The fried cauliflower at Dada in Woden can be made gluten-free, and it is very good. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Those with allergies and dietary requirements will know the familiar feeling of inspecting a menu and finding nothing they can eat. Or perhaps there’s just a single salad available, or they can have a burger, but without the bun.
Fortunately, there are plenty of places in Canberra that excel at catering for those with dietary requirements and food allergies. Here are 7 of our favourites.
Dada, Woden
While some restaurants are great at catering to vegetarians, gluten-free, or nut-free diners, Dada is notable for its menu, which offers plenty of options for people with dietary restrictions and allergies, whether that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, egg-free, or a combination.
Everything is made in-house by Peter, so they can be confident that there are no hidden allergens.
Peter and Kaye Kang know the importance of serving safe food; their daughter has several food allergies, and they created Dada (which translates as ‘for all’ in Korean) after experiencing how difficult it was to find safe places for her to eat.
Although Dada’s menu is remarkably inclusive, it is also really bloody delicious! Nobody will feel like they’re having a second-rate meal because of their allergies here, and non-allergen diners will enjoy the top-notch pan-Asian cuisine (get the fried cauliflower – trust me).
These Cinnabuns are a Sweet Bones favourite. Photo: Sweet Bones Scullin.
Sweet Bones, Scullin
Sweet Bones is no secret to the vegan community in Canberra. They’ve been slinging vegan cakes, bakes and brunch for over 10 years, first at their store in Braddon and now in suburban Scullin.
Their all-day breakfast and lunch dishes range from gluten-free pancakes, served with whipped coconut cream, to a New Orleans Po Boy – a sandwich filled with crispy fried oyster mushrooms and remoulade sauce (which is also soy-free).
The cakes cabinet is always chock-full of treats; their cinnamon scrolls are a particular favourite. You can also order whole cakes for special occasions, which are perfect for when you have a couple of dietary requirements at the party.
Little Phat Rolls offers many vegan options for banh mi and rice bowls. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Little Phat Rolls, Braddon
The team behind Braddon food truck Little Phat Rolls also runs a Vietnamese grocery store in Dickson, and quickly realised that there was a market for faux meats in Canberra. So they decided that their food truck would offer plenty of vegan options. While many banh mi stores might offer only a single tofu option, Little Phat Rolls has five vegan fillings (plus fried egg options for vegetarians). The teriyaki tofu and vegan ‘pork’ fillings are particularly popular.
Little Phat Rolls made the conscious decision to sacrifice a little speed to warm each roll individually before filling. This really releases the flavour of the pate (pork pate for meat lovers and a house-made mushroom pate for vegans). Gluten-free diners can enjoy the vegan meats in the bún vermicelli bowl or the cơm rice bowl.
The lunches at the food co-op are affordable and nourishing. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The Canberra Food Co-op, City
Canberra is home to Australia’s oldest, continuously running food co-operative. The Canberra Food Co-op turns 50 this year, with no signs of slowing down!
Their bulk grocery store sells everything from nutritional yeast to vegan snacks, gluten-free flours to lentils, and even freshly ground peanut butter. But they are perhaps best loved for their super-affordable, super-filling, super-nutritious lunches, served six days a week.
Students and members eat for just $10. The lunch is always gluten-free and vegan, and usually consists of rice, a curry or soup and salad. It changes every day depending on who’s cooking!
There are also lots of sweet treats available that cater to many dietary requirements. Made by co-op volunteers, these baked goods might include an orange and poppy seed cake, double chocolate brownies or (my personal favourite) vegan and gluten-free tahini choc-chip cookies.
If you miss out on lunch, grab a frozen meal to enjoy at home.
Gianni’s is the sister restaurant of Briscola in the city. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Gianni’s, Belconnen
When you think of Italian food, you probably imagine pizza, pasta and lots of cheese. So you could be forgiven for thinking that gluten-free and vegan diners would have slim pickings at an Italian restaurant that prides itself on traditional recipes. But Gianni’s (along with sister restaurant Briscola) is dedicated to offering options to suit all diners.
The final page of their menu lays out plenty of options for diners with food allergies, intolerances and religious requirements. They even include every ingredient used in their gluten-free pasta and pizza doughs!
They have a very decent list of vegan options and also indicate which dishes are halal-friendly and which can be made without onion or garlic.
TWØBAYS Gluten Free Beer on tap at Dickson. Photo: Liv Cameron.
Dickson Taphouse, Dickson
It can be hard to separate gluten-free dishes in a busy pub kitchen, but Dickson Taphouse has a dedicated gluten-free fryer to ensure there is no cross-contamination between dishes. So whether you’re settling in for fish and chips or a bowl of loaded fries, gluten-free and coeliac diners can rest easy.
And it wouldn’t be a night at the pub without a beer, and Dickson Taphouse has partnered with TWØBAYS Brewing to have a dedicated gluten-free beer tap. TWØBAYS was created after the CEO was diagnosed with coeliac disease, but really missed having a pint! The beer is made from gluten-free grains and is made in a gluten-free facility.
The kitchen also makes its own gluten-free pasta!
Queenies has an entirely gluten-free menu, plus one of the prettiest bars in Canberra. Photos: Thomas Lucraft.
Queenies, Kingston
Queenies changed hands and reopened in 2023 as an entirely gluten-free restaurant. Can I get a hallelujah from my coeliac queens?
This casual-chic bar dishes up comforting favourites like eggplant chips and their tteokbokki gnocchi. Word on the street (and in Region Canberra) is that the team from Queenies are opening another venue nearby called Eve – an elevated restaurant with a blackboard menu and degustation options. Think matching wines, bespoke cocktails and a fine dining menu with a Filipino twist, thanks to resident chef Adi Davos. Eve will also be entirely gluten-free, with options to make the menu vegan.
There’s plenty more great places we could talk about, like EightyTwenty, Au Lac, Coyote Catering and more. Who did we miss?
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
