The Hardware Société reviews . (Restaurant) in Melbourne (Victoria).

The Hardware Société

0 Reviews

377 Comments

Restaurant

French restaurant

10 Katherine Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

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Service hours of The Hardware Société

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Comments of The Hardware Société

E. T.

Had our first lunch in Melbourne here and it was a wonderful experience! Food was exceptional and the staff were very friendly! Although we did have to wait for 5 minutes to get seats but the staff ensured that we are comfortable waiting. Thumbs up for excellent service and food! Would highly recommend this place!

C. G. (.

The food is certainly the experience here. This has been the best breakfast I've had in Melbourne to date. Breakfast dishes done amazingly well and all the flavours are just right and an explosion of flavour. The atmosphere is a real typical Melbourne feel and that just adds to the experience. Booking ahead is definitely recommended though, if you don't like waiting in line for a table.

C. W. (.

We tried the duck leg on the new menu, absolutely amazing!! The leg was marinated overnight in spicy and so flavorful, juicy. Smashed potatoes with bacon crisp. Raw beef sandwich was tasty as well. Serving size is very generous. Only down side is the coffee, pretty average.

I. Z.

Chic and quirky industrial style interior design with great internal space. It is not too crowded and not too spacious and the distance between the tables feels just right. Padre roasters coffee is beautiful - it is smooth and rich and full of flavour. I had baked eggs which were nice - would not call them special but it was a very well done dish. I would certainly come back again for the coffee, the atmosphere and cosy quirkiness.

N.

Stopped in for breakfast as a group of 4 and we were all quite pleased. The sweet breakfasts were tad bit too sweet for me and I def have a sweet tooth. The coffees were good, and we also got good service. Picture is of the fried brioche special that day.

W. C.

Had company lunch here and I thoroughly enjoyed my dish (scrambled eggs) and so did the rest of the team. Love the subtle, but unique flavors my dish had and it was quite well portioned too. I'll definitely return with my family to try their other dishes!

C. C.

Lovey food and service! The store is so picturesque and aesthetic, they sell some kitchenware too. Would return to try other dishes. The millefeuille fish was so unique and encompassed so many textures and flavours. Poached eggs were perfect! The special of the day was awesome too! Really enjoyed the honey glazed bacon and scrambled egg. 📷 Millefeuille, Special of the day, Coffee Spritz, Flat white

L. B.

Have been meaning to check out this place for a while now and they certainly did not disappoint. Their customer service was friendly and professional. Had the potato and chorizo baked eggs and a beetroot juice. First time having baked eggs, and what a delicious treat this was. The juice was equally delicious. Overall, this place is definitely a must.

S. L.

This is a very popular brunch spot in Melbourne. Would recommend booking in for weekends as they get very busy. I ordered the pork belly & fried eggs, the eggs were nicely fried with perfectly runny yoke and the pork belly was very juicy. The ragout and verde were excellent compliments to the whole dish. Sadly the pork rind was not very crispy and was tough to eat, and we also had to wait a long time for our food to come out.

T. G. T.

A mix of industrial and chic interior somehow not overly girly with the pink walls and rattan chairs. I had a lovely flat white with oat which is rounded and had a sweet finish. The twice baked cheese soufflé is light and cheesy and is delicious and unique as cafe food. It is accompanied by fresh salad where the dressing is a tad sour but there were honeyed nuts that eased off the sour. I would add this as one of the must visit cafes when in Melbourne.

N. P.

For what is a seemingly innocuous Cafe location, The Hardware Société says out with the expected and in with seamlessly executed, delicate cuisine. Service is quality, as is the new norm. Coffee was Melbourne standard. Crucially, the meal was unique, timeless, experimental, and surprisingly, genuine value for money. It is with great pleasure that I recommend this establishment for the liberty it must allow their chef, as the millefeuille was a passion piece that delivered in both presentation and taste. It is a relief to try a dish so well-composed, imparting a genre of elements disparate to the common breakfast, that dually integrates traditional flavours and incorporates the most fresh of ingredients. Compliments to the chef for this astounding dish.

T. J.

Vibe: 8/10 Food: 6/19 *change of menu An amazing breakfast/ brunch place. Friendly and amazing staff. Highly recommend Online reservations. Ordered Pork belly and egg. Change of menu as of April 2022. The pork was not cooked in a way where it would melt in your mouth like the old menu. It is accompanied by excellent balancing flavours from base purée and pesto. I would suggest removing the beans from the base purée. Pork cracking was not hard and crunchy, which was a real disappointment. Overall, not the best meal I have from here. Good coffee, I must admit.

D. T.

Cute interior with friendly staff. Had a flat white and a drip - coffee profile fruity with some honey-like sweetness, the wifey loved it. Food was delicious - had the baked eggs and the scrambled eggs with bacon and brioche.

W.

Must visit. The food is great and the drinks are amazing. Must try the mocha, hot chocolate and matcha latte. Cannot go wrong with these options. The interior of the place is really nice and big. Went at 12pm on a Sunday and only waited for 5 minutes.

ก. ด.

The hot mocha are amazinggg. The brunch are okay. The pork is a bit too dry. But everyone in the cafe are super friendly.

S. l.

Fantastic food! Absolutely delicious! Coffees were quite expensive, probably the most expensive in Melbourne. Although thoroughly enjoyed the food.

E. S.

I expected to hate a place with "No Eggs on Toast" on their merch (I love eggs on toast!), but I've never been happier to be wrong. The staff are attentive and lovely, remembering regular orders and seats, their check-in and vaccination checks are efficient. The service is quick, but the food is amazing and decently priced for the CBD. I've tried a lot - a lot - of their fried Brioche variations over the last 18 months, between lockdowns, but their versions of eggs on toast were also a pleasant surprise.

K. W.

A good European brunch spot on the fringes of the cbd. Generous food portion sizes and a good range of coffee and tea. Don't expect a guaranteed seat we had a small wait and takeaway seemed popular.

K. J.

Ordered 2x Chocolate/Mocha love the combination. Our mains were Scrambled Eggs and Lobster Benedict. You'd be surprised by the amount of effort put in for a Srambled Egg dish and the camarelized bacon was the main highlight. We enjoyed the zesty dressing as well Lobster Benedict was almost as good with the coriander in the mix (to confirm) but we preferred the Scrambled Eggs any time of the day.

A. B.

It was my second time there and I enjoyed it just as much as my first time. The food is amazing, I love the variety of their specials and that they have a savoury and a sweet special to choose from. Last time I went for the special so this time I tried something from the main menu. It was all fantastic.

C. A.

Chill and relaxed ambience perfect for brunch. The food was great and came as a bit of a surprise as they are not your usual brekky combos - atleast not for me. Had to rely on photos on IG/reviews to get an idea as the menu doesn't have any photos. My husband ordered the pork belly one and it was amazing as well - their piccolo was topnotch accdg to my coffee enthusiast partner. Went there with our 8month old bub and place was very bub friendly with enough space for high chairs, though noting that you'd have to carry the pram going up to the restaurant - only about 4 or 5 steps, and staff are nice enough to give you a hand. Staff were all nice and friendly and very attentive given how busy the place got when we were there.

C. Y.

Third time eating here this week. Best chai latte I ever had. The dishes are so tasty and they have an amazing coffee as well. Very friendly staff. Hands down my fav cafe in Melbourne 👌🏻

E. W.

Staff were so friendly and got us in straight away. There was only 2 of us, so it was abit easier. But if you can go here while in Melbourne - do it! We tried the new menu aswell and it was delicious! I wasn't expecting a huge plate of food by the discription on the menu. No complaints here! Try Hardware society!

A. B.

Food was amazing! Service was excellent! The place was super clean and felt welcoming. But most importantly and what made our visit was Audrey who was super awesome. She literally has an excellent service style and will definitely come back again and again bcz of the amazing way Audrey treated us. Great job Audrey and thank you for a wonderful experience.

S. G.

One of the best breakfasts in Melbourne. Very impressed with the presentation and bravery in the dishes. Enjoyed the scrambled egg and tuna dish. Will be back!

A. K.

I’ve been a fan of Hardware Societe for a few years now. Have ordered many different dishes over the years, but my favourites remain their fried brioche and the continental (and maybe also the pork belly?) - loved the European influence on their dishes. Coffee is really good too and their new-ish Katherine place venue is much more modern and cosy as well. One of my staple go-to brunch places in Melbourne CBD.

K. V.

Went during the Saturday rush, there was a line out the door so would definitely recommend making a booking for the popular times. Despite being busy service was quick, efficient and attentive. The food was delicious and definitely different from your usual brunch affair. Menu changes but would definitely recommend the Tuna Mille Meuille

E. L.

Love a great breakfast/brunch , on our visit here we had to go to @hardwaresociete 🙌🏻😍 . We ordered: • Lobster & Prawn Benedict • Croque Madame • Batch Brew & Iced Latte ☕️ . It was hard to decide on what to have cos everything sounds good but really happy with what we landed on. The Benedict was super yummy, Wifey reckons the prawn & lobster tasted fresh 👌🏻 . I got the Croque Madam and loved the Beef cheeks inside - super tender with the caramelised onions … the meal was rich but absolutely understand why they served it with the cornichons on the side!! It really helps to cut through the richness of it all

Y. B.

Really good food, really flavourful and big portion sizes. Good and creamy coffee and the hot chocolate is very good. If you are going on weekends book in advance as they are usually full.

j. l.

Always consistent with their food and coffee! A great brunch experience if you are ever in the CBD

K. L.

I'm sure this venue doesn't need anymore photos, but who can resist?! The Un baked eggs was everything I required, with additional flavours I was unaware would make my day. My hot water and lemon came in a cosied teapot and cup and saucer and their long black got me to the airport with a smile✨

M. C.

Well where do I start, first time here & I will be coming back. I have eaten in some top restaurants and I find that although the food is good the staff are a bit full of themselves and don’t deliver a great service. The Hardware Societe staff were amazing from the moment you entered the restaurant, friendly, professional and very accommodating 5 ⭐️ Now the food OMG just amazing, presentation, prompt service & great flavours. All the food going out to other tables looked fantastic, our dishes the scrambled eggs & maple bacon & Tuna Mille-feuille (see Pic) highly recommend 5 ⭐️

B. L.

Gorgeous and equally tasty brunch place. Love their Padre coffee too!

J. C.

The lobster Eggs Benedict did not disappoint. Perfect buttery hollandaise with equally buttery lobster on a blackened seeded bun. Great coffees and a toasty inviting atmosphere!

S. H.

The smoked salmon gribiche was AMAZING! Confit duck was good too, but the mashed potato cake in the salmon fish was ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ it was so enjoyable with the giant piece of smojed salmon!

C. M. (. O.

Delightful place. Nice staff. Biy disappointed in the meal. Over dressed, and oil from the pesto drained to the bottom of the bowl which wasn't appetising.

D.

If I could give more stars I definitely would! Hot chocolate and Blanc Hot Chocolate were both so indulgent yet not too sweet. Both had great flavour. The Fried Brioche was amazing! Together with the toppings just had the best flavours and textures. Service was fantastic and friendly, our table water was never empty. 11/10 would come back

N. H.

French orientated brunch cafe in Melbourne CBD. Has a number of unique and tasty dishes with GREAT coffee. Quite spacious and photogenic. Definitely recommended and one of the brunch cafes you must visit in Melbourne.

