Don’t go nuts! There are plenty of allergy friendly restaurants to try in Melbourne.
When you have allergies, dining out can be a struggle. To be safe, you have to check the ingredients over and over again. Waiters ask you, “Are you really allergic or do you just not like it?” In group settings, your friends pick places with nothing appropriate for you. Well, it’s World Allergy Week this week, so we’ve come up with a list of the best allergy friendly places for you to try in Melbourne. Try them out and show it to your friends.
1. Yeah Boy
Just off Chapel Street in the Windsor Precinct, you’ll find a wholesome restaurant that caters to everybody. Yeah Boy’s menu is coded so that you can figure out which dish best serves your needs. These codes tell you if something is vegan, or has nuts, sesame, gluten, dairy, egg, fish, soy, garlic or onion. For a signature dish, try the Mac N Cheese, a vegan cheese medley topped with cashew queso and Japanese bread crumbs. Or try the K’tucky Fried Cauli, fried cauliflower served with jalapeños and a home-made BBQ sauce. For the meat-lovers, they also serve slow-cooked hoisin pork which you can try in a taco or a bao. Yeah Boy will accommodate all types of allergies and dietary requirements to ensure you get something nourishing and delicious.
Find Yeah Boy at 2 Duke Street, Windsor VIC 3181.
2. Ciao Mamma
Ciao Mamma is a modern Italian restaurant that is accredited gluten free by Coeliac Australia. All of their gluten free pasta is cooked in a separate boiler, and their fryer is also gluten free. In addition, they also have vegan and vegetarian options, and can cater to FODMAP diners if given advance notice. Every day, their pasta and sauces are made fresh onsite. When you’ve finished their pasta, try some of their gluten free cannoli, which is made in-house and is bursting with a creamy ricotta filling.
Visit Ciao Mamma at 3 Union Street, Brunswick VIC 3056.
3. Red Sparrow Pizza
In the mood for carbs? Red Sparrow Pizza has you covered. With stores in both Collingwood and Prahan, this pizza joint is 100% vegan, so you can eat guilt-free. Their pizza dough is fermented for at least 48 hours before being cooked in a wood fire oven. While there’s no egg or dairy in sight, you can also request the gluten free options for some of their pizzas. The menu is also coded so you know which pizzas contains nuts.
For more information, visit their website.
4. Onda Bar & Eatery
Located in Richmond, Onda is a place inspired by Latin American cuisine. The entire dinner menu is dairy and gluten free, and about half of their dishes are vegan. On top of that, they also let you know which dishes contain onion, and which ones come with onion free options. Meat-lovers can enjoy their smoked Peruvian chicken or slow-cooked wagyu brisket while vegans can sample their beetroot emulsion ceviche or glazed eggplant taco. Whatever you try, it’s all bueno.
Find Onda at 280 Bridge Road, Richmond VIC 3121.
5. Cafe Henkel
Cafe Henkel is located in Brunswick and is also accredited by Coeliac Australia. Their menu is allergy friendly and gluten free, with options that are low FODMAP, soy free, dairy free, vegetarian and vegan. Almost everything is made in house and they don’t use any products that contain the disclaimer, “May contain traces of”, in order to ensure the safety of all their customers.
Find them at 102 Henkel St, Brunswick VIC 3056.
6. Heal.Thy Self Co.
Head to Yarraville to try this plant-based oasis. Available for breakfast, lunch and brunch, everything in this restaurant is vegan. They also have gluten free meals, nut free options and dairy free milk options for their drinks. To feel extra inspired, all of their smoothies have positive mantras for names, telling you to Be Passionate, Be Kind and Be Present.
Visit Heal.thy self at 26 Ballarat St, Yarraville VIC 3013.
7. Fox in the Box
Over on the other side of Melbourne, this Brighton restaurant is FODMAP safe and gluten free, meaning that there is no wheat, gluten, onion, leek or garlic in any of their dishes. In order to stay allergy friendly and protect their Melbourne customers, no outside food or drink is allowed. They also have dishes that are fructose safe and lactose or dairy free.
Visit Fox in the box at 169 Martin St, Brighton VIC 3186.
8. Mister Nice Guy’s Bakeshop
Established in 2010, Mister Nice Guy’s is Melbourne’s first plant-based bakery. Everything in their bakery is vegan, egg free, dairy free and lactose free. On top of that, they have options that are free from soy, nuts and gluten. Check out their website to see their extensive range of cakes, cupcakes, baked goods and deli-style sandwiches, as well as to see their ingredients to find out if it’s right for you.
Visit Mister Nice Guy’s at 151 Union Rd, Ascot Vale VIC 3032.