We have waiting 45 min to have a table. We hope it was a fantastic moment. But the are was too noisy and the place was not comfortable. The menu propose different meals. But the price is expensive and the meal's flavour aren't fantastic. But I took the raspberry pistachio green tea cake which was very tasty :) read more

See all

A half hour wait on weekends but totally worth it for their delish food! It's always bustling but the service is still great! The lobster benedict was wonderful, definitely recommend it! read more

Hardware Societe - very nice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

As a part of my first trip to Oz, this was recommended by a couple of locals I had met. The place was very busy, about a 20min wait. When party was finally seated and served...I completely understood what all the fuss was about. Breakfast or Brunch! When in Melnourne this should be one everyone's meal stops!!! read more

Hardware Societe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

The chef was accommodating! The food was artful and delicious. The breakfast options were rich, and inspired. Everything was cooked to order impeccably. The poached eggs with mushrooms was so tasty and memorable. We were visiting Melbourne for the first time from Los Angeles, CA. We would recommend this place for a hearty and comforting breakfast. read more

Hardware Societe - Poached Eggs with Mushrooms - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

Always a line for this cafe and with its hype we decided to join the line. After about a 25 minute wait we got shown to a table. The service was very friendly and the coffee was really good. I ordered the daily special which was a confit duck pie with poached eggs. The dish was flavourful, but unfortunately was only Luke warm and the pastry had lost its crunch and flakyness. read more

Hardware Societe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

Walked in at 8.30 Sunday morning and the place was already buzzing. Make sure you check the menu straight away and decide on your order before the waiter attends as you could be waiting a while - not in our case. We got 2 spots at the bar facing the kitchen which was great watching the chefs make the amazing dishes. Cherry brioche and fried eggs with pork belly were delicious. The croquets with the fried eggs were amazing. Can't rave enough! read more

Hardware Societe - Cherry brioche - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

Amazing food, amazing atmosphere and amazing service! The place to visit if you want to experience the best brunch in Melbourne. read more

Hardware Societe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I do have to commend this cafe for their good quality food, dainty French playground chic interior vibe and interesting menu. However I didn't particularly find the food appetizing, I gave four stars mainly for the quality and effort. This is a small restaurant, even on non-traditional busy days you may find yourself waiting in line for seating. I don't believe they take reservations. Whilst intriguing, I found the menu limited, brave and inventive. Really had to peruse the menu a bit before reaching a safe option. Our favourite was definitely the fried brioche. We were after a brunch style offering of food so this place made the cut. All in all we had a pleasant experience here but not in a rush to go back but still recommend for you to try. The only thing I found distasteful were the patrons. read more

See all

This is pretentious over priced averageness. $19 bucks for some 15cm section of dry baguette with half a rasher of bacon, handful of baby spinach and some chutney which was tasty. And then just some standard scrambled eggs with parsley in it, kinda nice but not special. But seriously the bread was dry as and the portions are super skimpy. Don't go here unless your just going for the hipster vibe. As far as I am concerned it is just over priced pretentious food. I could have got better from some random dodgy joes cafe. When I told the staff I was not happy they didnt even care or offer anything. Plus to top off their exorbitant prices they dont have credit or debit card facilities, I mean this guy is already extracting a crazy profit margin and probably dodging tax too. I mean its the 21st century and you dont accept credit. The sad thing is lots of people buy this rubbish regardless because it feels hipster. It didnt taste any better than my local chain coffee store breakfast. My advice to them, reduce the unnecessary amount of staff you have running around and start giving people decent food. At least fresh bread and 2 rashers of bacon not 0.5 a rasher... come on!!! read more

Hardware Societe is arguably one of the most popular, famous and consistent brunch place in Melbourne since they first opened in 2010. It's certainly My Mom's favourite brunch spot, every time she visit me from Indonesia she had to have their Fried Brioche. She claimed it to be the best Fried Brioche ever and my mom does travel and eat a lot so she know's what she is talking about. Head Chef Jean Paul Dargan is known for using seasonal produce on their menu which may result in slight variations to the menu such as they used different fruits every seasoned on their french toast. read more

