The Best Gluten-Free Places To Eat In Penticton | Celiac Friendly

2 Comments February 17, 2022 Lauren Walker

Penticton is a fantastic small town full of outside adventure, wine touring, water sports, winter sports, mountain hiking and biking among many other amenities! It also has a few places to eat that are celiac safe within Penticton and just outside of it as well! Be sure to check the list of places below out if you are looking for gluten-free delicious eats made for someone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance!

Restaurants

Wild Scallion

Picture from my IG account of the **Fiesta Bowl**

The first restaurant on the list is one of my go-to restaurants as EVERYTHING in the restaurant is gluten-free. They have vegan and vegetarian options but you can also add chicken to most meals as well if you prefer, or add and subtract from plates depending on your food preferences. Everything is fresh and made with wholesome ingredients. As a celiac, I have never had any issues with cross-contamination or a flare-up of symptoms after eating at this restaurant.

My personal favourites:

Fiesta Bowl: Jam-packed with veg, beans, and flavour. I LOVE this bowl, as your mouth is exploding with different textures and flavours. You can easily add Teriyaki chicken to your bowl as well, as this is what I personally do.
Pad Thai: Another classic and great option, the peanut sauce is so good! I also add chicken to this plate as well for more protein.
Vegan Alfredo: Super creamy without the “cream.” Jam-packed with mushrooms, so if you do not like mushrooms you can substitute for chicken.
Salad Rolls: A nice easy and light meal for those who are not needing a bigger plate of food. The peanut sauce that comes with this plate is what I’m always craving from this restaurant (I’m pretty sure it’s the same sauce found on the pad thai). They are light and fresh and like everything else you can add chicken to the rolls if you find fit.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Hazelnut Square: UNREAL, so good especially if you really like the combination of chocolate and peanut butter!

I honestly feel like all of their meals are fantastic, but I have a hard time moving away from one of the 5 mentioned above as I’m always craving them. However, I have heard from friends that their curries are also wonderful.

All of the choices at Wild Scallion are super filling and can sometimes be good for 2-3 meals unless you are starving…then eat the whole plate, I’m not judging.

**I’ve just been informed that this restaurant will be under new ownership, I’m pretty sure they said they will be keeping it all gluten-free – be sure to ask when you get there :)** Notified Feb 2022.

The full menu can be found here.

Photo from my IG account of some of my favourite treats

Gratify

This restaurant is fully gluten-free and vegan. It has raw dessert options and has just started offering take and bake pizzas, wraps, cold and hot drinks, smoothies, and vegan ice cream. I cannot recommend this restaurant enough to anyone looking for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and refined sugar-free wholesome food. Everything made with oats is made with gluten-free oats, as I went in and explained to them how celiacs cannot eat regular oats. The next day after our conversation they made the switch to gluten-free oats! Thank you for always listening and making the switch!

My personal favourites:

Peanut Butter Cups: Absolutely delicious, just the right amount of peanut butter to chocolate. The ingredients are Cocoa, Maple Syrup, Coconut Oil, Vanilla Extract, Natural Peanut Butter, Oats (certified GF), Coconut Sugar ($2.50 or 2 for $4.50).
Salted Caramel Pecan Bar: This one is like a turtle chocolate piece but in bar form and without the chocolate. The ingredients are Oat Flour, Pecans, Dates, Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, Coconut Sugar, Pink Himalayan Salt, Vanilla Extract, Maple Syrup, Water ($3.59).
Nanaimo Bar (coffee): A lovely twist on the original Nanaimo bar as they add coffee, and I’m not a coffee fan, but it is perfect in this bar! They also have the original Nanaimo bar as well which is just as equally delicious. The ingredients are Almonds, Shredded Coconut, Cocoa, Dates, Cashews, Coconut Oil, Maple Syrup, Coconut Sugar, Ground Coffee (Seis Cielo Coffee Roaster), Pink Himalayan Salt, Vanilla Extract ($4.75).
Cheesecake by the slice: Any of their cheesecakes are divine! I have not found one yet that I did not like, you cannot go wrong with any flavour that you get.
Soft Taco: If you are looking for a flavourful and light lunch, their wrap and soup combo are just for you! I personally really like the soft taco wrap, but all of them are a great choice. The soft taco is a gluten-free wrap, black bean spread & spinach, tangy taco “meat”, queso sauce, and pico de gallo – $9.95 (Small Soup Combo: $13.00, Medium Soup Combo: $14.75).
Take and Bake Pizza’s: This is a newer product at their location and I could not be happier! There is finally a good-sized pizza with a lot of toppings to take home for the celiacs in the community. I personally love how filling each piece is and how the toppings are basically overflowing off the pizzas. My personal favourite of the pizzas so far is the Mexican.

