Resources

Restaurants

The following recommendations and comments have been made by some of your fellow members. Remember that we cannot actually endorse these restaurants but hope that you will want to try them out for yourselves. If you patronize a restaurant that deserves more business because they treat you so well, let us know!

Thank you to all the members who contributed their favourite gluten-free restaurants! We would like to continue this sharing of restaurants, so, if there are places out there that you enjoy and trust, we would like to hear from more of you!

Burlington

MON BIJOU

503 Brant Street
905-632-1311

The owner Karl Schmidt will prepare special meals for celiacs. This is fine dining with a small menu and reasonable prices.

Elora

THE DESERT ROSE CAFÉ

130 Metcalfe Street,
North of Guelph off Highway 6
1-519-846-0433

An ideal location for a weekend getaway or day trip.
"The best in ethnic, vegetarian food from a small town café! Owners are accommodating. Outside patio during warmer days."

Pickering

MOLLY B GOURMET ORGANICS

Pickering Flea Market

Located at the Pickering Flea Market, Molly B Gourmet Organics offers gourmet gluten-free crepes and wraps to go. They are most delicious! Operated as a family business, Molly B Gourmet Organics has a list of prepared frozen crepes and wraps - just heat and serve. Fantastic for those of us on the go! Molly B also offers speciality orders to suit any diet! Definitely worth the visit. The Flea Market is open Saturdays and Sundays. Do check them out in the market section!

Prince Edward County

SCHROEDTER'S FARM MARKET,CAFÉ AND BAKERY

1-613-393-2823

About 2 hours east of Toronto
20 minutes south of Belleville on Highway 62 at Scoharie Road
A beautiful part of the country to explore.
"Talk about the best of three worlds, this Cafe/Bakery/Market has it all. Gluten free breads and sweets baked and sold on the premises…Gluten free meals in the café…Organic meats and produce."

Thornhill

CYNTHIA'S CHINESE RESTAURANT

905-882-8887

Right beside the Promenade Mall (in the same strip as the Swiss Chalet)
I spoke with the lady in charge and my dishes were made without soy sauce.

Toronto

ANNAPURNA VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT

1085 Bathurst Street (South of Dupont Avenue)
416-537-8513

"They mix all their own spices so there is no problem with hidden gluten in the curry…delicious!"

BANFI PIZZA

333-B Lonsdale Road (west off Spadina Rd. in the Forest Hill Village)
416-322-5231

This charming neighbourhood Italian restaurant is owned by a celiac! Simply request that your dish be made with "Nino's" pasta, (Nino is the owner). Le Veneziane's 100% corn pasta is substituted for wheat pasta and has a wonderfully firm texture. (Le Veneziane Pasta can be found at Chapman's). Beware, this is a tiny bistro which does not take reservations. Dine early, or be prepared to wait in line.

BANGKOK GARDEN

Elm Street (between Yonge St. and Bay Street)
416-977-6748

I speak to either the server or the lady at the Noodle Bar about recipe ingredients and our restrictions. The food is expensive, but out of this world!! I eat at the lunch buffet and check the ingredients of each dish, but you can also order off the menu.

CELESTIN

623 Mt. Pleasant Rd.
416-544-9035

If you would like a very special evening out, this French restaurant is most receptive to celiacs. I faxed the diet to them a week ahead of time and now, each time I go, they know just what I can and cannot eat. The serving and kitchen staff are very knowledgeable regarding their ingredients and the issue of cross-contamination. Even though they have flour-free desserts, they serve me only fresh berries or fruit, so that they can be certain that there will not be any contamination from the flours from any source. The food is delicious - a real treat.

DOUBLE HAPPINESS

599 Bloor Street West (at Bathurst, just west of Honest Ed's)
416-538-3723

"Do you miss going out for Chinese? The chef here speaks good English and makes my dishes without soy sauce. The packages of soy sauce, chili sauce and mustard that they send with delivery are all gluten free if they are from Wing's."

