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Meli Cafe restaurant in Chicago
Marcus Plumpe · Google Places

Meli Cafe

Meli Cafe offers a separate gluten-free menu section with items like French toast, crepes, pancakes, and toast. Multiple recent coeliac diners report no symptoms and knowledgeable staff. The kitchen is not dedicated gluten-free; cross-contamination risk is acknowledged. Some older reviews (7-9 years ago) report glutening incidents, but recent positive reports from coeliac diners dominate. A dedicated toaster and dedicated fryer are reported by some reviewers, but not consistently across all locations or shifts.

Address500 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605, USA
CuisineGreek · Brunch · Cafe
Price€€
Hours
Mon7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Tue7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Wed7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Thu7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Fri7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Sat7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Sun7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Websitewww.melicafe.com/
Last verified

Per-allergen evidence

Coeliac · Gluten-free

confidence 0.70 ·

Marked menu + dedicated, Allergen-marked menu plus dedicated fryer / prep area. Staff trained. Not a fully dedicated kitchen.

Meli Cafe offers a separate gluten-free menu section with items like French toast, crepes, pancakes, and toast. Multiple recent coeliac diners report no symptoms and knowledgeable staff. The kitchen is not dedicated gluten-free; cross-contamination risk is acknowledged. Some older reviews (7-9 years ago) report glutening incidents, but recent positive reports from coeliac diners dominate. A dedicated toaster and dedicated fryer are reported by some reviewers, but not consistently across all locations or shifts.

dedicated fryermarked menustaff trained

Cited references

[1] aggregatorMeli Cafe & Juice Bar - Gluten-Free Cafe in Chicago , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree listing for 500 S Dearborn St; 17 recent ratings, GF menu marked, dedicated toaster and fryer reported by some, knowledgeable staff, some older glutening reports.fetched 2026-05-15[2] aggregatorGluten-Free at Meli Cafe & Juice Bar - Gluten-Free Menu , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree chain page for Meli Cafe; 54 ratings, GF menu marked, dedicated kitchen space and toaster reported, knowledgeable staff.fetched 2026-05-15[3] aggregatorBest Gluten-Free Restaurants in Little Italy, Chicago - 2026 , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree Little Italy search; lists Meli Cafe & Juice Bar at 301 S Halsted St with GF menu and bread/buns.fetched 2026-05-15[4] aggregatorMeli Cafe & Juice Bar - Gluten-Free Cafe in Chicago , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree listing for 540 N Wells St; 8 recent ratings, GF menu marked, dedicated fryer and toaster reported, some staff knowledge issues noted.fetched 2026-05-15[5] aggregatorGluten-Free Vegetarian Friendly Places in Fulton Market District, Chicago - 2026 , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree Fulton Market vegetarian search; lists Meli Cafe at 301 S Halsted St with GF menu and bread/buns.fetched 2026-05-15[6] blogMeli Cafe - Gluten-Free Restaurant in Chicago , atly.comAtly listing for 540 N Wells St; describes venue as 'accommodating gluten-free' with trained staff, some risk of cross-contamination.fetched 2026-05-15

Vegan

confidence 0.60 ·

Marked menu, shared, Allergen-marked menu and aware staff but shared fryer / prep. Cross-contamination risk acknowledged.

Meli Cafe has a 'Vegan & Gluten Free' section on the menu with items like pancakes, French toast, a wrap, and tofu scramble. However, multiple HappyCow reviews warn that some items listed as vegan may not be (e.g., non-vegan butter served, rolls for sliders not vegan, wrap not vegan per one server). Staff knowledge on vegan ingredients appears inconsistent. Cross-contamination with non-vegan items (e.g., butter) is a risk.

marked menu

Cited references

[1] aggregatorMeli Cafe & Juice Bar - Gluten-Free Cafe in Chicago , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree listing for 500 S Dearborn St; 17 recent ratings, GF menu marked, dedicated toaster and fryer reported by some, knowledgeable staff, some older glutening reports.fetched 2026-05-15[2] aggregatorGluten-Free at Meli Cafe & Juice Bar - Gluten-Free Menu , FindMeGlutenFreeFindMeGlutenFree chain page for Meli Cafe; 54 ratings, GF menu marked, dedicated kitchen space and toaster reported, knowledgeable staff.fetched 2026-05-15[3] aggregatorMeli Cafe - Dearborn - Chicago | Review "Vegan Wrap" by DanielaRichter - HappyCow , HappyCowHappyCow listing for 500 S Dearborn St; 26 reviews, vegan options section on menu, multiple reviews warn some 'vegan' items may not be vegan, staff knowledge inconsistent.fetched 2026-05-15

Nut-free

confidence 0.30 ·

Available on request, No marked menu but staff will accommodate. Quality varies by who is working that shift.

A 10-year-old review on FindMeGlutenFree mentions a child with a tree nut allergy felt unwell after eating here. No recent information on nut-free protocols is available. Accommodation would be on request with caution.

Dairy-free

confidence 0.40 ·

Available on request, No marked menu but staff will accommodate. Quality varies by who is working that shift.

Egg-free

confidence 0.30 ·

Available on request, No marked menu but staff will accommodate. Quality varies by who is working that shift.

No specific egg-free menu or protocols are mentioned in the sources. A reviewer noted the GF French toast contains egg whites, suggesting egg is commonly used. Accommodation would be on request.

Reminder

Always confirm with venue staff before ordering. Tiers and accreditations are guides, not guarantees.

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