Steeliac

Tag: gluten free eating out

  • Domo

    Domo

    We had a lovely anniversary meal at Domo in Kelham Island. It’s a bit hidden away in the residential areas of Little Kelham Street, but when we arrived in the early evening, it already had a buzz about it.

    The menu has gluten free options marked on. I’d estimate they make up only between a third to a half of the menu, but that’s still a choice of five starters and eight mains, plus the pasta dishes that can be made gluten free. While you have to search through to find them, there are definitely some interesting dishes to try – I chose carpaccio tuna rolls stuffed with ricotta and caramelised figs to start, followed by pan fried halibut with spicy Sardinian sausage, king prawns and olives in a rich lobster sauce. Both were delicious and for a short while, I could have been on holiday.

    Also on the menu were grilled octopus, lamb prosciutto, oven baked swordfish and a classic, Sardinian fish stew, which I was also tempted by.

    Two cocktails on a table
    Carpaccio tuna rolls with figs and dressing
    Pan fried halibut with spicy sausage and lobster sauce
    Cheese cake al gelato with passion fruit and mango
    A candle and a cocktail

    There was only a choice of two gluten free desserts but the one I chose for us to share, even though I didn’t really need it, was really quite unusual – a cheese cake al gelato with passion fruit and mango. Cheese cakes can be quite heavy but the combination of the semifreddo and the tropical fruits made this one really light. In fact, I’d quite like to go back to remind myself – it was a highlight for me.

    The restaurant and bar is quite dimly lit and the menus have very low contrast so make sure you take your reading glasses! The service was very attentive – although there was another sitting after us so they didn’t want us lingering at the table, so instead we enjoyed an after dinner drink at the bar.

    This isn’t a cheap place – starters range from £8 to 15 and mains from £14 to upwards of £30 for some of the steaks – but great for a special occasion. Look forward to going back, probably in the second sitting for a more leisurely pace.

    Domo Restaurant
    Eagle Works, 34-36 Cotton Mill Walk, Little Kelham, Sheffield S3 8DH

  • The Dore

    The Dore

    We’ve been to The Dore very soon after it opened in summer, and I’m only just getting round to writing about it. It’s taken so long that we’ve already been back, so I’ve got two meals to tell you about. This place is the new incarnation of what was, for 36 years, the Dore Grill. The owners are the same people behind The Bank House restaurant and cocktail bar in Hathersage, which also looks worth a try.

    The first time we went in the evening, there were just two of us and we sat inside. The restaurant has had quite a makeover so it’s got a glam-looking interior, with fun decor, playful art and fabrics, and a cherry blossom tree in the conservatory.

    The menu is Italian inspired and has gluten free and gluten free options marked on, which made it nice and easy. I started with a bavette steak, which was pretty generous – a chargrilled steak, cooked pink, with a tomato salsa and rocket leaves. A good Yorkshire portion and I really enjoyed it. Other options were soup, king prawns and burrata.

    For mains, I decided to try the Porchetta. This was rolled pork with garlic, sage and rosemary, a truffle and parmesan mash and some tenderstem broccoli. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this quite as much as the starter as there was quite a bit of fat in the roll – there was still plenty of meat though. To be fair to them, it probably wasn’t the best choice for me as I sometimes don’t enjoy belly pork. The actual meat was lovely though, and the mash was very flavoursome. Just a bit of extra “food admin” to get to the meat.

    Other main course options included Tuscan chicken, a GF version of their steak burger and pizzas, as well as salads. And their potato and sweet potato fries are also gluten free, which is a bonus!

    I had an apple and cherry crumble for pud; they also offer a creme brulee. Crumble is a fairly unusual GF offering in a restaurant, so I checked it really was gluten free! This came with both ice cream and creme Anglaise, which made it quite indulgent. The crumble was great, but it did have a slightly charred flavour as if it had been blow torched instead of oven baked.

