Ten Square Cafe

Hardware Lane's Asian-fusion brunch café with ube waffles, crab scrambles and cult-status drinks.

A quaint, cosy laneway café near Hardware Lane. plain-but-comfortable décor that reviewers liken to a warm, unpretentious kitchen. Outdoor seating on the laneway is a highlight. Inside is intimate and tight. The lack of flashy fit-out is compensated by genuinely inventive food and genuinely warm service from a tight-knit team.

Asian-influenced menu woven through classic café brunch staples. think matcha pancakes, ube waffles, crab scramble and Korean-spiced burgers sitting alongside eggs Benny and mushroom toast. Signature drinks programme including the Cloud Night (velvety coconut-based drink with cheese foam). Menu items rotate, so the ube waffle and matcha pancake aren't always available. Gluten-free and dairy-free options available. Staff known to accommodate dietary variations on request.

Modern Asian approach to brunch. not a culturally purist representation of any single cuisine but a confident, creative fusion of Asian flavours (ube, matcha, kimchi, crab, sriracha) with Melbourne café culture. The integration feels intentional rather than gimmicky.

Meals priced in the high-$20s with some creative drinks at $9-10. Opinions are split. many find it excellent value for CBD quality and creativity; a minority note small portion sizes and find the price-to-quantity ratio off. Coffee described as generally good with occasional inconsistency.

Summary drafted with AI from public reviews.