Lily Eatery Devonport is a small local cafe with a big heart, tucked down a tiny side street near central Devonport, a five-minute walk from the ferry terminal. Housed in an old brick merchants warehouse, the cafe wears its history with pride and has become a real part of the North Shore community.
Everything at Lily is made from scratch, built on a food philosophy of simple things made well. The menu changes often so the kitchen can take full advantage of fresh ingredients, with a number of gluten-free items always available, and an ever-changing cabinet of sweet and savoury goodies for anyone after something extra. Lily is open for breakfast and lunch, and is both dog and child friendly.
Alongside its all-day food menu, Lily runs a full coffee, tea and cold drinks programme, including house smoothies, cold press juice and kombucha. The cafe also caters, with orders taken directly by email.
Down a tiny side street near central Devonport, a five-minute walk from the ferry terminal, Lily Eatery has made its home in an old brick merchants warehouse. It's a small cafe with a big heart, and the building's history is part of the charm — worn brick, warm light, and a cafe that's grown into a genuine part of the North Shore community.
Lily's food philosophy is straightforward: everything is made from scratch, and the goal is simple things done properly rather than over-complicated plates. The kitchen changes its menu often to make the most of fresh ingredients, so what's on offer shifts with the seasons — but the style stays consistent, blending classic cafe brunch with a few more inventive touches.
The all-day menu ranges from an avo on toast finished with goat curd, saffron and olives, through to a waffle with coconut kaya, banana and roasted berries. Turkish eggs come with lemon yoghurt, salsa matcha and dill on sourdough, while the corn fritters are built around labneh, harissa and a poached egg. For something heartier, there's a benny on rosti with a choice of bacon, pulled pork or mushrooms, a smoked eggplant scramble with heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella, and a pulled pork tostada finished with avocado crema and escabeche. The kedgeree — smoked kahawai, pickled egg, labneh and a kumara crunch — is one of the more distinctive dishes on the menu, and a simple eggs on toast is available for anyone after something plainer, with gluten-free bread on offer.
Beyond the printed menu, Lily keeps an ever-changing cabinet of sweet and savoury goodies — things like fruit tarts, plum custard, chicken meatballs and house-made sandwiches have all made an appearance, though what's in the cabinet on any given day depends on what's been baked that morning.
Lily runs on Eight Thirty Coffee, served black or white with a choice of oat, soy, almond or coconut milk, alongside Harney & Sons tea, hot chocolate, chai and a Hakanoa lemon honey drink. On the cold side, there are house-made smoothies — mango, a green spirulina blend, and a berry option — plus cold press juice, iced coffees, sodas, sparkling water, ginger ale and kombucha.
A number of gluten-free items are always available on the menu, and the cafe is upfront about being both dog and child friendly, making it an easy stop whether you're bringing the family or just the dog on a Devonport walk.
Lily Eatery Devonport is open seven days from 8am to 3pm, though the kitchen itself closes at 2:30pm, so it pays to get your order in before then. Orders are taken at the counter, and the cafe also does catering — get in touch by email for details. For anyone exploring Devonport off the ferry, Lily's mix of proper brunch cooking and its warehouse setting make it an easy, worthwhile stop.