Dr. Generosity

2197 Bloor St. West (in the Bloor West Village)
416-604-0704

My family and I recently had a wonderful experience at this restaurant and felt we should pass on the recommendation. While the menu does not specifically reference gluten-free items, our thirteen-year-old son with celiac disease had his choice of many entrées and we found the staff very friendly and helpful in answering our questions. We all enjoyed the food that we ordered and appreciated that the staff was so helpful in accommodating our son's dietary restrictions. We have certainly added it to our list of restaurants that work well for us and will eat there in the future.”

ELEPHANT AND CASTLE

Various locations

I had a very positive experience in the branch at Yonge and Gerrard Streets. The selection of "pub food" looked rather daunting on a cold evening when I wanted more than a salad. The server suggested I have the hot turkey sandwich without the bun and the gravy. With a small side salad, it was delicious.

IL FORNELLO RESTAURANTS

1560 Yonge Street 416-920-7347
576 Danforth Avenue 416-466-2931
Bayview Village 416-227-1271

"Always available to you are gluten free pasta dishes and wonderful gourmet pizzas made with quejos (kay-joes) crust - far superior to the previous rice flour crust. Ask about the chicken and fish dishes."

INDIAN FLAVOUR

595 Bay Street near Dundas
416-408-2799

"Most of the foods are gluten free!"

LE NOUVEAU PARIGO

1675 Bloor St. West (east of the Keele St. subway station)
416-531-8850

The staff here are always aware and careful. The food is excellent, as is the service.

MAMMINA'S

6 Wellesley Street West
reservations recommended
416-967-7199

Here you will find intimate dining in a cozy setting. White tables are adorned with great tastes and gourmet delights. Run by two brothers, this hideaway is a favourite of many. They have a large wine menu very reasonably priced and were one of the first to allow you to bring your own. The food menu doesn't falter in flavour and because the kitchen is small, you can rely on a safe celiac meal. Be sure to tell them you are celiac and they will make recommendations you won't be sorry about.

MILLIE'S

1980 Avenue Rd. (just south of Highway 401)
416-481-1247

They have a flat bread called "noni toki". It's made of chickpea flour and is amazing with their tapas. They also have a pasta-free lasagna, made with potatoes and vegetables. The best part is that it's on their regular menu. You don't have to feel like it's a special request. They make delicious cakes too. For my birthday, they made a soft, spongy, lemon cake and, yes, it was gluten-free!

NIAGARA STREET CAFÉ

169 Niagara Street (South of King Street)
416-703-4222

Call ahead to see when they are open!! Reservations are recommended.
"An organic experience! This is a mother and daughter enterprise, very willing to please. Meals are somewhat upscale and imaginative. During the summer and fall their produce comes from the outdoor organic market in Riverdale Park....fresh, fresh, fresh!"

RED ROSE RESTAURANT

795 Bathurst Street (Just South of Bloor Street)
416-533-5472

Type of food: Indian Cuisine
"They use already prepared curry powder here, but there were dishes I could eat, and they were very careful that I didn't touch my husband's curry. Good food and lovely folks."

SERRA'S

378 Bloor Street West of Spadina
416-944-9211

"Special consideration for those with allergies. Pastas and gourmet pizzas are out of the question; however, wonderful salads and great main courses are served here (from steak to salmon)."

TASTY RESTAURANT AND PATIO

692 Bloor Street West at Clinton Street
416-537-7553

Type of food: North American and Greek Cuisine
"The owner was able to understand my needs and came up with a good dinner of beef and rice."

TOWNE GRILL

243 Carlton Street at Parliament
416-963-9433

Reservations are recommended
Type of food: Fine dining with interesting and varied selections.
"Rated one of the best! A great understanding of our needs...two of the owner's family members have Celiac Disease.

OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE

Various locations

This large North American chain of steakhouses maintains a binder in each restaurant that lists the ingredients for each dish on the menu. All menu items that are gluten-free are labeled in this binder. Any substitutions that should be made are also suggested. For example, the steamed vegetables accompanying the rack of lamb need to be ordered without seasoning. I found one error when I ordered the grilled shrimp appetizer that was supposed to be gluten-free according to the binder; it was served on a piece of bread! However, the server apologized and immediately removed the plate. Service was friendly and the staff aware of the special needs of celiacs.