It’s everyone’s favourite moment. You walk into a cafe. The smell of fresh coffee. The warmth of ovens baking fresh croissants. Then it hits you.
You’re coeliac. You can’t eat croissants.
Being coeliac in Luxembourg can be a bit of a hassle. We live in a land of fresh pastries and lots and lots of baguettes. There are Fishers and Oberweis shops on every corner and every street in between. Going to people’s houses is even worse because they try to make something you can eat, despite your reiterations of ‘it’s okay as long as there’s vegetables and meat with no sauce’.
Having been living gluten free for over eight years I’ve become accustomed to explaining that potatoes and rice are starch. I constantly remind my friends that I don’t mind that they eat cake in front of me, I’m used to it. But we all long for the day when we can go to a restaurant and have sauce on our pasta.
Well, that day is here. Sort of.
Dining out when gluten free is a challenge, but here are a few places you can invite your friends to where they can eat something and, surprise, so can you.
Located in, you guessed it, Belair, Café Bel Air offers a delicious gluten-free burger upon request. On top of this, they also have a gluten-free beer that finally tastes like beer. Beware, they are quite popular so you’ll want to make a reservation especially around lunchtime.
Want a peak inside? Then check out our ‘What to try at...’ episode featuring Café Bel Air.
For those in the south of Luxembourg, treat yourselves to gluten-free burger and pasta at Schräinerei, which is located inside a former ARBED carpenter’s workshop (hence the Luxembourgish name of the place). They offer all of their burgers and pasta (sauces) gluten-free and trust me when I say that the gluten-free buns are worth the trip (basically it’s the size of the burger and not 5cm smaller). They also offer Bulmers, which is gluten-free, so you can enjoy your food and drink just as much as your friends.
Despite popular belief, not all sushi is gluten-free. Many sushi place’s put soy sauce in their sushi, or use a sushi rice vinegar that has gluten. Sushi Lovers is an all-you-can-eat sushi place that has become a staple for me (as a sushi addict), so I always suggest it. Sushi Lovers restaurants exist in Luxembourg City and in Foetz.
Over in Gasperich is one of my favourite places, the Indian restaurant New Delhi. Many of their dishes are gluten-free and they were very willing to help us when we told them of our issues. Their labelling for allergens is very clear and their food very delicious.
While this isn’t an extensive list of places, its a start to Coeliacs overtaking the worl–I mean, being able to eat out gluten-free.