See all

We had a perfect breakfast at the Hardware Societe! We went on a Friday morning and didn't even wait too long to be seated inside (yes, spring and it's still freezing in Melbourne!). The menu is so amazing that everything looks delicious and we literally wanted to try half of the menu out. I finally opted for the chorizo baked eggs, after speaking a bit with the friendly French waiter about what was the best decision to make (that was a critical choice we had to make). Terrific dish, really! The French brioche looked so amazing as well and we'd have loved to give it a try if we weren't already full after eating our dish. Also ordered a long black coffee -first coffee in Melbourne!- and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed with the taste, but anyway. I loved the atmosphere and the decoration inside. People working here are lovely as well. Well deserved five star rating! read more

This is one of the best brunches I've have ever had! My girlfriend and I were visiting from San Francisco and heard about Hardware Societe. This place lives us to the hype. I got the omelette with jambon and my gf got the salmon creatively cooked 3 different ways. The food was exceptional and the ambience/service was very friendly and welcome, despite the growing long lines. They are right, get there early however you will not be disappointed! read more

Had a really good time here and enjoyed our brunch. The portions are pretty large and that hot chocolate, wowzers, nice and rich. Their waiting list method was somewhat of a hot mess. You have to wait for someone to come out and sort out who was all there first to put the names down. Not sure why they don't have a board out there for the patrons to sign as they show up. read more

Recommend 100% very cosy French themed cafe! Coffee is delicious too. My friend ordered a GF dish, as the waiter brought it over, he noticed it wasn't GF, so he got it changed for her, very good customer service, thank you! read more

Have a lobster Benedict and baked eggs. Both are good. But I would recommended on the baked eggs next time

Great brunch spots are not as easy to come by in the CBD as they are in the inner suburbs. Most cafes in this half of the city shut down for the weekend, which means Hardware Societe is always brimming with people. By 10am, there's a steady crowd of eager diners for their delicious fare. I've also taken Mum for lunch the week and she has raved about it ever since. A great little gem. read more

Well, well. It's definitely been a while since i was last here but i remember being over joyed to visit. The greatest thing here is that you don't have to play an urban sports of sorts by ducking weaving, dodging, diving, ignoring, and running from the countless individuals whom accost you to dine in at which ever establishment they happen to be awkwardly posted outside of. Long queues provide good discussion time, and come winter this place is very cosy. well executed wines (from memory) and some great food too. Good coffee, and best of all they have that awesome sugar that looks like breadcrumbs- gosh it good. Its uber popular because it just focuses on what it is- a eatery, doing food well, and design, and everything else Its biggest saving grace is that there is the lack of people trying to convince you to dine in- it's simply not needed. I have been numerous times, alas not lately read more

Go forth and spoil yourself with the best Breakfast Melbourne has to offer. The menu changes seasonally, and is full of surprises. Breakfast paella anyone? You MUST come early. Wait times are consistently 30-40mins, but as every one knows, it's well worth the wait. The coffee is good, and comes served with a mini donut hole, which is nice. The range of food is moderate, but every option is well thought out, and well sized. Not so much to make you overly full, but enough to sate your hunger. The seating is this biggest challenge here, and is very much 'make do with what you've got' Every time I come to Melbourne, I ensure I make time for Breakfast here. Between blood orange porridge, ham baked eggs, brioche and croissants, there isn't much lacking on the menu. read more

In my opinion this is the best brunch in the CBD. Do not be surprised if you have to wait over 40 minutes for a table on the weekend and believe me it's well worth that wait. If you just have 2 people try to sit at the kitchen bar top and watch how fast the chefs prepare everything in their hectic kitchen. The baked eggs are a highlight and have never disappointed, the other options for breakfast are really good too. read more

THE. BEST. HOT. CHOCOLATE. EVER! I'm a soy-drinker and this soy hot chocolate was just phenomenal. I've had the continental breakfast here, which was delicious and such fantastic value for money! I've also had the vegetarian baked eggs which were mouth-wateringly good (though I was far too impatient and ended up burning my mouth on them. *Sigh*, will I ever learn?!). The coffee was alright - you can get better in Melbourne - but the hot chocolate's where it's at! read more

Despite having the street name in their restaurant name, I've never actually managed to make it here until last week. The staff were friendly and put up with my "recently returned from America where people work hardddd for the tips" mannerisms. (I basically chat more than any normal patron would). The food was also great, I had the chicken polenta thing and an iced chocolate. The ice chocolate would probably be the second best that I've had in Melbourne, but I think they gave me extra ice cream to silence my perkiness... The polenta was excellent, and the chicken bit of it was okay but overall it was really good. I can't wait to come back and check other things on the menu. read more