    We went back recently with some family on a lovely, sunny day and sat outside under their big glass canopy for lunch. This time I decided to combine a couple of their starters to make my own salad. I forgot to take pictures of them separately, so here they are together – a burrata with sun blush tomatoes and balsamic vinegar dressing sitting on top of a pomegranate & rocket salad. It was a lovely, if unorthodox, combination.

    My mum, who’s also coeliac, had a goat cheese salad, which came with gem lettuce, raddichio, semi dried tomatoes and orange segments, with a generous topping of truffle. And the teenager had a carne pizza with ham and pepperoni. I have to say, the home made base was magnificent, although the topping was a little sparse – the regular version comes with meatballs as well and I don’t think they had been substituted with a bit more ham.

    Overall, plenty to choose from with light options and full meals – plus a good cocktail menu if that’s your thing. Starters range in price from £6.50 – £11. Mains £15.50 – £24, although their most expensive steaks are a fair bit more. Weirdly, none of their kids’ main courses are marked as GF option but two of them are pizza and burger, so I think they could probably be made GF.

    The gluten free experience was fairly sound and the staff were quite clued up, although I did point out they have marked a cous cous dish on the menu as gluten free, and that’s still showing at the moment. Just shows you can’t ever let your guard down…

    The Dore, Church Lane, Dore Sheffield S17 3GS

  • Mowgli

    Mowgli

    Indian street food chain Mowgli has been on the list to go to for quite a while, having had some good recommendations from friends. (If you’ve ever been past, you’ll know it as the place with swings in the window.)

    We managed to get there in half term as one of our staycation treats and the boys insisted on the swing seat tables, of course. Although we were there for an early tea and it was fairly quiet, the abundance of fairy lights and trees created a great atmosphere. Full marks for the styling – even the water bottles have their trademark monkeys on.

    Close up of water bottle with three monkeys on
    Two cocktails - lychee rose martini and chilli mango margarita

    We started with a cocktail while we perused the menu – mine was a Lychee rose martini, his a Chilli mango margarita. Definitely getting into the holiday vibe!

    Top marks, as always, for a clear gluten free menu with plenty of choice (well… “gluten friendly” with the usual disclaimers, but the staff were pretty clued up). We ordered a variety of sharing dishes – from top left in the pictures below: Sticky chicken, Maa’s lamb chops and turmeric chips, Tea steeped chickpeas and House keema (lamb), and on the second row, Treacle tamarind fries, then House Keralan chicken curry, Mowgli paneer and Mother butter chicken in the middle pic.

    Sticky chicken on a metal plate
    lamb chops with turmeric chips
    Tea steeped chickpeas and lamb keema
    Treacle tamarind fries covered with red onion and chillis
    Four dishes of Indian food: rice, Keralan chicen curry, paneer and mother butter chicken
    An assortment of Indian curry with rice on a metal plate

    That sounds like stacks! But they aren’t massive portions so two dishes per person was probably about right, with some rice. Everything came served in stacked tiffin boxes that were unpacked at the table, and we ate from hammered steel plates, so it all looked great.

    The boys’ absolute favourites hands down were the two sweetest dishes – the sticky chicken and the treacle tamarind chips. They got polished off very quickly. My favourite was probably the fragrant house Keralan chicken curry and I loved the turmeric chips that came with the lamb. I also really enjoyed the paneer and the chickpeas – I love Indian vegetarian food. Each dish had a totally different flavour and colour and I’d happily have any of them again. (The main course dishes ranged in price from £5 to £9.95.)

    We didn’t really need any pudding after all of that! But we had spotted that the gluten free menu contained a very rare offering indeed – a home made gluten free ice cream cone! Whaaat?! So there was no way we were leaving without trying that, and I’m assured it was brilliant, although I wasn’t offered any…

    I have a soft spot for mango lassi so I had that instead of a pudding, and it rounded off the meal nicely.

    Overall, we had a briliant experience at Mowgli and will definitely be back as there’s so much more to try! Next time, I’ll be leaving room for an ice cream cone, but we might just sit at a regular table.