P. A.

Amazing spot for breakfast and brunch cocktails. Exceptional quality of ingredients and very reasonable prices. I can’t wait to return and continue trying their menu!

R. W.

This place is a revelation. The food is excellent and has options outside the usual. However, the service is incredible - relaxed and efficient (despite being very busy). The attention to detail is incredible (I changed coffee order between my first and second coffee and they checked to ensure that they had not made an error on the first coffee). Amazing!

A. M.

One of the best cafe I have tried! I came here twice of my 4 days Melbourne trip!! Coffee are very nice, staff are very friendly! Food are very special and unique, we ordered 4 different dishes and all very delicious! Pork belly, beef Sunday special, tuna and scallop and lobster bun!!! I will come here again when I am next in Melbourne!! We booked via online and it was so convenient. But only can book this one not the hardware lane one.

J. S.

Oh man, if I’m still giving this place an EASY 5 stars after having taken over 30 minutes for our order to be taken, and coffees coming *after* the food, then you know they must be doing something right. Serving up a French twist on classic brunch food, The Hardware Société probably gave me one of the tastiest breakfasts I’ve ever had in my life, and I’m still enjoying just thinking back on it now. The little venue is cosy, and the tableware is all custom and very cute. If I was buying new tableware for my kitchen I’d be back in the heartbeat to get a few sets of the custom plates and cups they offer. Amazing place.

V. S.

I’ve been in this beautiful place few times and each time happy more than previous one. Definitely you need to try their breakfast at least once. Thanks 🙏

S. C.

They make good eggs. Recommend. Mushroom dish was good.

S. M.

The must visit brunch place in Melbourne. Food is delicious, ambiance is impeccable. Staff are friendly and provided the best service. Chocolate mousse was special dessert of the day and it is an absolute hit. The softness of the cake with prefect texture. Not sure if they are going to add this to their menu or not. The rest of the food is delicious and food arrived on perfect timing, not too late and not too fast.

d. t.

Just had the most amazing brunch here ! The food is superb, the staff are fantastic and it is just so quirky sitting in the kitchen . Highly recommend

H. L.

Quick last minute trip to Melbourne last week. Yummy brunch at @hardwaresociete - super popular place! I haven't been back here since they moved from Hardware Lane - ages ago 😅😅. . Pork belly and fried eggs, with manchego and chorizo croquettes, quince aioli, five spice chutney. Amazing!! The crackling was crispy, and the pork was super tender. Amazing flavours! . Confit duck, pork cassoulet, gremolata migas, with poached eggs. Absolutely loved the duck confit (also I love anything with duck 😅😅). So yummy 😋🤩. . Lobster Benedict: lobster, citrus hollandaise, brioche bun, poached eggs. A fancy version of a classic brunch dish 😄. The lobster was delicious, and the hollandaise sauce was perfection. . L'ispahan: brunch cocktail with gin, Prosecco, lychee, raspberries, rose. A boozy brunch - why not? 😂😂.

S. J.

Great friendly service and fabulous food. Double baked cheese souffle was amazing!

A. H.

Amazing amazing! Everyone is so so helpful and friendly! Thank you for treating us so nice Food is amazing! Baked eggs is the bomb!

M. A.

Great for brunch. Long wait on weekends without a booking but if you plan ahead it's definitely worth it 👌

S. ..

The food is amazing!! It is worth the hype. Their fried brioche is to die for! We got the specials and it was indeed very special! The lobster prawn Benedict is a must try! The vibe of the place is relaxed brunch type. There were a few lovely staff members that made up for any lacking. I don't have any pictures because we were simply too eager to eat all the delicious looking food, so I guess that says something.

K.

Friendly customer service, nice ambience, very unique food with generous serving and pricing was reasonable.

A. H.

Always love this place, so good to see a second location open up. Really inventive menu and there's no risk in trying something new because everything is spectacular. Highly recommend the baked eggs. The staff are also lovely and very attentive.

s. s.

I wish there are more stars I can give it to them. Food is best. Staffs are very detailed, friendly and very considerate. They take care of all our dietary requirement. One of the best place for brunch in Melbourne.

Y. A.

Happiness is, excellent baked eggs 🙏🏼 These we’re almost perfect!! Friendly staff & a lovely energy

t. K.

The food was really good, 5 star for the food. But the ice coffees was not the best found it too bitter and this is coming from someone that lives off bitter coffee, so because of that I had to take a star. PS Would recommend it to friends tho.

B. “. W.

One of the best breakfast's in town and totally made the whole trip to Melbourne worth it. The Brioche(highly recommend) was an absolute beast both in terms of taste and size and the Millefeuille had just the right flavours balanced together to make the whole experience memorable. Thank you and we will surely come and visit you guys on our next trip.

D. L.

Service and Food is fantastic, perfect for Brekky and lunch....

S. H.

We have been here many times now and we have loved everything we’ve ordered. The confit duck- great. The pork belly with croquettes- divine. And if you want something sweet and delicious, order the French toast on brioche bread. Nice hip place and good atmosphere.

G.

Loved the coffee and the food! I had this pork belly with polenta, scrambled egg. It was so good!

E. G.

The baked eggs are to die for. Very savoury and the eggs are cooked to perfection!

L. S.

We went for brunch at the hardware societe having read the very positive reviews on the different online forums. The food exceeded our expectations in both taste and originality, the combination of flavors was fantastic! Staff were very friendly, which contributed to a great experience. Greatly recommended!

J. M.

I come here every time I visit Melbourne... I love the coffee & food. 5 stars for everything - atmosphere, decor, food, coffee, products, customer service... I love it here!!

R. Y. X.

Tasty food, big portion, fair price😊

A. S.

Beautiful cafe and as they mention there no eggs on toast available but they do have some great options to try on. You can also buy some cute souvenirs they have of their own.

C.

Perfect brunch cafe🥰 My friend highly recommended this cafe so I came here. And I highly recommend! The place was smaller than my expectation. But it doesn’t matter:) Housemade iced tea was so amazing 🤩 Everything was perfect for me!

D. M.

The staff and atmosphere of the hardware societe is excellent, very welcoming and accommodating. Excellent coffee with some incredible food. Price is very reasonable with big portion sizes with great flavour. Only downside is can't edit the menu e.g. take something off a meal, but the food is still good

I. C.

Did not plan to go to this cafe, however, it completely took us by surprise!! Best iced chai latte (comes with ice cream!!!). Amazing food (not like anything I've had before!). Add this place to your list now, you won't regret it!

E.

Fantastic baristas who will very quickly turn you into a regular! Oh, and they've got the skills to go with their positive vibes. They can very easily whip up a nice cup of flat white (padre coffee beans), or a large oat chai/matcha, or a beautiful cocktail. The espresso martini is very potent, so if you've gotta work after lunch on a Friday, then grab one and go back to work on a high! Nothing to complain about the food at all. Still eager to try the confit duck, but no complaints about the salmon grebiche, that was phenomenal. The millefuille will take you on a wonderful journey of flavours and textures. It's definitely not just hype, and it's definitely not a coincidence that they dominated the hardware lane for so long. Oh, and do make a booking (you can do this online, for free, in less than 3 minutes), as they do get very busy.

A.

Definitely need eggs on toast, especially the ones from The Hardware Societe, which were always cooked perfectly. Their velvety coffee just paired so well with their meals.

K. W.

My first time visiting was 2 years ago, and I had the baked eggs. My initial thought was that it's really overrated. This time I came back and my boyfriend wanted to try it, so we went for brunch. Surprisingly good was served swiftly even though it was a busy morning, taste wise it's a hit and miss, some were great some were just okay. Overall a very pleasant experience compared to the first few times I visited. Very impressed by the attentiveness of the staffs.

A. S.

Work breakfast with a colleague - high end, quality food and presentation, worth the $

M. K.

This was our second trip to hardware societe. The first time we went there a few years ago, we had the lobster benedict and it completely blew our minds. We couldn’t wait to head back there to have it again. To our disappointment, it was pretty meh. Nothing special. I also remember it having a lot more lobster. We also had the mushroom and cheese soufflé. Seemed more like a crustless quiche. The coffee was good but, again, nothing special. On a more positive note, the decor at their new place is really nice.

A. T.

Delicious breakfast place! Coffee and mocha were really good. We had the mushroom dish and the pork belly dish (can't remember the full names). Both were really good and serving size was great! It does get really crowded and busy during popular times so be ready to wait awhile for a table. Service there is amazing though. There is also another branch just opposite that serves a smaller menu.

W. D.

We had the best breakfast 'ever', this morning. Food and service excellent.

D. L.

Hardware societe is one of the most famous cafes in Melbourne. Always packed with brunch goers, you’d definitely be wise to book. They offer a small but varied menu. I had the lobster roll which was tasty and presented in an eye catching manner. They also have specials depending on the day, so definitely check those out. The atmosphere is lively and the staff are quite friendly. Definitely a must visit for those in the Melbourne CBD .

G. Q.

Amazing as always. Uploaded photos from different visits.

C.

Absolutely loved this place and would not hesitate to recommend. Would recommend trying the 63° eggs and also had the iced mocha which was one of the best I've had. Also had the lobster benedicy on a charcoal bun which was great as well. Coffee is also really good here. Atmosphere was really chill, good for brunch, lunch, quick bite and business meetings. Staff are friendly and food came out quite quickly. Will be one to add to my faves list!

A. F.

Love this place. Service is excellent and food is if good quality and taste. Not your usual smash avo and egg place. You get more fine cuisine here. Tried the hot chocolate here, a real treat. The broche was also nicely toasted. Highly recommended. Will come again

남. (.

Good looking good service but not good taste..

J. S.

We tried to book a table for breakfast here, knowing that the place will be packed on a weekend, but we couldn't get that done online... and when we called, we couldn't get a hold of anyone... So we decided to just try our luck and walk-in. The place was indeed packed, and they could only accommodate us for outdoor seating, which looked more like a make-shift seating than a proper one. Service was a bit slow, and when we finally ordered, we chose Fried Brioche - black sesame cheesecake, passionfruit curd, raspberries, raspberry gel, sesame tuile; and Herb Roasted Mushrooms - twice baked Gruyére cheese soufflé, herb mushrooms, mojo verde, savoury granola, poached eggs. The food came after a while, and have to say that the Fried Brioche was just out of this world!!! It made up for the wait, and for the location of our table. Coffee was excellent as well. Just make sure you book a table prior to coming.

E. U.

Always a pleasure at Hardware Societe! Amazing food, chill vibes, and fantastic service.

H. D.

Love lobster Benedict here. The shop is always busy so recommend book online before coming. The shop at Katherine place is more spacious

P. E.

The staff are always friendly and the food is always great. I have lots of trouble ordering there because there are simply too many yummy options! I really love the lobster benedict, egg soldiers and their tuna tartare Mielle feuille. Watch out for their weekend brioche specials, it’s often super epic 🤤

C.

