It's a sign! at The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe in Auckland
Vegan burrito at The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe in Auckland
Vegan nachos at The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe in Auckland

  • CLOSED: The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe
    (19)
    5

    Closed

  • White Vegetarian
Vegan-friendly
Lacto
Ovo
International
Western
Take-out
Catering

Run by members of Sri Chinmoy Meditation Centre in a peaceful atmosphere. The cafe offers both western as well as international food, from sandwiches, muffins, hunza pie, and neat'loaf to hazelnut bake, fresh vegetable and fruit juices to assorted beverages. Food is also available in bowls - you choose a base (rice, potato, etc.) and a topping (curry, vegetables, etc.). Vegan items marked on menu. Also sells a small selection of giftware, books, music, Japanese incense, and pewter products. CONFIRMED CLOSED, JUNE 2016.

Venue map for The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe
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19 Reviews

First Review by Petesternz

Avatar lostkhaki

lostkhaki

Points +40

Mostly Veg
14 Sep 2016

went once - was ok

average food, place was quiet as off peak but still waited ages but werent in a hurry.
Wanted it to be better so we would return but portions a bit small and nothing memorable.

Pros: nice looking shop, nice people

Cons: portions a bit small, left still a bit hungry

Avatar Exquire

Exquire

Points +311

Vegan
14 Mar 2016

Joyous and spiritual

The chime of the bell as you enter, the bright watercolour Saris on the devoted staff, the sweet chanted tones of the music - the Blue Bird is a refuge for innocence, peace and calm.

It's still a lot of fun, but if you want something a little louder or you want to do something like smoke, then you might want to try Vinyl coffee shop just up the road instead.

As for me, I adore the Blue Bird's food, and I've learned to like the smiling face of Sri Chimnoy on the wall.

There's a glass cabinet of prepared food with adapted Kiwi favourites like the polenta bake, lentil pie, apple crumble and even sausage rolls, but it's the blackboard menu that gets me today. The bowl menu gives you a base option and a topping. They're all good, I've tried the lot: Mexican or African beans on potato, tropical chickpea curry on brown rice and more... but most days I can't go past their decadent peanut satay on baked kumara.

If you don't know it already, kumara is New Zealand's unique and historically important sweet potato, adapted from the Maori staple and available in a few varieties. It's one of those things you have to try while you're in New Zealand. And done right, kumara is delicous.

The portions are generous, especially if you’ve been eyeing up that chocolate cake or pecan slice as well. The superfood smoothies complete the picture, and it’s sometimes hard not to take a raw bliss-ball away for later.

With friends I like to head upstairs and warm up the open and relaxed atmosphere. When I'm alone I like to people-watch the other customers clapping in delight as they order, reading Sri Chimnoy’s quotes on slips of paper around the cafe, or figuring out how the mineral water dispenser works.

Pros: Good character, Chilled out

Cons: Should go fully vegan :-)

Avatar psiphi75

psiphi75

Points +258

Vegan
01 Oct 2015

Good food with vegan deserts

This place has a range of good food. The bonus is that there are a few vegan deserts that are great.

Pros: Good food

Avatar Etom001

Etom001

Points +11

Mostly Veg
05 Jul 2015

yummy food, friendly staff

We dropped in for vegan birthday dinner late in the evening, nice selection of mains, but it was the desserts we had come for. Vegan cheese cake and a lovely ginger and orange cake ... We will be back

Pros: nice to be asked with the deserts "would you like

Avatar Plantpower

Plantpower

Points +1355

Vegan
02 Mar 2015

Yummy vegan food

Delicious food and nice and quiet setting - especially upstairs. Most meals have vegan options. Tried some of their main meals which were all great.

Pros: many vegan options

Avatar RayTomes

RayTomes

Points +87

Vegan
05 Apr 2014

Peaceful meal

The volunteers that make and serve the vegetarian and vegan food at Bluebird are very peaceful and friendly. It makes for a pleasant atmosphere. You can choose from various sized bowls with a selection of contents, or from the display cabinet of ready made items. All healthy and tasty and at a reasonable price.

