Interior @ Little Bird Unbakery (Instagram @neelsmcgee)
When it comes to popular cafes in Auckland, one name that you are sure to hear in the upper-market Ponsonby area is Little Bird Unbakery. Definitely a venue that may cause some scepticism on the raw food movement, Little Bird, fortunately knows a thing or two about organic and nutrient-rich foods, and hey, it's not all raw and hippy-esk, the eatery also is home to some of the most diverse and delicious coffee varieties in town.
Situated on Summer Street in Auckland's popular Ponsonby district, you will find this little birdcage of flavour, brimming with people ready to start their weekend right. The Little Bird Unbakery Cafe originally stemmed from a selection of products free from gluten, dairy and refined sugar that are sold in the cafe. The cafe, which was supposed to be a small trial effort to further push the packaged products, took an unimaginable twist when launched, with queues out the door and word-of-mouth about the cafe spreading all around Auckland. Today Little Bird Unbakery, originally a quirky concept to your mainstream cafes, has grown into a nourishing nutritional powerhouse with two locations in Auckland one in Ponsonby and one in Britomart.
The cafe boasts a menu with a variety of options for those who are slightly peckish to those after something a bit moreish. I had the pleasure of heading to this venue for a work breakfast with some colleagues and absolutely fell in love with the menu. An impressive variety of coffees, cold brewed,
Turkish Delight (with beetroot juice) and Tumeric varieties have all found themselves on the menu along with your standard coffees with a twist. The side of milk that comes with most of the beverages (and is also blended in their signature smoothie range) is made up of cashew and coconut. All nut milks are made in-house to keep the flavour fresh and exercise a level of control on quality and taste.
Cold Pressed Coffee @ Little Bird Unbakery (Instagram @neelsmcgee)
I ordered the
Large White, which was served with house-made nut milk (coconut and cashew blend) while a colleague ordered the cold brew coffee. Their nut milk is to die for and really ads a creamy texture to the
Kokako bean blend used for the venues coffee selection.
When it came to our breakfast selection, I decided to go out of my comfort zone and order something a little sweet to start my day. The
Kumura and Coconut Hotcakes won my vote. Colleagues around the table decided to venture off into different directions with one ordering her first ever
Smoothie Bowl, another ordering the
LB's Sprouted Bread with avocado, kraut and alfalfa sprouts and finally the
Portobello Benedict made with kumara yolk hollandaise on a crispy flatbread with spinach, cherry tomatoes and coconut bacon.
Kumura & Coconut Hotcakes @ Little Bird Unbakery (Instagram @neelsmcgee)
The meals all came out at once and quite promptly, the hotcakes breakfast option was made from kumara, coconut, brown rice and ground almonds. It came out presented beautifully, with grilled all good bananas, stone ground coconut and macadamia butter and final lashings of organic maple syrup and some edible flowers. The combination of flavours made for one delicious breakfast. It was just the perfect portion too, definitely a little more is better than not enough. Overall a very satisfying brunch and always nice to start the day right, knowing you have consumed organic (free from meat and dairy) products that leave you feeling ready to start the day.
LB's Sprouted Bread @ Little Bird Unbakery (Photo by Praneel Lal)
The meals around the table were extremely lavish and I was told that the coconut bacon was an interesting side to the Portobello Benedict and had a very interesting taste. How you can make coconut taste like bacon is a step in the right direction for all us meat eaters out there.
The central part of the store sells a variety of raw treats and amazing macaroons (the healthy version) that has everyone talking. The Unbakery sell their goods online and also have a selection of raw cakes that can be ordered for those special events like birthdays and for Christmas. Visit their website for more details.
I will definitely be heading back to this eatery next time and will make sure I purchase some of the store's goods that they have on sale. If you want to start your day the right way then Little Bird Unbakery is the place for you.
Smoothie Bowl Special @ Little Bird Unbakery (Photo by Praneel Lal)
Menu @ Little Bird Unbakery (Instagram @neelsmcgee)
Decor @ Little Bird Unbakery (Photo by Praneel Lal)
Lighting @ Little Bird Unbakery (Photo by Praneel Lal)
