Best gluten-free cafes and restaurants in Sydney

For people with coeliac disease – an auto-immune disorder of the small intestine – the consumption of gluten (a protein in wheat, rye, barley and oats) is strictly no-go as it damages the intestine and causes a multitude of health problems. While gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity may not require as strict a diet, sufferers avoid gluten, claiming it makes them feel bloated and can cause cramping and diarrhoea.

Oriental Healthy

The menu at this low-key health-conscious eatery is an appealing mix of street food from South-East Asia and China, with a promise that 90 per cent of the dishes are gluten-free – including flavour-packed Thai green papaya salad and hor mok pla - a Laotian steamed fish dish.

423 Cleveland Street, Redfern, (02) 9699 8371

Fu Manchu

A separate gluten-free menu makes ordering a breeze at this popular smart-casual spot specialising in Nonya (Malay Chinese) food. The 10 options include Nonya potato curry and sang choy bao to start. Several tea options and a diverse wine list keep things interesting, too.

229 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, (02) 9360 9424

Cavallino

This big, boisterous Italian eatery will, by request, serve their Neapolitan-style pizza on a gluten-free base. The menu also clearly flags other "gf" options – about 10 – including the likes of oven-roasted spatchcock with chilli and garlic.

1-3 Yulong Avenue, Terrey Hills, (02) 9450 1777

El Topo

This spot is as gluten-free-diner friendly as it is colourful (and rainbows have nothing on the decor here), owing in part to Mexican cuisine's love of corn instead of wheat. So much of the menu – from top tacos, to ceviche, and 12-hour beef short ribs – is gluten-free that the few items that aren't are the ones that warrant an asterisk.

The Eastern Hotel, 500 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, (02) 9387 7828

ALSO TRY
Sake, Japanese Restaurant & Bar, The Rocks
Youeni Foodstore, Castle Hill
Guzman y Gomez, outlets across Sydney
O Organic Produce Cafe, Surry Hills
Pure Wholefoods, Manly
Egg of the Universe, Rozelle
Bloom, Mosman

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