Pros: Ready made tasty meals, Peaceful, Friendly

Avatar Lea

Lea

Points +415

Vegan
07 Jan 2014

Lovely, peaceful, delicious and friendly

We visited this cafe twice on our holiday in Auckland. It is excellent. The staff are very friendly and helpful. The food is clearly labelled as to whether it is vegan, gluten free etc. The staff are also very knowledgeable about what is in the food. We had nachos and burrito for lunch with tropical smoothies, which were excellent. For dinner we had bowl meals and these were really delicious. Beans in tomato coconut sauce and veggies with peanut sauce, totally scrumptious. Followed by delicious moist vegan chocolate cake. Soy ice cream was available to have with it. If I lived in Auckland this would definitely be a regular. The coffee was not all that great, so I would stick with the fruit smoothies next time.
Updated from previous review on Friday December 27, 2013

Pros: Delicious healthy food, Lovely peaceful vibe and helpful staff, Lots of vegan options clearly labelled

Vegan nachos at The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe in Auckland

Vegan burrito at The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe in Auckland

It's a sign! at The Blue Bird Vegetarian Cafe in Auckland

Avatar Scuba Girl

Scuba Girl

Points +17

Vegetarian
25 Sep 2012

Yum!

I have just found Happy Cow and am checking out my favourite restaurants - I can't believe that noone has mentioned The Bluebird's fabulously more-ish not-sausage rolls, nor their divine not-bacon and egg pies (which are savory size), both family favourites for take aways. I love hing pie, a delicious savoury rice slice, but I am going through a 'bowl and topping' stage at the moment. When I am working off the excesses of Christmas my topping is steamed veges, when I have been gardening, potato or kumara - both delicious. (And I love the Moroccan!)
Staff are so helpful and kind, ambience so restful - bliss!!

Pros: excellent food, lovely staff, good prices

Avatar Dmitry

Dmitry

Points +214

Vegan
05 Jun 2011

Enjoyable food & atmosphere

Many things are vegan and everything is labeled and the staff will helpfully point out all the vegan stuff to you. I had a bowl of baked kumara with African beans, which was nice, a Hing (I believe) pie slice with sauce, which was super yum, a spirulina and berry smoothie, a pot of tea, and a kind of vegan bliss ball (with nice chunky dark chocolate inside), and even tried one of their non-vegan cup cakes (which was a bit of a dairy hit). There is also a second floor seating which is very cozy. The ladies are really friendly and wearing kind of beautiful Indian-type dress, even though they look European. Check their website, their menu range is quite extensive and allows them to change food often to keep it interesting (some options are constant and some rotate I believe - all available for takeways and catering), there is even a vegan pizza (!) option, which I would love to try sometime when I am back in Auckland.

Pros: Vegan food, Atmosphere, Very clean & cozy

Avatar saneas

saneas

Points +222

Vegan
31 Jan 2011

Food made with love

...and served with love too. Basic wholesome food and all the time in the world given to explain and serve it to you.

Pros: service, quality, taste

Cons: music

Avatar Blue Cloud

Blue Cloud

Points +98

Vegan
28 Jan 2011

Delicious heart warming food!

Bluebird Cafe has a wide variety of bowl food - you choose a base and a topping from several choices - all very delicious and just warms your heart especially on a cold rainy day like today. It's so relaxing there, and the staff are so friendly and welcoming. We had the mango nectar - really refreshing too. It's such a great place to relax at, and enjoy delicious food. Really enjoyed the experience!!

Pros: Friendly staff, Wide range of yum food, Good value and portions

Avatar sophie666

sophie666

Points +93

Vegan
27 Jun 2010

Food for Thought

The cafe is warm and spritual. The staff are friendly, the menu includes both vegetarian and vegan items. A good selection of both savoury and sweet, plus juices and soups. The cafe also sell Loving Earth products which are divine, they have a lot of Sri Chimoy books and resources. The food was nice.

Avatar KNYAY

KNYAY

Points +41

Vegan
02 Mar 2010

Wish I'd found this place earlier!