Gratify is a fantastic location for all things gluten-free and vegan. The owners are lovely as can be and it’s a fantastic local shop to check out!

Click here for their menu. And here for their website.

Blissful Belly

This is a celiac-safe, gluten, dairy, and egg-free facility! The owner is celiac herself so you know every product in her shop will for sure be safe for anyone with celiac disease. They also have some products that are made without nuts in case there may be a nut allergy. I cannot explain enough how much I love this little bakeshop! The owner, Victoria, is an absolute gem and super friendly to speak with. She has a background as a whole food nutritionist so you know the food had some thought put into it.

My personal favourites:

“Just-Add-Water” Baking Mixes: All of the mixes are delicious and super convenient for the days that you want to bake something up but you may not have all of the ingredients or you may be short of time. There are six mixes and you cannot go wrong with either one. She has Mocha Fudge Brownie Mix, Chocolate Chip Granola Cookie Mix, Chipotle Apple Cornbread Mix, Onion & Garlic Biscuit Mix, Gingerbread Scone/Cookie Mix (Seasonal), and Buckwheat Cinnamon Pancake/Waffle Mix.
Fresh Bake Shop Items: All her treats are delicious and are baked in-house with local and organic ingredients. You can have the choice from Biscotti Bites – Maple Ginger, Maple Walnut, Maple Chocolate, Macaroons – Lemon Maple, Cherry Lavender, Mocha Nib, Trail Bars – Peanut Butter Date and Cranberry Chocolate – 2/pkg, Cherry Date Oat Bars – 2/pkg, and Fudge Brownie – Turtle Caramel Pecan and Maple Walnut 2/pkg. I personally love her fudge brownie, peanut butter bars and cherry date oat bars.

This is definitely a shop you’ll want to check out and grab snacks for on the road or in your own home baking. She even has teas & hot cocao mixes! She sells her products in her Penticton shop but also has an online store where she will ship products across Canada.

You can find her website here. And menu and shop here.

The Kitchen

This restaurant can be found at Da Silva Winery and is open from May 1 – Mid October, as they are only open seasonally, and open for lunch and dinner service Monday to Saturday. However, when they do open up, it’s one of the happiest days as this restaurant is beyond delicious. They have Portuguese tapas with a Mexican flare. I absolutely love this restaurant when I want to have multiple plates of food and cannot make up my mind. The tapas are smaller servings but they are jam-packed with flavour, and the best part is you leave the restaurant feeling satisfied but not overfull. If you are in Penticton I cannot recommend this restaurant enough, but be sure to call ahead and make a reservation as they book up fast!

My personal favourites:

Pork Belly Slow Braised In Port And Brandy: Extremely tender meat, and unreal flavouring.
Duck Leg Confit With Amarena Cherry Gastric: I never thought I would say that duck is good, but this was my first time trying it and I have to say, it was absolutely delicious!
Roasted Cauliflower, Dusted With Parmesan Cheese: I wanted to order this twice because of how good it was.

