Tweeting over breakfast at the Lovebird

Written by Tim Blight

Writer, traveller, amateur photographer, teacher. Based in Melbourne and Lahore.

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August 22, 2013

Lovebird Cafe

Lovebird Cafe in the ‘wedding precinct’ in Armadale

It’s nothing special, really – only eggs on toast, with some salmon and avocado, but I’m smiling all the same. It’s not that it’s not tasty – on the contrary, it’s delicious, and just what I needed for breakfast on a cold Sunday morning. I get the feeling that my smile might be infectious, as every else around me is smiling too – and they’re all eating different dishes. The real reason behind our grins however is the warm welcome we received at the Lovebird, a cool café in the ‘wedding precinct’ of Armadale in Melbourne’s inner southeast.

A group of friends and I booked a table, as we had been told that it gets busy. Sure enough, as we arrive we spot a group of potential diners who haven’t been so foresighted, lining up for a table. We are seated, and handed endearingly dog-eared menus which list a

Scrambled eggs on sourdough toast with salmon and avocado, and a fresh watermelon juice

variety of delicious sounding offerings. How about chai-infused porridge? Or the ‘love machine’ (a full English breakfast – includes pork). Not to mention the tasty lunch options, like the grilled steak sandwich. I opt for a simple scrambled eggs on sourdough, with a side of smoked salmon and avocado – it doesn’t disappoint. And of course there’s the coffee – I order a mocha, which is so rich, silky and smooth I encourage everyone else to order one too. The espresso is perfectly balanced in its roasty sweetness. By the time we finish, I notice the tempting selection of pastries, like choc-hazelnut muffins. I’ll need to come back for them.

But it is the homeliness of the Lovebird which really gets us talking. Manager Neil Wakefield welcomes patrons with his friendly demeanour and the cafe’s bright and bubbly décor. In fact the Lovebird somewhat resembles a more upmarket version of Little Lonsdale Street’s Café Giraffe, reviewed here on urbanlounge in April. Café Giraffe is no gourmand’s haven, but it does feel like you’re eating at home with friends. Reading reviews about the Lovebird, it seems I’m not alone in this conclusion – the atmosphere at the Lovebird feels a bit like family. The eggs served are sourced at the family farm, and as their website states, “there’s nothing but love in everything we do @ The Lovebird”.

Perhaps it is the hospitality of the hosts, perhaps it is the food, perhaps it is because we are on a street surrounded by wedding dresses and shops offering a vision of married bliss. Or perhaps it is all of these things together – we’re in love with the Lovebird, and are quite ready to settle down with a warm, loving bite to eat.