Eating out with a food allergy or intolerance can be a bit of a gamble, not only with the food but also the service. Having to explain your dietary requirements, check and double check menu items and in some cases send food back can leave a person feeling drained before they have even taken a bite.
Or worse, is being told in a patronising or bored voice that everything may contain traces of the allergen because the wait staff can’t be bothered having to deal with you.
I know this because I have lived all of these experiences eating out with my food allergies.
But I love food and I love exploring the Melbourne food scene (where my budget allows!), so I have been determined to not let my bad experiences put me off enjoying one of life’s biological pleasures: eating.
So, I have put together this Allergy Friendly Restaurants Melbourne list. These are places that I have eaten at where I received exceptional service with regards to my nut allergy. I would like to think that if they have looked after me that this would also apply to other dietary requirements.
Of course, this list is based purely on my subjective experience. But for those of you with allergies or intolerances, I hope you can use this list to ease a bit of the anxiety that comes with eating out. I will continue to add to this list as I come across more places with fantastic service.
Allergy Friendly Restaurants Melbourne
Entrecôte
Entrecôte is famous for their steak frites. Steak and potato seem pretty innocent as far as common food allergies are concerned, however, Entrecôte’s come with a butter and herb sauce that contains nuts and the salad that accompanies the meal has walnuts in it.
This was not an issue for the waiter or the kitchen. I was able to have a range of mustards and horseradish with my steak instead and the kitchen prepared me my own salad that was free of walnuts. When it came time for dessert, my waiter was all over it, advising me before I even had to ask which desserts I could choose from. And of course I chose dessert, after all, I was at a French restaurant!
Gazi
Gazi actually deserves a medal for how accommodating they are. I went there for lunch with around 30 of my fellow dietitians and I am not lying when I say almost half of us had some special dietary requirement. There was me with my nut allergy, vegetarians, people with coeliac disease, people with fructose malabsorption, people who can’t eat fish or seafood and then the triple whammy of a vegetarian who has coeliac disease AND fructose malabsorption! Obviously, we had given prior notice of all of these dietary requirements, but the guys at Gazi didn’t even bat an eyelid on the day, serving us our customised lunch boxes of Greek goodies.
I still dream about those fresh piping hot cinnamon doughnuts (made nut free for me of course!)…
Gingerboy
I was a little anxious about eating at Gingerboy given that Asian food typically uses a lot of nuts. But I didn’t even have to mention my allergy as this was the first thing the waitress addressed as she handed out menus.
After speaking with the chef, she proceeded to go through the ENTIRE menu with me to let me know what did and didn’t contain nuts. The chef even offered to make anything on the menu nut free if I wanted. Nothing was a problem for the guys at Gingerboy and all of the dishes I tried were bursting with flavour.
Hell of the North
I am always a bit wary of ‘Feed Me’ options when I eat out because it adds a whole new level of complication to deal with. Will there be anything I eat? Are they willing to ‘feed me’ and accommodate my allergy? Will I end up going hungry because I can only eat 1/3 of what is offered? Will the ‘safe’ dishes end up being ones that I don’t actually enjoy eating?
Rest assured if you choose the Feed Me option at Hell of the North, you will not go hungry AND have your dietaries catered for. I have eaten here twice and both times have opted for the banquet with no issues. What is also great with Hell of the North, is that they check in with your taste preferences too – so if there are things on the menu you would rather NOT be a Feed Me option, they won’t serve it up to you!
Lucy Liu
Like Gingerboy, Lucy Liu is an Asian restaurant, so the chance of dishes containing nuts is quite high. I also took a bit of a gamble by just rocking up on their doorstep one weekend for lunch with no booking and no prior warning that I had food allergies. But this was no issue – Lucy Liu has a separate menu printed that outlines which menu items are suitable for different food allergies. I just ordered off that and it worked perfectly!
Nieuw Amsterdam
NOTE: as of July 2018, Nieuw Amsterdam is closed and will be re-opening under new management.
I was tossing up whether to add Nieuw Amsterdam to my list because their service has been a bit hit and miss depending on which waiter serves me. For example, on one occasion the waitress who seated us asked straight away who had the nut allergy and was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and which dishes were safe for me to eat without having to consult with the chef – I felt immediately at ease and trusted I was in good hands. However, I had a different waiter take our dessert order and he was a bit of a scatterbrain. I have been back a couple of times and have had consistently great service (even when having to eat from their set menu).
