The Hardware Société
10 Katherine Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Open nowToday 07:30 – 15:00 · by the venue's published hoursFull hours





French toast and baked eggs are staples at this compact, rustic-chic breakfast cafe with warm vibe.
Practical details
Opening hours
Open now- Monday
- 07:30 – 15:00
- Tuesday
- 07:30 – 15:00
- Wednesday
- 07:30 – 15:00
- Thursday
- 07:30 – 15:00
- FridayToday
- 07:30 – 15:00
- Saturday
- 08:00 – 15:00
- Sunday
- 08:00 – 15:00
Why it's worth checking out
The Hardware Société sits on Katherine Place in the heart of the Melbourne CBD, just off the laneways. A renowned and much-loved cafe, it's become a genuine Melbourne brunch institution — known for its beautiful, French-inspired cooking, quality coffee and charming, characterful setting, the kind of beloved spot that draws crowds (and queues) for a special brunch.
The appeal is that combination of beautifully presented, French-influenced brunch fare, quality coffee and a lovely, characterful setting in the heart of the city, ideal for a special brunch, a leisurely catch-up or a memorable breakfast or lunch. Its reputation for genuinely beautiful, quality food has made it a real destination, and it's clearly kept its big, loyal following delighted.
With a 4.4 rating from more than 4,500 reviews, it's clearly a hugely popular spot. Menus, opening hours and offerings change with the seasons, and a sought-after cafe gets very busy — queues are common at peak times — so it's worth checking current details before a special trip and being ready for a wait on weekends, while looking forward to a beautiful brunch at The Hardware Société.
Spot Score
The Spot Score is our composite of five signals — two about the venue's standing with visitors and three about how complete and current this listing is. It is not a visitor rating and not a verdict on the food or the experience. The 4.4 from 4,537 reviews is Google's visitor rating, shown separately and never altered by us.
About the venue · from Google
- ReputationGoogle star rating, smoothed for review count
- 76
- PopularityHow many Google reviews it has
- 100
About this listing · our record
- Information qualityWebsite, menu and structured details on file
- 30
- Category fitHow well it matches its listed category
- 70
- FreshnessHow recently we last checked our sources
- 30
Last checked against sources 18 June 2026.
Our independent editorial score — not a user rating.
Nearby venues

Project Zero Coffee Meriton Suites
Project Zero Coffee Meriton Suites is a cafe in Melbourne. It holds a 4.7-star rating from 480 Google reviews. Our editorial Spot Score is 64/100.

Higher Ground
$$Modern, upscale bites in an industrial-chic former power station with exposed-brick walls.

Patricia Coffee Brewers
$$Trendy, bare-bones, standing-room-only spot for artisanal coffee ground on-site, and small treats.

Tomo’s Little Collins
A cosy Melbourne CBD Japanese café serving all-day breakfast, Japanese-inspired lunch dishes, coffee, matcha and tea.
More cafes in Melbourne

Patricia Coffee Brewers
$$Trendy, bare-bones, standing-room-only spot for artisanal coffee ground on-site, and small treats.

Bellboy Cafe | Brunswick Cafe
A consistently excellent Brunswick East cafe on Nicholson Street, rated 4.8 — proper inner-north Melbourne brunch.

The Heart of Carlton
$A highly rated café on Elgin Street in Carlton, Melbourne.

Regretless - Low Carb Pleasure
$$Regretless specialises in low-carb and keto-friendly desserts in the heart of Melbourne CBD.