My first impression of this place was that it was clean, tidy and spacious, they sell a few souvenirs/"no eggs on toast"books near the front counter. I ordered the confit duck, you can definitely taste the duck flavour on the roasted potatoes, and the pea puree balanced all the flavours nicely. Service was friendly and welcoming, the only flaw was that the dishes were quite expensive, and I think for $26.50 you can get a bit more veggies or salad on the side at other restaurants. Overall, the flavours were nicely intertwined, ambience was lovely.

J. L. C.

You are about to open a restaurant in Barcelona, cool! But in Barcelona the local language is Catalan, while in your search for the new team you don’t require hability to know this language? It sounds a bit weird 🤷🏻‍♂️

S. S.

Lovely atmosphere and aesthetically pleasing space. The servers are friendly and go to a lot of effort to make you feel comfortable and welcome. The food was pretty good but honestly found that its “instagrammable” look was the best part of the meal. It tasted good but didn’t really live up to the hype. The balance of the dish was a bit off so was underwhelming and not as delicious as it could have been. For $26, I feel that I could’ve had a softer brioche and maybe a side salad/chips as well. The Blanc hot chocolate was delicious but too rich to drink a whole mug of it. I would go back but only for a coffee.

R. H.

We had an excellent breakfast at Hardware Societe. The food was fresh and innovative. However it is a bit expensive with breakfast costing us more than $100 for a family of four. Also the coffee wasn’t as strong as we like it so we’ll ask for a double-shot next time.

C. S.

The food & drinks are amazing, service could definitely improve. Looooveeeee the menu. Can't wait to try out the Paris joint one day.

S. Y.

The baked egg with chorizo is very flavourful and nice. Adding cashew in it enhanced the texture of the whole dish together. Very nice !

F.

Would rate 6/5 if I could. Top tier food and top tier service! Special mention to Audrey who accommodated us and my puppy. She was on top of everything. We barely had to ask and she would make sure that we had everything we needed and would even offer things that we didn't know we would need. Would highly recommend for both the food and the attentive service. Coming back again soon!

Y. P.

Fantastic food and coffee, great to see this place now accepting reservations. The lobster Benedict us decent and the seared tuna very much like fine dining.

K. T.

We stayed at Aura on Flinders and there’s this cafe right in front of the hotel so we gave it a try. Turns out the food is really yum, especially the pork stripes, really love it. But the staff attitude needs to be improve, she took our order without greeting us and there’s also no smile at all. Food served slow, skip this cafe if you’re in a hurry. However, they’ve got a relax environment with modern neon signage in the cafe, suitable for catch ups and gatherings. One more thing, Piccolo coffee is a no to me, can’t even finish the one that I have ordered. Pretty ordinary to me, but no harm giving it a try. Attached with photos.

김.

I’ve planned to have lobster egg Benedict as I enjoyed it a couple of times in the past. But today I couldn’t find it on the menu… One of the waiting staff told me that the menu was updated a month ago.. I ordered Chorizo potato baked egg, it was good but I would prefer porched egg just like the one in Egg Benedict….sorry to say this but I think I can get this quality dish from other nice cafes in/around Melbourne. Hope they bring back the dish on their menu soon. There’s no more Confit Duck, seemed like they replaced the duck with chicken. No more braised lamb shoulder either which was my second/third option to order. 🥲 My girl friend ordered a beef sandwich and she enjoyed it quite alot. The coffee was great, lovely waiting staff as always. There were some pretty ceramics for sale in the restaurant

J. B.

Amazing for breakfast. Bit daunted by the unusual breakfast menu however the staff were very helpful and attentive. Food was delicious, surprisingly they don't have almond milk though.

A. K.

An absolute staple - I've brought friends and family into Hardware Société as well as relaxing or working while there by myself and it never fails to delight. The food and drinks are divine (with quality ingredients and creative flair) the staff are delightful and the busy ambience is simply a credit to their popularity. Last time I went by myself I started with a coffee and pastry, then ordered the Eggs with Soldiers. Although far more filling than I'd pictured, I was determined to finish it at all costs - it was just that good! The staff are very accommodating and go above and beyond to ensure happiness. Definitely a spot to try!!

I. T.

Had a pleasant brunch there. The tuna is very good.

V. W.

Lovely and well decorated place. Every details is incredible and different from everything else. In addiction, It was one of the most delicious breakfast that I’ve ever had. I had the Baked eggs, which was incredible mix of flavours with a sweet and creamy mocca. Supper recommended!

A. C.

We were there for lunch during the week. Very nice industrial furniture. The staff is made up of superstars who in two were able to manage the whole restaurant! Very good. Great and super fast the food service. To try their super Instagrammable lobster Benedict burger, very good but lightly roasted croche monsieur. The bloody Mary is delicious. We requested a special dessert and they immediately satisfied us. Thank you very much and see you soon! We'll be back

O. K.

4/5 as opposed to 5/5 (Read further to know why) The recently relocated Hardware Societe is much bigger, quite chic and better from its earlier venue. Totally loved the vibe and energy it exudes (could even smell the fresh paints). Food, as usual, lives up to its name and fame, high quality and great flavors. Portions are quite good. In fact, they are a step above their benchmark and that's a great achievement. Ordered the usual must Lobster Egg Benedict, Lamb Stew and Trout Bowl, and as mentioned earlier every plate was top-notch but we had our favourite in the form of Lamb Stew...Easily the dish of the day. Hot Chocolate and Mocha were very good. Chai wad a letdown though. The biggest issue we had with the cafe is the 10% Surcharge on Weekends....That's a bit much since the dishes are already very steeply priced. This seems like a rip-off even if we consider that staffs are paid a bit extra (wages) on a weekend. Thus, we choose to not give them a score of 5. Service is quick and decent choices for Vegans and Vegetarians to choose from.

J. B.

Great French Cafe. The coffee was really good and the menu had a large variety of gourmet options. It was so refreshing to go to a cafe and find something different. The food was unique and delicious, well balanced and beautifully presented. The place is busy but the staff are efficient and we were served in a reasonable time frame. Will come back.

C. A.

Certainly one of the best brunch cafes in the city. Great coffee, and a French themed selection of delicious options. The cocktails area not to be missed either.

W. O.

What can I say??? We had the most wonderful experience at Hardware Societe yesterday for brunch (Wednesday 2nd Feb). From entering the gorgeous premises to the time we (begrudgingly) left, we were treated to a wonderful experience. I visited with my Mother (for her birthday) and my daughter, and we all had the most memorable experience. The service was prompt, gentle, experienced - and made us all feel so very welcome. I do not have enough words to describe the delicious meals we all had, except to say we will be back again (and again, and again) to work our way through the menu. To top if off, the divine sweet that was presented to my Mother for her birthday was one of the most simple yet extravagant sweet dishes ever!! Thankyou so very very much for helping to make my Mother’s birthday even more special; and for giving us a new place to enjoy. I have not stopped telling anyone who will listen how wonderful Hardware Societe is!! Congratulations Team – and thankyou again.

D. L.

4 of us went with really good feedback from friends. The atmosphere is great and service was really good (a tad slow, but we came at a busy time, so no complaints). The food was a bit disappointing, unfortunately. By being very hipster gourmet, dishes are pushed a bit too far and the quality didn't follow. The caramelized onions were watery, fried eggs overdone, the pork belly wasn't a very good cut. The baked eggs deux was a small portion. Overall, if the ingredients were a bit higher quality and better attention was given to cooking, it would be a 4+ stars. I almost rated as a 4 stars because service was very friendly and welcoming, but the food was a let down. The hot chocolate is definitely recommended. A high 3 stars.

D. E.

Not cheap. Great service. Excellent coffee & tea. Inventive, high quality, French inspired menu. Quirky, fun place. A brilliant choice for the traveller wanting to experience Melbourne cafe culture. Arrive early to avoid a wait. Very popular.

Z.

Never had a bad meal here yet. Starting to get to know the menu well. Coffee is also amazing. Only complaint is inside the cafe can get very noisy. But this just shows how popular the place is. Highly recommended.

S. A.

This was one of the best places I had brunch in Melbourne, we tried their vegetarian baked eggs and the crepe and both were delicious, loved the coffee and the atmosphere of the place and the kind staff.

C.

Great service by the staff here but the food isn't as mind-blowing as I remember. The coffee is great and if you are in the area make sure you pop in for that.

A. K.

Fried brioche was quite sweet, but tasteful! Baked eggs with chorizo was a very flavourful dish! Coffee order was messed up 3 times. First, one drink missed. Then order was confirmed, but not followed up. Then the same drink was delivered twice!

R. R.

Had to wait very long time on the street to get seated. They skipped our order. We waited for 45min and remainded them about our order. We were given an almond croissant for their mistake and then the order. Expensive too. Food is good though. Should be more friendly.

A. D.

This is one of the best place to have brunch. It's very cozy. The staff is really helpful. We got a place in the corner. But it was spacious. Coming to food, had pork with flat white. Tasty food. Planning to go this weekend too. Cheers! Highly recommend this place for pork and coffee lovers.

P. S.

Great food, service and ambience. I had the pork belly with poached eggs and my partner had the salmon scrambled eggs thingy. Both were good and the portions are huge for Asians at least. Also do try the hot chocolate.

K. F. H.

... It was raining. We Put our name on the list for a 25 minute wait. No one left the queue, but it was well managed and moved along. Once inside service was friendly, prompt and attentive, the whole place was pleasant. Hot drinks were fast and rich. Hot chocolate here was top 3 I've had in the state- Mork was #1. The food (breakfast) was savory, top quality, well prepared and beautiful. We ordered a second course late to share. I'd wait in the winter rain again for this one.

R. S.

Wasn’t the busiest when I went however took 10 minutes to find a table - staff are friendly however don’t seem to work as a team as the lady at the register insisted I wait for someone to show us to a table even tho she wasn’t busy However the food is fantastic and amazing coffee! Would still come back for sure.

S.

We got to this place nice and early so there was no line luckily ( or maybe because they had just opened their new larger location). We had to wait a bit for them to set up but other than that the ordering process was pretty smooth. The black eggs Benedict and the French toast we had were both really good. Both well thought out and creative. The eggs Benedict had a lot of filling and the black bun was really soft and fluffy. The vegetables added that slight crunch. The French toast wasn't too sweet considering the syrup on it and the meringue. The toast itself was crunchy and eggy and contrasted well with the fruit and meringue. I would come back to try other things.

L. J.

A really lovely brunch and lunch spot. The decor is really light and cute. I had the pan fried brioche, it came out very quickly and was delicious. The service is great. I couldn’t fault this place.

R. M.

You know how some cafes are so hyped up but when you visit they fall way below your expectations?? Not this one! I went for brekkie before work (and didn't have to queue). We ordered The Continental, Chorizo baked eggs and spinach baked eggs and they were all delicious! Highly recommend the spinach eggs (which in my opinion was better than the chorizo one but my friend disagrees). The dish was well seasoned and creamy with fresh bread drizzled with basil flavoured olive oil. The coffees, we had 2 each, were great. Can't wait to go back and try other dishes, esp the Fried Brioche!

A. J.

Staff were friendly but the food- lobster & prawn roll and the pork belly & fried eggs were quite average. Coffee was good but was served quite cold.