My wife and I do love our weekend breakfast adventures in Melbourne, and we were ready to try somewhere new. I took a look at the Yelposphere and there seemed to be a general consensus that Hardware Societe was worth trying. And it was. We timed it JUST right, about a 10 minute wait, but we noticed quite a huge queue waiting to get in before the 1400 cut-off when we were finishing up. The important bits, for those of you who want just the facts: Cappuccino: Outstanding. Perfect temperature. Infinitely drinkable. Breakfast: YUM. We both had the same thing, the baked eggs with chorizo, Roma tomatoes, and other yummy stuff. As my wife put it: "I was sad when I ate my last piece of chorizo"... I also went so far as to trying the Syphon coffee. Never had one of those before, but have to say that it, too, was superb. The baristas look serious and clearly take their coffee very seriously. If we had to think of a downside, it would be in only two areas: 1) A sense of being rushed. We had JUST sat down and someone appeared telling us about the specials. No more than a minute later and they were back asking for our order (having never been here before, we hadn't even finished reading the menu). 2) Seating. It's popular, very popular, and if you don't like "family style" sharing at a big table, you may find yourself eating amongst strangers. I'm not a fan of this, but, at least my wife and I got the corner and we had an illusion of privacy...but, not much. The food was fantastic, the staff generally very attentive, and I think that if you can time it just right so you don't feel squished in, it could really carry off the French cafe feel that they're clearly aiming for. Oh, be sure to bring cash - the menu said no credit and no EFTPOS...glad we happened to have just the right amount. read more

I was enjoying walking through the lanes and stumbled upon this absolute gem. Fantastic offerings for brunch. Great gluten free options. I had the special for brunch which was the trout confit. Perfectly cooked. They are fantastic at what they do and care quite a bit, a joy! read more

I've only been here for lunch, but I definitely liked what I saw - good food made from obviously quality ingredients, the cute decor, friendly staff, and good coffee. The lunch menu only had very limited vegetarian options both times I went - but the quiche was so good the first time around that I was more than happy to have that again. I will definitely return to try the brunch that everyone raves on about! I just have to wake up early enough to avoid the inevitable long wait.... read more

I was a little hesitant to try this one.... But I was proven wrong! The food was lovely the service was amazing and a very cute atmosphere. I had ordered a soy flat white and then as my brunch came out the service assistant came over and said - oh my god I'm so sorry I should have told you that there maybe be cream in the potato bake. I can change it for you she went onto to say... I politely said I was okay but was completely wowed by the service and the fact shed even remembered. Get there early however even on a rainy cold day there was still a 45 minute wait!!! read more

Hardware Societe - Today's special - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Hardware Societe is a great place to go for a Sunday morning lazy breakfast in Melbourne! It captivates with French sophistication and charm, and a high quality dining experience. If you're looking for a restaurant that's able to offer something more than the usual brunch options, with a certain je ne sais quois, then Hardware Societe is the place for you! Any restaurant worthwhile in Melbourne may involve a table wait and I've gladly waited for 20 minutes for a table at Hardware Societe. Spectacular news is that Hardware Societe are now spreading out and have taken over the building next door. The revolution is spreading! The counter is a visual feast with brightly coloured tarts and macaroons, extraordinary brown chocolate creations, crème brulee and a host of amazing French sweets. Resistance is almost impossible! All eyes are on the white uniformed rock star chefs with awesome tattoos who perform wonders in the kitchen for all to see... Each dish has amazing flair and bathed in TLC. There is a French attention to detail! Hardware Societe offers some of Melbourne's favourite dishes such as Baked eggs served in a French pan with chunks of chorizo and cheese. This is a cacophony of taste and flavour! These kinds of dishes warm the stomach and leave you with a feeling of pleasantness for hours. Oo la la! But a recent menu change means the restaurant now offers another two great Baked egg options including Merguez sausage and almond pistou as well as amazing mushrooms with crème fraiche, gruyere and sage. After a big night out you may prefer the Banana bread with caramel and crushed nougat. Or Fried brioche with nutella, strawberries and toasted hazelnuts. Even the sourdough fruit toast is sensational, served in a pretty arrangement on a wooden board with an extraordinary amount of butter. And it comes with a cute butter knife... The quality of the food is undeniable. Everything is well cooked, great flavour profiles and the freshness (including the bread) stands out. Be impressed by the communal table and chic plastic chairs. Where space is at a premium they're functional but also can be fashionable. read more

