Dietary requirements the new norm at restaurants
With a growing market of allergy sufferers more restaurants are now taking dietary requirements into account.
A growing number of Melbourne restaurants have taken to it. And they’re doing it whether it’s for a genuine medical condition or a fad diet.
Indeed, catering to dietary requests have now become common courtesy at private events such as weddings.
Diner demand is now seeing products like flour, milk, butter and cheese that were were once household staples being left off the menu.
Jonathan Rowley, managing director of corporate catering company Order-In, says specific dietary requests make about 50 per cent of the orders now coming in.
The most prevalent requests for Order-In are dairy and lactose-free, nut allergies, vegan, gluten-free, FODMAP allergies, which includes onion and garlic, and nightshades allergies which includes white potatoes, eggplant, tomato and peppers.
“With one in five Australians currently living with an intolerance or allergy. as well as a steep rise in voluntary ‘free from’ diets, it’s not surprising that almost half of our orders now include dietary requirements,” Mr Rowley told the Herald Sun.
“We’ve seen some very unusual, sometimes even questionable dietary requests over the years.
“You would be surprised how many special diets exist.”
Robyn Metz, owner of Camberwell’s Red Robyn cafe, one of the rare wholly nut-free cafes in Melbourne located at 393 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell said it’s important to look after the growing market of people suffering from coeliac disease.
She says people come to her café from as far away as Castlemaine in central Victoria.
“Our philosophy was to be a good Melbourne cafe that happened to be gluten-free,” Metz told the Herald Sun.
“People with coeliac disease can develop anxieties about eating out, because often it’s impossible to know if something is 100 per cent gluten free. That’s why I created the cafe.”
Melbourne restaurants catering for allergy suffers include:
Red Robyn
393 Camberwell Rd, Camberwell
100 per cent gluten, nut, onion, garlic free. Vegan and fructose-free friendly
Dehlicious
91 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe
Australia’s first 100 per cent gluten free restaurant (Coeliac Australia accredited)
Mediterraneo
116 Bridport St, Albert Park
Coeliac Australia accredited gluten free (but not 100 per cent GF)
Fox in the Box
169 Martin St, Brighton
100 per cent gluten and onion free, FODMAP safe
Mister Nice Guy’s Bakeshop
151 Union Rd, Ascot Vale
100 per cent vegan bakery (egg, dairy, lactose, cochineal and gelatine free)
Foddies Café
181 Victoria Ave, Albert Park (also a doughnut store at 28 Hall St, Moonee Ponds)
Low FODMAP, gluten free
Seedling Café
275 Flinders Lane, city (also 349 Lt Collins St)
100 per cent gluten free, refined sugar free, paelo-inspired
Market on Malvern (MOM)
388 Malvern Rd, Prahran
Low FODMAP, gluten free, vegan friendly and options for dairy free, yeast
THR1VE
Chadstone, Emporium, Collins Place
100 per cent gluten free, paleo friendly
Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant
328 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
100 per cent gluten free, also fructose free (with 24 hour notice)
Caffe Strada
197 Upper Heidelberg Rd, Ivanhoe
100 per cent gluten free
by Leon Gettler, August 8th 2017