You really cannot go wrong with anything you choose off their menu as they have meat, seafood and vegetarian sections. You will also be dining with an amazing view of the winery and surrounding Penticton landscape. The restaurant is 99% gluten-free, the only reason it’s not 100% is due to the bread served before the meals arrive. However, when I told them I was celiac they assured me the chef cleaned down the preparation areas to be sure I did not get exposed. What are you waiting for? Book a reservation and experience The Kitchen for yourself!

Their website can be found here and their menu can be found here.

Poplar Grove

This is another restaurant at a winery in Penticton. It is a fancier restaurant, with an epic view and great staff and honestly even better food. I have personally eaten here a handful of times and every time I have had no reactions and the food I ate, I was craving more of. They do have gluten in their kitchen but they do work hard to decrease the amount of cross-contamination. I would just mention to the server that you have celiac disease and inform the chef.

My personal favourites:

I believe they change their menu every once in a while so just know that it may be different when you go.

Beef Burger: I had this for lunch one day and they gave me a lettuce wrap to eat it with. It seems like a simple option on a menu, but it was delicious!
Ice cream sandwich: UNREAL. It’s made with ice cream and the “sandwich” part is chocolate and puffed rice.
Risotto: I believe they special made this for me as they didn’t have anything on the dinner menu that was for sure gluten-free at the time. But I remember this dish being absolutely delicious!

If you want to go to Poplar Grove, be sure to call ahead and make a reservation as they book up FAST.

Lunch Menu | Dinner Menu | Website

This picture is from their website of the **Dolmathes Avgolemono**

Theo’s

An amazing wholesome family-run Greek restaurant. This is one of my go-to restaurants in Penticton all year round. If you are craving or just want to try authentic Greek food, this is definitely the place for you! They have a specialty vegetarian menu along with a gluten-free menu as well. Don’t quote me on this, but I’m pretty sure one of the owner’s family members has celiac disease so they usually take extra care. When I have gone in to eat at the restaurant I have never had any issues, however, I did have one time with take-out that I didn’t feel too great after eating their food. So I would suggest going to eat in person instead of take-out if you are celiac. I’ve never had an issue when I have gone into the restaurant itself to eat.

My personal favourites:

Mediterranean Ribs: This is my go-to meal at Theo’s. You get a decent-sized rack of ribs with delicious herbs and spices on them cooked to perfection. Charbroiled pork back ribs glazed with oregano, lemon juice and fresh garlic. There is also a side of rice, veg and the best lemon potatoes.
Rack of Lamb: This is the next plate I go for. A fantastic cut of lamb with the best flavours. New Zeland rack of lamb crusted with Greek Vlahotiri cheese and baked in the oven with fresh herbs and a little garlic. It is also paired with rice, veg and lemon potatoes.
Dolmathes Avgolemono: If you are in the mood for an appetizer, guys, you need to get these. I crave these, it is hot stuffed grape leaves filled with rice and ground beef, fresh herbs and topped with a creamy avgolemono sauce. Also available as Vegan.
Souvlaki: A delicious lighter dinner or lunch. Undoubtedly the most famous Greek dish, bite-size pieces of beef, chicken or pork are seasoned in olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and oregano then skewered with onion and green peppers and grilled to suit your taste. Also paired with veg, rice and lemon potatoes.
Moussaka: A classic Greek entree and a house favourite of Theo’s guests since 1976. Alternate layers of sliced roasted eggplant, potatoes, zucchini and ground beef spiced with cinnamon and herbs. The topping itself, created by Mary Theodosakis, features Béchamel sauce enhanced with nutmeg and other distinctive islands of Crete spices. **BE SURE TO ASK FOR THIS TO BE GLUTEN-FREE IF CELIAC**
Ice Cream: They also have the best inhouse made ice cream that can be dairy-free if needed.

The lamb shoulder is unreal, however, I ate that one before I knew I was celiac and unfortunately it is NOT gluten-free. If you cannot tell from the list of my favourites above, I’ve gone and continue to go to this restaurant a lot. It’s by far a Penticton favourite, so be sure to call ahead for take-out (as they will only do it to a certain time), and if you want any reservations.