Perfect start to the day, Food is amazing and staff were great, the menu was world class and def a place you have to experience in Melb. The coffees were small and they only carry one size, this was a little disappointing as they should have large coffee instead of making you purchase two. Unable to add your choices as they don't allow sides, I like crispy bacon with my eggs. All that said I still enjoyed what I ordered. read more

This place is fantastic. Came right before hoarders of people were queuing outside. Sat at a long table with a bunch of strangers. Service is top notch and the food will change your life! I had the baked eggs deux and it was out of this world. I'm not a coffee drinker but the iced coffee served with ice cream and chocolate milk could make me one. You don't want to miss out on this place! read more

Hardware Societe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Amazing hidden away restaurant that is seriously buzzing. Saw the huge crowd of people before we spotted the cafe. Had to wait about 30min for a table and got put on the communal table which we really didn't mind, it's wide enough for the people across from you to not hear if you don't want them to. Got the baked chorizo eggs which were good. Saw the brioche and which I got that. Also tried the lavender and blueberry cold pressed juice which was ok. Wouldn't get it again. Coffee was lovely but I got forgotten and had to remind the waitress of it, but bo dramas. Would go again for sure read more

See all

The staff is amazing, I enjoyed the politeness. We asked if one of their meals had cream in it and she made a mistake as said no. However she offered to cook us another thing on the menu. She felt terrible but the way she handled herself was outstanding. Great food and amazing atmosphere. Would go again. read more

See all

One of my go-to brunch destination. Always packed on the weekend but waiting for a table is not that long. Always order their hot chocolate! Thick and satisfying! read more

See all

When I showed up to this packed eatery, it seemed like everyone was having scrambled eggs - maybe that's what all the buzz is about?? After reading reviews here, Hardware had a lot to live up to. I'm a big fan of baked goods, French cooking, and breakfast, so I set aside a morning to indulge - and on a Thursday at 10 they were packed. But unfortunately the coconut banana bread (a sliced open mini banana loaf with a carmelized banana and mascarpone inside) was really just so so - too sweet for the flavors of the bread and bananas to pop out. The things on the menu are definitely quite fancy creations, but while everything is quite visually appealing and the ingredients are fresh and interesting (figs, various cheeses, mascarpone) what I had didnt really work as a dish. They do have Padre cafe here (which is awesome), but their chai latte was weak an watery. read more

Breakfast here was a treat! 7.30am before work I adventurously selected the pork belly which arrived on a bed of smashed leeky potatoes topped with a horseradish cream and next to 2 eggs on toast. I did say I was adventurous! Service was warm, friendly and made us smile. Service was quick considering this cafe steadily moved towards bustling as it got later. It was a warm morning so we sat outside. It was a good choice. Although I found the chairs a bit uncomfy. The arms kept getting in my way. The food - the pork was mouth watering. It fell apart on the fork just how it should. The crackling could have been a bit crunchier, a bit less rubbery. I love potatoes, these were Devine! Seriously yummy. The potato leek combination is always a winner. The eggs and toast were delicious too. Overall a great dish. I was warned it was a huge dish by the waiters. They were right but I was up to it. I intend to go back and work my way through the menu. Prices were quite reasonably. The only negative came when it was time to pay. My friend and I, plus a number of other diners queued at the registered where meals and coffee where being collected by wait staff. They were also weaving through us with cleared plates back to the kitchen all the while we danced back and forth trying to avoid them. It was a bit of a wait so somewhat annoying. Easily fixed by a bit of re arrangement of the cash register location. All up my vote is Yes Please! read more

Hardware Societe - Pork belly with smashed potatoes (which were delish) and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Beautiful breakfast, absolutely everything on the menu looks and sounds delicious. There is a line, so you do need to get there for 8.30am to get a seat. I ordered a decadent hot chocolate, imagine a glob of chocolate in a mug served with a pot of hot milky goodness to pour over! Breakfast consisted of baked chorizo eggs and Spanish peppers. It was so delicious! I can't wait to come back! read more

