Best gluten-free restaurants in Essendon

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Ipoh Garden Kitchen

192 Keilor Rd ·

Ipoh Garden Kitchen offers a separate gluten-free menu with dishes like fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, and Mongolian beef. They use a dedicated fryer for GF items, and staff are widely reported as knowledgeable and attentive to coeliac needs. However, the kitchen is a shared facility, not 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is possible. One diner reported moderate to severe symptoms, so it's best to confirm your specific requirements with the team.

Chef Sofra

1021-1023 Mt Alexander Rd · Turkish

Owner and most staff have coeliac disease themselves, so they run a carefully managed kitchen with dedicated gluten-free space and a dedicated toaster. The menu marks GF and GFO dishes clearly. No dedicated fryer, however, and the restaurant itself warns that cross-contamination is possible. Diners with coeliac disease consistently report feeling safe here.

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Hold Bar & Eatery

87 Fletcher St · Cafe

Hold Bar & Eatery marks gluten-free items on its menu and uses separate cooking equipment for GF orders. Staff are knowledgeable and will clean surfaces or change gloves to reduce cross-contamination. However, the kitchen is shared and the venue is not a dedicated gluten-free facility, so some risk remains for coeliac diners. A call ahead can confirm current practices.

Tutti Trattoria

18 Napier St ·

GF pasta and pizza bases add $3 to the bill. One coeliac diner reports never having gotten sick at this restaurant. The shared kitchen makes cross-contamination possible, particularly with pizza. The menu makes GF options easy to spot, and staff can answer questions about them.

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2 Fat Greeks

8-10 Napier St · Greek

The menu marks many dishes GF or GFO, but this is not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. A shared kitchen with regular pita and bread is used. One review reports a dedicated GF fryer and says all meat is GF. On the other hand, several reviews note there is no GF menu and the venue warns it may not be safe for coeliac disease. One customer received a wrong meal because their GF order was not actually GF. Confirmation with staff and careful ordering are necessary.