Nobu
OK, so this one is hardly unexpected given how expensive it is to eat at Nobu! The waiter who seated us asked straight away who had the nut allergy and took the time to go through the menu with me to work out which dishes were OK for me to eat. Everything I ordered was double checked with the kitchen and the waiter even went as far as checking whether things like sesame and sesame oil were OK for me to eat just to be sure.
Pope Joan
Very sad to report that Pope Joan closed down on 24 June 2018.
As well as receiving exceptional service, my night at Pope Joan’s Summer Camp Cookout was also one of the most fun I have had in a long time. Mr Wilkinson came and spoke to me himself about what I can and can’t have – even taking into consideration my food likes and dislikes (he found it particularly hilarious when I told him I would prefer to eat salmon, even though I don’t like seafood, over tongue, which was on the menu that night!). He reassured me I would not go hungry as he had plenty of food in his kitchen and would make me up some dishes especially for me. How nice is that?!
Truth be told, I reckon I ended up with more food than everyone else as he went ‘off menu’ to create those dishes. P.S. I did try the tongue – would still eat salmon before I would have tongue again
Supernormal
I felt completely at ease at Supernormal when my waiter was able to go through menu and confidently identify dishes that not only contained nuts or nut products, but those dishes that possibly contained traces of nuts because the ingredients that went into them were manufactured offsite. That level of detail, when put on the spot, was really impressive. I was also assured that if we decided to go with the banquet option, then all of the dishes would be modified to accommodate my allergies. After selecting the banquet, my waiter also came back a couple of times to check further details of my allergy (Was it just peanuts or all nuts?, Was I OK with sesame?, Did I have my EpiPen with me?)
What was also great about Supernormal was that they made up a separate portion of food that was allergen free, so that the rest of my table could still enjoy the dish as it was designed – nuts and all.
P.S. all of the food in the banquet was super tasty (see what I did there!) and I recommend going with that option if you just can’t decide which individual dishes to choose.
You might also like: Tips for eating out with a food allergy or intolerance
The Not-So Allergy Friendly Restaurants Melbourne
OK, so I thought for ages about whether I should add a Not-So Allergy Friendly Restaurants Melbourne list to this post, but I felt that in the interest of balance and transparency, it was important to also share places where my experience has been less than exceptional.
I feel a certain sense of responsibility about not withholding information about places where you might face problems. In the end, you can make an informed and educated decision as to whether or not you want to eat there. Just like you would any other restaurant review you read 🙂
North and Eight
North and Eight used to be on my Allergy Friendly list until a close family member ended up in an ambulance and hospitalised within an hour of eating a meal there. While they were originally concerned, they ended up becoming quite evasive and defensive about the incident, so we have had to assume that there has been some breakdown in the processes in their kitchen such that the docket that said “NUT ALLERGY” has either been overlooked or some cross-contamination has occurred.
So, unfortunately, while I had no issues eating there, I feel the only responsible thing to do is take them off the Allergy Friendly list and put them on the Not-So Allergy Friendly Restaurants Melbourne. I would hate for someone else with a life-threatening allergy to eat there and face the same problem. P.S. my family member was VERY lucky and after being kept for observation is now much better. Like me, she now carries an EpiPen with her.
Patch Cafe
Patch Cafe describe themselves as “…Australia’s premier clean eating, paleo inspired food lifestyle brand.” and say that they are “For everyone!” Except if you have a nut allergy. I phoned Patch Cafe ahead of time and explained that I was planning on eating there and asked if they could accommodate my dietary requirements. They were quite polite but basically said they couldn’t make me a nut-free dish and that I shouldn’t visit their cafe. Fair enough. ?♀️
Bennelong (nb: Sydney!)
I had high expectations for the standard of service I would receive regarding my dietary requirements because eating at Bennelong is NOT CHEAP. I had advised them at the time of booking, prior to, and at the time of my reservation. They were certainly aware that I had food allergies, so that was not the problem, however, they were not very accommodating of them.
There was a set menu which, after removing the dishes that were not safe for me, left me with very slim pickings. They weren’t willing to make adjustments to dishes on that menu (i.e. leave off garnishes, adapt the dish etc.) and they definitely weren’t willing to go off menu to make sure I had some options. It was basically, eat what is left on the menu or go hungry. It was pretty much the exact opposite of the experience I had at Pope Joan (above). While the food I did have was delicious, it was an overall disappointing experience.
I’m always on the lookout for new places to eat. If you have had a particularly good experience at a café or restaurant with regards to a food allergy or intolerance let me know about it in the comments below.
Originally published February 2015
Hi! My name is Nina.
