i have a good hunch about this place: hutch and waldo NYC

I have a mild obsession with Hutch and Waldo. And I’m not just saying that because I may or may not have seen Zendaya here. For context, Hutch and Waldo is an Australian cafe that’s a couple blocks from my apartment. They have amazing breakfast/brunch food that not only tastes amazing, but also when the pandemic wasn’t a thing, was very aesthetically pleasing. Not that that should factor into where you choose to eat, but hey, it certainly does not hurt.

But first, a minor negative. Namely, the grilled chicken and sweet potato salad. Generally, it’s a pretty decent salad, especially the charred sweet potato, but my main qualm is with the shards of grilled chicken. And by shards I mean literally. The pieces of chicken were so dry they are most analogous to shards of glass. So chicken may not be their strong suit. But really it’s fine, as their strengths truly lie elsewhere.

Just look at all that steam. Amazing.

One of my go-to orders, which means it should be one of your go-to orders, is the nude bowl. It’s made of soft scrambled eggs, soft, slightly crunchy charred sweet potatoes, avocado, and kale, for some extra health. And then pesto sauce, which in my opinion is the best sauce out there, is drizzled on top. It’s such a delicious combination of foods, and best of all, you feel mildly healthy eating it.

Of course I had to end with an Australian cafe mainstay: the avocado toast. I gotta say, this is a good one. To start, they always toast their bread so that it’s slightly charred, but still a tad chewy. Then, topped with a runny yolk, creamy avocado, salty and slightly briny feta? Immaculate. Just like the vibes of this place.

All in all, if you’re looking for a place on the Upper East Side that isn’t wildly expensive fine-dining or a grab and go salad place, Hutch and Waldo is the spot. I promise, if you stay there long enough, you might almost forget you’re on a mildly busy sidewalk in NYC, and start thinking you’re on vacation in Australia.