The Hardware Cafe is located in Downtown Warrenton. It is located in a 1907 building that was once a hardware store. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The restaurant has kept the theme of the hardware store and the decor and menu items reflect that. From the minute I walked inside, I just loved it there and every time I turned my head I saw something else. The wood countertops and shelves are from the original building. I was immediately greeted when I walked inside and told that I could order at the register or take the menus to a table to decide. The breakfast menu is small but that was ok. I went with the biscuit and added egg, cheese and bacon. Then I got an iced tea too. The prices were very reasonable. While I was eating, I looked over the chalkboard menu on the wall that had the lunch sandwich combinations. I was tempted to get the Pipe Wrench. But you can order a Ladder, a Hammer, a Rod & Wheel, a Lure among others. Besides sandwiches, they offer hot dogs, hamburgers, salads, and desserts. Looks like another road trip is needed so I can order a sandwich. read more

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I was very much looking forward to trying this restaurant. Talked my husband into driving 30 minutes out of the way only for them to not be open. Yelp said they were open. The sign on the door said they were supposed to be open...but they weren't. I had to eat brunch at Burger King :( read more

Hardware Cafe' - Posted hours. I took this photo at 10:30 on a Saturday. They were NOT open - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

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I always enjoy dining at the Hardware Cafe when visiting family in Warrenton. Today I ordered the PIPE WRENCH (roast beef with Havarti cheese, lettuce, tomato, Grey Poupon mustard & mayo on sunflower wheat bread) along with a pickle and chips. Food was delivered with a minimal wait. Good balance of flavor in the sandwich. Staff is cordial and efficient. read more

I'm getting no pleasure from writing this review. I would really love to be giving this cute atmospheric breakfast and lunch spot on Warrenton's main drag a rave, but I just can't. I'm all for supporting small, independent businesses but you've got to give the customer an even break. Friendliness alone doesn't cut it. The lunch menu is all sandwiches and we ordered two of the easiest lunch counter standards - chicken salad with lettuce and tomato on toast and grilled pimiento cheese with bacon. They managed to get both wrong. The chicken salad was missing the tomato and the pimento cheese had no bacon. From what I was told, the chicken salad barely had any chicken either, and the bread was kind of warm but not really toasted. What both sandwiches did have, though, was a preponderance of mayo and little else. The pimiento cheese was woefully short on pimiento and both sandwiches were about the size you'd put in a 3rd grader's lunch box. Two sandwiches, two fountain drinks, out of pocket $23, and we both left hungry. There is a Yelp deal that gives you a free cookie for checking in. I skipped redeeming it after looking at the cookie. Very small, pale, and not too appealing to look at. I hope it tasted better than it looked. The place was full at midday and it may be because there really aren't many other options here. Customers deserve better than this. read more

Food was excellent (we had Cowbell and Hammer sandwiches) cooked to perfection. Appropriate size for lunch. Service was above and beyond. They were quick with our food and checked in for drink refills. Very calm atmosphere with lots of antiques to bring back memories. Very clean and welcoming. Well done Hardware Cafe'. We look forward to a return visit! read more

Love this sandwich shop! This restaurant has a neat old hardware decor. The sandwich names are fun! We have eaten here several times. The food is tasty. Love the desserts. read more

The staff are lovely and the sandwiches are delicious. It was morning and I wanted a breakfast sandwich h, so I got the mousetrap with eggs. It was sooooooo yummy. My partner got the hammer and also added eggs (why not, lol), and he really enjoyed it. We sampled one of the sugar cookies and enjoyed it with coffee. We sat outside at a cute bistro table. Lovely experience. read more

Hardware Cafe' - Front entrance - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

Great majority of food, server is really nice and they have great service and cooking time

Food is always good! I'm always greeted with a warm hello and a smile! Very nice little spot.

Delicious sandwiches and desserts! The old fashioned milkshake was outstanding! My mom still talked about going back for another treat 3 days later! read more

Hardware Cafe' - A very happy customer enjoying one of the delicious snacks and a toasted cheese sandwich! Delicious!! - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

I wish I could give this place a 0. They made us wait 40 minutes for food. First 20 minutes because they forgot we ordered. And when we asked, they "didn't believe us" and triple checked our receipt before finally making our food, which took another 20 minutes. And it wasn't even worth the wait. Lol. read more

The staff is extremely friendly and the atmosphere is fun with the handwritten menu. Came her for lunch and ordered sandwiches. I ordered the special which was a brisket sandwich. The brisket was dry and seems quite old, and the sandwich itself had maybe 1/4lb of meat on it. It has about as much meat as a McDonald's cheeseburger. There was no flavor and instead of being served on something special it was served in sliced white bread. Reminded me of a grilled cheese with bacon strips... read more

The food was excellent. The service was excellent. Went there every morning for breakfast. That's how good they are.