    Mowgli
    631 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield S11 8PT

  • The Broadfield

    The Broadfield

    I’ve only ever been to The Broadfield in Nether Edge for drinks. When I was invited to a work leaving do there for a meal, I figured I’d probably find something I could eat and I didn’t have particularly high expectations – there’s nothing marked on the online menu. But it turns out I was a bit wrong!

    When I asked about gluten free food, the server said, “Well, the fish and chips are gluten free.” Surprised, I said “Really? Are you sure? Actually gluten free?” And apparently they have a separate fryer, so they do gluten free fish and chips! He then produced an allergen menu, which wasn’t the best as I had to cross reference it a bit with the main menu, but it did the job. Whilst none of their pies (which they’re known for) are gluten free, there was still a reasonable choice as well as the fish and chips – ham hock, lamb shank, guinea fowl supreme. Not much in the way of vegetarian food though.

    A plate of food containing supreme of guinea fowl, forestiere sauce, Lyonnaise potatoes and wilted cabbage

    I decided to give the guinea fowl a try, and it was really good. It came with forestiere sauce (creamy mushrooms) Lyonnaise potatoes and wilted cabbage. The bird was nicely cooked and altogether it was quite rich. Very enjoyable.

    The rest of the offering for gluten free was the slightly sad burgers without the bun (beef with various toppings, or Cajun chicken) or sandwiches without the bread. There was a falafel burger as well that said GFO without the bun, but you’d probably need to ask in a bit more detail on that one as falafels aren’t generally gluten free.

    The Broadfield
    452 Abbeydale Road, Nether Edge, Sheffield S7 1FR

  • The Brook

    The Brook

    Hi, SteelyMcSteel here, and for my third post, I would like to recommend The Brook. It is a perfect option for a good brunch or breakfast out on the town. Their wonderful food along with their snazzy Sheffield themed art makes for a very cosy and comfortable aesthetic. They have a good range of gluten free food options including breakfast fry-ups and omelettes. 

    I went on a friend’s birthday during the summer holidays, this meant that there were few other customers. However, you can take away meals when all the seats are taken. 

    When I went, I had mushrooms on toast. It had a large slice with a delicious sauce which was a perfect balance of garlic and cream.  

    When we go back, I would like to try one of their omelettes, because my friend had one and it just looked perfect. 

    I was unable to have any of the last minute birthday cake, so I had to have some cake from the café! There is a choice of carrot or coffee cake, and oh boy is their carrot cake good. 

    You can enjoy them for yourself at 989 Abbeydale road, or you can visit their Facebook (@thebrookmillhouses) or their website at https://brookmillhouses.com 

  • The George, Hathersage

    The George, Hathersage

    I’m really getting into the swing of going out for tea again! I recently went with some friends to The George in Hathersage – somewhere I’ve been meaning to try out for a while. It’s a relaxed, traditional-style bar and hotel in a 500 year old stone building in the Peak District – but only a few miles out of Sheffield, and in easy reach by train. Apparently, it’s been under new ownership since June 2021, so I’ve no idea whether it’s changed much since Covid. The website suggests ‘dated decor and antiquated ambiance’ have been updated.

    I had a quick look at the menu before we went and it’s quite extensive – lots to choose from and well over half of the dishes were marked gluten free or gluten free option. (I’ve linked to the February menu here, so I’m not sure how long that link will work, but you can navigate from the home page.)

    Starters include dishes like crab pate, courgette & sweetcorn fritters, bourbon-spiced belly pork, but I opted for the spicy halloumi with a honey and sesame dressing. It came with spinach, pine nuts, carrots, spring onions and a balsamic glaze. The flavours were great, although perhaps the halloumi was slightly over for my liking. But we didn’t wait too long to be served and I was still enjoying my G&T when the starter arrived. (They have a whole load of local gins to try.)

    Our server was understanding about me being clear why I’d gone for a gluten free meal, and happily made a note for the chef.

