Joanne | Melbournecitay
+4
Overall score: 16/25 or ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
in 5 words: vegan toasties in the CBD
*
There’s a wide array of jaffle choices - I ordered the bbq “chicken” with pineapple and cheese ($8). My colleagues preferred the bolognese and tomato+cheese ones. I thought my jaffle was equal parts sweet and cheesy - really delicious and deceptively filling. The bbq sauce is a bit sweet for me, so I might opt for the tomato-based ones next time! I decided to save some of my toast later, but learnt the hard way that toasties are best demolished when warm. All in all, a great vegan option if you are shopping in the city!
*
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ambience: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Presentation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Price: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Service: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Had the Veg Bolognese with Mozzarella. So yummy, perfect winter lunch, hearty and scrumptious! I'm a big eater so initially I thought I'd need something else to eat after I finished, but it was super filling. It was about a 10 minute wait which is pretty standard for the city and impressive considering it is a teeny tiny space they're operating in, also staff seemed lovely.
Highly recommend 😊
Vegan jaffles!! I have never had a jaffle before and I was missing out. I wish they wasn’t $8 for one...
It a small stand serving delicious jaffles, coffees, drinks and treats, all vegan.
The staff was very nice and recommended the vegan chicken jaffles. It was delicious and I kept coming back.
I tried most of the jaffles and I think the chicken one is the best. The mushroom and spinach jaffle is another good pick.
The Wandering Reviewer
+5
Tucked away on Causeway Lane, Union Kiosk is a great place for those who like vegetarian and vegan food. The selection is amazing and was surprised with the diversity of what's on offer. Love the jaffles. Think this might be my new culinary treat. Coffee isn't too bad either. Service is great with staff who are very helpful. Wheelchair friendly - but only just as it's a small cafe or what some call 'a hole in the wall'.
VEGAN CHICKEN JAFFLES!!!! Delicious!!!! Hahaha I like it🥰service is good, staff is nice!!!
A little bit pricey tbh😬this is actually my second time being here. Looking forward to having the beyond meat burger when I’m here next time!!!
This little kiosk has some very good jaffles. All their items are vegetarian. Ordered the spinach, mushroom, basil and mozzarella Jaffle for $8, reasonable price. The staff are very friendly, waited a while, but the Jaffle was nice and hot, mushrooms were flavourful with a little punch from the basil. Saltiness level was good too, overall a nice place for a quick lunch.
The best jaffles I’ve ever had! My morning or afternoon routine when I’m at work! Veg bolognese and Mozerella, mushroom and basil Jaffle makes my life! Small little cute kiosk, staff are always so wonderful!
Its All About The Food
+4
A vegan Jaffle that is the best roast chicken (yes it is vegan) that I have ever had.
Great crew working this tiny little hole in the wall kiosk. This is the perfect winter warmer.
You can call ahead if you're pushed on time. You can take away, or if you are lacking a lunch date, sit down at the small communal table out front and strike up a conversation.
can't rave about this place enough!!! delicious variety of inexpensive, hearty + filling jaffles that happen to all be vegan/plant-based. super lovely staff, great coffee and cakes too. love it so much.
Cute little place - amazing coffee and delicious jaffles!! Service is great too, friendly staff.
I always get Mexican jaffle and it’s perfect
Highly Recommended!
So impressed by this tiny cafe (smallest in Melbourne!) making big waves on the local vegan scene. They are 100% animal-product free and almost completely waste-free. Their range of cost-effective vegan jaffles are far from your standard tomato and cheese. Think mock sausage, garlic "butter", vegan bolognese and melted Vego bars as far as ingredients go. The shop also makes a range of delicious, house-made sweets such as lamingtons and a heavenly chocolate peanut butter cookie sandwich. Oh, and they make a mean coffee with your choice of several different non-dairy milks. For breakfast, lunch or a snack, I can't recommend Union Kiosk highly enough.
Lovely spot for a quick vegan jaffle fix in Melbourne CBD. Was super excited when I found out about this little kiosk and went straight for the Jackfruit and chilli pineapple with apple crumble slice for a sweet bite afterwards. Found the jaffle flavoursome but lacking some spice/depth. Was a little disappointed in the apple crumble finding it quite heavy and sweet. Overall though really enjoyed my food and the price made it even better will definitely be coming back to try the other jaffle variety’s available on offer.
Take all your vegan and non-vegan friends for Union Kiosk is THE place for a quick, affordable, satisfying lunch.
Ordered:
Veg Bolognese garlic butter & mozzarella ($7.00)
Mushroom Basil Spinach & Mozzarella ($7.00)
Review:
ALL FOOD IS VEGAN. Located in a quaint alleyway, you almost pass it as it only takes up a minuscule amount of space.