Avoid. Do not come in because the staff will treat you poorly. If I could give 0 stars I would. I was treated disrespectfully and kicked out promptly. I arrived at 8:32pm tonight and was told they stop serving 30 minutes early. They should put on their sign they close at 8:30 if that's actually how they run their business. Disappointed to see a small restaurant treat people this way. Don bother read more

I've been here a few times and never had a special I didn't like! With the covid restrictions I generally take out and they regularly leave something out, so make sure you check your bag before you leave. Ordering online or over the phone are equally simple and they will remember your name if you order the same salad over and over, believe me :). They could do better with Covid separations or even get a clean pen to sign with when you check out. The staff does not generally have on masks so if you are strict with your management you may want to skip. All in all I'd recommend, just be prepared with your mask and hand sanitizer. read more

We were in the Warrenton area just for the weekend, and I spotted this place while driving around. So glad I did! Great sandwiches, staff was friendly and professional, and the lemonade was perfect. And who doesn't love watching Andy Griffith show reruns? The way this restaurant honors the hardware store history of the location is fabulous, there is something interesting to look at everywhere you can rest your eyes. And that is all before I even got to the dessert. The orange poke cake was as good as my grandma's and my husband said that it was a good thing we don't live closer because he could get addicted to the chocolate chess pie. read more

I visited here on a trip to Warren County, and enjoyed eating at a non-chain place. I had a sandwich there, and it was fine. Cute, homey decor inside. read more

Hardware Cafe' - Inside Hardware Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

Eat here every time I come to lake gaston. Yummy sandwiches, Hot dogs and desserts. Chocolate Chess pie is awesome! You can order a whole one if you do it ahead of time. They also have great loaves of bread for pick up. Great atmosphere too! read more

I had heard so much about this place that I just couldn't wait to get lunch here. When I walked in the door it was everything I had imagined, what a great idea! I love the theme and all the cool things to look at. I knew this sandwich that I was about to order was going to be awesome. I ordered the Halter and Bit which is turkey, Havarti cheese, Mayo, lettuce, tomato, and chipotle-honey dressing on pumpernickel bread. It came with kettle cooked chips and a pickle. I'd like to add ordering was a breeze and it was ready in no time. The sandwich was average but I can't complain. What was not so good? Well the bread was a little dry and the pickle was a little limp. It just wasn't the flavor explosion I thought it would be. I guess I set my expectations too high based on the word-of-mouth recommendations. I still prefer this place over the nearby chain restaurants and I still think its an interesting place. I would eat there again. read more

Hardware Cafe' - Halter and Bit sandwich. - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

Cozy cafe with great food and atmosphere! You get that old time feeling being in a renovated hardware store. Must visit! read more

Hardware Cafe' - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

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very good sandwiches and awesome bread .. make sure you sign up for the email of the specials they are always banging

Food is fantastic. Excellent prices. I had the potato soup which is the best I have ever had. Also had the Halter & bit snd it was very good snd served on pumpernickel bread which is a treat. read more

Absolutely perfect for lunch, but can they do dinner? We went on a Friday night to check it out. Prime Rib is fantastic, perfect, couldn't be better. Lobster bisque very good. Even my little side salad was super fresh. Only draw back is that the atmosphere, while great for lunch, is not ideal for a dinner setting. However, once you start eating it doesn't matter... The employees are genuinely nice and eager to please. (Again, not used to serving dinner I think - I ordered a glass of white wine and got white (pink) zinfandel. I ordered a second glass and specified Chardonnay - got a pino grigio. Still - We give this place 5 stars for the friendliness of the employees and the fabulous prime rib. read more

Cute restaurant serving a wide variety of casual fare, like soups, sandwiches, salads and delectable desserts. This is a great spot to enjoy lunch in downtown Warrenton. I usually get the lunch combo of 1/2 sandwich + a cup of soup. The last time I was here, they were running a special on roast beef, with a sandwich option and a vegetable & roast beef soup. I ordered the vegetable & roast beef soup (delicious... and they didn't skimp on the meat) along with 1/2 of the halter and bit sandwich, which features a lot of turkey with greens and a touch of spicy honey, served on pumpernickel bread. My mom ordered the same. She says the halter and bit is a great sandwich... or if you're craving cheese, to try the mouse trap. Anyway, the price was very reasonable--just $6.50 or $7.00 for the soup & sandwich combo. I was impressed by the beer and wine selection here, which you typically don't find in smaller cafes like this. I'll have to come back to try an adult beverage. Another thing I really like about this restaurant is that they support local artists and artisans. Here, you can shop for local artwork, crafts and small gifts. Definitely helpful for visitors who want to take home a little piece of Warren County. read more

This is a nice little place in historic downtown Warrenton. The staff was super friendly, the atmosphere is quaint and the sandwiches good and are made fresh. read more

Great food and great service. Come enjoy small town goodness and charm at its best. Arrived minutes before closing and were treated like we were their first customers of the day- no rush and smiles all around read more

Great stop for a quick meal and an affordable price. Sandwiches are fresh and made to order, plus a unique bottled beer selection. The staff has the perfect southern charm, very friendly and efficient. Friday specials are out of this world! Prime Rib steak as big as a dinner plate and super tender. read more

Wonderful food and atmosphere. Put it on your list of great mom-pop places to stop at and eat in small towns NC.

