Gluten-Free Restaurants in Hong Kong

Publish date: 2024-08-03

My, Oh Maya

Sitting in an open-air spot on Moon Street is cozy Maya Café. Chef Tina Barrat is always cooking up a storm and chatting with customers, and she’s designed a Mediterranean-inspired menu that’s both delicious and nutritious. There are plenty of raw dishes, such as “pasta” made from zucchini. Must-tries are the meatless balls in tomato sauce, made with mushrooms, oatmeal and cheese; and the chia seed custard dessert.  

5 Moon St., Wan Chai, 2529-3319. 

Sweet Deal

Known for its creative cupcakes, Sweet Secrets offers some surprising delicious gluten-free varieties, including Luscious Chocolate, Crazy Banana and Divine Carrot. Founder Sarah Lee uses gluten-free flour, virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil and raw coconut sugar—one of the few bakeries to do so in Hong Kong.

35 Graham St., Central, 2575-6228.

Noodle Me This 

Asian cuisines aren’t exactly tailored to the gluten intolerant, but this Vietnamese eatery serves up a solution—38 of them, to be exact. At Noodle Mi almost all the items on the menu, including the noodles, are gluten- and MSG-free. What’s more, the creative dishes here offer a fresh take on traditional Vietnamese cuisine: try the chicken salad with cabbage, which is great for when it’s warmer.

Unit 8C, Kwai Bo Industrial Building, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Rd., Aberdeen, 2253-1114; G/F, 2 Bonham Strand, Sheung Wan, 2253-1113.

 

Holy Crêpe 

If you’re craving a crêpe, then La Creperie is a safe bet. With décor straight out of Brittany, France, La Creperie’s galettes are made using authentic regional recipes—meaning they’re all made with gluten-free buckwheat flour. All the savory crêpes are good to go as-is, and if you want a dessert crêpe, all you have to do 

is ask the chefs to prepare it gluten-free. 

G/F, 69 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2679-4666.

Lunch Lab 

Collaborating closely with local farmers, IPC Food Lab is an innovative farm-to-table restaurant that’s dedicated to creating organic, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Their stated goal: to reunite busy Hongkongers with the land. Originally started in Fanling, where the founders bought an industrial building and set up an indoor farm, a research center and a restaurant, the company recently opened another branch on Caine Road. 

IPC Fanling: G/F, IPC Centre, 26 On Lok Mun St., Fanling, 2676-6900.

IPC Central: 38A Caine Rd., Mid-Levels, 2810-6083. 

Dine & Dandy 

Home to a great selection of gluten-free and vegan options, Dandy’s Organic Café takes healthy eating very seriously. Head chef Vivi Cheung serves up tasty choices—try the avocado cheesecakes and gluten-free gelato. The friendly place has helpful servers on hand to explain what’s what, and all of the calorie counts are on display.

G/F, 108 Jervois St., Sheung Wan, 2815-8221.
 


What is this Gluten Thing Anyway?

Nutritionist and health coach Paula McQuillan offers up some insight. 

HK Magazine: So, what is gluten?

Paula McQuillan: Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelt and, by contamination, most oats. It gives bread its soft, gooey texture and helps cakes and cookies hold together. 

HK: What is celiac disease, and what’s gluten intolerance?

PM: When someone with celiac disease has even the tiniest crumb of gluten, their body reacts by attacking itself. Gluten intolerance is defined as someone who tests negative for celiac disease but still shows improvement when they take gluten out of their diet. Researchers and experts suggest they are on the rise because wheat has become so prevalent in the western diet that we are effectively overdosing on it. While gluten intolerance is not a true allergy—like peanut or shellfish allergies which are so serious that they can kill you in minutes—many people are sensitive to gluten and may not even realize it. 

HK: Is going gluten-free a good thing for everyone? 

PM: It is recognized that the overconsumption of refined, processed grain products is associated with insulin resistance and weight gain, which is likely to be fuelling the gluten-free choice for many people. However, eating gluten-free could have a negative impact on the health of individuals who look mostly to gluten-free processed foods to make up the bulk of their diet. Many gluten-free foods are high in sugar, have a high glycemic index and are nutritionally empty. Remember that many whole, unprocessed foods are naturally gluten-free. The focus should be on fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meat, poultry, fish, nuts, seeds and gluten-free grains.

Want to know more? Check out Paula McQuillan’s nutrition blog at mixingituphk.blogspot.com.

The Fussy Diner’s Dictionary

Feeling stuck at dim sum? This Cantonese primer will help. 

I am allergic to…

我對⋯過敏 Ngor dui [insert ingredient] gwo mun

I don’t/can’t eat…

我唔食得… Ngor mm sik duk…

Send me to hospital!

送我去醫院!

Sung ngor hui yi yuen!

Hey, handsome/sexy, what time do you get off work?

喂, 靚仔/女, 你幾點放工?

Wai, leng zai/lui, lei gei dim fong gung?

 

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