By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
For some, going gluten-free is a medical must. For others, it’s a wellness badge, worn proudly between a green juice and a Pilates class. For the rest of us, it’s usually a synonym for disappointment. Sad salads. Bland bread. Pasta that tastes like punishment.
Before you swear off the GF life forever, The Botanica Vaucluse is delivering the plot twist we didn’t deserve. Tucked inside a lush, garden-filled pocket of Sydney’s east, this is where gluten-free dining grows up, gets glamorous and - dare we say - becomes downright irresistible.
The secret is a dream team of Chefs who know their way around a flavour bomb. Abby James (Quay, Jonah’s) and Thai Sams (Bentley) have nearly three decades of fine-dining cred between them and they’re here to prove that going ‘without gluten’ doesn’t mean ‘without joy’. Together, they’ve designed a seasonal menu that’s bold, creative and completely free of the wheat that usually glues menus (and bread) together.
This isn’t just ‘good for gluten-free’. It’s good. Period. Picture creamy stracciatella tangled with charred greens and leek oil. Sizzling Skull Island Tiger prawns with a hit of spice and shishito peppers. Glacier 51 toothfish with buttermilk and smoked hock so rich it should come with a warning label and wood-fired focaccia that’s so fluffy and buttery you’ll start side-eyeing your local bakery’s sourdough.
The vibe is farm-to-table. Minus the bloat-inducing protein. Most of the produce comes straight from The Botanica’s own gardens or trusted local growers and the Chefs pull out all the culinary tricks - smoking, fermenting, dry-ageing - to make sure every bite is as satisfying as it is saintly.
It helps that Abby and Thai aren’t here to make ‘safe’ gluten-free food. Abby brings a mash-up of Malaysian, Chinese and Japanese flavours that keep things exciting, while Thai’s mastery of proteins and sauces ensures every dish has depth. Together, they’re on a mission to make gluten-free dining feel like a treat, not a compromise.
Even the restaurant’s co-founder, Evette Moran knows how rare this is. "The menu has always been completely gluten-free, which is rare at this level, and it’s something we’re really proud to continue. This new chapter is about staying true to our farm-to-table ethos while giving guests something fresh and memorable every season,” she says.
So, whether you’re gluten-free by necessity, by trend, or just because you once read that bread is ‘so 2010’, The Botanica will make you forget you’re missing anything at all.