Love love love this place!! The food is fantastic and the employees are incredibly nice. There is wifi as well which I appreciate. I would highly recommend coming here to eat and also to eat and work since there is wine and beer! read more

Hardware Cafe' - Cafes Near Me - Warrenton, North Carolina

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Been in twice since initial review, 3 times total since frequented in 2004. Whoa nelly, does ownership or management not heed suggestions. The supervisor I was directed to regarding service was the very being about whom I was going to complain and suggest more staff contribute to a busy flow of customers 1 or 2 individuals could not serve alone. She was talking excessively to one group, paying preferential service to them, while at least 3 of us "less important" groups of customers waited for the other harried, unsupported staff to attempt to meet our dining needs and orders in a timely and average, not superior, service. Efficiency gone. Staff and training standards, caput, while the supervisor zero contributes to serving as many customers as possible, or helping maintain a hospitable and clean restaurant for patrons to enjoy. Out of one or more ingredients for the first 2 things I wanted to order last time. I've seen a couple new staff, and they were either inattentive or unaware of what they serve, how to serve it, and sanitary habits between food prep area and dining area. Hardware Cafe, what is happening to you?! read more

The atmosphere was promising, but the food was awful. For $14 I got a very small in size salad with greens, with a few shrimp size you hardly can see if any shrimp is there and a tart from melted cheese. Really? The market cost of my food would be $3 or less. I will never come there again. read more

Great food. Quaint atmosphere. The staff works very hard. The only downside is that it takes time to get your meal . That's Okay if you are there just for the food but if you need to get back to work it might be a problem. read more

Good food, we go two or three times a month after playing pickle ball. You order and pay at the counter. Very friendly service. Special today was hamburger steak and two vegetables for $6.95. read more

The owner is not nice. They charged us for things that we never got when we picked up our order curbside but didn't know it until we got home... and during covid we did not want to go back to pick them up. We both have been very careful to stay isolated. They said it was on us to come get it and wouldn't refund our card or drive the 3 miles to re deliver. After 3 months of waiting and saying nothing at all I decided to write and be very clear about deducting the total from a new order. She decided to blame us for being unreasonable about them taking responsibility for it. Said all this time had gone by and she thought it had been resolved. It never was because no one from the restaurant ever bothered to try to resolve it or make sure it was resolved. Called me crazy for emailing over it. Even though it was only $12.50 cents, she made a deal about me fussing over such a small amount and claimed I was nasty in my message to the restaurant. I was not nasty at all, I was just clear on not getting over charged or another mistake being made when I was ready to place an order for dinner for over $35.00. I thought it would be good to get reimbursed at that time. They never even attempted to call and get our card number to reimburse us from the start. We are seniors, on limited income my husband is compromised (disabled Vietnam combat vet and cancer survivor) and that's how they rolled with us. So I won't be going back, ever. We supported them over the years and especially during this Covid-19 crisis we did our best but after this encounter we won't be giving our limited income to a place that feels so entitled during hard times for everyone. They are very lucky to be doing well enough to behave this way with a customer. I'm sure she will write something in response but we feel we were treated very poorly. Suffice it to say that her customer's feelings don't matter as long as they make their money. All they had to do from the beginning 3 months ago was credit our card. LOL. We have supported all the little restaurants in our town during the covid-19 lockdown as much as we can and we have never had any issues with customer service. The owner of this restaurant is just not a very nice person. read more

Fourteen of us went to the Hardware Cafe after a memorial service nearby, and we had the flexibility to push tables together. Interesting menu, friendly service, in a fabulous old hardware store with many of the original shelves, bins, and memorabilia giving great ambiance. read more

Was in Warrington with my wife for business and decided to stop in for lunch. Service was quick and the food was good.

I visited on Tuesday this week for lunch with coworkers. I asked for extra protein with my Caesar salad and did not get it. The second time this has happened. In fact, the salad had more croutons than chicken on it. The salad greens were iceberg and in the past has been fresh mixed greens. The bowl was barely filled with the lettuce also. Also, the sandwich usually comes with slice of toasted bread and two packs of crackers. Not this time, just the crackers. My coworker ordered the same sandwich as she always does and this time it was not as the pictures on Yelp represent. The sandwich was grilled and bread flattened due to grilling with one slice of meat. Minimal condiments to add flavor. Got no jalapeno peppers with the sandwich. Jalapenos were brought on request. The fresh look of the sandwiches as changed and the overall service is not as pleasant and efficient as in previous visits.The meal was not satisfying at all today. Very disappointing visit to the Hardware cafe today. read more

The homemade pimento cheese is pretty good and the service is fast and friendly.