J. P.

This is a must do for all foodies and those who enjoy great vibes and trendy places; heck there's even a spot for your dog/pooch/fur baby. For me, this place epitomizes the Melbourne experience! Food is amazing, atmosphere is trendy and on point and the wait staff are super friendly; oh and did I tell you about the cocktails....absolutely superb! Yes I had a 20min wait to get a table (you give your name and number of people with you when you arrive and then take a seat on a bench across the road (I thought it was a bus stop when I first arrived)) but the wait was an experience all in itself! Everyone there is waiting for the same thing, we've read the same reviews so was super easy to spark conversations and meet new people. Photos: 1 - Lispahan cocktail and Boozy Tea cocktail 2 - L: Lobster Eggs Benedict R: Millefeuille with Tuna Civiche and Mandarin 3 - can't remember the name but a massive thick piece of sweet glazed bread, lemon meringue, vanilla custard, raspberry coulis and fresh raspberries to cut through the sweetness. Friggin Amazing!

R. H.

Great chic cafe in Melbourne. Their dishes were very tasty. We had the baked eggs and the fried brioche and were very satisfied with both of them. The place is beautiful and well decorated. Another reason to visit Melbourne cafe's scene.

T. B.

I really enjoyed this place. Great atmosphere, good food, nice coffee and the desserts were excellent. Staff were also friendly and helpful. It kind of feels like an all day breakfast menu, so come prepared to eat some eggs.

E. B.

After all these years, the Hardware Society is still the best place in Melbourne for breakfast. It offers up a really different and non-typical menu that it bursting with choices. Often hard to get a seat here but my goodness it is so worth the wait. Coffee is just as good as the food. Will continue to come here every time I visit Melbourne. As good as it gets.

C. H.

I ordered baked eggs with chorizo sausage and green tea latte! I think the baked eggs was a little bit salty but overall pretty good! Green tea latte had a weird nut taste in it. The place was very cute with cool vibes. Slightly pricy for the portion of food. Would want to come again to try their coffee only!

B. U.

I came by for a fairly early breakfast on a Saturday after arriving from the airport. I got there around 1000 and managed to get a table but it got really busy half an hour later, and there was a line waiting outside the door when I left around 1045. They do have a menu but they also had cabinet food consisting of pastries, mostly sweet. I tied their signature hot chocolate and it was quite interesting. It consisted of a hot jug of hot chocolate which I poured over chocolate inside a cup. There was also a cookie that came with it. The chocolate was a bit on the dark side but it had nice flavours. I didn't find it very rich. I had the millefeuille, which had tuna and salmon tartar in between two layers of crispy pastry. It was served with seared tuna and poached eggs. I liked the flavours as it was quite fresh. I think it would have been nicer with a third pastry layer to be similar to the sweet millefeuille. It was a nice meal. Good service even when busy but it was a bit on the pricey side, almost $30 for a dish.

S. D.

I love French food and popped in to @HardwareSociete for breakfast and got the Croque Madame: Chicken rillette, tarragon bechamel, caramelized onions, cabbage, celeriac & apple remoulade Along with a delicious matcha maiden green tea latte. What a meal! Crunchy thick brioche sandwiching tender chicken rillette, love the sweetness of the caramelized onions that contrast against the tarragon bechamel and melted cheese. The slaw on the side is much needed to balance the richness but what a way to start the day! Enjoying a most delicious meal in a cosy warm inviting setting. #FrenchFood #breakfast #breakfastisthemostimportantmealoftheday #croquemadame #chickenrillet #latte #greentea #matcha #foodcoma #foodie #melbournefood #melbournecbd

L. P.

Awesome food and coffee. Visited the Hardware Lane cafe six weeks ago with a friend and it was divine. Just heard it has closed which is such a shame. So glad they still have this cafe which is on my list of must go to places for brunch. Highly recommend. Eggs cooked perfectly, Slav bacon to die for, fantastic coffee. Will always be back for more

C. C. R.

Recommended by a family member while visiting melbourne, and no disappointment at all having french cuisine for lunch here. Once arrived, there had been a long line waiting. One of the staffs put my name on the list and mentioned the waiting time is around 20 to maximum 30 minutes. Meanwhile, I took a look at the menu and when our turn had come, we were quided to sit on a communal table in the corner of the room. The room was really well decorated and comfortable even there were full of people inside. I ordered one of their menu from instagram, and fruit bread with latte. They were all tasted wonderful. The portion, the texture, and the taste were all balance and fresh which I love it so much. I would definitely come back here to try other dishes.

L. M.

Amazing spot for a lovely brunch. The menu is Spanish/ french inspired and they are famous for their baked eggs and lobster eggs Benedict both of which I would highly recommend. They do not allow reservations and there is usually a line to wait. In saying that you can order coffee whilst you wait. Once seated there service is quick and efficient. The staff are very friendly and welcoming.

N. M.

Nice room and great service. Coffee excellent (with Easter egg on side as Easter Sunday 🤗). Had beautiful hot smoked salmon gribiche.

S. H.

Overpriced, Eggs Benedict was a bit different. Usually it comes with bacon or salmon. Here they have it with beef or lobster. The beef flavor was really strong that I couldn't taste the hollandaise sauce at all. It was a different experience. I waited in the queue to be seated for around 10 minutes.

C. A.

This little corner in the Melbourne CBD is one of the Strongly Suggested Restaurant to all my friends that visit to Melbourne!! Although there is always a long queue…but it is worth to queue up!! First of all… Foods are GREAT!The way it served, taste, serving potion…it's perfect! Other than that…the atmosphere, services,serving speed are excellent… Even it was full house when I visited…my meal was served about 10 minutes after the orders was taken… Keep it up Guys!! =D

A. N.

Recommended by a friend to visit this place. It's a cozy little spot when the boundary between the kitchen and the table is blurred. Ordered the Scrambled Eggs and a Flat White. Food was great and the coffee was good. Be prepared to smell of grease when patroning this place.

R. B.

We last reviewed HS at its other site up north, so this was our first visit to the new diggs. Given its proximity to other high quality choices it's always going to be competitive but HS continues to deliver (side note it's also very close to the MCEC making it a prime brunchfast location). Everything on the menu is great, from the real bircher (yes that's musli properly soaked in yoghurt not just yoghurt drizzled over it) to the eggs on various breads or in a pot with choizo - you can't go wrong. You can however go wrong with the coffee, mainly by only having one and not also trying one of the various blends they pack. Prices are reasonable though higher for coffee which only comes in one size. Staff are a great mix of all walks and all very friendly, some even speak French (and yes the menu is in bilingual English and French for good measure). We scored it 9 out of 10. 0.5 was lost due to our formula for determining appropriate coffee prices (the price landing on the high end) and, 0.5 lost for no splitting bills on weekends when bills can be split on weekdays (we expect this option any time as it's a simple feature of a modern point of sale system). We of course will be back next year!

Y. Y.

Know these guys from their Cafe in Paris, so had to visit while in Melbourne. The food is visually very appealing and it tastes wonderful. Worth a little wait. Only thing that can be improved is the air inside the rather poorly aerated restaurant.

S. H.

This is a cafe I was dying to try when I was in Melbourne. There was a wait when I arrived but luckily the wait was about 10minutes. Ordered the Chorizo baked eggs and the Lobster Benedict. I heard great things about the baked eggs and when arrived it tasted amazing!! Especially with everything mixed together. The only downside was that one side of my pot was hot and the other was only lukewarm. Definitely a place to try!

M. B.

Good cafe! And a number of good tasting brunch options. And while there was a waiting line we were actually seated quite fast. Now if only they had a milkshake... but that wouldn't be French, would it 😊

F. P.

Food is good but very pricey. Have to say that their menu selection is interesting, not the usual English breakfast kind of choices. Coffee is surprisingly average and service is great. Come early if you don't want to queue (believe me, it can be quite long).

C. M.

The Hardware Societe has had so many recommendations from so many people, I just had to go. I had the recommended baked eggs with chorizo. It reminded me of devilled eggs, though the pecan nuts and manchengo was a slightly quirky and decadent twist. True to the establishment's French origins, it was served with slices from a baguette, though somehow I feel some thicker french bread would make it a better meal. The coffee was on point, as I have pointed out in all my reviews, its difficult to give a coffee its fullness with skinny milk unless the barista knows what they're doing, and the barista at THS delivered.

G.

Trendy cafe newly relocated to an expanded location with insta-worthy food, but expensive. Hardware Society has been on my list for ages and regularly features on many Instagram feeds. We had a friend from NZ visiting so decided to visit HS. The location is in a quiet part of the CBD and tucked away down a laneway. We put our names on a wait list and were called after 25min. The space is beautifully decorated and has a great buzz. Staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Coffee was good. The food dishes are designed for Instagram- each one a work of art. Most of our dishes were “winners” , except for one which was disappointing. Prices are expensive for what you get - they’re definitely charging you for their popularity. Pleasant experience but it’s one of those places you go to once but never return to again.

H. W.

Great menu, fast service, funky location typical of a well rated Melbourne cafe although over priced. Just over $70 for 2 breakfast meals and 2 drinks. The Cafe charges a surcharge for Saturday’s with no notice (and no public holiday) which is why it didn’t get 5 stars. The tuna dish was creative and cooked well, although my husband’s lobster eggs benedict wasn’t as exciting (unfortunately didn’t take a pic). Expect a queue on weekends but it moves fast.

T. C.

This is a VERY popular place in Melbourne, a staple brunch spot. But I would say that it is a bit overrated, yet still worth the visit (but not the long wait). The coffee, the hot chocolate and mocha. Simply amazing. The food is pricey and yummy... my tip is to go when it’s not brunch time, unless you’re happy to wait for maybe 15+ minutes.

K. M.

All the choices we had were amazing and I have tried a few coffee-places in my life but this is definitely the best cappuccino I ever had! Highly recommended even if we had to wait for 15min to get a spot! Totally worth it!

J. T.

1st visit :Worth the 45min wait. Latte was good and the lobster benedict was worth it. Bread for the baked eggs was a little hard. Choc mousse with mango puree was really nice. Would come back again definitely. 2nd visit: couldn't resist on my last day. Beef cheeks and pork belly was so so good. To make the experience even better, we had seats at the bar and its like being part of master Chef where you see the magic happen before your very eyes and you get it actually eat it…. Highly recommended!!

H. B.

I have been to the orginal Hardware Societe, so I was excited to visit the new one. This one is definitely better for families/bigger groups as there is a lot more seating capacity, and a more casual vibe. We waited around 45 mins for a table of 5 (on a sunday morning) and they call your name when a table is ready. We had a really nice booth which was comfortable and spacious. Iced coffes were good. Food ranges between $20-$30. My favourite dish (coffee pannacotta) was no longer on the menu, but I had the croque madame which was huge and very tasty. My friend had the lobster benedict, but having had it before at the other location, was disappointed by the size and quality. The main criticism I have is that there was a compulsory 10% surcharge for the weekend, which made the already expensive menu even pricier. I was disappointed as it seemed a bit dishonest, and unnecessarily greedy. Overall, I prefer the hardware lane branch but think this one is good for bigger groups. Not the best brunch in Melbourne, but still nice and feels very indulgent.