Jaffles are filling enough - however many of my friends bought 2 instead of just the 1 (which for me, left me satisfied). The Veg Bolognese was interesting and definitely delicious, but preferred the Mushroom. You can't go wrong with the classic mushroom, basil, spinach and cheese combo!
Highly recommended to bring a friend so you could go splitsies with the flavors.
We hoped to get a table to fit 6 but instead, they have one small 4 table outside their set up. Seeing as we were time pressed to get back to our 9-5 job, they were happy to let us pre-order so our food would be ready when we arrived!
Just contact them through their website :)
Loved & reviewed this place in it's previous incarnation & they are still going strong IMO. Just off little Collins they serve tasty jaffles, decent coffee & small selection of sweets from a hole in the wall, pretty much! It's a variety-full laneway overall & even with the small space available these guys have always provided friendly customer service when I'm hankering for a jaffle!
Everything is vegan! A tasty, well-priced delicious toastie with many options. I've only had the baked bean and cheese toastie (twice...), and have enjoyed it each time.
It is a small hole in the wall, but the coffee is still very good. They have seating for a few people out front, but it's a good quick takeaway work lunch.
I really want to try the jackfruit toastie next, and they seem to have some weekly specials too.
Goddamn delicious vegan food. Will 100% be coming back to try every single jaffle on that menu. The baked potato, bacon and sour cream was off the hook. Great friendly staff as well 10/10. Love your work guys.
Union Kiosk is a hole in wall found in Causeway Lane which churns out delicious and creative vegan toasties. We tried the 'Veg Bolognese, mozzarella + garlic butter' ($7) and 'Mushroom, basil, spinach + mozzarella' ($7) and they are were top notch.
Have had the mushroom basil, tomato cheese, baked beans as well as jackfruit jaffle. Loved all of them with mushroom being favorite so far. Looking forward to trying more. Super awesome service too. Love love love this place.
Vegan & Gluten Free Jaffles - YUM!
I ordered the vegan & gluten free mushroom, spinach & vegan mozzeralla jaffle and was blown away with how tasty my jaffle was (but I was hungry and it was very cold that day so.....)
Anyway, the toastie was perfectly crispy, salty and plump. I'd give it more stars if they had put a little more spinach & mushies and less vegan cheese as the balance was off.
Regardless, it's well priced and their coffee is very good too. Highly recommended!
Even though the shop is tiny but the jaffle they offer comes in big surprise. Everything is vegan. Had their vegan chorizo and it was yuuuuummyy! Loved it.
I ventured into the CBD just to try one of these jaffles I'd heard so much about. I was impressed at how something so cheap and simple could be so delicious! I have no idea what cheese they use, but I almost thought it was real. Best vegan jaffle I've ever had 😋 I got the mushroom special. I wish I lived closer so I could eat here more often! I'm looking forward to trying more.
Great coffee with a range of milks and the tastiest jaffles you’ll find. The service comes with a friendly smile, grab it all for take away and you won’t go wrong.
What’s not to love? Delicious, cheap jaffles made by friendly staff. Bonus points that every jaffle can be made vegan. Literally a hole in the wall but I loved it!
This is Melbourne's smallest shop, so I was stoked to visit this lil coffeeshop. It's so tiny that the staff have to climb under the front counter to get inside. Anyways, the lady who served me is really nice and easy going. I ordered a latte and baked beans & tasty cheese jaffle. I LOVED it! This is my first time trying a jaffle and I'm not disappointed to eat it for the first time here at Local Birds. I'm definitely coming back to this place and try the other jaffles.
Tiny would be an understatement. I'm surprised what they can fit into the tiniest space and yet churn out great tasting toasties and sweet treats that are baked in-house. Must be some sort of black magic. The banana bread and peanut butter chocolate chip cookie are absolutely divine. The coffee is pleasant but often veers on being too hot, and this prevents me from enjoying my initial sips. If you are after iced coffee, bear in mind that due to limited space in the shop, they will only stock ice when the weather decides it will stop messing with us.
You know you're in Melbourne when they put Swiss Gruyere on your ham and cheese toastie! Also Dunno how they make anything in such a small place little room absolutely no complaints! No seating room but in the small little laneway it may be asking too much to expect them to provide seating!
Try the toasties, they're ALL fantastic!
Gorgeous little cafe! Literally a hole in the wall. Delicious and fresh food you can get to go! I love their salads so yummy!! The ladies are lovely too!!
Lovely little coffee shop.. Had a simple yet delicious poach chicken jaffle for my breakfast. The jaffle was crunchy with the melted cheddar cheese. Lovely.
After 10 unsuccessful attempts we finally found great coffee in Melbourne! The food is great and the service is friendly and engaging - we will definitely be back! I will be having the (homemade) baked bean jaffle again as it takes me straight back to my childhood!
Good coffee but AWESOME carrot cake!! Good people
Something a bit different. Enjoyed a lovely flat white and a super salad roll.