Terrible terrible service. I know they are famous. But they can not be that rude service. And they let us seat next rubbish bin. And they said you guys should be alright? And. Explanation was very poor. We were asking and considering about menu. Maybe few second She didnt excuse us. Just said i will give you few min for you guys. ? What ? We about order Morning busy hour. And. They served half eaten butter With someones bread pieces read more

Without a doubt, one of the worst coffees I've ever had in my life. I have, honestly, had better coffee from airport transit lounges than this place. I'm told their food is good but I didn't get that far. The coffee was enough to make me never want to eat there again. There are plenty other opportunities in Melbourne. read more

I originally set out to dine at Manchester Press but found The Hardware Sociéte instead. I do not blame it on the fact that I did not know where I was going since I was armed not only with my trusty Samsung Galaxy S2 and Google Maps, but because I am a man and I never get lost. Perhaps I should ask Germaine Greer's opinion on that statement. What I originally thought was going to turn out to be on the scale of The European, but just closer to Southbank, turned out to be quite an interesting café on Hardware Street. I was looking forward to something rich, French and bold, like Brigitte Bardot. However what I found was a laneway café with a queue and a highly visible sign that says that they only accept cash. Knowing that there was a wait, I played Marco Polo until I found an ATM. I never carry cash as I just spend it so this relationship was already starting on a sour note. I returned to The Hardware Sociéte and the hostess was shouting my name down the laneway. It was perfect timing as I was coming back with a fistful of sweaty bank notes and I was quite hungry. The table was ready. We were seated at a communal table. I felt like poor little possessed Regan in The Exorcist when Father Karras first visited her. I really do not like waiting, not being able to pay with a credit card or communal tables for that matter. Trying to keep an open mind, I found the atmosphere to be very energetic as we were seated at a rather round classic French white table where there was enough room so you are not left to intrude into the lives of others, so it was not a big deal in the end. There was no wine list per se, but a drinks list. I really, and I mean REALLY, wanted some wine, however settled for a Kronenbourg mainly because it was so inexpensive. The peppy server informed us of the two specials, being seared tuna on a bed of potato salad, beans and poached eggs and also a brioche. Having not eaten anything substantial for about a day, I decided to order both. I was very impressed with the tuna special. The complimentary tastes, the slightly seared tuna, the colours and the presentation just really floored me as I was not expecting something so good. I really do not order many "desserts" since I am trying to keep my boyish figure from the bygone era of Hanson, but when I first saw and then tasted the brioche with strawberry jam and fresh cherries, my reaction was pure and utter blasphemy, just like how little Regan reacted to Father Karras. Unbelievably good and I was vocal about it. Stuff gluttony! I just wanted more and I don't mean just another cheap Kronenbourg. The service was very attentive and articulate. The "vibe" was pretty good and it seems like a fair amount of locals dine here. Given that the food is excellent, I thought it was great value for money and I will certainly be returning with another sweaty hand full of cash. Despite the fact that they do not take credit cards and you will most likely have to queue, the rewards are worth the inconvenience. read more

Great cafe. Breakfast menu a little limited but you can't go wrong with baked eggs with chorizo. Their coffee is pretty good, amazing hot chocolate. If more menu variety is desired come after 11 or 12 for lunch and brunch menu. Porkbelly is really good, very tender and juicy, also comes with two fried on top of a toast with spicy onions, might be a little to much. The ambience is good and service is fairly good for such a busy cafe. Nice seating outside on the hardware lane. Only downside is the waiting time, you either have to come for early breakfast or late brunch/lunch. Otherwise it's at least a 15-20 in the warmer months. read more

Hardware Societe - Great homemade hot chocolate, not to sweet not to bitter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

Tiny place tucked away down a small street. Great breakfast and service. I had the Chorizo, Peas and Eggs casserole, served with toasted, sliced, sourdough baguette drizzled with olive oil. Simply one of the best breakfasts I have ever had. Other menu Items look great, made it hard to decide, Can't wait to go back. read more

Hardware Societe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

If you are after a good coffee in Melbourne, Lygon St, Degraves Laneway or Hardware Lane are good places to start. Last year I worked next to this place for 12 months, and I am pretty sure I kept their business afloat by buying coffee. The staff here are incredibly friendly, despite the queue out the door at all times, and your coffee is served with a tiny donut on the lid, just because. What more is there to say? read more