Hardware Societe

Photography: Josie Withers

Hardware Societe

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120 Hardware Street
Melbourne

(03) 9078 5992

Mon to Fri 7:30 am - 3:00 pm
Sat 8:30 am - 2:00 pm

Licenced

Outdoor Dining

$$$$$

Located down end of the mish mash of eateries on Hardware Lane sits a wee cafe that pulls in a large number of moving city dwellers looking for breakfast and lunch during the week. The interior is clean and bright and the space is small, but there are several tables out the front overlooking the lane to help with indoor overflow.

The counter is adorned with sweets; macarons are set in lines next to other baked goods such as almond praline biscuits and croissants, which go down well with coffee in tea party crockery or teapots with colourful, wolly cosies. A savoury tart and empanada that changes daily sits inside the light cabinet, and the specials are written up on a small blackboard on the wall.

The breakfast items extend well into lunch where creativity from the previous Beetroot Cafe owners offer interesting items from their French/Spanish roots such as roast duck leg, stuffed peppers, poached boudin blanc, veal escalopes and seared scallops. All can be served with beer or wine.

Weekday lunchtime hour can be rather busy at this bustling city digs, so if you’ve only got an hour, get in early.