I’m a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor taking the ‘diet’ out of Dietitian. I am here to help you reject diet culture, tune into your body’s own inner wisdom about how to truly nourish yourself and ultimately feel good eating™ 
I haven’t been to Lucy Lieu yet – I SO want to try. I also found that Movida are pretty accomodating and so is Yongs green food in Fitzroy. Good to know 🙂
Thanks for your tips Rebecca. I recall I didn’t any issues at Movida Next Door either! I haven’t been to Yong Green Food, I will have to check out their menu. P.S. Lucy Liu was great – all the food was super tasty and they played cool tunes on the day I was there which is an added bonus 😉
It seems like all those allergy friendly restaurants located in Melbourne CBD. Do you know if there is any in the southeast suburbs? I have been looking for one that suits my anaphylactic son that he never got to dine out but watching us to eat only.
Hi Stephen,
The restaurants tend to be in the CBD as these are centrally located for most people. I haven’t ventured out as far as the southeast suburbs, but I have a post coming up that might help you do the ‘detective work’ to find one that will be accommodating 🙂
Hi Stephen,
I recently went to Black Toro in Glen Waverley and they were amazing with adapting their menu and catering to my 1yo son who has anaphylaxis to egg, milk, sesame, lentils and hazelnut. We did the feed me menu and he was able to eat everything on the menu. It made it a lot less stressful for us as he is touch sensitive and it was the first time we were able to fully enjoy our dinner out with him.
Thank you so much Luda for your suggestion. Glad it was a great experience for you all 🙂
This blog post is amazing! Just moved to Melbourne from the UK where everywhere has allergy menus but nowhere seems to have them here! I was just wondering if you could recommend any slightly cheaper lunch spots or restaurants! They all look so good but a tiny bit expensive for every day lunch deals!!
Thank you Jenny! Agree they are expensive to be eating at every day (although that would be nice!). I don’t know what allergies/intolerances you are dealing with, so the following is only based on my experience with a nut and shellfish allergy.
To be honest, if I follow the recommendations I have made in this post: https://feelgoodeating.com.au/tips-for-eating-out-with-a-food-allergy-or-intolerance/, I am always able to find something to eat anywhere in Melbourne. The major difference compared to the places I have listed in this post, will be the level of service.
Here are a few CBD places that have been great are:
* EARL canteen (allergy matrix on their website)
* Guzman y Gomez (allergy matrix on their website)
* I have been told that Roll’d don’t use any nuts in their dishes
* Famish’d allows you to build your own salad or roast potato
* New Shanghai
* Jimmy Grants (stay away from the grain salad if you have a nut allergy)
* Nandos (allergy info on their website)
Disastrous dining experience at Lucy Liu. Phoned a day in advance to ask about the possibility of eating dumplings without sesame or nuts. Was told options were available. Arrived and reiterated about the allergies. Was told all would be fine… out in order with waiter again choosing dishes according to allergy requirements. Waiter returned with part of order only to tell us they couldn’t serve our allergy sufferer anything except white rice. Appalling just appalling! Would not have gone ahead with order had we known but as food was already being served to us we had to sit and eat infront of our friend. Not good enough!
I’m sorry you didn’t have the same level of service as I have had on multiple occasions there. And that is such a sucky experience for your friend. I *really* hope it was glitch or a new staff member who wasn’t fully trained and was being overly cautious rather than a drop in their service.
It’s nice to know that there are places where you can relax without fear of what’s going to be in your plate!
For sure Raphaelle! There is still a need to be on the ball (I have had dishes that were going to be made nut-free come out garnished with peanuts!) but it helps when the restaurant and staff take your requests seriously and make the effort to accommodate you.
What a great post. I used to work in the restaurant industry and I can say having a waiter who not only knows the menu but is considerate and accommodating makes the whole dining experience so much more enjoyable. What great reviews…if only I lived in melbourne. Xo Stephie @therawedit
I don’t eat meat, and I was served chicken once when asking for a vegetarian salad in Malaysia! I sent it back to the kitchen! Glad restaurants are making effort though. They must have realised that there is a market there, and if people are satisfied, word of mouth will beneficiate their restaurants.
Totally agree – word of mouth in the hospitality industry is such a powerful thing.
This is so good! I don’t have allergies but I certainly like to support restaurants that take this kind of stuff seriously.
I adore Gazi and Gingerboy, Lucy Liu and Niew Amsterdam are all on my list of places I really want to visit.
Having worked in hospitality I also really appreciate that, where possible, you mention your allergy at the time of booking- that is really considerate.