Website and Menu

The picture is taken from my IG stories of the **GF fish and chips**

Ships A-Hoy

This restaurant is not in Penticton, but I had to add it to the list. If you are looking for the BEST gluten-free fish and chips, you’ll want to drive out to Peachland. The owner’s daughter has celiac disease, so she has separate fryers and sections of her kitchen for gluten-free and non-gluten-free. I have NEVER had any issues eating at this restaurant and the fish and chips are honestly unreal.

Along with fish and chips, they also have ice cream and gluten-free waffle cones to boot!

Website

The high tea closest is gluten-free and the one furthest is not

Neverland Tea Cottage

If you are wanting to have gluten-free high tea, head on out to Naramata! I could not explain to you how excited I was to see a gluten-free high tea. Just be sure to call ahead and inform them that you are celiac and need the food to be prepared away from gluten in the kitchen. It’s a lovely restaurant with a stunning atmosphere, great tea, and delicious treats. They also have other food choices than high tea.

Website | Menu

If you are coming into Penticton and are celiac, be sure to check out the restaurants mentioned above!

Where To Eat Gluten Free In Melbourne

Leave a comment March 8, 2020 Lauren Walker

Melbourne has a very large hipster vibe with lots of little shops, boutiques and restaurants all over the inner city. Not only is Melbourne known for it’s wide range of graffiti and wall art but it is also very well known for it’s food. There is a huge variety of many different types of restaurants that you can choose from, ranging anywhere from Mexican to Greek, fancy bougie pubs, and bars that have a dark atmosphere but extremely fun rock and roll vibe. Depending on the experience you are feeling, Melbourne has it all.

If you have celiac disease or you are gluten intolerant, there are many options for gluten free within the city. I have to say that I am very impressed with everywhere I have been in Australia thus far for gluten free food. This is the first time I have been to restaurants and when I say I have celiac disease they understand that it is not just the ingredients of the food we are eating but it is also where and how it is prepared. Most restaurants will tell you honestly if there is a chance of cross contamination or if they have a separate cooking space, toaster, fryer, or oven. It feels like everywhere in Australia, they take celiac disease, food intolerances or allergies very seriously. However, keep in mind that regardless it is very important to speak to the chef, manager or your server about the details of your dietary requirements to be sure you will not become sick.

I wish I could have spent more time in Melbourne but here is a list of all the restaurants I ate as someone with celiac disease. Not one of the restaurants I have mentioned made me sick or caused a reaction.

1) Stalactites

This Greek restaurant, located downtown Melbourne, is highly recommended for those with celiac disease as it is accredited by the Australian Coeliac Association. This is the first time I have been to a restaurant that has the stamp of approval from the country’s coeliac association. There is a separate workspace for the chef’s in the kitchen to avoid cross contamination of gluten into any food, this includes chopping surfaces, oven’s, and anywhere to heat up the kebab’s and fryers for the fries/chips.

Not only is it safe for a celiac to eat at, but the food is out of this world fantastic. This was the first time in over 3 years since my diagnosis that I have been able to safely eat a kebab. The food here is so good that I went three days in a row. The first 2 days I had the mixed souvlaki (kebab) and the final day I had the lamb fillet kebab. I believe there are vegetarian options as well along with other amazingly delicious looking gluten free dishes. However, I would highly recommend the kebab as you will not believe the pita bread is gluten free, so good that I want to figure out the recipe so I can make it at home.

Each wrap I ordered came with a napkin that had the coeliac association sticker on it. This will both ease your mind that the wraps did not get mixed up, you know the chef knew that it had to be appropriate for a celiac with no cross contamination, but also, how cool is that?!

The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about any dietary requirements you may have. The environment is welcoming and bright with a sit down and take out option, the food was also served pretty darn quick as well.

