When visiting Montmartre in Paris, don’t miss the brunch at Hardware Société, hidden just behind the Sacré-Coeur Basilica.
On this chilly, zero degree Celsius, Sunday morning in Paris, the winter sun was shining over the rooftops. My husband and I left home about 9:45am, walking through the unusually tranquil streets, trekking our way up toward the backside of Sacré Coeur in Montmartre. Baby was bundled in her stroller.
Hardware Société Paris is a popular weekend brunch spot with a reputation for long waits. As we approached, there was only one woman standing outside, curiously peering in the windows. I feared they might be closed. But we soon discovered we were in fact only second in line. We were seated almost immediately.
The restaurant is petite – as is common for Paris – but space is maximized with a creative floor plan. There are two main dining areas divided by a bar along which there is seating as well. In the back section, windows look out over Parisian rooftops. Throughout the whole restaurant, there are square tables for two and four as well as round tables where separate parties are asked to dine communally. We were seated right in the front window at a round table we shared with another party of three.
A glass case showed off cakes and other goodies – separating the dining area from where baristas made artsy cappuccinos and sous-chefs put the final mint leaves and other garnishes on plates. For each dish, visual aesthetics seemed tantamount to flavor.
On the menu, I spotted items such as French toast, baked eggs with scallops, millefeuille of salmon, spiced, apple granola, and a lobster Benedict. By the look of the restaurant’s instagram page, the menu must change regularly. And I’ll admit, portion sizes are on the small side if your reference is an American (or Australian) brunch.
I indulged in the baked eggs with chorizo, potato, spinach, and tomatoes with a cheese crust. The eggs were unscrambled; runny in the middle. Any bits that touched the walls were cooked well through. This baked pot of goodness was accompanied by slices of fresh baguette drizzled with chorizo-infused oil.
The nuance of the different textures of the eggs made my meal particularly decadent. Running into little chunks of chorizo and wedges of potato was repeatedly satisfying.
My husband ordered the Continental Breakfast. It came with a poached apple, spiced granola, fromage blanc (like a slightly sour and thicker greek yogurt) topped with a syrupy apple sauce and apple crisps, fresh apple juice and a crusty plain croissant. He devoured all of it to the last bite.
If you stick to one dish plus a coffee per person your meal will average 19-25 Euros each. I wished we had ordered a third dish to share not just to feel like it was a real, rib-sticking brunch but also to try another delicious, unique dish. I’ll just have to come back!
Be sure to get to Hardware Société Paris close to opening time on the weekends (9am-4pm on Saturday; 9:30am to 4pm on Sundays) for breakfast. Wait times can get to upwards of an hour, if you come later. Also, consider going there during the week (they are closed Tuesday and Wednesday) for potentially lighter lines. Below is what it looked like outside as we left at about 11:30am. And remember, it was 34F!
After breakfast, we strolled around to the front of Sacré Coeur to catch the familiar sites before we hastily meandered home for baby’s nap time and to get out of the cold.
Do you have any favorite brunch spots in Paris?
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