Round Bird Food & Wine Merchants, formerly known as Round Bird Can’t Fly, is a Lilydale cafe with more to explore than breakfast and coffee. The Main Street business combines daytime meals, a small local wine selection and an upstairs Artspace. It makes a useful starting or finishing stop for a trip into the ranges, particularly if your group wants food, a gallery browse and a taste of the Yarra Valley in one place.
Breakfast, lunch and the cafe menu
The menu offers all-day breakfast and lunch. Breakfast choices include eggs on sourdough, bircher or granola, French toast and chilli scrambled eggs. The lunch selection is more varied than standard sandwiches, with examples including beef-brisket khachapuri, gnocchi with lamb ragu and a beef burger. Use these as a guide to the kitchen’s style rather than assuming every dish will remain on the menu.
Cakes and smaller bites are available from the display, making a shorter coffee stop possible alongside a full meal. Drinks include espresso coffee, batch brew, premium teas and house-made sodas. Leave time to order and eat if you have a timed booking elsewhere; a meal and gallery visit need more room in the day than a takeaway coffee.
Local wine shopping and tasting
The wine shop focuses on small independent Yarra Valley producers, including bottles that are not stocked by major retailers. It is a convenient way to discover a local label without arranging a separate cellar-door itinerary. Ask staff about a wine’s style and what food it suits, especially if choosing a bottle as a gift.
An advertised wine flight pairs five wines with a grazing platter for $30 per person. Confirm availability and the current selection when planning to taste. Arrange a driver or another way home if drinking; a cafe meal does not remove the need to plan transport. Bottles can also be bought to enjoy later.
The upstairs Artspace
Local artists’ work is shown in the upstairs Artspace, adding an exhibition visit to the cafe experience. The works and participating artists change, so a return visit can offer something different. Ask staff about access to the upstairs area if stairs are difficult for anyone in your group.
The Artspace also runs children’s art classes and adult Paint & Sip events. Those are scheduled activities that need their own booking, rather than part of an ordinary meal or gallery browse. Check the current programme for ages, dates, duration and materials before promising an activity to children. A casual visit is a good chance to see whether the setting interests your family. The downstairs cafe also displays changing work by local schools and community groups, giving visitors another way to enjoy the art if they are not heading upstairs.
Hours, surcharges and dietary requests
Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 7am to 4pm and weekends from 8am to 4pm. The currently linked menu lists a 10% Sunday surcharge and 15% public holiday surcharge. Ask about kitchen service if arriving late in the afternoon, and confirm holiday opening when planning a special trip.
The menu identifies vegan options and gluten-intolerant-friendly dishes, and includes children’s meals. Its open kitchen handles common allergens and does not guarantee against cross-contact. Explain allergies to staff before ordering, rather than treating a menu abbreviation as a guarantee. For bookings or enquiries, call (03) 9735 9724 or email info@roundbird.com.au. The address is 170 Main Street, Lilydale.
Round Bird Food & Wine Merchants FAQs
Is this the cafe formerly called Round Bird Can't Fly?
Yes. Round Bird Food & Wine Merchants is the current name for the business at 170 Main Street, Lilydale. The cafe, local wine retail and Artspace share that destination, so use the address and current brand when arranging a visit.
When is the cafe open?
Regular hours are Monday-Friday 7am-4pm and weekends 8am-4pm. Confirm holiday opening and late kitchen service if timing matters, especially when fitting a sit-down meal around another booking in the ranges.
Can I taste local wine without a cellar-door trip?
The wine shop advertises a five-wine flight with a grazing platter for $30 per person, featuring small independent Yarra Valley producers. Confirm availability and selection, and arrange transport if drinking; bottles can also be bought to enjoy later.
What is the Artspace like?
The upstairs gallery presents changing local artists' exhibitions, while the cafe walls feature work by schools and community groups. Ask about upstairs access if stairs are difficult, and leave time to browse rather than expecting one permanent collection.
Can children join an art activity during a meal?
Classes and art-themed parties have their own programme and booking arrangements. Check ages, dates, duration and materials before promising an activity, since a casual family cafe visit does not reserve a workshop place.
What surcharges should I budget for?
The current operator-linked menu states 10% on Sundays and 15% on public holidays. Confirm the charges applicable to your visit when ordering or booking a group, and account for drinks or other extras alongside the menu price.
Are gluten-intolerant-friendly dishes suitable for every allergy?
The menu warns that its open kitchen handles common allergens and cannot guarantee against cross-contact. Explain the individual requirement before ordering; a gluten-intolerant-friendly or optional-vegan marker describes a menu choice rather than a guarantee for every dietary need.
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