Gluten-Free Events Calendar
If it’s gluten free and happening in Victoria, Vancouver Island or the Gulf Islands, you’ll find it listed here! From tastings to contests, farmer’s markets to food trucks – this is your calendar to Gluten-Free Paradise! Join Victoria’s Gluten-Free Foodies and add a new restaurant – and possibly a new gluten-free friend – to your repertoire!
Meet Up at MeeT Vegan / Vegetarian Restaurant at 797 Hillside Ave in the former Boston Pizza location
4 – 6pm on Sunday, April 16
RSVPs REQUIRED to ellen@theceliacsene.com
eatmeet.ca • Menu • Facebook • Instagram • info@eatmeet.ca • 250-704-2900
MeeT Reshapes the Restaurant Industry
Never before in The Celiac Scene’s history have I interviewed a restaurant so aware of its ingredients and so committed to serving the unique needs of each and every diner.
Food sensitivities are not just accommodated, they are celebrated!
Because MeeT is committed to honouring the vegan and vegetarian choices of its diners, they visit with every supplier and build strong relationships with each one of them.
In the course of doing so, they become keenly aware which ingredients contain gluten along with a host of other food allergens. As a result, MeeT has effectively deconstructed the building blocks of food, and from there, created amazing meals in ways that meet almost any need – or want!
I spoke with Adam Twohey, former chef at MeeT’s Yaletown location in Vancouver, and now Victoria’s MeeT Manager. He impressed me with his comprehensive knowledge of everything this 4-location offers. Be amazed!
- Dedicated gluten-free deep fryer
- Dedicated gluten-free grill
- All toppings used to dress meals are taken from fresh containers.
- If there is any doubt about the GF status of an ingredient container, a fresh container is taken from their walk-in cooler.
- Any loose flours used at MeeT are gluten free
- MeeT uses Little Northern (vegan) brand bread and buns for their gluten-free burgers and sandwiches.
- MeeT’s menu is notated to indicate which meals contain gluten and nuts. Many of these meals can still be adapted to gluten free. Ask your server – they are eager to help!
- Please always assert your needs when ordering items that do not have a gluten notation to ensure that the kitchen can take necessary precautions.
- OATS! The oat-intolerant can rejoice in knowing that oats are not incorporated into any of MeeT’s offerings!
- Oat milk however is used, and it should be noted that it is NOT gluten-free.
- Specially ordered meals may take longer to prepare and cook. Please be patient.
“I am thrilled that MeeT Restaurant has made its way to Victoria. I encourage our community to offer this breakthrough establishment its warmest welcome!” Ellen Bayens, The Celiac Scene
More About MeeT
“Ivo, Jason and Linda have spent the last 20 years in Vancouver, owning and operating a total of 8 restaurants and organic grocery stores throughout the city!”
“They launched the concept of MeeT with a purpose to re-engage in the restaurant industry – not just to succeed in this market, but to re-shape it!”
“From customers perceptions of comfort food, to staff perceptions of what a workplace should be, their goal is to surpass and re-imagine the restaurant establishment to be a better version of itself!” Learn more …
I have severe food allergies. Can I eat in your restaurant?
“We take food allergies very seriously. While we can never guarantee that our food is 100% free of allergens, there are several steps that we take to minimize the risk of cross-contamination. We are a peanut-free establishment, two of our deep fryers are used exclusively for gluten-free items, and our menu is egg and dairy free.”
“Our menu does make extensive use of ingredients such as nuts, wheat, and soy, but we take great care to process these items separately to avoid cross contamination. Please specify with your server the nature and severity of your allergy. Severe allergy bills do take us longer to prepare and cook.”
*Despite all of this, there is always a chance of human error in prepping or cooking of food, or cross-contaminated food from suppliers. For this reason, guests should be comfortable with these potential factors before eating with us. Learn more …
Do you have a kids menu, and are you kid friendly?
“OMG, we love ‘em! We were recently featured on a Kids Edition episode of You Gotta Eat Here! (season 5 episode 16, but who’s counting?) where we showed off a few of our favourite kid friendly dishes; the Chili Cheez Fries, Mac’N’Cheez Burger, and Chocolate Coconut Ganache Tart. We don’t have a dedicated kids menu, but there are lots of items on our menus that your kids will love!” Learn more …
Find MeeT in Vancouver
- Main – 4288 Main St – 604-696-1010
- Gastown – Inner Courtyard, 12 Water St – 604-696-1111
- Yaletown – 1165 Mainland St – 604-696-1165
Saturdays, March 2 to April 27 8:30am to Noon
El Faro Flour Market Table at Qualicum Beach Farmer’s Market • Facebook • Instagram
Gluten-Free Cookies and El Faro Market’s famous flour for sale!
El Faro Gluten Free Flour – Artisan Blend – Hand-crafted in Small Batches in Parksville, Vancouver Island.
- “Your flour has given me my life back. I can bake again for the first time in years confidently.”
Watch the El Faro Flour video!
Secret El Faro Flour Scone Recipe!
El Faro Chocolate Cookies!
From desserts to scones to fish & chips, El Faro’s Flour Blend forms the foundation of all of the baking at El Faro Fusion’s 100% gluten-free restaurant. Now we can enjoy their artisan mix in our own kitchens!
HOURS: Thurs 4-8 • Fri + Sat 12-8 • Sun 12-5
“From hard times come small gifts. In the spring of 2019 we formulated our gluten-free flour and then sidelined the project. During Covid we couldn’t find our favourite gluten-free flour and everything we tried just didn’t measure up to our expectations in creating our favourite baked goods.”
