By For those with dietary restrictions, this is truly a golden age of dining as the prevalence of menu options and designated locations that can accommodate everything from allergies to intolerances.
The gluten-free trend is a serious issue for many people and finding quality dining options can be a tricky feat; luckily for those involved, Melbourne’s dining scene offers a range of top-notch options. The next time you don’t know where to find something delicious and gluten-free, just try the following places.
Here are Melbourne’s best gluten-free restaurants for 2022:
Recidivist
ELWOOD
On the corner of Ormond Road and St Kilda Street you will find the Latino-centric Recidivist. With a 100% gluten-free menu of Central and South American flavors, margaritas, and an airy alfresco venue, there’s a lot to like here. Playing on the delicacies of the region, you can expect creative staples like patatas bravas with jackfruit fritas and achiote salt, homemade chorizo croquettes that are loaded with manchego cheese and with a jalapeño sauce, and the very popular Baja taco with Australian Barramundi, corn, coleslaw and chipotle aioli on a corn tortilla.
A25
Various locations
The natives of Pizza & Pasta A25 take their gluten-free pizza options incredibly seriously, not only are they incredibly delicious, but they’re also celiac australia approved so you can rest easy knowing you’re getting the best. All of the pizzas on the menu can be remade with gluten-free bases, including their famous ‘Bunga Bunga’, an Italian pork sausage and mushroom tribute to Italy’s former president.
Stalactites
CBD
Greek isn’t one of the first cuisines that one would think of as a gluten-free restaurant, but the icicles disagree. Their menu is stacked with a range of GF options from Mezze plates like their homemade Dolmadakiavs to their full plates of chicken giro and grilled lamb skewers with gluten-free pita. The stalactites are also celiac australia approved.
chocolate buddha
CBD
The Japanese haunt that has been called Federation Square for more than two decades is a heaven for gluten-free dining. They have a stacked GF menu that includes many tasty traditional Japanese dishes such as Wagyu Yakinku and Kingfish Jalapeño Sashimi, as well as a spanking GF sticky date pudding that cements its status as one of Melbourne’s best gluten-free restaurants. (Not a dedicated gluten-free place)
Shop225
PASCOE VALE SOUTH
One of Melbourne’s first gluten-free restaurants to lend themselves to traditional Italian cuisine, Shop 225 is accredited by Celiac Australia and opened the doors to some truly awesome GF pizzas they come out of their wood fired oven. The menu’s classic Neapolitan style leads to gems like the Gnocchi Sorrentina, a Napoli Sugo-soaked gnocchi topped with melted buffalo mozzarella and basil.
Mamasita
CBD
The famous gourmet Mexican restaurant at the top of Collins Street is a quality gluten-free dining spot. Mamasita has a menu that is almost entirely GF and has a knowledgeable staff knowledgeable about celiac and gluten allergies. Snack on entrée plates like barbecue octopus with mashed hominy, radish, árbol, and serrano salsa, then savor pork knuckle corn tacos with chicharrón, pickled onion, and pineapple. (Not a dedicated gluten-free place)
Biography by DOC
carlton
Carlton’s famed Italian pizzeria DOC has heard the call for dieters trying to get their own slice of their prized Italian cuisine, such as the request to open Bio By Doc, a vegan and gluten-free Osteria. Immerse yourself in the Caserecce beetroot, with a mixture of mushrooms and truffle paste or the Cavolfiore, a baked cauliflower, with burnt butter, raisins and tarragon. Don’t miss the dessert with a modern Tiramisu with crumbled Savoiardi, with coffee, cashew cream and dark chocolate. Bouna.
Window
Elsternwick
Although not strictly speaking a restaurant, Glazed deserves an honorable mention when it comes to gluten-free food in Melbourne. With a former Vue De Monde chef at the helm, the Elsternwick-based gluten-free bakery has most dietary preferences catered for with a range of cakes, breads and sweets, all free of gluten, dairy and nuts. Kudos to Romeo & Juliet Brazilian Cheesecake, a New York cheesecake with a South American-inspired guava frosting.
Augustine
carlton
Carlton’s infamous wine den, which just happens to have some of the best Italian fare north of the river, also has plenty of GF options. Agostino’s pasta-heavy menu can always be enjoyed with gluten-free pasta available to swap for any dish on the menu, such as Pappardelle with Ossobuco and gremolata or Corzetii with stewed rabbit and marjoram.
rice paper scissors
CBD & FITZROY
The Southeast Asian outlet that has a home on both Brunswick Street and Hardware Lane is a clear favorite gluten-free restaurant in Melbourne. The Rice Paper Scissors menu offers a wide range of delicious GF options with signature dishes like sticky pork belly with tamarind caramel or crispy barramundi with Nam Jim dressing as well as a full vegan menu.
Hello mom!
BRUNSWICK
Although not what you would typically expect from a traditional Italian restaurant, Ciao Mamma in Brunswick offers one of the most diet-inclusive menus. Almost all dishes have gluten-free options, including the multitude of traditional pasta shapes with Gnocchi, Fettuccine and Caserecce which can be topped with sugos like Lamb Ragù, Carbonara and Amatriciana. Accredited by Celiac Australia so you can safely enjoy previously wasted sweat treats like Nutella donuts and cannoli.
Go green? Check out the best vegetarian restaurants in Melbourne here.
Image credit: provided