As I mentioned, I ate here 3 days in a row, all with kebab’s, and had no reactions to gluten at all. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the area and looking for a celiac safe restaurant.

Location: 177/183 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Phone Number:+61 3 9663 3316

Menu:

2) Roule Galette

This is a very sweet little French cafe located downtown Melbourne very close to the Flinders Street Railway Station and the City Library. This adorable cafe is located within the beautiful Flinders lane, mixed in with other boutiques, shops and restaurants. You will know you are down the right street when you see a pink painted mural on the back wall of the street of two kangaroos dressed up.

This restaurant has gluten free options suitable for a celiac along with vegan and vegetarian. They informed me that they have a separate gluten free crêpe maker to avoid cross contamination. The gluten free crêpes are fantastically delicious and have options of being both savoury and sweet. They were so good that I bought both a savoury and sweet crêpe in the same visit.

I began with the avocado chicken crêpe, along with a French earl grey tea with almond milk and some of the best honey I have ever had. The crêpe is massive as it is the size of a standard dinner plate. The chicken was perfectly cooked, and was a perfect match with the avocado, tomato, emmental cheese, home- made basil pesto. Directly after this we ordered the La Belle Normande: Cinnamon poached apple, ice cream (can be vegan), homemade whipped cream, homemade salted caramel, my mouth was watering for hours after eating this.

The staff here are absolutely lovely, knowledgeable about dietary requirements and have some of the best French accents I have heard. The environment of the cafe will make you feel as though you have transported to France, the music is enjoyable and for over flow reasons, they have a small cafe on both sides of the cobblestone street. They offer breakfast, lunch, dinner and take away. I would highly recommend visiting this adorable French getaway for some of the best crêpes you will ever eat.

Location: Scott Alley, 237/241 Flinders Ln, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Phone Number:+61 3 9639 0307

Menu:

3) Bodega Underground

If you like Mexican food, this is the place for you. Everything in this restaurant is gluten free so there is no need for anyone with Celiac Disease to be nervous about cross contamination.

We went with the ‘feed me’ option on the menu, and as fantastically good as this option was, I would not suggest it unless you are starving…it was a lot of food, hence the name. With this option you get the totopos with guacamole, papas, elote, charred cauliflower, lamb riblets, two taco servings: carnitas, tacos de frijoles and end with the churros con dulce de leche. All of this food will cost you $50 ASD per person, and is to serve two people. This is a great option at this restaurant to try almost everything on the menu.

Every single dish we ate at this restaurant, I would go back for. The nachos are perfectly crispy and a great pair with their authentic guacamole, the tacos are a perfect size and just the right amount of filling along with being jam packed with flavour. The street corn was out of this world, I never would have thought to put parmesan cheese on BBQ corn on the cob. The papas were soft and delicious potato bites, paired perfectly with their chipotle in adobo sauce. The charred cauliflower was a meal on it’s own and I would 100% go back for this one if you are a vegetarian, it is a perfectly cooked head of cauliflower covered with a delicious cheese sauce. The lamb riblets fall off the bone as you pick them up and melt in your mouth. Finally, ending with gluten free churros…I never thought I would see the day that I could eat a churros again, this was a dream come true for a celiac. They were crunchy, covered in sugar and cinnamon and the dulce de leche sauce, I wanted to drink out of the bowl.

The environment of this great restaurant is fantastic along with the staff as well, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a gluten free option for Mexican food in downtown Melbourne.

Location: 55 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Phone Number:+61 3 9650 9979

Menu:

If you find yourself by Smith Street, seek out CIBI and Saba’s Ethiopian restaurant as they are both just a block or two away.

4) CIBI

This is a very sweet and down to earth restaurant serving Japanese cuisine. It is not just a restaurant, there is a beautiful plant store and Japanese pottery, knives and other special treasures you may not be able to find anywhere else. I truly wish I had more room in my travel bag to get some items back home.