H. A.

The food is incredible. We had the scrambled and baked eggs. These guys are not afraid to throw a curve ball in the usual classics. All you have to do is embrace their creativity. Oh yes, and the lattes are to dye for. Although our stay is very short in Melbourne, but we are definitely coming back for another meal.

S. L.

First brunch in ages did not disappoint. Beautiful restaurant, super friendly staff, delicious food and coffee.

H. C.

The confit duck leg and lobster Benedict were seriously delicious. The place had a really nice vibe. I can see why people queue for this place. Try to book in advance as we saw people getting turned away without a reservation.

s. b.

Long, long wait on a weekend morning, but worth! Very very high quality brunch breakfast menu, we shared two between three and we were very full. Both the crab tartes and the tuna millefeuille were delicious and coffee was perfect.

E. J. S.

The lobster benedict has always been a crowd-pleaser throughout its various iterations. What we found pleasantly surprising was the baked eggs un (v), which turned out to be a very good meal for our 1 year old - she loved it!

T. P.

OMG... I love this place. The brunch is amazing and the coffee are as great as usual!! Never get disappointed. We also have desert. A little bit too sweet... But my experience is super there. No wonder they always have a queue, I am not sure if they take reservations. I doubt it. Anyway, the barista did a great job. Stuff are friendly. Chefs are happy and passionate to make good food too.👏👍

V. Y.

An amazing place for brunch with friends or with your s/o. Reasonably priced with delicious food. The coffee is top. Would definitely recommend coming here at least once on your melbourne trip

K. R.

Never disappoints. Exceptional coffee and food. A favourite of ours particularly when we have visitors staying. Always book ahead though

B. R.

Very trendy and popular French cafe. Creative menu which sets them apart from the usual Aussie breakfast fare. Baked eggs and the Eggs Benedict are a standout on what is otherwise still a very good menu. Coffee is excellent and the pastries are all fresh and tasty if you can squeeze them in (portions are quite generous). Excellent service. Extremely busy on weekend mornings so get here early unless you're prepared to wait in a long queue.

S. B.

Well the first thing they don't have picture in the menu so if you are first timer then you won't know what n how much you will get in plate. So ordering food based in the menu is not good decision if you don't know what type of food you are ordering. Whatever you read in menu sound delicious doesn't mean you'll get what you're expecting. If you are familiar with food i think it's ok if not then ask to waiter.

K. C.

Amazing meal and the food came out quickly. We had to chase down our drinks a bit but the food was so delicious and the servers were really nice so no faulting them. They were likely just adjusting to the post lockdown busyness. Would recommend!

K. D. D.

Although it was quite busy and we did not make a booking we were given a table very fast. The pork belly was not as good as I imagined it might be, but the rest was delicious

B. S.

Heard a lot about this place, had to go! Got there just before 9, had to wait about 15min. Super busy. A lot of hustle and bustle, small tables, pretty cramped. All made up for it with the food! Everything was so good! I got the lobster (shredded) with 2 poached eggs covered in hollandaise on a black brioche bun. A very nice light flavour, not a whole lot of lobster though. $26 for brunch, make it a special treat!

P. V.

Excellent service, great food, I really do recommend going here for a hearty brunch or breakfast. The coffees are good but not the main draw card although they have good enough beans to make a pleasant macchiato.

C. c.

I have to say it’s the best in Melbourne CBD... lobster burger is excellent and French toast is sooo amazing I love it so much!! Rice pudding is beautiful with the smell of rose which is gorgeous

J. B.

Seriously great cafe food. The lobster benedict is both aesthetic and delicious! And whilst you're waiting for your food, they have some jams and hand made nougat you can buy. This is a must try place for anyone visiting Melbourne.

G. K.

Amazing food, great staff. We had scallops & lobster egg burger, everything was super delicious 🍔🦞

f. t.

Tucked away in a little alley way. There are a couple of hardware cafes so make sure you goto the correct one. Ordered the duck which was flavourful, not overly rich. The hot choc is unique also you get a cup with cream and you can mix it to your desired sweetness. Overall its definately worth a visit.

A.

This place is a definite must! Get there early because there's always a wait and you'll see a line in an alley for this small hidden gem. The portions were good, reasonably price, and there is a fee for using a credit card. Space/seating is limited, don't be afraid to share a table with other guests.

L. L.

One of my favourite places in Melbourne for a quality breakfast. I haven't once been disappointed when eating here. Despite being busy they are great at ensuring your wait for food isn't too long as well. Although more known for its food (deservedly so) the coffee here is also excellent. An all round great spot for an excellent brunch.

S. E.

Popular French place for brunch food. Love the crossaints. Baked eggs are nice. The prawn and crab grebiche is tasty but didn't expect it to be a cold dish. Usually a 20 minute wait to get in - plenty of surrounding coffee places to kill time.

D. M.

Beautiful food and drinks and nice big tables!! Very friendly service and reasonably priced food. Really enjoyed this with the family. Will hopefully be back again.

D. H.

Really enjoyed our visit. The staff made our experience 10/10. The brioche is amazing.

F. M.

The taste is pretty good, but the weight is large, the plate is slightly rough. The piccolo is good, the little lobster benidict is okay, not very amazing, personally do not like the texture of the burger bread, no work. Or the American crab cake + benidict and the English muffin is more suitable for my appetite. Oil seal duck can also, 80 points

G. F.

One of my favourite breakfast places in Melbourne. Tasty French style foods the croque Madam is amazing (pictured). Tips. This place is popular. Expect to wait. Don't just join the line, make sure your name is on the list, then join the line. Weekdays much easier to get in. Great place for out of town guests.

M. Y.

A long line greeted us when we came to hardware societe. And an even longer list of food items greeted us as we flipped the pages of the menu! All in all, good stuff. Certainly a different kind of breakfast menu. You'll be surprised to find how quickly your food gets served. I ordered the lobster benedict it came really fast. However it was cold. The baked eggs were a different story though. Both dishes were awesome and would be better if the lobster benedict was warm. Try out their mocha or hot chocolate. Good stuff.

A. L.

Having read a handful of the mixed reviews of The Hardware Societe of Melbourne, honestly, it doesn't garner the praise. All 'negative' notes are a reflection on food and not on service or overall experience. The staff, service, decor and environment were top notch. High on the list of 'trending' brunch hotspots to visit among others, I visited Hardware on two occasions. Well three if I count our late arrival and long waiting times, which mind you, added to the suspense. On that note, we skipped over to #Hash (or is it #HashTag?) for brunch instead and vowed to return early the following day - Give them a try, I enjoyed my food and coffee more. Before diving into the review, it should be noted, ARRIVE to Hardware early. We arrived a few minutes after 8:30AM and beat the queues that amass Hardware Street. I can't for the life of me understand the appeal. Sure the decor is cute, pretty and had the overwhelming feeling I was at high tea (dining inside). But, it attracts mobs of patrons. I think it may have been the Deux - Lobster and eggs. And with that in mind, I decided to give it a try. Combining lobster with eggs didn't add much to the dish. I would have happier with smoked salmon or something cured on the side. It looks pretty but my recommendation is try something else, not the pork belly. I had a few mouthfuls and found it to be a normal breakfast meal. The second visit I had the duck special. It was a few weeks ago and I don't remember the specifics but it was essentially a duck pate chaud. Again, it was OK. There's not much else I can say other than, good coffee? And perhaps visit #Hash or White Mojo (which I've yet to visit) instead? It's not worth the wait.

H. W.

Yummy brunch served.

c.

Waiting is just few minutes. The coffee and hot chocolate look nice. The food looks gorgeous but tastes decent. Pork belly is not very good but the salmon is nice. Overall, it worths a visit.

C. K.

I had a bloody mary. It was ok but not the best I had. The tuna dish was good. Not enough food, but the presentation was great and the taste was good too. Since I was not satisfied I had to have the French toast as a desert.

J. C.

One of the best brunch I have ever had in Australia! Great food and friendly staff, very popular and already queue in the morning. Recommended!

G. T.

Came for brunch and had to wait for 30 minutes. Well worth the wait as the food was delicious. Seating area was a tad tight and we felt a pressure to finish our meal fast as there was a long queue forming outside. Worth a visit at least once if you don't mind the wait!

J. L.

Very gd brunch spread with specials during weekends. Very prompt service and attentive. Glad to be here!

F. K.

Been here twice everytime I visit Melbourne I always try to get a seat! Coffees were a delight, we had the tuna and baked egg and also the fried brioche all dishes were amazing!!

A. K.

The line was too long both Saturday and Sunday (1hr is outrageous!) But Monday the wait was only 15 minutes. The food was good and the staff very friendly. I was accidentally given a hot chocolate (instead of a mocha) was very sweet but the waitress happily replaced it with a mocha upon request. While I wouldn't come here on a weekend (not worth the wait), it was a nice weekday stopover.

J. J.

Almost an institution in Melbourne. The food is delicious and every so slightly pretentious (French). The service is generally a high standard and the coffee is Padre’s best - Daddy’s Girl. Portion sizes are huge a however this is appreciated when the food is so tasty!

L. M.

Have been coming to hardware societe since their early days on hardware lane. The baked eggs are a must try! Service is always good but make sure you go early during peak times as they get very busy.

M. K.

Whoever put this menu together is a genius! I just had the best breakfast of my whole entire life of buckwheat pancakes with cured salmon. I wanted to cry at a table thats how good it is. Perfect combination of eastern Europe on the plate. The red caviar touch is mindblowing. You guys are something else. I will happily eat this food and drink this amazing coffee for the rest of my life. Just wow

X. D.

I was I little disappointed . The food is not as good as few years ago. The egg and lobster in Benedict is lack of flavour , same as the tuna . Adding some source may help maybe. It is a very popular brunch and there is always a queue. Coffee is nice and smooth

A. A.

The food is amazing, however it’s really expensive for a breakfast. I have been there more than once and would definitely go again💜 Ps: you will probably wait at least 20 minutes before u can get in, there’s always a waiting list😂💔

R. F. M.

Hardware Societe never disappoints when it comes to presenting beautiful and deliciously prepared food. It has quickly become mine and my friend's favourite places to have brunch and have a chat.

J. L.

Came to Katherine Pl twice. We recommen the French toast and duck, nice texture and flavor. The pork belly is super dry, and the tuna doesn't have the brown edge like what we had before.

H. C.

Always put off going here due to the queues. The service here is very good, staff are incredibly friendly. The food is visually quite pleasingly prepared (insta worthy). The tastes were also good and a little different take on French ideas. Was it worth the queues and hype? Maybe... Are there equally good cafes in CBD and surrounds? Absolutely, and you probably don't need to wait 30 mins in the sun to sit down for your caffeine fix. The bitter taste was at the end where I went to pay and they automatically add a credit card surcharge. Surely a place like this doesn't do what your local Chinese restaurant does, but they do. This is a sore point with me when any retailer passes this on to customers, it gave my experience a sour after taste because this should be something to be made aware of BEFORE dining, give customers a choice. Also charging 10% surcharge on weekends is a bit rich.

