Railway Hotel Pakenham

Multiple menu sections use 'Vegetarian' and 'Vegetarian Available' icons on dishes such as the Baked Brie, Soup of the Day, Mexican Bowl, Chicken Pear Salad, Avo & Beetroot Salad, and others. The RISOTTO CHICKEN & PUMPKIN is marked 'Vegetarian Available' despite containing chicken, which is likely an icon error. No details about separate preparation areas or dedicated equipment are available. Not suitable for strict vegetarians without confirming with staff first.

The venue's own menu pages mark several dishes as 'Gluten Free Available' or 'Gluten free' using SVG icons, including entrees, mains, and seniors items. There is no mention of a dedicated fryer or separate preparation area, and no 'may contain' or cross-contact warnings are present on any page. The gluten-free offering appears to be modification-based (the kitchen can adapt a dish) rather than a structurally separate workflow, which means coeliac-safe practice depends entirely on the staff and equipment setup on the day. Call ahead to confirm whether the kitchen uses shared fryers or separate pans for marked GF items.

The mains menu page marks the Mexican Bowl with a 'Vegan Available' icon. The Chicken Pear Salad and Avo & Beetroot Salad also show this icon, though the Avo & Beetroot salad lists fetta and yoghurt in its description, suggesting the icon applies to a modified version or is an error. The functions enquiry form includes a checkbox for 'Vegan Options'. No kitchen practice details, dedicated equipment, or staff training are mentioned. Call ahead to confirm.

A single mains section shows a 'Dairy Free Available' icon on the Mexican Bowl, and the functions enquiry form includes a checkbox for 'Gluten Free Options' and 'Vegan Options' but not a dairy checkbox. No other source mentions dairy-free practice, dedicated equipment, or staff training for dairy allergies. This thin icon-level marking is not enough to assess kitchen practice. Calling ahead to ask about dairy-free options is advisable.