Adding to the constellation of Australian cafes in the city (Hole in the Wall, Bluestone Lane, Two Hands, Ruby’s, Black Fox Coffee) is Hutch + Waldo, nicknamed Hutch, the all-day breakfast local chain that has taken the old Laughing Man space on the river in 300 Vesey.

We went for lunch and ordered across the menu: the scramble bowl (soft scramble, bacon, marinated feta, fresh chives, kale + avocado — very nice dressing on the kale, $15), the harvest bowl (grilled chicken, sweet potato, roasted cauliflower, avocado, pumpkin seeds, ginger turmeric dressing, which we kept on the side and never ate, $) and the chai raw granola with overnight oats, fresh fruit and peanut butter ($11 for the smaller size).

This is reliable, fresh, assembled plates that will hit the spot if you’re in the area. They have picnic tables with umbrellas in an absolutely prime location (if they are a bit junky). On days like we’ve had recently, it’s worth a stroll over to enjoy the water. The seating inside is against the giant plate glass windows, so sunny even in the winter.

The restaurant was started in 2017 by Alistair McFarland, an Australian-born US men’s national rugby union team player, who opened the first location on the Upper East Side. Gramercy came next; what they are calling “on the marina” opened about a year ago. They applied for their liquor license this month with CB1.

My complaint as always: plastic. I said we were eating in and asked if they could NOT put the plastic lid on the compostable bottom. They said they had to do it. And the plastic cutlery is bundled fork/knife/spoon, whether you need them or not. It all just gets me down. But alas, this is our to-go world.

Hutch + Waldo
300 Vesey (just south of the Irish Hunger Memorial, on the westside of the building in the arcade)
Seven days, 7a to 4p