“We pulled out the formula we created and made our favourite scones with it. We nailed it!! The quality, taste and texture were beyond our wildest dreams for anything gluten free. We then shared it with our valued customers and friends for feedback and their overwhelming positive feedback and encouragement led us to you!! We are so excited for you to try our flour for all of your baking adventures!”
“We would love to hear from you. Please feel free to share your baking adventures with us at elfarofusion@yahoo.com“
Testimonials
“Little by little I am working through my favourite cookie recipes now using your flour. Nothing but success! These ones are particularly good, ginger crinkles! They turned out better than ever. With your flour I am actually thoroughly enjoying baking (and eating) my gluten-free treats again!”
…….
“Today I made one of my favourite recipes that I haven’t been able to make for years … Toblerone Shortbread. Oh my goodness, they turned out so well! You’ve restored my faith in baking. Thank you so much!”
Ingredients: Brown Rice Flour, White Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Sorghum Flour, Sweet Rice Flour, Arrowroot Starch and Xanthan Gum.
Carrying Retailers
- BCause
- Better U Market (Qualicum Beach)
- Chemainus Health Food Store
- Country Grocer (Salt Spring Island)
- El Faro 100% Gluten-Free Restaurant & Market (631 Island Highway in Parksville)
- Edible Island (Courtney)
- Fairway Market (Quadra)
- Farmgate Store (Mayne Island)
- Gaia Grocery (Tofino)
- Lifestyle Markets (Douglas Street)
- Market on Millstream (Langford)
- Market on Yates (Victoria)
- Old Farm Market (Oak Bay)
- Pepper’s Foods (Cadboro Bay)
- Pomme Natural Market (Nanaimo)
- Tru Value Foods (Pender Island)
El Faro Fusion 100% Gluten-Free Restaurant in Parksville
“We put love in our food and it comes back to us! If you’re one of life’s adventurers, you will always be welcome at El Faro.”
HOURS: Thurs 4-8 • Fri + Sat 12-8 • Sun 12-5
“At El Faro, we create 100% gluten-free, oat-free naturally hand-crafted fusion cuisine. We believe that good food heals the body as well as the soul. All our dishes are vibrant, delicious, fresh and fun and made with locally sourced, organic and sustainable ingredients.” Learn more …
- “We stopped in on Sunday and this place is great. At first we drove right past it, the outside doesn’t jump out at you as a restaurant. Don’t let that fool you, the food was outstanding. To me, the hallmark of a good/great celiac eatery is that as you eat your food, you would never know that everything is gluten free. Four of us weren’t celiac and the meal was delicious. Any time we venture as far north as Nanaimo, we’ll be taking a detour through Parksville to eat here, we barely scratched the surface of the menu.”
Dine as a Group at Tartan Toque! Saturday, April 20 from 5pm at 1507 Pandora Avenue. Right next door to Origin Bakery!
• Everyone welcome! Gluten-free diners as well as significant others who may or may not eat gluten free! Family friendly!
• Tartan Toque’s token of appreciation! Complimentary Panna Cotta Dessert! (contains dairy)
• RSVPs a MUST before Thursday, April 18! Contact ellen@theceliacscene.com.
• Drop ins and ‘no shows’ are not cool. Notice of cancellation required or risk being excluded from future events.
• Additional food sensitivities / allergies? Please contact Tartan Toque directly at 778-265-9464.
- Monday Nights – Shafts – coffee-flavoured cocktails (GF)
- Tuesdays & Thursday – Pitcher Specials (contain gluten)
- Wednesdays – Wing Nights – second orders are half price! (GF)
- Sunday – Special pricing on Caesars (made with GF Worcestershire sauce!)
Tartan Toque is Victoria’s Premier Wings Restaurant! New owner Brendan Walker, is a Red Seal Chef with vast experience in the hospitality industry .
He is proud to have worked at some of Canada’s best hotels: the Lord Nelson Hotel in Halifax; the Shangri-la Hotel in Toronto; Weston Bayshore, Fairmont Waterfront & Pan Pacific Hotels in Vancouver and the Delta Ocean Pointe Hotel in Victoria.
- Perhaps what makes Brendan most qualified to undertake a makeover of this very popular restaurant is that his father has celiac disease. Brendan gets it!
1507 Pandora (right next door to Origin Bakery) Open 7 days a week! 12 – 9pm
tartantoque.ca • Order Online • 778-265-9464
Facebook • Instagram • Gallery • Menu (scroll down to view)
In advance of Tartan Toque’s reopening, Brendan used his skills to hone what was already a mostly celiac-friendly menu to (almost) 100% gluten-free. ‘The Toque’ has been voted Victoria’s Best Wings many times over. Each item is made in house, from scratch.
- Wings, their sauces and – wait for it – gluten-free deep-fried pickles, calamari, crispy chicken & fries
- All deep fryers are dedicated gluten-free
- No loose flour on site, gluten or otherwise. All desserts are gluten free
- Tartan Toque is pleased to offer us Whistler’s Forager Beer, ciders and a selection of carefully curated wines.
Where’s the gluten, then?! The only gluten-containing items on the premises are hamburger & hot dog buns, wraps, croutons and a selection of gluten beers.
If you are a celiac or require a scrupulously gluten-free meal, make that crystal clear when ordering. * Staff will swap in Origin Bakery bread or bun, refresh their gloves and settings and, importantly, will use fresh toppings from un-opened bins. **
* As in any kitchen that also handles even the smallest amount of gluten, Tartan Toque cautions that the risk of cross contact, albeit remote, may still be a possibility.
** NOTE: for the oat sensitive: ‘pure’ oats are used in all burgers.