The best gluten-free cafés and restaurants in Melbourne

This 100% gluten-free restaurant in Saint Kilda happens to also serve up some of the tastiest Latin-fusion flame-grilled eats south of the river – plus summery cocktails atop a classy, intimate rooftop bar. Start with chargrilled arepas and slow-cooked octopus with black bean, tomato confit, tapenade and potato terrine. You've also got tostadas filled with braised beef cheek, lobster or wild mushrooms to snack on, and an extensive range of cocktails with its own dedicated Margarita menu. You can bring your plant-based pals along too, as Rufio also offers a fair amount of vegan and vegetarian options. Score!

The staff at Chocolate Buddha, a restaurant specialising in Japanese cuisine, are here to alleviate your concerns about gluten in your food. They have a gluten-free menu here and all of the gluten free food is prepared in a dedicated area using separate ingredients and utensils so that there’s no crossover. Better still, all of the soy sauce is gluten free, they make noodles in house without gluten, and make dumplings with prawn, salmon and chestnuts. They’ve also teamed up with Melbourne-based Compassionate Kitchen to offer a range of gluten free and vegan desserts.    

This popular casual eatery takes a modern approach to Asian street food classics, with a skew towards Thai and Vietnamese flavours. Luckily for gluten-intolerant diners, the menu has clearky marked dietaries so you can partake in a big dinner feast with friends without worrying about accidentally hurting your belly. Some of our favourite gluten-free dishes on the menu include the crispy coconut cups with caramelised Mooloolaba prawns and Yarra Valley salmon caviar, grilled banana leaf monkfish, Thai fried chicken and the succulently rich rendang beef. Wash it all down with a round of funky Asian-inspired cocktails and your night's set. 

The chefs at Mamasita work hard to make sure that at least 85 percent of their menu is gluten free or has a gluten free option. They use gluten free storage containers, pans and plates to help keep every speck of flour and wheat from ever reaching their GF food. Serving up delicious Mexican cuisine in the form of tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, fish tacos, winter veg and blue-eye tamal, you can tailor your eating experience from something light to an all-out banquet. As co-owner Nick Peters says, “We are always looking for new ways to incorporate gluten-free options into our menu, whether through different flours or other ingredients.” And if you have any new and tasty Mexican gluten free cooking ideas, they’re always open to hearing them.

Named after the nonna who passed down her cooking skills to the rest of the family, this charming pizza and gnocchi bar tucked into the corner of Lygon and Elgin Street is one of Carlton's best-kept secrets. Somewhat hidden from the main Little Italy strip, you need to know it exists to find it. But once you're in, you'll be well-rewarded with great wine, authentic dishes with imported Italian ingredients and fresh local produce, and plenty of warmth from the owners and waitstaff. The gnocchi at Gemma's is 100% gluten-free and undoubtedly some of the best you can get in Carlton. Light, delicate, and served in a variety of different silken sauces, these beautifully soft pillows are made from a blend of 90% Royal Blue and Desiree potatoes and 10% gluten-free flour. And the berry pannacotta's also gluten free, so you don't need to miss out on dessert.

That trademark Ethiopian hospitality accompanies a mix of curries laid out on injera bread – a kind of really massive spongy crumpet made in-house from teff flour and other grains. You can ask for one that's 100% teff flour to make it gluten-free, and the legends are also happy to accomodate any other dietary restrictions. Eat with your hands, dance to the live music, and sink down a few Ethiopian beers.

T'Gallant is one of the Mornington Peninsula's most recognised wine brands, in part due to its wildy popular Juliet pinot noir but also because of it's tranquil winery and recently refurbished Tuscan-inspired restaurant. You'll probably leave with more than a few bottles from the shop, but it's also worth taking a lunch break if you arrive around the afternoon – particularly if gluten and dairy isn't your friend. The kitchen offers its own vegan cheese and is willing to swap out its pasta and pizza bases for gluten-free alternatives, meaning you can enjoy a Margherita, prawn linguini or beef ragu dish without breaking a sweat. And there's also wine, which thank God, is gluten free.

There's no denying Italian fare is a carb-heavy undertaking, and flour features prominently, so it's very good news for the coeliacs amongst us that Shop225 is serving all the classics in a gluten-free version. After co-owner Lorenzo Tron’s partner was advised to follow a gluten-free diet, he swiftly learned how difficult it was to scout suitable dining options. This experience led him to create a menu that specialises in gluten-free wood-fired pizzas without compromising on taste. They are very serious about their service too — their kitchen is divided in zones, the gluten-free pizza bases are placed on baking paper and are handled with a different pizza paddle and cutting tools to avoid contamination. What this means is that they are the first pizza shop in Australia accredited by Coeliac Australia.

When you ask a Melburnian where to get an epic late-night souva in the CBD, they'll probably tell you Stalactites. But not many know about it's fantastic gluten-free offerings. The famous restaurant was uniquely the first ever Greek-certified Coeliac accredited business in Australia. Dedicated to premium quality ingredients and produce that caters to all dietary needs, you don't need to sacrifice the pita bread on your souvlaki - they've got you covered. Just make sure you let them know you want your meal to be gluten-free so they use the different bread. Luckily, Stalactites' kitchen is open until midnight (or on some night even 2am), and its giro rotisserie set-up doesn’t stop spinning day and night. The lamb souva comes with copious amounts of crunchy lettuce and yoghurt sauce and it's an old-school Melbourne favourite. You might be bloated after eating one but at least it won't be from gluten.

Hella Good is the Stalactites team's sister venue specialising in everyone’s favourite Greek sandwich. It's young, it's fresh, and best of all, it's got Coeliac accreditation so you'll be well looked after here if you just can't with wheat. Worried about losing out on flavour? Never fear. Hella Good uses the same 45-year old recipes that put Stalactites on the map so you can be assured your souvlaki will be gob-smackingly good. You can find Hella Good outlets in Chadstone, Emporium and Fitzroy, so keep an eye out for one next time hunger strikes.