The staff is lovely, and at first they were not too sure about cross contamination or food being 100% gluten free for a Celiac, however the chef pulled through and can I tell you how much I appreciated this! The food was very healthy, light but filling and exactly what I wanted to eat that day.

We both had chicken dishes from there that were both fantastic. My partner Chris had the lunch bowl which consisted of slow cooked chicken with green olives and herbs served with beets and daikon salad and grains. I had the chicken soboro which consisted of free range chicken mince, cooked with miso and ginger, a soy egg, greens and edamame, mizuna salad served with their CIBI rice blend. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the rice was cooked in a way that made it some of the best rice I have eaten in a long time. I did not feel bloated or as if I had eaten too much food after this meal, it is very nutritious and a perfect serving. I paired my meal with one of their in house made summer drinks. I would highly recommend checking this place out if you get the chance and you find yourself on Smith Street.

It is a great environment for doing some computer work, going in for a treat or tea/coffee, or for an early or later lunch.

Location: 33/39 Keele St, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia

Phone Number:+61 481 398 686

Menu:

5) Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant

This was my first time eating Ethiopian food and after the experience I had at this restaurant, it will surely not be my last! I found this restaurant wandering down Brunswick Street when I was very hungry, saw their menu in the window and told myself I had to give it a try. They have a celiac safe and vegan friendly menu, I was told their chef is celiac, so they know all about how to serve you safely! Music to my ears.

All meals are to be eaten with your hands using the fantastic Injera bread, not using utensils, however, I did see a few people using utensils to eat so this may be an option if you prefer. I went with the vegetarian combination where you get to choose three of their delicious vegetarian dishes, and believe me when I tell you, if you are not vegetarian, you will not be disappointed. It comes in a beautiful Injera basket with a plate inside of your Injera bread, which is made of teff flour. After this you are served your three servings of the vegetarian dishes you chose. I went with the Ful, Shiro and Dinish dishes, all were very flavourful and had individual unique spices and ingredients used. The Ful is made with fava beans, spices, egg and feta cheese (this can be made vegan if preferred), the Shiro is a chickpea and berbere paste with garlic and ginger, and the Dinish is potatoes, cabbage and carrots cooked in turmeric and other spices. Every single one I want to eat again, this is a very filling and nutritious meal.

The staff is absolutely lovely and the environment is just the same with a few Injera baskets beautifully placed on the wall to admire. I cannot wait to go to this restaurant again when I am back in Melbourne.

Location: 328 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia

Phone Number:+61 3 8589 0442

Menu:

Why Should I Travel?

Leave a comment November 28, 2019 Lauren Walker

The real question is, why shouldn’t you? I have always been an explorer and adventurer since I was very young. You could always find me in the conservation park in my neighbourhood or biking all over town. Then once I got my license to drive, I could reach more places to explore in the beautiful Canadian province of Ontario.

It wasn’t until I went on my first all inclusive trip to Mexico, that my mind and soul was awoken to the possibilities and different cultures that I strive to visit to this day. Needless to say, I caught the travel bug.

Since that trip I told myself I would go somewhere new every year. This expanded to Cuba the following year then the Dominican Republic and Newfoundland the next year after that. I then moved to British Columbia and recently have been going on more adventure like trips to Nepal, Thailand, the States, Costa Rica, and England. I CANNOT wait for the next country to explore.

This travel bug becomes a part of you because you are not just seeing a new place. You are learning new cultures, architecture, language, habitats, greenery, mountain ranges, rolling hills, smells, sounds, senses, your taste buds come alive with different food, you meet so many new and amazing people, you learn about history, and experience the wonders of the world first hand!

I read a quote quite a few years ago that was so close and true to my heart.

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a story teller.”
– Ibn Battuta

This is exactly what I plan to do, become a story teller. Stick around for the epic travels I have been on and the next ones I cannot wait to experience.

Now, get out there and explore!