Thanks Nicole! I think it helps to be taken seriously if you make the effort to forewarn the restaurant. It just makes for a much easier experience for everyone that way. Hope you tick off those restaurants from you list soon – there is much delicious food to be eaten there 🙂
I would love to travel to Melbourne from the U.S. I’m pinning this to my travel board in case I ever get the chance. 🙂
I hope you get over here one day Annemarie!
I came across Fox in the Box in Brighton (http://foxintheboxbrighton.com.au/) when looking for FODMAP-friendly restaurants a couple of years ago when I was travelling down to Melbourne for Ironman and looking for eating-out options that wouldn’t upset my sensitive stomach. They market themselves as being food allergy and food intolerance friendly, and my mum and I quite enjoyed the meal.
Shelley, you are the second person who has recommended Fox in the Box in response to this post. I am definitely going to have to make a trip across to the other side of the city to check them out 🙂
Great post!! Have been lucky enough to frequent a few of these – including Gazi with you!!! I will second the motion that they were fabulous 🙂
One of my favourites and easy going with requirements is Shane Delias restaurant, Maha, Bond st, CBD – delicious and such a wonderful experience 🙂
We really should do another DDKids outing soon – Gazi was fun! I will have to add Maha to my list as well…
I ate at Gingerboy with 2 friends, each of us with a different food issue. The staff were extremely helpful advising what would be Ok for us to eat on the menu, and even brought me a fructose free version of the green salad without me having to ask! delicious and beautifully presented food.
So glad you had a great experience too Jenny – hopefully it helps instill confidence in others that it is possible to eat out!
it is always so calming to know places you can eat when you have allergy considerations. I am gluten intolerant and so I am always worried about making sure the staff understands me and i don’t eat something wrong on accident~
Xx
Kali
Fina 2 on Brunswick Street is Vietnamese and there are very few nut items on the menu. I have a serious nut allergy and coeliac disease and have never had a problem there! Also Fonda has little to no nut items on their menu.
Thanks for the tips Claire – Vietnamese is always a cuisine I get a bit nervous about.
Red Spice Road in QV was fantastic with gluten free for me (and understood the difference between coeliac and a gluten free preference). Food was fabulous too!
Excellent Fiona! Makes you feel much more comfortable when you have an experience like that.
As a fellow nut allergy person, Fonda is great. As is St Domineco in Richmond – they are Italian but mark nut free items on their menu. Fish Market in Richmond is also great as is Top Paddock – their ricotta hotcake is both nut free and delicious! If you ever travel to Honolulu/ Hawaii, Bills Sydney is fantastic and so is Cheeseburgers in Paradise.
Woo hoo – love me some international recommendations! It it like you are giving me permission to go on holidays 🙂
Caffe Strada in Ivanhoe is 100% gluten free. They have a really good menu with options for dairy free, nut free and vegan. They recently updated their menu so I hope it’s as good as the old one. They make their own bread which is amazing. The fruit loaf is possibly the best I’ve ever had, gluten or no gluten!!! It’s a cafe open for breakfast and lunch 7days a week. I also want to mention a restaurant a bit further out but probably my favourite restaurant. The Firehouse in Ringwood. There are a lot of gluten free options on the menu and the food is of a very high standard. The old firehouse lends itself to a great ambience to top it off. Thanks for your great article can’t wait to try some of these places
Thank YOU for all of your recommendations – I need some East Side places on my list!
Hi Nina, I have been to Holy Basil Thai in Croydon several times. The Chef and waiters were very helpful and were happy to make my whole meal from scratch fructose free. Not had much luck in a lot of places though.
That is amazing Sue! Thai is one cuisine that always makes me nervous, so I am glad to hear you had such a great experience.
Ah – so helpful! I really want to visit!
We would love to have you Ginger!
Melbourne is on my list of places to visit–and I had no idea there was an Entrecote in Australia! I’ve been visiting several in Paris for decades!!
Yup! Steak is their specialty, so I guess they qualify to use that name.
Does anyone know a totally seafood free restaurant in melbourne please
Hi Liz,
Thanks so much for your question.
I really can’t say that I know of anywhere that is totally seafood free here in Melbourne.
The only places that spring to mind are BBQ type places or southern fried chicken type places e.g. Bluebonnet BBQ
All other cuisines I can think of, typically have some seafood offering.
Hopefully, someone else reading might be able to chime in.
I have just found out that I am allergic to seafood.
I would be very happy if someone has found a seafood FREE restaurant in Melbourne. In my opinion they do not exist. I am beginning to think I am doomed to not go out. After explaining this allergy in detail to one bright waiter, he said: Well can you have salmon? !!