Forest Byron Bay

Forest Byron Bay offers gluten-free options. Its breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus include many items marked with 'GF' labels, such as seasonal fruits, pecan maple granola, avocado toast, steaks, fish, and desserts. The kitchen clearly understands coeliac needs. However, the kitchen is shared. It also handles gluten-containing dishes like brioche buns, sourdough, Turkish bread, and pasta. No dedicated fryer or separate gluten-free kitchen is mentioned, so cross-contamination risk remains. Staff can assist. To ensure safety from potential cross-contamination, it is best to speak directly with the team about specific dietary needs before ordering at the restaurant.

The menu clearly labels vegan (VG) options across all meal periods, including items like seasonal fruits, avocado toast, lentil chickpea burger, heirloom beetroot, zucchini cannelloni, lion's mane steak, and multiple desserts. Staff are described as accommodating. However, the kitchen is shared and no dedicated vegan prep area is mentioned, so cross-contact with dairy, egg, or honey is possible. It is a solid choice for vegans who communicate their needs.

Vegetarian options are clearly marked with 'V' tags across the menu, including the sourdough crumpets, strawberry pancakes, eggs your way, twice-baked cheese soufflé, and white chocolate crémeux. A separate Little Ones menu also features vegetarian dishes. In the kitchen, meat, fish, and vegetarian ingredients are all handled in the same shared space, so cross-contact is possible. Staff can guide vegetarians to suitable choices.

Dairy-free options are labeled DF on the menu, with bacon, smoked salmon, oysters, Ballina prawn roll, steaks, lamb shoulder, chips, and several desserts carrying that designation. A separate 'DFa' code indicates dishes that can be adapted to be dairy-free. Many dishes contain cheese, butter, cream, or crème anglaise. No dedicated dairy-free kitchen or equipment is noted, so cross-contact is possible in the shared kitchen. Staff can discuss dairy-free needs.

Shellfish are clearly marked on the menu. Items such as oysters, prawns, slipper lobster, and scallops carry an 'A*' label denoting seafood, and many non-shellfish options like steaks, lamb, chicken, and vegetarian dishes are also available. No dedicated shellfish-free prep area is mentioned. The kitchen can likely accommodate requests for shellfish-free meals when communicated, but cross-contact risk exists because the same kitchen space is used for all food preparation.

Several menu items contain nuts, explicitly marked with 'N' (e.g., ancient grain salad with roasted mixed nuts, textures of lemon with pistachio, torched slipper lobster with macadamia crumb, vanilla poached pear with pecan praline). No nut-free kitchen or dedicated allergen management for nuts is mentioned. Staff may be able to accommodate requests but cross-contamination risk is high in a shared kitchen that uses nuts extensively. Ask staff for guidance.

No menu items carry egg-free labels. Eggs appear extensively in the kitchen's cooking, including in dishes such as eggs your way, truffle toast, soufflé, pancakes, baked goods, and mayonnaise-based sauces. The kitchen does not maintain special egg-free procedures. Diners with an egg allergy should speak directly with the staff to learn what modifications might be possible, though the risk of cross-contamination remains significant.

Soy is not explicitly labelled on the menu but appears in some items, including miso dressing, miso-baked cabbage, and soy sauce likely used in various dishes. Guests with a soy allergy should inquire with staff about specific dishes and potential modifications. No soy-free protocols are mentioned.