Words Jaye Bowden
Bear with Me, South Hobart’s freshest new café, has been causing plenty of buzz since its initial opening. It offers a unique take on brunch food thanks to the inspired visions of Alicia Liu and Viv Xiao and their partnered chefs, including Lachlan Fletcher from the outstanding Chin Chin restaurant in Melbourne.
Upon walking in, you are greeted with an attractive space featuring hanging pot plants and tones of teal and grey, pale tiles and stark hanging light bulbs. It feels modern and industrial. There are metal cage fittings and long lines of benches and chairs. I immediately loved the playlist which featured upbeat 80’s hits to bop your head along to while sipping your coffee. Speaking of coffee; they take theirs seriously using ONA coffee beans and delivering caffeine hits at the perfect temperature each time. As a coffee lover I have high standards but I instantly ordered a second round of lattes because I was so pleasantly surprised. Top notch coffee!
Their menu has anything you could possibly fancy and caters for a diverse range of dietary requirements including gluten free, vegetarian and vegan. As someone who has followed a vegan diet, I found the menu refreshing. The special addition of peanut butter, salt and pepper tofu bao buns were a total treat. Spicy peanuts, toasted tofu strips nestled in soft fluffy buns with a garnish of coriander and sweet tangy pickles! I also tried the Dragon Bowl which was a deep vibrant pink and topped off with some beautiful fresh fruit and coconut flakes. My friend opted for the Eggs Benny which she raved about and said was a complete flavour fusion. The naughty combination of sweet apple and the savoury potato rosti was simply stunning.
It was exciting to be able to see the activity through a window nook, allowing a sneak peek into their busy and well organised kitchen where plates of gorgeous food were being constantly pumped out. The chefs invest genuine passion and creativity into the presentation of their dishes and it shows.
Owner, Alicia, explained to me that the name ‘Bear With Me’ comes from a cheeky little play on words. It’s a saying that is used frequently in hospitality so they decided to spin it into a quirky and memorable café title. She told me that the vision for their new establishment was to serve coffee and food at the same level of quality and wow guests in all areas. From what I’ve experienced in their café myself, I can say that they’ve accomplished that and more. It is a total delight and is quickly proving to be one of the most brilliant hot spots for foodies in Hobart!
399 Macquarie Street, South Hobart or hit up their facebook page for more photos and info!
@Bearwithmecoffeeandfood