Fave SoHo cafe dishes up some delicious surprises and good vibes

From steamy dan dan noodles to standout brunch twists, this little South Hobart eatery is proving to be as popular as ever. Come hungry – you’ll want to try everything, writes Alix Davis

ALIX DAVIS

2 min read

July 4, 2025 - 5:00AM

Bear With Me’s spelt sourdough waffles which feature candied fennel seeds sprinkled over a stack of fluffy waffles that have been topped with a slice of frozen blood orange parfait, orange segments and syrup. Picture: Linda Higginson

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It’s a long way from a central Chinese province to the southern foothills of kunanyi/Mt Wellington, but a favourite dish from Sichuan is also a winter must-eat for Hobartians. Dan dan noodles – named for the carrying pole on which vendors used to transport bowls of soup and noodles through the villages – are a warming bowl of wheat noodles piled in a broth flavoured with pickled mustard cress, peanuts, chilli oil and Sichuan pepper. A bowl eaten while seated at a mountain-view table in South Hobart’s Bear with Me is wonderfully rich, flavourful and the perfect antidote to a very chilly winter’s day. “The dan dan noodles are a winter-only dish,” says co-owner Kate Clapham, “and people visit specifically to order it.”

Having inhaled a serving myself, I can see why. This dish is just one of the delicious surprises on the menu here, a cafe that offers much more than standard eggs Benny. The all-day menu at Bear with Me is packed with brunch classics that have been given a solid twist, and the result is a line-up that I could eat on repeat for a month of chilly Sundays.

Bear With Me’s dan dan noodles consist of a warming bowl of wheat noodles piled in a flavoured-packed broth. Picture: Linda Higginson.

In addition to the noodles ($24), we’ve ordered a grains and greens salad ($24) that’s popping with texture and flavour. Brown rice and red quinoa provide the base, while roasted carrots, kale, currants and candied walnuts provide flavour and crunch. A slightly sweet dressing and a swipe of tahini yoghurt finish it off, and it’s topped with a perfectly poached egg. A dish like this makes eating salad a pleasure, not a punishment, and each mouthful is well balanced and very more-ish.

Bear with Me has been delighting local residents for seven years now and there’s certainly a great vibe as customers come and go on a Sunday morning. While some drop in for takeaway coffees, others are here for a relaxed brunch or a quicker catch-up with friends. Sunlight pours in the large corner at the rear, where expansive bench seating enjoys a picture-perfect view of the mountain.

Clapham describes the food as “Asian with a twist,” but there are plenty of dishes that defy that categorisation. The key to their popularity is “consistency,” says Clapham. “We just really focus on yum food.”

Bear With Me’s grains and green salad. Picture: Linda Higginson

Bear With Me’s spelt sourdough waffles. Picture: Linda Higginson

Their most-loved dish is the BWM Benedict, she says, a dish that might take initial inspiration from the traditional brunch dish, but then puts it on its head by topping crispy layers of potato with braised ham hock, poached eggs and a pea puree and cider hollandaise ($26). It’s eggs Benny, Jim, but not as we know it.

My peanut-loving husband is thrilled with his order of bao buns ($26) – soft, housemade steamed buns folded around crisp slices of peanut butter tofu, finely shredded cabbage, burnt chill mayo, ssamjang (spicy Korean sauce) and crushed peanuts. Every bite is the perfect blend of textures and with two per serve, they’re great for sharing.

Bear With Me’s bao buns feature housemade steamed buns folded around crisp slices of peanut butter tofu, finely shredded cabbage, burnt chill mayo, ssamjang (spicy Korean sauce) and crushed peanuts. Picture: Linda Higginson

Coffee is obviously a key component of brunch and BWM serves a selection of rotating single origin varieties ($6). There are also coffee alternatives including brewed chai ($6), turmeric almond latte ($7), hot chocolate ($6) and more. Smoothies ($12) and milkshakes ($8.80) are available (probably better on a warmer day) and housemade sodas ($9.80) come in three varieties.

I’m not usually a dessert for breakfast person (the period between Christmas and New Year obviously doesn’t count!) but can’t resist an order of spelt sourdough waffles ($24). The menu says these come with candied fennel and I’m imagining a sweet take on the slightly aniseedy member of the carrot family. Instead, it’s in the form of candied fennel seeds sprinkled over a stack of fluffy waffles that have been topped with a slice of frozen blood orange parfait, orange segments and syrup.

It’s an excellent combination and far more sophisticated than the stodgy waffles drowned in maple syrup that I forced on my family as a child.

It’s a sweet finish to an excellent meal that has set us up well for an afternoon at home in front of the fire.