Hydrant Food Hall

My wife and I had the pleasure of spending a week in Ballarat, the town where I was born. We currently reside in the United States and have done so for the past 15 years, making this trip a homecoming of sorts as we were in town to visit family.

During our stay, Hydrant Food Hall was the first eatery we ventured into, and it didn't take long for it to capture our hearts, quickly becoming our go-to spot. In fact, we found ourselves returning daily, drawn in by its charm and culinary delights.

The highlight of my dining experience was undoubtedly the Eggs Benedict. It was a revelation in terms of both taste and presentation, setting a new standard for what I had previously known. The innovative twist of pickled cabbage, a hash brown base, and the addition of succulent mushrooms took it to another level. It was so delectable that it lingered in my dreams, making me yearn for it the following day.

The coffee, too, deserves special mention. It was exceptional, prompting us to indulge in extra cups with each visit. But what truly set Hydrant Food Hall apart was the warmth and friendliness of the staff. Their genuine excitement and energy each time we returned made us feel like we had formed fast friendships, adding a personal touch to our dining experience that was deeply appreciated.

We are eagerly looking forward to our next visit to Ballarat, with Hydrant Food Hall at the top of our list. It wasn't just a place where we ate; it became a highlight of our trip, contributing to our memories of a town that holds special significance for me.

Great coffee (love the red mug) and excellent food. An excellent menu to cater to all tastes. My breakfast board was moorish! Gnocchi was also good. Very vibrant and cute decoration. Love the touch of local art for display and sale on the wall too.

Such a cool space! Everything was delicious and fresh. Coffee was good. Recommend getting the salmon and add on some halloumi 10/10. Friendly staff.

-Coffee had character, not overly roasted, very well made

-Food was fresh, presentation clean, seasoning on point, combination was good. (I'd suggest a touch more salt/umami to improve the chili oil on the scramble, but that's personal preference)

-Host was absoultely warm, friendly and knowledgeable about food they are serving. Was seen guiding new staff with patience as well

-In summary, compliments to both the front and back of house. You can feel they take pride in serving some of the best hospitality in Ballarat.

We will be back <3

Had a gorgeous mother's day lunch, couldn't fault the staff for the chaos of the joint. They did such a great job handling the full house. The food was delicious and well presented. I had the chilli scrambled and was blown away. The coffees were lovely, hot and not burnt at all

Although our eggs were slightly overcooked to our taste it was still a delicious breakfast. Great atmosphere, friendly staff. We will return ☺

Completely unexpected! Second we walked in, we were warmly welcomed and seated. The vibe is so on point - plants to die for and taller than normal toilets, perfect for my ol knees!! Food, although pricey worth every single penny!! Not the biggest fan of the coffee, rather bitter but still very accommodating to all. 10/10 would recommend and Emma, you were amazing!

Eggs Benedict was absolutely the most flavoursome I've had so far in Ballarat. The flavour pairing was impeccable

It’s definitely a must-try brunch place in Ballarat! The ambience is cozy and the staff are very helpful and friendly. We had the chili scramble egg which the croissant is crispy and the scramble egg is just smooth and tasty. The chili oil and sour cream are perfect match for the scramble egg. The egg benedict is also incredible. I really love the crunchy hash brown that replaces the usual toast.

Wow, really enjoyed this place. Wait staff were all really friendly (even taking photos for us), meals were colourful and beautifully presented and really nice vegetarian options. Nice atmosphere, not too noisy at lunchtime. Came to Ballarat to visit my Mum and this was a great place to take her to lunch

Wonderful. Every dish are crafted with care. The tastes and textures all work really well.

Pros:
- lovely atmosphere. Really good vibe.
- fantastic staff. Really friendly and nice.
- every dish is really well planned out, tastes really good and looks really good as well.

Cons:
- hard to spot the place.

Would recommend to anyone passing by Ballarat. It's a great cafe. I will definitely go back!

Great spot for a tasty meal. Inside and outside seating. Staff are friendly and efficient. Menu has plenty of good options. The atmosphere is lively and fresh. We ordered 3 meals and all were fresh and delicious, with twists on old favourites. Definitely good value for money with the serving sizes. Delicious fresh juice available as well, so perfect for Breakfast or Brunch. Highly recommend.

We made a booking on a Saturday night for Sunday morning but realised we were running 15 minutes behind schedule (Melbourne-Ballarat), it was easy to modify our booking online. No problems!
The restaurant was in a hidden laneway and the restaurant itself was fitted out with an industrial inspired make over.
I ordered an iced latte. The iced latte was exactly how I like it so much so I ordered another.
The food came out quickly and both dishes were tasty delicious and the presentation was immaculate. Could not fault anything.
We will visit again soon.

The big breakfast is BIG!
Make a reservation for the weekend because the place is absolutely packed. The team were able to seat to of us so we didn’t miss out on a Sunday as walk ins. For something different we had the croquettes for a brekkie entree and I had the banh mi board. I enjoyed the fillings but I think the bread could be improved from supermarket dinner rolls

Great atmosphere to celebrate a private function with family and friends. Food and service was on point. A fantastic night had by all.

Really nice venue, comfortable, not too loud, great food and decent coffee.

Amazing everything! We had a front seat view of everthing on the pass and it was just torture cause I just don't have the stomach space to eat it all!

Fantastic atmosphere and delightful, attentive staff. We each loved our brekkie boards and I appreciate that it comes in several options such as vegan and dairy-free. Food was well presented and absolutely delish! We left feeling full and very happy with our meal. We went on Saturday morning and it was very busy so I highly recommend pre-booking online to avoid disappointment.

Love the feel of this cafe. It's a lovely mix of industrial yet contemporary & has plenty of space & light. It just has a great vibe. The staff are very friendly & the food is delicious. 👌

The waffle Benedict is superb!!! The egg is perfectly runny, the hollandaise and pulled pork really brought everything together... and the crackling literally tops the dish. We also had the gnocchi which was generous in its serving and heavy with flavors. It was cooked very well and good combination but a bit too oily. Overall we definitely will be coming back again to try their other dishes! 👍