Little Bird Cafe

While you may know Little Bird Cafe for its outstanding cakes (see: Instagram), you probably don’t know that it’s not for profit.

Manager and head chef Brittany Kemp feeds warm vibes into Little Bird by teaching people who are long-term unemployed (from Esther Foundation) barista and baking skills. She came through the foundation’s recovery program herself.

Kemp’s own food intolerances mean the venue gladly caters for vegans and vegetarians, but also for those who love their morning bacon. The menu may skew towards healthy foods that are gluten- and dairy-free, but that stops when you peruse the cake range.

The variety changes day to day. Choose from a range that includes banana-and-white-chocolate cheesecake; Persian love cake (light sponge with cardamom, rose water and lemon); hummingbird cake (banana, pineapple and coconut); and dark-chocolate and pear cake.

The cafe’s rustic tones and one-off furniture items make it feel like a close friend’s house. This shines through in the dishes, too. The passion is evident from the delicate edible petals on the cakes to the complimentary fruit-laden table water and newspapers.

Little bird motifs are found everywhere, with some regular customers even bringing in their own gift for display.