T. R.

Ate here at the first weekend after lockdown, and it was just as good as ever. Delicious food, nice decor, and the staff were friendly while sticking to the COVID-safe rules. BTW the rice pudding is amazing!

G.

So Good ever!!! This is french style based high quality brunch made my mouth watering I can say it's not a brunch but rather nearly a cuisine Every single ingredients were so fresh Not too salty not so bland Exceptional But i had a latte which is used by padre coffee bean Kind of disappointed It came out too thick foam And temperature was so low that i could've Bottom's up.. By and large i really enjoyed Strongly recommend go to this place

S. H.

Great food, great place, great service. Came here when it's almost time for halloween. Staffs were all dressed up. I think I ordered the fried brioche. It was excellent. The combination of brioche and the chocolate chantilly was just perfect. My friend ordered the pork belly and it was good too. The pork belly was crispy and the chilli that came with it was amazing. Will definitely come back.

K. W.

Cute and cozy place with a sweet French spin. Thought the half English half French Julia Child inspired menu was a neat little novelty worthy of mention, including much-loved delicious classics like duck, beef cheeks and pork belly, even a lobster benedict. The Benedict was superb. The bread was light and toasty. The sauce was subtle and tangy. My friend had the baked eggs were warm and delightful. Coffee good, and my matcha latte was just how I liked it - not too sweet and actually tasted like matcha. Friendly staff that were very helpful and welcoming. Many thanks!

L. C.

I had the tuna brunch which wasn’t spectacular! Different from many others I’ve tried, It comes with finger lime and avo. My friends had a great black and green tea!

A. K.

Hardware society now occupies 2 premises cross the road from each other in Hardware St. Voted as one of Melbourne’s best breakfast spots their signature is the baked eggs with 3 options eggplant, scallops or chorizo. I have been told the chorizo is best. I couldn’t pass up the pork belly with fried eggs and croquets. Queues are long but seating moves fast given the addition of a second cafe seating area. Get there early if queues are a pet hate. Friendly staff. Beautifully plated food and some coffee art too. Recommended highly

I. L.

Breakfast at this awesome place. So yummy, check it out and you won’t be disappointed.

J. W.

Fantastic cafe for great coffee and French brunches. Baked eggs being one of the signature dishes. Traditional dishes like scrambled eggs or Benedicts are available as well but they did a clever twist to make these dishes more modern and tasteful. Very popular place and dishes are around $20.

S. M.

Friendly staff and the food wasn't bad but definitely very overhyped and overpriced compared to many other cafes.

R. H.

Loved the decor and the vibe of the place. Pretty easy to get a seat these days given the bigger venue. Staff were friendly and pretty attentive. The vibe seems much more relaxed than from their old store. Good variety on the menu, even for a pork-avoider like me! 😂

B. S.

Queue was very long, however we got the shared table pretty quick. Tried the Lobster Benedict, Beef Cheek, and Mushroom with Truffle. Presentation and Taste are ok, quite to our surprise Compare with the queue...

R. G.

Great coffee and best breakfast in Melbourne. At the far end of Hardware Lane with comfortable outside seating. Get there early because it gets crowded and there was a line when I left. I ordered the special and was not disappointed.

E. M.

Amazing Croque Madame and Early Grey Tea! What a stunning and stylish place too! Will definitely come again!

E. Y.

The toastie with fruit and cream is a must. However, the egg pots with bread are a little bit disappointing. The lobster charcoal burger is nice. As for coffees, they're good but without surprise or unique characters.

M. Z.

Service (5/5) Food (5/5) This place is an absolute burner. I love it. Even if there's a line, it takes less than 10 minutes to get in as it has 2 dining areas, but necessarily very visible to everybody. The menu consists of French breakkie food and some mixes. I had the lobster eggs Benny and I have to say they are amaaaaaaazing. But next time I'll try the scrambled eggs on a bun with a piece of salmon filet. You're gonna love it. See pictures attached. It's absolutely worth it.

C. J.

The place was indeed packed, and they could only accommodate us for outdoor seating, which looked more like a make-shift seating than a proper one. Service was a bit slow, and when we finally ordered, we chose Fried Brioche - black sesame cheesecake, passionfruit curd, raspberries, raspberry gel, sesame tuile; and Herb Roasted Mushrooms - twice baked Gruyére cheese soufflé, herb mushrooms, mojo verde, savoury granola, poached eggs. The food came after a while, and have to say that the Fried Brioche was just out of this world!!! It made up for the wait, and for the location of our table. Coffee was excellent as well. Just make sure you book a table prior to coming.

Z. C.

We were seated quickly after arriving Sunday morning for brunch. The restaurant is located in a fun alleyway or lane way as the locals call it. The restaurant atmosphere is fun and unique. The service was great and the food was excellent! Portion size seemed small when my plate arrived but it ended up being more than enough! Highly recommend!

F. F.

The Hardware Societe is one of the most famous brunch places of Melbourne and a must go if you only are going to spend a few days in the city. You will be able to enjoy a great coffee and brunch for a fair price and there is enough space to meet there with a bunch of friends. The service is very good and you can find daily specials to try something new every time. One of my favourite dishes is the lobster Benedict.

P. L.

f you want a special breakfast experience this is the place. Fantastic Eggs Benedict, delicious Croque Madame, very big portions but not at the expense of the flavour. It was packed even mid morning on a week day which says a lot. Service was also excellent

A. D.

I was really excited to eat here, but my baked eggs left me underwhelmed. Maybe the flavor combination with the chorizo version would have been more exciting? I was with 5 other people who all enjoyed their meals though, so I still gave it a 3 star. The lobster Benedict and the pork belly with croquettes were well received. It is a bit pricey and not your typical breakfast menu. Not the best pick for more traditional breakfast fans.

T. N.

Every time we come here for either brunch or lunch it never seems to disappoint. Very lovely rustic style food and great teas and coffees too. Unfortunately as it is very popular, always expect to either wait in the line or write your name down and come back after a stroll around the city. Highly recommended despite the wait, very worth it. I would recommend the eggs Benedict.

A. O.

I first came across hardware society years ago when I was in Paris when a local told me I must go there! To my surprise when I found out it was also in Melbourne it very quickly became one of my favourite brunch spots. I’m very please of the not so new now location at Katherine’s place which means more chances of no line- I do not like lining up for food but definitely will if it’s good food. Favourites are the baked eggs, lobster Benedict, pork belly and duck confit- yes I was fine to even eat the Brussel sprouts!!

S. Z.

The fried brioche is toooooo sweet, the backed eggs is ok but the bread is cold, the matcha latte powder is caked at the bottom... although they taste not bad, I won’t recommend it.

S. P.

Brilliant selection. A delay on the order was met with a cake offering - welcomed although not at all needed. Tea and coffee served the way it should be too

J. N.

One of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. We had to wait for a table but it only took fifteen minutes. Definitely recommended.

L. F.

Absolutely 5 stars. High quality brunch - enjoyed the Bircher and scrambled eggs which were Devine. Highly recommended!

M. L.

First time I’ve been to their new venue and the breakfast didn’t disappoint. Great fit out and easy to get a table on a weekday morning. Coffee wasn’t the best I’ve had in Melb but was ok.

P. S.

This place used to be much better. Baked eggs were overcooked (almost hard boiled) and borderline bland. The long wait did not justify for the food quality.

A. B.

Amazing coffee and beautiful food. Service was fantastic and super friendly. Hope to return!!

T. c.

Great interior for pictures. Try the lobster Benedict and really love the souse the used for lobster.

A. M.

Great place for breakfast! I was surprised we didn't have to wait longer on a Saturday afternoon. Our coffees were top notch and the baked eggs were sublime, I tried the second option with chorizo and it hit the correct spot for brunch. My partner had the mushrooms and I shamelessly stole the crumb fried goats cheese from her.

M. J.

Amazing french brunch spot! We waited a while to get a table but it was worth it! Definitely would go again because we couldn't decide what dishes to get, had to settle on a few but still want to try some of the others!!! Recommended, but remember, it's very popular so expect to wait 20-45 mins for a table.

J. D.

I was very impressed by this cafe. The baked eggs with chorizo were amazing and they have several cocktails that are worth a try. Not too noisy, impassioned staff and speedy service.

C. F.

Highly recommend! You won’t be disappointed! The queue is always long anytime of the day. But it doesn’t stop us foodies:) The brunch is super good!

김.

I went to the most famous brunch cafe in melbourne. The Hardware societe!! It is located near southern cross station. If you want to eat brunch in this cafe, you should wait at least 30min. The cafe opens 7:30am 15:00pm. Every weekend opens 8:00am~ 15:00 Cafe interior was beautiful!! The wooden chair, The white desk, a lot of picture on the wall, shining bulbs. It was great! But in my opinion, the brunchs are expensive😂Alos, The amount of brunch is small. Nevertheless, I recommend to eat brunch in this cafe, because the cafe’s atmosphere was great and the owners was polite. If you want to feel the great atmosphere in Melbourne, I recommend go there. In addition, I ate the most famous brunch menu “baked egg “ this menu consist of breads,egg, sausage, tomato! It was wonderful!

L. R.

This place is amazing! The staff, the decor... Oh and definitely the food!! You won't be disappointed.

H. D.

Used to be 5 stars, not anymore. Staff here clearly don't want to be there. Coffees came out late, after the meals - which they used to be so good at in Hardware Lane. Pretty ordinary experience these days, at least the food made up for it.

J. W.

Loved sitting at the bar and watching the kitchen work... smooth operators 🤩 As for the food, I’d expect to pay x2 this at a fine dining restaurant! Tuna melted like butter.. plate combos are magic

E. B.

Easy menu .Weekdays morning didn’t wait for too long , my French toasted with matcha pannacotta was delicious! But didn’t see the dried lychee ... the matcha latte was very small serve and bit too sweet . Bake eggs was good one to picked too . Weekend expecting to wait 30-40 minutes in the queues.

F. H.

Amazing coffee, amazing food. We were seated quickly and the service was friendly, quick and attentive. Thank you so much team for looking after us!

K.

Absolutely amazing food! I had a matcha based drink as well. Will definitely be back when I’m in Melbourne ! Luckily we didn’t have to wait long.

V.

Disappointing and over priced. Not the same as a few years ago in the old location, albeit the new premises are nice. Ran out of the special (at 12 noon?) and cold drip coffee was a tiny serve of weak brew (waste of good Padre beans). Not a lot to choose from either. Millefeuille was a nice alternative option though. Website is poor, just trying to sell a cook book, you can't actually find booking options, menus etc.

G. F.

I really enjoyed breakfast here. We sat in the booth seats at the back. Staff were friendly and advised the specials which I had the duck. Coffee was tasty and you also get a small donut which was a nice bonus. The duck special was really delicious and surprisingly good portion size. Recommended.

Y. L.

Had a beautiful breakfast in such a cool atmosphere cafe. Coffee was good as well. I will love to go back again❤️

J. W.

Great food. Even though the venue was so busy that day the service was amazingly fast.

J. Y. C.

great food and coffee! portion is way too big for me but good if you can bring an appetite over!

M. T.

My partner and I went twice and both times the food was amazing. Great atmosphere and amazing service. Next time we're back in Melbourne we'll return to here for brunch again!

