with long wooden tables and many faces enjoying a bite and a drink.

We really enjoy popping into LC. I head for the hot savoury pastries and my wife grabs our coffee and sweet treats. We initially started going to LC just to buy the treats from the Bluebells Stall, but now come away w. all sorts of tasty stuff for our lunch and dinner for that day. <br/><br/>We usually grab some giant olives, cheese and fresh bread and a couple of macaroons for afternoon tea too.<br/><br/>The cash out kiosk is great and we always bring anyone visiting Nz out to LC as it's a pretty special place.

One of the more fancier markets around Auckland. Priced to suit it's demographic, you will find lots of families and pets strolling through La Cigale which adds to the exciting atmosphere. There is manned cash out kiosk (with a service fee), as there are no ATMs around, so it is best to bring cash. <br/><br/>Make sure to try the open bakery and the pulled pork/roast/slow cooked meat burgers (usually delicious venison/ beef/ pork with a dash of Dijon mustard and variable salad). The prices have significantly gone up a bit in the last 5 years that I've been visiting, but it is understandable. Still the temptation of the freshly baked selection of pastries is irresistible. <br/><br/>One off putting comment is the number of hungry flies during the summer, it is somewhat not comfortable buying a loaf of bread when you've just seen a fly take off from it's surface. They have tried to use clear coverings and cloths to protect their foods, but sometimes it just isn't quite enough. A lovely stroll through La Cigale is not cheap, prices would be around $20 pp to get satisfied appetite.

Excellent food I love the choices and the great smells as you walk in on a cold day<br/>Coffee is excellent <br/>Service is great <br/>And the food is always full of great tastes and flavours <br/>

By far the best markets I have been to in NZ!<br/>It's very busy Andover crowded I went on a rainy cold day! So much choice ended up with pastrys the Nutella crepes- smoothies and coffee-swear I gained 10kg after that morning but so worth it so yummy! Also picked up some yummy hummus to bring home!

Time and date: twice every month (for both french market and cafe)<br/><br/>Food ordered: croque monsieur and long black (latest food ordered from cafe)<br/><br/>Authenticity: Never been to France so unable to compare <br/><br/>Taste: Very complex with multitude of flavor from the croque monsieur<br/><br/>Environment: A very pleasant place for lunch and good place to browse for the french market. On weekday, the bistro smells extremely good from the freshly baked breads<br/><br/>Service: Very friendly<br/><br/>Costs: less than $20 for a breakfast from the cabinet food<br/><br/>Will I return: every fortnight

The best fresh juices - favourite is the feijoa one. Second favourite now that feijoa is not in season, is the berry one!<br/><br/>You can also find the best pork belly bun!! Must try!!! MUST TRY!!

If you live around here, it would be a great place to stop by. For a brunch, there’s some lovely food to gorge on. I liked the vibe of it, though it didn’t seem too French apart from a few quarters. The people who set this up are regular visitors to France though.

La cigale french markets are plentiful with delicious offerings, and the great part is you can go on either Saturday or Sunday's. One of my favourites is the bahn mi pork belly buns, followed of course by an almond butter crossiant. So many delicious options as well as the fresh fruit and vegetables on offer, a perfect stop on the weekend.

The premier market in Auckland, with a massive selection of the usual suspects, and an authentic French flair, it never fails to impress! Good range of cheeses and pastries, plus coffee, salamis, olives, crepes, paella, artisan breads etc etc It's always busy here but for good reason, definitely check it out if you're in the city on a weekend morning!