Café Free, Neutral Bay
With cafés popping up on every corner in Sydney, it’s more critical than ever for owners to offer a point of difference in a city that seemingly has everything. Enter Café Free: this Lower North Shore establishment delivers all the usual café favourites but every single dish on the menu is gluten-free.
So coeliacs rejoice – everything “off-limits” to the gluten intolerant is now back on the cards. You like waffles? Well get your hands on the only gluten-free waffles in Sydney right here. The Chocolate Chip Waffles are topped with caramelised banana, whipped cream and drizzled in golden maple syrup. Yum! The place is essentially a coeliac’s definition of heaven – just dig into forbidden foods without apprehension.
With everything being made fresh and in-house and with a menu that changes up regularly, there’s always something new to try. For breakfast, there’s the Tradie Roll (bacon and egg roll smothered in smoky Texas BBQ sauce on a soft bread roll), Rice Flake Porridge, Mixed Mushrooms, Free Range Eggs with Toast, the Big Breakfast and our top pick: Antipasto Stack with eggplant zucchini, tomato and basil pesto. An Italian classic that’s easy to devour and deliciously tasty.
If you get here after 11am, you’ll also be able to choose from the lunch options which include the Chicken Kebab Wrap, Prawn Penne Pasta, Soft Beef Taco Fajitas, Dumpling Salad, and the gluten and lactose-free Fish & Chips which are lightly battered and perfectly golden with a side of house-made tartare. Our top pick for lunch would have to be the Portuguese Chicken Sliders. These bad boys are filled with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, mayo and chilli sauce on a bun. Absolutely mouth-watering and you’ll be wanting to order more after getting your teeth into them.
If you want to get real naughty, check out their assortment of gluten and dairy free house-made cakes, tarts and slices for sale. Load up on everything from lemon meringue tarts to doughy cinnamon scrolls, finger buns or gluten-free doughnuts. They even do loaded shakes that taste just like a traditional milkshake but are made for those with intolerances. Available in strawberry, salted caramel, mint chocolate and vanilla and topped with a doughnut and marshmallows, there’s plenty here to indulge in.
With an entire menu that makes life easy for diners requiring gluten, lactose and gluten-free options, Café Free is well worth a visit.
Café Free
Shop 1, 48 Yeo St, Neutral Bay
Open Mon to Fri (7am-4pm), Sat/Sun (8am–4pm)
