A Sydney fine-dining venue is making the case that premium hospitality and gluten-free dining aren’t mutually exclusive.
The Botanica Vaucluse, a garden-framed restaurant tucked in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, has completed a formal certification audit through Coeliac Australia — placing it among a handful of high-end venues in the country to achieve that distinction.
The restaurant operates an entirely gluten-free kitchen, going beyond the loosely defined ‘gluten-friendly’ designations common across the sector.
The move addresses a significant unmet need. According to Coeliac Australia, 1 in 70 Australians — more than 350,000 people — live with coeliac disease and must strictly avoid gluten for medical reasons.
For that population, dining out often carries real risk around cross-contamination, even at restaurants that market themselves as accommodating.
“Gluten-free is not a trend; it is essential,” the venue said in a statement marking the certification.
The kitchen is led by Chefs Abby James, formerly of acclaimed Sydney restaurant Quay, and Thai Sams, who comes from Bentley. Their farm-to-plate menu draws on locally sourced ingredients and produce grown on-site at the venue, which has operated since 2016 and was designed by internationally recognised designer Evette Moran.
To coincide with Coeliac Awareness Week, The Botanica is donating $1 from every slice of its house-made gluten-free focaccia sold to support the coeliac community.
The restaurant is open Friday to Sunday for lunch, dinner, and private events at 2 Laguna Street, Vaucluse NSW.
