The Birdwood

Let’s not beat around the bush here, The Birdwood in Christchurch’s Beckenham is a must-do. A must-do by day and a must-do by night. By day, The Birdwood is a buzzing neighbourhood cafe, pumping out delicious seasonal food, house-roasted Triumphant coffee and next-level smoothies, all created with locally sourced ingredients. The space is light-filled, spacious and brimming with happy diners.

The breakfast and lunch menu are simple, sophisticated and just plain yum! Dishes such as the bang bang chicken salad are a best seller, as are the weekday vegan salad options which are a daily feature in the cabinet. And if you’re someone who likes to try a bit of everything, their signature breakfast board is the dish for you.

Come later in the afternoon, as the cafe on one side winds down, the pizzeria and bar on the other side are just getting started. Offering sourdough wood-fired pizza, handmade pasta, sharing plates and some seriously impressive cocktails and other drinks, The Birdwood ups the ante when it comes to your neighbourhood local.

The space is dimly lit, cosy, spacious and super welcoming. It’s the kind of place you could easily take a first date, family, friends or just go solo. The gnocchi is world-famous in these parts and if you’re stuck on pizza choice, rest assured you can’t go wrong! Polish it all off with their authentic tiramisu and a glass of something special and that’s dinner done incredibly well.

There’s always something buzzing about The Birdwood, whether this be their bar takeover pop-ups with Elsewhere and Cardrona, festive ladies lunches and afternoon teas, or just the general everyday. Even if you don’t live in the ‘hood, you’ll quickly want to become a regular.