    The main courses were equally varied, ranging from your trad. English fish and chips to a delicious-sounding pork fillet stuffed with sage and chorizo and wrapped in pancetta. That was my second choice dish – one for next time! They also serve pizzas and the menu states GF bases are available. As I was with friends, I didn’t quiz the server on how the pizzas are cooked to avoid cross contamination or ask the many questions about the fish and chips. And there’s teriyaki salmon on the menu, which I’d definitely want to find out more about. So it’s worth assessing the coeliac safe credentials of some of the dishes. Having said that, I do have reasonably high expectations they know what they are doing, and there was tonnes of choice.

    I went for a confit duck leg with stove potatoes, celeriac puree, braised red cabbage, broccoli and apparently a blueberry duck jus. I wouldn’t have known there was blueberry in the jus, but the whole thing had lovely, rich flavours and the duck fell apart, as should be expected.

    I didn’t want a full dessert, but I find it hard to resist the dessert menu, just to see! So I ordered a George Gourmand with a glass of dessert wine, which was supposed to be three miniature desserts. Sounded perfect – just a little something sweet to satisfy the taste buds.

    When it came, it was enormous! For scale, the strawberry in the photo is one of the biggest I’ve seen. Under that is a sticky toffee pudding, there was a chocolate log type of thing, a coconut ice cream, a mango sorbet and a meringue! This was definitely a situation where less would have been more – I found it a bit over facing. But I battled on through most of it and it all tasted great. There was more than enough to satisfy two people.

    Overall, we had a lovely meal with great service and a nice atmosphere. The place was packed out so it’s clearly very popular. I reckon it would be a good place to go with the family – there’s definitely something there to please everybody.

    The George, Main Road, Hathersage, Derbyshire S32 1BB

  • The Oxford Place – Leeds!

    The Oxford Place – Leeds!

    ***Sadly The Oxford Place closed permanently in July 2026***

    Now, I’ve decided to break a golden rule. The rule was to only write about places to eat in Sheffield, mainly to avoid confusion. But the discovery of a 100% gluten free restaurant in Leeds is too good to keep to myself!

    I discovered The Oxford Place because I went on a girls’ shopping trip to Leeds – on a pilgrimage, if you like – to John Lewis. Let’s not go there though. Suffice it to say that the Leeds store is a different experience.

    Now, normally, we’d have been looking for some street food, a quick and cheap option, so we could maximise the retail time, but we didn’t want the uncertainty and disappointment of looking for somewhere on the day. So it turned into what I find is fairly common – we ended up choosing somewhere more expensive to guarantee a good experience. This is another reason why Coeliac’s disease is so annoying – quick and cheap food options are generally off the menu.

    However, we did have an absolutely fabulous meal, and it was a joy to be in a place where there was no need to quiz the waiter about cross contamination, and where none of the menu was off limits. The restaurant itself is boutique style, with non-matching crockery and eclectic decor – we all admired the animals in picture frames wallpaper. And the chef’s Michelin star experience shone through the presentation and flavour of the food.

    For a starter, we all shared this fabulous vegetable tempura, which came with home made sweet chilli sauce. The batter was wonderful and crispy

    For my main course, I had pan fried seabass with tomatoes, samphire, brown shrimps and beurre blanc. It tasted as good as it looks – absolutely gorgeous. Crispy, seedy skin on the fish, salty samphire, and finished with a pretty flower.

    We were too full for a pudding and needed to get back to the retail, but before we left, we were treated to a shot of something (schnapps maybe?) to send us on our way. A reminder of my dim and distant youth! I might have been tempted by the tiramisu though – I’ve never seen gluten free tiramisu in a restaurant.

    So, I’m very much looking forward to another trip to Leeds so we can go back here. As you can tell, I would highly recommend it.