I've spent the last 2 weeks visiting friends in Auckland and been actively seeking out veg*n places to eat. Foolishly (on my part) I'd been looking in the centre ... if only I'd looked closer to where I was staying I'd have found this fab eatery sooner (not on the eve of my departure!). I had the dahl on baked kumara base which was tasty, hot and very filling. Spoilt for choice I chose two desserts - the boysenberry & apple crumble with soya ice cream and a piece of the banana cake. Not being able to manage it all in one sitting, I had enough for dinner too. My mum always used to tell me "your eyes are bigger than your belly" ... well, I think on this occasion my belly might well have caught up with my eyes! Looking forward to my 48 hour stopover in May when I'll be back to the Bluebird to taste a few more delights! Mmmm!

Pros: huge selection of vegan dishes, friendly & helpful staff, delicious food

Cons: off the tourist track

Avatar coolasacucumber

coolasacucumber

Points +27

Non Veg
21 Feb 2010

it's ok...

i used to go here a lot and enjoyed it; i even went there for a birdthday lunch and one of the staff brought me a piece of pecan slice with a candle on it..
however, the last few times i have visited it has been disappointing. when i went there last, my two companions ordered two different dishes (stroganoff on potato, black eyed beans on kumara). when the dishes came, the stroganoff was on the kumara and the beans on the potato..I questioned this and they said that the stroganoff dish was actually the black eyed bean dish....BUT I Know what black eyed beans look like! They were wrong, but we couldn't really do anything about it. It is exspensive if you order drinks and things from the cabinet, the best option price-wise is to order a meal from the list of things above the counter. you choose a base (rice/potato/kumara) and then a topping (tofu sauce, spicy beans etc).
Much, but not all, of the food is vegan.
Worth a visit if you're in the area. sit upstairs if you can.

Avatar Baza

Baza

Points +91

Vegan
05 Sep 2009

looked good

They need to get more staff! Looked great from the outside but had just closed for a 2 week holiday the day before I arrived. Definitely need to call before going.

Pros: looked great

Cons: closed

Avatar Jeff Sanders

Jeff Sanders

Points +81

Vegan
13 Feb 2009

Spiritual

Very chilled out vibes here, I remember sitting upstairs to be the most peaceful experience I've had within an urban environment. Good selection of vegan food and sweets, relaxed and non threatening staff, all in all an extremely pleasant and inviting cafe that I didn't visit often enough.

Pros: Peaceful, good vegan selection

Avatar Cheryl27

Cheryl27

Points +37

Vegetarian
13 Feb 2008

yummy scrummy

The Bluebird is my favourite place to go to when I visit Auckland. The ambience is really something special. The workers follow the peaceful and compassionate philosophy of Sri Chinmoy and it shows in their friendly faces and smiles.
By the way the food is great. I particularly enjoy the sausage rolls and the great coffee. They specialise in delicious sweet treats. The vegan carrot cake is truly spectacular.

Pros: friendly staff, great variety of vegan dishes, peaceful ambience

Avatar misssakura

misssakura

Points +61

Vegan
18 Jun 2007

This..doesn't have cheese? NO way!

We stopped by the BlueBird after a long day driving. It was the first time we'd actively sought out a vegetarian restaurant and we weren't sure what to expect. The lady at the counter was very friendly and helpful and pointed us to dishes that had no dairy in. We had a tofu pie 'sausage' roll and banana cake. All of them were so delicious, I've been craving ever since. The prices were good for the portion. Service was fast, decor is great (although a bit chilly sometimes). I honestly thought the tofu pie had creamy cheese inside it was THAT good. The sausage roll was better than meat ones. The banana cake was melt in mouth. They have the BEST snacks and cakes here. The mains are expensive and not as good but still tasty.

Pros: Fantastic snacks & sweets, Great variety, Affordable snacks

Cons: Mains expensive, Mains not as tasty, Staff sometimes absent

Avatar Petesternz

Petesternz

Points +1447

Vegan
20 Apr 2007

Pretty average

We ate here in February and found it pretty average overall. The food was bland overall, and the curries not interesting. The rice was simply oversoaked by the gado gado which took away from its appeal.

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