Bowery to Williamsburg Midtown

A while ago my boss came up with the idea to have ‘Creative Mornings’ once a fortnight as a team. Where we wake up a little earlier, meet for breakfast and discuss an idea we’ve come across in the last fortnight. They’ve been events that the team has really looked forward to, that we’ve definitely bonded as a team through, but it also helps, as one of my colleagues say, ‘that all we really want is an excuse eat’. 

One of our creative mornings took us to the new Bowery to Williamsburg Midtown, across the road from Hardware Society, of the same owners. 

The new Bowery to Williamsburg occupies a long and very skinny space, probably pretty reminscient of some of the spaces in New York, and to make up for the space short-comings, owners Di and Will have utilised the space in a very interesting way. 

Rather than multiple small tables, a long communal table goes right down the middle of the cafe, with all of the kitchen space, wrapped around the walls behind one side of the table. It’s as close as you’re going to get to a kitchen while having brunch really! 

But despite the intimate space, the kitchen is run exceedingly well, hardly a peep, or unwelcome smell coming out of it, and I’m amazed it can sustain such a big and quite diverse menu!

From waffles with berries and yoghurt (instead of cream on our creative director’s request), to smoked salmon with potato cakes, to my poached eggs with basil, fried haloumi, tomatoes and pesto, everything that came out was met with a resounding round of happy murmurs with each bite. 

My dish felt like a brunch version of a caprese salad on flavour steroids (in the best possible way possible), with the freshness of the tomato and basil balancing out the richness of the haloumi and pesto. And oh man, that haloumi? Hi boy. 

Peanut butter hot chocolates are absolutely necessary, especially because they’re served with mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, but the pots of tea for two are generous and certainly encourage you to stick around all morning and have a good natter…which we might have done. 

I was much to full to indulge in a key lime pie or other sweet, but when they’re right before you…it’s quite hard not to just swivel on the chair and reach out. No one would notice now would they…? 

So now when Hardware Societe’s totally full at it’s ears, you’ve now got Bowery to Williamsburg to turn to across the road…except that it’s much smaller than Hardware…so maybe the overflow will actually be from Bowery instead…. 

Bowery to Williamsburg Midtown

123 Hardware Lane

Melbourne 3000