G.

Everything we ordered was delicious. Get in early if you don't wanna be waiting a long time. Beautifully flaky and crumbly croissants.

P.

Don't get me wrong, food was good (we choose the baked eggs as it had good reviews and didn't disappoint! We enjoyed it and food look fresh in general) and deco is nice, but I think this place is overrated. The coffee was just fine, the place was way too noisy and of course you have to wait to get a table. Seems people like to do cues in this city, I'm not particularly keen on that. The best part I would say was the friendly, happy and on point service from the guy who was organizing the booking/wait list (if I have a cafe I would hire you 👍🏻)

F. S. M.

Lobster eggs benedict on black bun is always on point!

R.

Staff is friendly and service is great. Food is delicious and presentation of the food is always on point too. This place is always packed and will needed at 15minutes wait to get inside. Price and portion is decent.

A. K.

Was a nice meal out .The restaurant colors are really nice with Grey's and greens and appears to be the perfect brunch place.The table though are extremely close to each other and one can't really have a conversation with the other literally sitting next to your shoulder .The service was attentive and welcoming.The food was good , we had the special French toast witha rosemary pannacotta and the croque monsieur with beef cheeks.

N. A.

Ordered the fried brioche bread and the chorizo baked egg. The fried brioche was the best brunch item I have ever eaten. The baked bread was decent and worth the order. I can see why this place is popular, their new location is really nice on the inside too.

A. G.

The food was absolutely stunning. Highly recommend. Get in early because it gets crazy busy, and deservedly so!!

K. S.

Awesome brunch spot in the city, can even buy the dog a meal to take back home. Will be back for sure!

O.

Food was actually delicious - I especially liked the freeze dried raspberries on the yogurt thingy, and the flaky things on the egg pot.

K. W. T.

Ordered a salmon tartate which was their special and it tasted quite good and savoury. What was disappointing was the bread which was hard and didn’t taste fresh. Iced latte was normal though. Queued for 30 minutes on Good Friday around 12pm, so be prepared to queue for abit.

D. N.

Loved my flat white. I ordered the pork belly and eggs, pork belly skin was chewy, wet and hard. So hard I had difficulty cutting. Coffee: 4.5/5 Food: 4/5 Service: 4/5

M. A.

While i like the place.. The food was acceptable.. The waiter who served us was not very welcoming.. You can see and feel his negative attitude.

M. L.

My favourite cafe! Their food is always bang on. Delicious and generous. Do yourself a favour and get the Blanc Hot Chocolate, absolutely amazing!

S. T.

Food is delicious, the smoked salmon is a bit too hard and dry, but overall tasty brunch.

S. B.

Love the place and always have a great time with friends. The staff are lovely and the food is to die for!

Y. M. L.

An amazing little cafe, the food was delicious and definitely reminds me of Paris. Great service and even better coffee! Definitely worth a try!!

J. D.

Great Atmosphere and a good setup for a team breakfast in the CBD. The menu is a bit complicated and hard to decipher. Trick is to see what everyone is eating and order the same, In my case it was the Egg Pot, which was everyones favourite and it was Awesome. Coffee's are really good too

M. W.

Super tasty, cool vibe. Menu is unique, but plenty of common pastries at the bar. 👍 Also features wine in tap- cool idea. 🥂

T. T.

In spite of the place being busy, service was prompt to have us seated, taking our order and serving the food. The food itself was delicious and filling for a brunch! All in all, a very good experience

T. C.

I had the lobster Benedict which was quite nice. The eggs were cooked perfectly and the lobster flavour was good. It was creamy from the egg and sauce which I very much liked as this helped give my bun some flavour. I would recommend giving this lobster Benedict a try as it seems like a popular selection with many others getting the dish. She had the chorizo bowl which on the other hand, was a let down. The nuts made the chorizo bowl dry and we did not like the mix. It was different to other chorizo bowls.

Y. P.

Expect 30min waits but fantastic breakfasts. Love the decor in the new spot and enjoyed both the baked eggs and pork belly.

Y. Y.

Would’ve been 4 stars. But we overheard a waitress telling another table specials. Asked our waitress about the specials. She said there was no specials except on weekends. When we had finished our meal, overheard another waitress telling another tables about daily specials. I asked her, and she said there were specials just for today. 🤷🏻‍♂️

N. Z. A.

French Brunch place ! A little expensive but really good food

J. C.

The best breakfast we had during our stay in Melbourne! The baked eggs and the lobster eggs benedict are must-try dishes!

K. J.

Amazing fried brioche and baked eggs. Disappointed by the tiny cups of matcha and never seem to get a table in the main section with the butterfly wallpaper - that section closes early. Delightful tea cosies if you order tea though!

K. C.

Food was good staff was great despite the extreme and hectic pace of work. Prices are quite high but not too bad for the quality.

C. W.

Coffee was good, food was tasty but a little bit overrated. Not cheap. Noisy place. You have to wait to get a table. But service was good, stuff were friendly.

S. S.

The food here was very good, I just thought the bread was too much and a little bit dry, otherwise everything was good

R. Y.

The special (bacon) was amazing. Lobster Benedict was ok $63.50 with 2x coffee

D. R.

One of the trendiest cafes in Melbourne, this quirky place often has a waiting queue, but the food is worth the effort. Fantastic atmosphere, great service.

J. A.

Great food. Service was excellent with the staff more than happy to provide recommendations.

E.

Amazing! Great food and great staff, hot chocolate was one of the best I've ever had.

T. H.

One of the best brunches we've had. Maybe the best! Great decor and amazing portions. We'll be back!

A. M.

Beautiful and cozy environment, we ordered fried brioche and baked eggs, both delicious and with a wonderful presentation. The staff very attentive and kind. I would like to have tasted more dishes, but the portion was large and I couldn't, I'll come back more times without a doubt

K. V.

Popular French brunch cafe tucked away in Hardware Lane. Super busy so expect to line up during peak times. Must try their signature hot chocolate and baked eggs.

a. s.

Great coffee! Poached eggs with lobster was pretty good, and baked eggs were lovely. Service was the best!

T. V. M.

The food was excellent. We had the lobster Benedict and the Pork Belly. Both were lights out! Would definitely go again.

J. S.

Waited more than 30 minutes for a table. But it was worthy. The service was fast. We tried the Bennedict Deux Lobster and the Fior Burrata. Both were amazing.

K. B.

Heard alot about this place from many of my friends. Food was fantastic and service is great. Coffee no doubt was amazing. Recommend to try for tourist.

A. D.

Excellent brunch

S. A.

Very attentive and polite service, delicious creative food on another level! Creative flavors and vegetarian options available!

J. S.

It's a bit pricey but the quality is definitely worth it. It has delicious coffee and food with beautiful aesthetics.

N. W.

Nice little hidden trendy cafe. We waited for 25 minutes to get a table but it was all worth it! We were lucky enough to sit next to the kitchen and watch them cook through a glass window.... amazing work! As for the food, i HIGHLY recommend the roasted muchrooms with poached eggs :)

M. E.

Special good Friday salmon and baked eggs were delicious, good portion sizes for a food discovery weekend

A. S.

Hardware Societe is Melbourne or is Melbourne Hardware Societe 🤔either way - if you are someone who brunches, this place needs to be on top of your list. Good service with good enough variety of food & drinks to meet all your brunch needs 🙏🙌

Q. H. W.

Great place in Melbourne for some French brunch options. The Tuna Millefeuille was amazing and the hot chocolate was creamy and smooth.

K. S.

Good food and great service - will definitely recommend the Baked eggs Deux - can get busy so be prepared to wait to get seated. Really delicios Ethiopian Coffee

E. O.

Everyone is so friendly, the place is very colourful and such a fun experience, the food is amazing 10/10 definitely recommend!

N. C.

Monday brekky. Waited ~15 minutes for a table. Coffee was good but they only do smalls, had to order 2. My baked eggs were top notch, my wife's fried brioche was nice but obscenely rich. Would come back to try a different set of food but wouldn't be so keen on queueing again

B. A.

This is one of the best breakfast/brunch places in Melbourne - perfect coffee and a truly different & unique experience of flavors for breakfast!

M. T.

One of the top Melbourne cafes, which put the street on the map! The busy queues can put a lot of people off. Be prepared to wait 30 minutes or more. Since it's early claim to fame, there has been other cafes in Melbourne which has improved on the formula, with lower wait times.

C. J.

Food is just fine, I don’t understand why a lot of people waiting to be seated when the staff was unfriendly and rolling her eyes when a man ask them something. Did customers know the staff’s fake friendly smile contain impatient？No one should be treated like that.

L. L.

Great amazing variety brunch meal and excellent coffee. You won't be disappointed, highly recommend.

A. W.

Delicious food, generous portions and fantastic Bloody Marys. Excellent CBD brunch spot.

N. T.

Very solid breakfast experience. Clean decor and fast service. All that you could want for brunch.

C. G.

Nice little cafe, food is full of flavor service is.... well french, wait is a little long but worth the wait, arrive early and should be ok.

T. M.

The Hardware Societe is wonderful! In Melbourne cafe scene, their popularity is second to none and no matter which day of the week, you would always see lines. It actually took me 3 trials to finally score a seat in this place. Located inside the iconic Hardware Lane, this petite cafe offers a different vibe that I instantly fall in love with; rustic decor combined with colorful butterfly wallpapers - pretty! Also, this isn't exactly a quiet or peaceful cafe... instead the inside is somewhat chaotic and the energy is on!! The food selections here are mainly Australian - French inspired breakfast and brunch menu, quite adventurous and their food will pamper all your senses. * The baked egg w/ chorizo ($19): what they are famous for and it doesn't disappoint. The baked egg consists of chorizo, potatoes, egg and sprinkle with almonds. Taste-wise, it was absolutely delicious, flavorful and melt in your mouth. Served with few pieces of toasted baguette on the side, which goes beautifully with the fluffy egg texture - addicting! * Matcha latte: I love everything matcha, but I was kinda disappointed with this one. The latte was very grainy and a tad watery, but I do like the fact that it was not overly sweet. * Mork hot chocolate: Rich and delightful, presentation was unique, as it was served with chunks of melted chocolate inside and stirred it with warm milk. * Pork belly and fried eggs ($25): I'm loving this one. A breakfast combo that never fails! Consisting two mashed potato croquettes, a thick slab of crunchy pork belly (tender and fatty but in proper amount) and over easy fried egg on top of toasted bread - Definitely a go! In all, The Hardware Societe is a culinary gem, the food was worth the hype and the effort to get here. One of my fave cafe in the city!!

V. L.

The Hardware Societe is a must visit for any tourist visiting Melbourne. The chic laneways aesthetic is commonly found around the CBD, but in my opinion is done the best here. The seating, lighting, and decor makes the ambience feel much like a nice French café. The restaurant is clean, and the staff are happy and friendly. The food is also very good, with decently large serving sizes and drinks to match. All in all, for the price, this is a gem of Melbourne eateries.

D. L.

Great Food and Great Service

J. W.

Excellent and friendly service. Delicious food. A puppy waiting area. What more do you need in a cafe?! 10/10 ❤️

M. Q. T.

We were sitting in the others section across the street in the kitchen. The decors and ambiance was great! We had an amazing service and food was good but nothing exceptional!

