Adelaide has plenty to offer gluten-free eaters!
It is said that one should eat well and travel often. I certainly do both, and I’m not alone. There are so many wonderful gluten-free bloggers who share my passions, and I love to give them some space on my blog so that the two of you may get acquainted. Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Alice from Deglutenous. A writer and food lover with coeliac disease, who resides in the wonderful city of Adelaide.
I’ve never been to Adelaide, but I hope I will be able to visit one day. I must admit that Alice’s description of the exciting and delicious gluten-free options the city has to offer certainly has multiplied my eagerness to visit!
Alice and her partner know first-hand what Adelaide has to offer a coeliac, and from their explorations of local restaurants and eateries, she has put together a fantastic little post for us. She knows this city like the back of her hand, and has assembled a 4 day guide to “eating your way around Adelaide” as she puts it. I think that sounds like a brilliant way to make the most of a gorgeous city, and I am very happy to share this useful post with you!
Love, Kristine
Gluten free food tour of Adelaide
We love to travel and we love food, and because I have coeliac disease, my villi-protecting partner and I are always on the hunt for delicious gluten-free fare.
All of that said, we know exactly what it is like to travel with coeliac disease. That feeling of excitement intermingled with trepidation as you set off on a dream holiday, only to be worried about where the next gluten-free meal will come from. For this reason we wanted to share with you all the local haunts you must visit when you come to Adelaide, our home town.
Some would say it is a little village in comparison to other cities, but Adelaide loves food. It has a vast number of things to entertain you on your visit, many of them are food related, but there is wine, scenery, arts… The list could go on, but what you really must know is this; gluten-free food options are abundant! We really want to share with you the gems we have discovered and visit frequently in Adelaide. Here is our 4 day itinerary to eat your way through Adelaide.
(Click on restaurant names to be redirected to their website)
Day 1
If you want to experience an exceptional gluten-free bakery, you need to come to Just GF Cafe. There are two exceptional things to point out about Just GF – Firstly, it is 100% gluten-free (as the name suggests). Secondly, Sabine the owner and chef, doesn’t have coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, she just wants to make great food for the people who do. The must try items are the bread and the savoury pastries. If you have other allergies or intolerances there is also a high chance you will find something to satisfy you at Just GF.
You are in for a treat. Press is all about using fresh and seasonal produce to create dishes that are absolutely delicious. They specialise in meat (their name is derived from meat press) but there is something for everyone on the menu. For a relaxing afternoon we recommend arriving early and sharing a number of the smaller dishes as a tapas style meal, but every single one of their dishes is impressive. Be sure to specify you are gluten-free, but most things are adaptable as it is prepared from scratch.
Day 2
Adelaide has some of the most beautiful beaches. Head to Henley Beach for a stroll on a sunny day and finish with a coffee and bite to eat at Swedish Tarts. Now, all of the food is very good and they offer a range of gluten-free options. We can recommend any of the gluten-free cakes (the chocolate mud cakes are particularly good!) or their quiches, they also have their own homemade gluten-free bread, so many of the dishes can be gluten-free. As always though, be sure to ask.
If you miss good pasta and pizza you must go to Enzo’s Ristorante. They serve up the finest gluten-free gnocchi you can imagine, but every meal is sensational. The menu isn’t 100% gluten-free but Enzo’s are known around town as being on most people’s favourite restaurants list, and this applies for those living gluten-free too.
Day 3
Head south to McLaren Vale, but on the way make sure you stop at the Organik Cafe at Glenelg. It has plentiful scrumptious gluten-free breakfast options not to mention a little store you can browse through too.
If you love wine you have come to the right part of the world. Adelaide is surrounded by wine regions on every possible side. To the north there is the Barossa Valley, to the east the Adelaide Hills and to the south, McLaren Vale. We highly recommend McLaren Vale as a day trip, if only to enjoy a leisurely lunch at The Currant Shed. The food is technical without being stuffy, finessed but bursting with flavour, and most of the menu can be made gluten-free, gladly. McLaren Vale is not far in from the coast, and it is well worth the drive to Port Willunga to take in some stunning coastline and you know, walk of all that lunch and wine!
Day 4
This is the place you go when you don’t want to cook but still want to eat at home. Enzo’s Ristorante was mentioned above, and Enzo’s at Home is another venture for the great chef and his family. It has a range of pre-made meals, ready for you to take home and put in the oven. Not only that, but they are also a cafe, serving plenty of gluten-free options! In fact, the factory where all the food is made is completely cleaned on a Thursday night, ready for a Friday and Saturday of gluten-free baking and creating. You must try the eggplant parmagania or the gluten free gnocchi! Saving the best for last though, why not have some of their delicious homemade gelato, the hazelnut gelato with chocolate and hazelnut ganache is to die for!
This is the best gluten-free place to eat in Adelaide! What can we say about Maiz and Mexcal to do it justice? The Mexican cuisine is true to Mexican street food. It is all 100% gluten-free, and did we mention delicious? Most of all we love it because it is a different experience. It is laid back and colourful and if you are lucky you will even get a Mexican waiter. The owner is a coeliac so there is gluten-free beer on the drinks menu…if you can go past a margarita!
Explore our local produce
Walkerville Meat Store
This is a butcher that has a gluten-free option for everything, including schnitzels and nuggets, marinated meats and roasts stuffed with gluten-free fillings and of course all the sausages are gluten-free too. The best part about the Walkerville Meat Store is that they are creative with their products, my favourite so far was a pistachio crusted schnitzel.
Think of any type of flour and you will be able to find it at Goodies and Grains. The store is filled with flours, cereals, dried fruit and legumes, nuts, spices and the list goes on. Go and take a look, anything that is gluten-free will be marked, so you will be sure to find a bag full of goodies to take home.
In Adelaide the independent supermarkets are a gluten-free saviour. They stock so many of the best gluten-free products which is a blessing, because the larger supermarket’s ranges seem to be more and more own brand oriented. If you make it to Swedish Tarts at Henley Square, pop into the Foodland a few stores down. Otherwise the Norwood Foodland is one of the best for gluten-free food range.
We hope you enjoy our gluten-free food tour of Adelaide. We think it is both delicious and a great way to see the sights of our lovely little city!
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