
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.
19 Reviews
First Review by Petesternz
lostkhaki
Points +40
went once - was ok - Edit
average food, place was quiet as off peak but still waited ages but werent in a hurry.
Read moreWanted 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
Guest
Exquire
Points +311
Joyous and spiritual - Edit
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.
Read moreIt'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 :-)
Guest
psiphi75
Points +258
Good food with vegan deserts - Edit
This place has a range of good food. The bonus is that there are a few vegan deserts that are great.
Read morePros: Good food
Guest
Etom001
Points +11
yummy food, friendly staff - Edit
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
Read morePros: nice to be asked with the deserts "would you like
Guest
Plantpower
Points +1355
Yummy vegan food - Edit
Delicious food and nice and quiet setting - especially upstairs. Most meals have vegan options. Tried some of their main meals which were all great.
Read morePros: many vegan options
Guest
RayTomes
Points +87
Peaceful meal - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Ready made tasty meals, Peaceful, Friendly
Guest
Lea
Points +415
Lovely, peaceful, delicious and friendly - Edit
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.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on Friday December 27, 2013
Pros: Delicious healthy food, Lovely peaceful vibe and helpful staff, Lots of vegan options clearly labelled
Guest
Scuba Girl
Points +17
Yum! - Edit
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!)
Read moreStaff are so helpful and kind, ambience so restful - bliss!!
Pros: excellent food, lovely staff, good prices
Guest
Dmitry
Points +214
Enjoyable food & atmosphere - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Vegan food, Atmosphere, Very clean & cozy
Guest
saneas
Points +222
Food made with love - Edit
...and served with love too. Basic wholesome food and all the time in the world given to explain and serve it to you.
Read morePros: service, quality, taste
Cons: music
Guest
Blue Cloud
Points +98
Delicious heart warming food! - Edit
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!!
Read morePros: Friendly staff, Wide range of yum food, Good value and portions
Guest
sophie666
Points +93
Food for Thought - Edit
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.
Read moreGuest
KNYAY
Points +41
Wish I'd found this place earlier! - Edit
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!
Read morePros: huge selection of vegan dishes, friendly & helpful staff, delicious food
Cons: off the tourist track
Guest
coolasacucumber
Points +27
it's ok... - Edit
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..
Read morehowever, 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.
Guest
Baza
Points +91
looked good - Edit
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.
Read morePros: looked great
Cons: closed
Guest
Jeff Sanders
Points +81
Spiritual - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Peaceful, good vegan selection
Guest
Cheryl27
Points +37
yummy scrummy - Edit
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.
Read moreBy 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
Guest
misssakura
Points +61
This..doesn't have cheese? NO way! - Edit
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.
Read morePros: Fantastic snacks & sweets, Great variety, Affordable snacks
Cons: Mains expensive, Mains not as tasty, Staff sometimes absent
Guest
Petesternz
Points +1447
Pretty average - Edit
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.
Read moreGuest
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