Salad roll was very fresh and healthy served on a well tasted roll. Small but delicious but only 5 dollars.
The Flat white was nicely flavored, beautifully textured milk and served at the right temperature for me. Others might like it a little hotter.
A great find.
Yummo! Perfect - my new favorite place. Made me what I wanted with a smile!!!
Just enjoying another perfectly crafted coffee at local birds! maybe to poster below was sitting at the wrong cafe? These local birds are faultless.
Top birds... Awesome brownie, amazing banana bread. Lovely girls!
I like Birds especially Local Birds!. Day dreaming away, whilst my friends got lunch, I noticed a sign called "Local Birds" My curiousity definitely didn't kill me and instead found me a neat little place, where they remember their loyal customer's names and serve food made on premises with a lot of love and care! I am slowly working through the menu and so far everything I have tasted is amazing. I have shared their wonderful food to my friends who love it just as much as me. My personal favourites has to be the quinoa and florentines. Sally and her wonderful friend are warm and welcoming and I can't wait to try their Christmas goodies.
So if you are ever near Causeway lane, check out local birds and their yummy goodies :)
Awesomeness in the tiniest of ways!!!!
![Zomato]( "Recensione")
Small Package Big Flavour. I'll admit it, I heard about this CBD cafe tucked in The Causeway between Bourke & Little Collins because it recently sold for a price that I think made it the most expensive property in Australia by square meter. While the property story grabbed my initial attention, it was the food and philosophy of the girls running Local Birds that held it.
In a space I'd struggle to make a decent slice of toast in, the girls pump out delicious and almost entirely self- and on-premise made (what I'd call) retro cafe snacks and lunches.
So I traveled to when I was 9 and had jaffles.
I intended one, but ended up with two because after the first I had to try the second. First off, I went an absolute classic in the baked beans. I expected (and admittedly wanted) a tin of Heinz to be opened, but instead the beans were completely on-premise made and included, and this might not be news for all like it was for me, maple syrup. In baked beans. Maple syrup. But man does it work! I have never had baked beans like that before.
The second one was 'ham and cheese'. Another childhood staple. But unlike the memories I have of a molten, mouth-searing bomb of bubbling Kraft single and shaved ham, instead it was a perfectly and sensibly cooked version with Gruyere and leg ham all finished with a sage leaf. Posh!
Everything I pointed at and asked about was made there by the girls apart from the odd bread roll and condiment.
Quite why there are any Starbucks and Gloria Jeans still amazes me when tiny diamonds like Local Birds pop up and I can get a real toastie, a proper morning tea snack and a well made coffee from a quality roaster like Allpress.
Melbourne is truly blessed with fantastic cafes, and this is another spin, another take, another size and another great and different addition. Eschewing the quick, the pre-made, the bought-in, the over-packed, the Local Birds do as much as they can, from scratch all for the benefit of their (surely increasing and loyal) customers. I for one will be back and regularly.
A hidden gem! I wish I would’ve stumbled across this place sooner. They have amazing toasties and most of the menu can be made gluten free by switching the bread. They also have vegan hot chocolate with vegan marshmallows! Great place to get food and coffee on your way to work.
100% vegan. I love supporting fully vegan places. Made even better when the food is tasty and prices are reasonable. Found this on our fist day and returned everyday of our stay.
Great little place. Amazed at the selection and flavours they offer in such a small place. Happy to see that they are moving to bigger and better accom down the road.
I found out what a jaffle was and it's a sandwich made in a sandwich press, not to be confused with a toastie. The coffee is closer to the flavour I enjoy too! Chocolatey and naturally sweet. They also do a small selection of sweet treats, which I haven't tried yet, but look like they should be delicious. All made in house.
Would highly recommend checking this place out if you're in Melbourne looking for a vegan snack. I look forward to visiting again.
A cute little kiosk offering delicious vegan jaffles, as well as vegan treats.
We had the spinach and feta and the scrambled eggs and it was absolutely delicious.
You wouldn't believe it was vegan
Super lovely team. Tasty coffee and delicious vegan jaffles. All makes for an amazingly cosy and welcome vibe. Highly recommend. ❤️☕️🥪
Such a cute and fun place, I feel like it's very Melbourne to have a tiny store in a laneway. So many wonderful vegan options to choose from, I tried both the tofu scramble special and the Bolognese jaffle and they were delicious.
Super friendly service and delicious vegan jaffles 🤩
The special jaffle has the most incredible ranch sauce in it!
Cant wait to go back!
A Melbourne golden nugget for vegans or anyone who enjoys a beautifully well made jaffle! Would eat here everyday! ^^
Friendly service. Nice coffee - i had coconut milk with mine for the first time & enjoyed it.
My friend had a toastie with mushrooms & was very hot and delicious. Popular place.
Nice to find a vegan cafe 👌🏼💜
An error has occurred! Please try again in a few minutes