The Unbakery is one of my favorite restaurants, anywhere in the world. The food is raw, organic, vegan and gluten-free. Although many think that vegan food requires compromise, this is not the case at the Unbakery. This is some of the best food I’ve ever had, vegan or not. With three locations around Auckland, a cookbook, and an app, there are many ways  you can enjoy these great and wholesome meals! Let’s dive in.

The exterior of their Posonby branch is simple, with a entryway and window cut into industrial grey wall. There is no sign, just a cute birdhouse which signifies that this is the Little Bird Unbakery.

Once you step inside, the vibe totally changes. Gone are the sharp lines with glass and grey. Now it’s wood and plants and light and airiness, helped greatly by the high ceilings.

The menu, situated between wood that matches the interior, continues the natural theme.

The bird bowl, one of the most popular dishes at the unbakery. With a half avocado, a potato and spinach salad, and much much more nomable goodness. 

Burger wrapped with lettuce with a side of kale chips! Yum!

It’s nom time!

This looks like a salad but it’s actually a kimchi pancake. This was awesome!

This vegan passionfruit cheesecake is more than a dessert. It is a clarion call to chefs everywhere: up your standards. To eaters everywhere, demand more out of your deserts. To gluten-free vegans everywhere–know that one of the world’s best desserts is available, you only need to ask for it.

Ok, maybe I got a little carried away there, but it just goes to show how much I love this dessert. It’s just a sublimely balanced treat. It’s sweet, but its creamy and mellow. It has that tropical passionfruit taste, but it never breaches the bounds of what a cheesecake should taste like. It is so good you don’t even realize it is vegan. And don’t forget the details. They took the time to put an edible flower on top of the cake. It’s vegan, beautifully done, and incredibly tasty. What’s not to love?

Here we have a slice of chocolate cake which, at any normal restaurant would’ve blown me away. But, the Unbakery is no normal restaurant. It had to compete against the passionfruit cheesecake mentioned above, which, get ready for it–really took the cake. 

So many choices, so little time.

Avocado toast, where would we be without you?

A flu fighting turmeric tonic–I love the flower on top!

Buckwheat waffles. These were fantastic.

A vegan peanut butter cup. As a kid, I used to love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Then, on a road trip, I ate nearly an entire Walmart-sized bag. I felt like throwing up. So, now I never eat more than one. But this one was great.

It’s breakfast time! Nomable grawnola!

I also checked out their smaller branch in downtown Auckland. This location focuses a bit more on ready-made, to-go items.

As you can see, they have the passionfruit cheesecake too, so even though the ambiance is different, a stop here works just as well, especially if you’re in a rush. There is also another location in Kingsland, which I did not have the time to visit. (Links to their locations and more info is at the bottom of the post.)

If you’re reading this in Auckland, you know what to do–go right now! But if you’re currently a world away, like myself, then it can be pretty hard to know all this healthy goodness is so far away. But that’s why there is the Unbakery cookbook!

With over 100 pages of goodness and amazing, full-page photos, this cookbook is a true treat. I made their raw, vegan pad Thai which was awesome. And, their chia seed bircher bowls are now one of my favorite things to make for breakfast.

The whole book is just like their food. High quality, awesome, and just so incredible. But, if you don’t want to invest in the cookbook, I have good news. They even have an app filled with many of the same recipes. The app is nice, and more affordable, but I really love the cookbook since it feels so substantial and high quality. But honestly, as long as you find some way to eat or make this food, you’re making the right choice.

Whether you visit one of the three Unbakeries in Auckland, buy the cookbook, or get the app, you have no excuse not to try these amazing vegan gluten-free recipes. They will blow your mind even if you are a dedicated carnivore.

If you’re traveling around the world check out our guides to the best vegetarian restaurants in Hong Kong, Stockholm, Seoul, and Santa Cruz.