이.

The pot was nice. It's like a tomato egg bomb. There's some sausage and eggs in it. Mocha was little bit sour for me. Staff was really kind.

H. R.

Fantastic french cafe setting! My friend and I had a fantastic meal here! I had the Croque Madame! beautifully made! Coffee was of great quality as well!

L. B.

Really nice brunch place ，The green tea latte and the baked eggs are amazing！ Baked eggs with ham and patato，that is a lux choice. Only a little bit greasy. The environment is good and service is nice. Just come before the business peak.

L. C.

Just look at this. Tuna Mille-feuille, the best brunch dish in just about the entire world. Excellently executed on the plate and tastes heavenly with all the flavours of the crispy mille-feuille pastry with the slightly pan-fried tuna, raw on the inside with the sourness of the pickled radish and the tuna mixture silky smooth and bursting with flavour. Definitely come here again.

E. L.

Bit of a wait but great food and service - well worth it. Also currently selling beautiful coloured eggs filled with praline for Easter.

L. L.

The hot chocolate was amazing and the food was good but I think is too expensive

D. L.

It super popular, and was very busy with a line out front which is usually a good sign. But I thought it was a little over rated. The meals were ok- they looked great on paper but had no wow factor and were a little same old. We had the croque madam and baked eggs with chorizo... croque madam was dry, with no bechamel and the brioche was too thick. The eggs were over cooked and the bread was cold/barely toasted with it. The coffee was good at the very least.

N.

Great food, strong choice when you’re in Melbourne. Very friendly service.

E. P.

What a brilliant place to have breakfast, the staff are very polite and attentive. Will be returning soon.

D. C.

Great brunch place in the heart of Melbourne CBD. Good food and service. Would come again.

M. R.

Honey, they've shrunk my breakfast. That pot you see is no bigger than your palm. Although food is tastey & well presented, this miniature baked eggs sets you back $19, not really value for money there.

N. R.

Amazing food, reasonable prices Fantastic Service, staff very friendly

J. H.

Such a lovely place, went for my friends birthday just before lockdown. Thanks to the team for making us feel special!

E. S.

Great service (a waiter with an actual sense of humour is a nice bonus). The food was delicious and quite reasonably priced for a cbd brunch. Great range on the menu with plenty of vego/vegan options. The wait for a table and meal wasn't too bad but you'd want to avoid arriving here starving already. Overall great place!

L. N.

They made the smoothest damn coffee I've ever tasted in my life. Excellent food too.

W. T.

Food is amazing, taste and presentation on point! Big lines though because of its popularity, definitely go early

o. l.

I had the scallop baked eggs. It just needed a bit more seasoning but everything kinda worked. Price is a bit steep. Service was good.

A. P.

Delicious food. Portion size is very generous. Service was friendly and helpful. Waited in line for 20 minutes on Saturday at 11am.

H. T.

Place is quite nice, service is excellent. Queue is a bit long. 30 mins plus. Food and coffee is average.

Z. P.

A cafe filled with light, plants, pink and green walls. Good selection of food and drinks, with some interesting flavours. Friendly service. Worth a try at least once.

R. K.

Most recent visit I had the fried brioche special, which included lime curd, creme fraiche and fresh strawberries. Oooof it was good. How they get their brioche crispy yet soft, I will never know. My sister tried the Chai porridge, which was also delicious. Coffee is outstanding.

F. H.

Tried the baked eggs, salmon dish, and the white hot chocolate. All delicious! Will come back soon

A. K.

Generally friendly service. As a solo diner when I was here I either sat at the 'bar' or at the group table. I got here first thing in the morning because I had to get to work directly afterwards - and even then a line usually formed to get a table. Their pork belly dish is really good. Their chai tea latte is average, but made more interesting with the addition of a little donut-hole rather than a cookie or biscuit.

M. C.

Friendly staff and great recommendation. If you are a fan of ice chocolate or ice mocha, try adding a scoop of ice cream. I went to heaven and back.

T. H. (. H.

You definitely find the best brunch with every single dish at this place. It is worth the waiting.

M. C.

Had a nice breakfast here. It’s a nice, small cafe located in a laneway. The food is good and the servers are nice, but the price is no the expensive side. Would recommend if you are into fushion food or brunch.

l.

Tired staff at 8am during holiday period. Food was good. Coffee was warm only. Stylish plates and cups...tta

H. V.

Awesome cafe. I love their coffee but havent got a chance to have breakfast/ lunch here as the queue is always too long.

C.

I had the baked eggs, it was flavourful but a little cold in the middle so I had to mix well to even out the heat through, service was a little slow but still kind staff.

S. Y.

Yummy 😋

C. E.

Food always looks good coming out from their kitchen. Good coffee and pretty deco too

R. M.

The service, coffee & food was the best our group has experienced in Melbourne thus far

T.

I guess there's a reason why there's a always a queue here. We thoroughly enjoyed our scrambled eggs and baked eggs. Special mention to the buns with the scrambled eggs. So so nice!

M. M.

be ready for takeaway if you cant manage to get a seat. The coffee is wonderfully eventful, offering a great roast flavour with some amazing rounded notes. It is a good morning pick-up, but that croissant felt basic. Delicate - it just shattered on touch, but offered very little on flavour or melt on tongue feels

A. G.

Fabulous modern French food (brunch / cafe style) with some killer main options...service is good.

S. G.

Cannot fault a thing. Highly recommend the Lobster Benedict, coffee is amazing, staff are fantastic and the music was great! Can’t wait to go back!

C. N.

Staff were super friendly, food was amazing, definitely hope to be back if not soon then my next trip here ❤

A.

Bit pricey for the serving size and I’d say the food is about average despite the hype. The pork we had was quite dry and salty... coffees were very good

G. S.

Great breakfast food with its unique style and presentation. Would love to come again and try their other dishes

J. D.

The food is fantastic. Can never go past the baked eggs with chorizo <3

D. B.

Lively venue. Very friendly staff. Good variety of cafe meals. Delicious. Generously mixed cocktails. Recommended place to catch up with friends.

D. L.

Been here more than twice, food is always nice. Queue a little bit but definitely worth it

J.

Hands down best baked eggs ever. I like deux ✌🏼 delicious and no matter how many baked eggs I try I always compare it to this dish. Quaint little place, can get busy on weekends. Had an early appointment one day and went around 730 in the morning and it was already fairly busy! One of the OG brunch places in Melbourne!

S.

A famous cafe worths a visit whenever you are in Melbourne for the duck which is succulent and flavourful! Coffee was great too, which was brewed by a very heartwarming team, who cares about customer’s feedback.

A. S.

Always a great place to eat! Food is tasty and coffee is good 🤤

周.

Lobster benedict is very delicious, flat white is also tasty. Absolutely 5 stars!

C. P.

Served good coffee and delicious food. At least 20 mins wait for a table.

J. C.

Fantastic tasting food, lobster roll was the best. Great coffee too

M. A. P.

Yumm! The food was great! And really enjoyed the time we spent there. Good vibe and cute.

S. W.

Loved the green tea latte (not too sweet) and mocha (chocolate is one of the best!). Food is amazing as well.

S. F.

Fantastic vibe, super friendly staff and outstanding food

V. L.

One my favourite brunch places!! Even though the menu remains the same with a little tweaks here and there I still overall quite enjoy their dishes :) nice staff and the place is good too. Just no outdoor seating so you can’t bring your pup to dine with you. But they used to have a corner where you can “park” your dogs with a nice pet bed and water for them! Good service good food :)

K. L.

This is definitely my top 3 brunch place in Melbourne. Good portion and prices.

A. B.

Always fresh. Always vibrant. Always insta-worthy. Always delicious.

v.

We came here during a busy hour but got a table fast! The food was absolutely amazing and came after just a few minutes of waiting. Their Lobster Benedict and French Toast was delicious and would recommend 😊

L. G.

Tasty brunch dishes but you do need to wait in line for at least 30mins. Really like the pumpkin baked eggs, definitely recommend it.

J.

Amazing food and good service. I had the pork belly which was worth every second of the wait (usually 20mins if they're busy).

K. G.

Food was amazing service friendly and efficient first time visit will definitely be returning

H. S.

The food was nice, and the staff were just ok. They could be more friendly. But overall nice brunch place

T. B.

I spent a week in Melbourne and I walked 10 minutes every morning to get my coffee from here so this should say a lot. They have great breakfast food options as well.

S. T.

I love the atmosphere.. good vibes.. The staff were friendly.. the service was good. I ordered iced coffee.. and it was delicious ! And also the cheese cake was scrumptious.. If you need a coffee and cake for your morning.. I recommend you to come to this place.

R. S.

Highly recommend this place. Pictures speak for themselves.

E. R.

Always satisfied with the portion sizes of your meals. Just wonderful tasting food and the coffee and service is great. Definitely one of our top three breakfast and coffee joints in Melbourne.

M. S.

Except the wait time, which is owing to its popularity and the best food you get there everything else is just perfect 👍 We had baked eggs and veggie breakfast and both were beat of its kind.

j. y.

Absolutely some of the best brunch food we have ever eaten. Bought the cookbook and made the scallop and cauliflower puree baked eggs, also outstanding!

Y. I.

There is a waiting, but definitely worth it. Really warm place, good service and very nice food.

A. D.

Since day 1, my love to baked eggs n homemade ice tea haven't change at all.

J. L.

I didn’t know brunch could be this magical. Amazing

V. S.

Amazing food, I really loved the millefoille but this time I tried the lobster's burger

T. W.

Excellent coffee, delicious food, massive portions.

H. R.

Bit of a wait, but well worth it. Fantastic food!

A. B.

Awesome brunch. Love the french/Spanish inspired menu

R. M.

Great food and very quick service even when it was quite busy.

h. t. l.

This is my first experience with brunch so I was so excited before trying. And I am not disappointed with the quality of the food. The food was very fresh and innovate. I would recommend the scrambled egg for the newbie. It's a bit expensive compare to casual breakfast but it worth the money. Debbie was a staff member that served us today. Her customer service is excellent and it make me definitely want to come back.

R. Z.

A bit pricy but worthy, one of the best brunch in Melbourne

F. N.

Strongly recommend. I love the food

S. V.

Amazing food, I was mindblown and I am a picky eater! The chef is doing an amazing job!!! And the service was very very nice! The concept of eating in the kitchen is nice and the long shared table is so friendly and warm. The food was not only pretty, but the taste was amazing and the portions large! The fried brioche with charcoal/black sesame cheesecake, with passionfruit curd and raspberries was to die for! And the pork belly with pineapple salsa! Totally recommend!

B. F.

Some items are a miss, but the ones that are good are great! Highly recommend the hot chocolate.

M. P.

Blinis with salmon and cream cheese is my fav dish so far....highly recommend it

M. Z.

Superb menu. Superb quality. A must visit!

R. J.

Just trying because of the hype. Good was OK. Looking waits. Coffee was very standard.

L. F.

Fantastic service, great coffee and amazing food. Totally worth the 25 minute weight in the queue!

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