Hardware Coffee + Kitchen
Maja Lorkowska, Exhibitions Editor
Hardware Coffee + Kitchen has taken Liverpool by storm since its opening in December 2022, with news of its fresh pastries and delicious lunches spreading far and wide.
It’s located in central Liverpool‘s Renshaw Street, in what used to be a legendary hardware store, Rapid. What is remembered as an iconic institution closed down in 2017 and the building was taken over by different businesses. Hardware Coffee + Kitchen decided to celebrate the history of this spot in the form of a tool-themed coffee shop.
There are touches of hardware around the café’s two floors, with tools mounted on black pegboards alongside lush plants and even the toilet door handles are made from hammers. Hardware Coffee + Kitchen is a bright and airy space, with lots of tables and coffee options. Order at the till with a table number and you’ll find it difficult to peel yourself away from the pastries and cakes on display without purchasing one to go with your cuppa.
The staff are consistently friendly and happy to help and chat – it’s great to see in a place that can get very busy, very quickly. The menu is a satisfying mix of filling savoury choices and equally filling sweet ones, often with hardware-related names: highlights include French toast dripping with fruit and and syrups (flavours change so check the website for more info), a stack of fried chicken on toasted brioche and veggie or vegan breakfasts aptly named ‘The Greenhouse’, in a nod to Rapid’s garden tools department.
If you’re planning a weekend brunch, make sure you have plenty of time because more often than not, there is a queue outside the door. Weekdays are a different story, and while the café remains busy, it’s mostly filled with people quietly working on their laptops. Either way, it’s usually worth the wait.