    The Oxford Place, 2 Oxford Place, Leeds LS1 2AX

  • Bills

    Bills

    ***Update – now closed***

    We went for a pre-theatre meal at Bill’s in the centre of Sheffield. It’s a chain restaurant and bar with a good gluten free offer of European style food. The interior of the restaurant has a slightly industrial look and feel with exposed pipes and cable trays, mixed with fancy chandelier light fittings – very trendy. We found the staff to be really attentive and it was a nice experience overall.

    Bill’s has what they call an “avoiding gluten” menu that has plenty of choice from burgers through main courses like fish pie and risotto, and a couple of interesting salads. The menu and website do unfortunately contain the usual disclaimer about allergens being present in the kitchen. But the staff seem fairly switched on about allergens, and I’ve been happy to eat here.

    I opted for a spiced cauliflower and butternut squash falafel bowl, which came with pickled red onions (a favourite of late) and a turmeric and mint soy yoghurt as a dressing. I often like to try a vegan dish, especially when it’s packed full of flavour like this.

    The restaurant is open from 8am (9am on Sundays), so it’s a good spot for breakfast or brunch as well. The gluten avoiding breakfast menu includes a variety of cooked breakfasts, egg-based options and even a stack of pancakes. Worth a try!

    Bills, 2 Paul’s Place, 127 Norfolk Street, Sheffield S1 2JF

  • The Summer House

    The Summer House

    I was delighted to find out that The Summerhouse on Abbeydale Road has re-introduced a gluten free menu. The restaurant has been expanded, so I assume they have a much bigger kitchen with the capability to avoid cross contamination. It’s also got a lovely atmosphere, with lots of nooks and different kinds of spaces with quirky lighting, great for cocktails with friends or an intimate meal. I went recently with a good friend and had a great evening and a lovely time catching up.

    We started with an appetiser of bread and olives. I have to say the bread was surprisingly good, with a brilliant texture – a very promising start to the meal. I was told it came from Morrisons, but I’ve no idea what brand.

    For my main course, I chose their signature dish, Tandoori Cod. This was really impressive from a gluten point of view, as it came with all the trimmings from the gluten-containing menu… so I was able to have the onion bhaji! It also came with Bombay potatoes, mango puree and mint yoghurt. It was delicious.

    I absolutely did not need a pudding, but I went for a chocolate brownie anyway, which was served with white chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Not a light dessert, by any stretch of the imagination. I was completely stuffed by the end of the meal.

    The Summerhouse is also open from 9am most days for breakfast and lunch, right through to the evening, and it seems to be very popular, so definitely worth booking a table.

    The Summerhouse
    289a Abbeydale Road South, Sheffield S17 3LB

  • La Mama

    La Mama

    We met some good friends for tapas at La Mama on Abbeydale Road a few weeks ago when it was still warm outside. We haven’t been here for a long time but remembered it being great. The atmosphere on a Friday evening was buzzing. With the music, decor and summer warmth with the patio window open, an hour or so in and we felt like we were on holiday abroad.

    It’s a South American rather than Spanish tapas restaurant (albeit plenty of similar dishes), so I started off with a classic Pisco Sour cocktail.

    Plenty of the menu is gluten free (with clear labelling on the main menu) so there was lots to choose from. We started with an antipasti platter, olives and Manchego. There’s a link to the menu here but I think they change it so it might expire after a while.

    So then we had some red wine and got chatting, and I forgot to take pics of the mains. Classic. But we had vegan nachos, green beans with garlic and paprika (they were ace), patatas (or rather Papas) bravas, of course, tortilla and a chorizo stew. It was all fabulous, so we ordered a bit more that we didn’t need. And a second bottle of wine…

    I tried the plantain for dessert, which was interesting… I think of plantain more as savoury, but, well, deep fry it and serve it with chocolate sauce and you can’t go too far wrong.

    My husband had the more traditional Crema Catalana, which looked great.

    And then we rounded it all off with another cocktail. Pandemic? What pandemic? It was so lovely to be out socialising with delicious food in a buzzing atmosphere. Highly recommend this place.

    La Mama
    238 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, S7 1FL