A cafe that’s putting the fun into great food

Vivid colours, beauty and flavoursome dishes greet customers at a unique cafe in Melbourne’s east.

In the 2016 film adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s novel Alice Through the Looking Glass, lavish cakes and vivid floral arrangements adorn the tea party scene. It was a cinematic experience to stimulate the senses, with bright colours and mouth-watering images making for a sensory delight.

At The Hatter and the Hare Cafe in Bayswater, in Melbourne’s outer-east, this flamboyant cinematic depiction has been brought to life.

“We are a destination not just for locals, but for those across Melbourne and broader Victoria,” says cafe director Becky Buada.

“This is because we aren’t just an ordinary suburban cafe – we offer an experience. From the moment a customer walks in they are met with beautiful visual displays and more than 100 cakes popping with colour.”

Prior to opening The Hatter and the Hare, head pastry chef George Dardamanis ran a wholesale cake factory in the area and held pop-up high teas in its car park in support of the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea fund-raiser. It was such a success with the local community that it became a foundation for something more permanent.

“High tea is always a standout at the cafe because we present it differently to most,’’ says Dardamanis. ‘‘Instead of traditional finger sandwiches, pies and slices of cake, we incorporate more unusual items that wow our customers.

“Our products need to be in line with the theme and concept of the cafe. Everything needs to be whimsical, fun and, most of all, perfect. The colour, texture and flavour combinations are intricate, and attention to detail is the key ingredient to make every cake stand out.”

For every season and festive holiday there is a new display at the cafe, making it a completely different visual encounter for returning customers. Additionally, the seasonal menu (with some fixed favourites) features dishes named after Lewis Carroll’s quirky characters.

Dardamanis works closely with head chef Dale Da Costa to think outside the box and create unique and fun food experiences for their customers.

“A lot of thought goes into designing the dishes and using all the resources we have, across both the pastry and kitchen teams, to create new flavour combinations,” says Da Costa.

“There is so much made in-house with quality ingredients and our customers are happy to experiment and try new things. I think they look forward to coming back to see what’s new.”

During Melbourne’s gruelling COVID-19 lockdown that limited the cafe to takeaways and deliveries, all departments banded together to brainstorm ideas that would keep the community fed and staff engaged.

“Our team needed to be more motivated and challenged. There is only so many eggs on toast they can make every day,” says Buada.

“Everyone thought outside the box and pitched in to create new ideas. We developed a weekly dinner journey series, where customers could take home a themed dinner set each week that featured dishes from different destinations across the world. This gave our team and local community something to look forward to and brought everyone together.”

With a new summer menu up and running, and Hatter and the Hare high teas resuming in autumn, the three colleagues are excited to share a fresh kaleidoscope of colour, in both food and decor, with their customers.

“There is always something new to eat, drink or see at Hatter and the Hare,” says Buada. “Which is why our customers always come back and bring their friends. It’s a place you want others to experience and enjoy.”