Gluten Free Indian Food in Toowoomba

Indian food is naturally friendlier to a gluten free diet than most cuisines. It still has traps, and the obvious ones are not the only ones.

Ice n Spice has been voted number one for gluten free dining in Toowoomba by local diners. Gluten free dishes carry a (GF) marker on the full menu. Most of our curries are gluten free as cooked, because Indian gravies are thickened with onion, tomato, yoghurt and ground nuts rather than flour. Breads are the main exclusion. Tell the staff when you book if you are coeliac rather than gluten sensitive, because the advice we give you is different.

Why Indian food suits a gluten free diet

Most European sauces start with a roux, which is flour and fat. Indian gravies do not. They are built from onions cooked down, tomato, ginger, garlic, yoghurt and often ground cashew or almond for body. That means the base of a curry is usually gluten free before anyone thinks about it.

Rice does the rest. Basmati, jeera rice, coconut rice, saffron rice and biryani are all rice-based rather than wheat-based. A curry and rice is a complete meal that never needed wheat in it.

Where the gluten actually is

Three obvious places and two that catch people out.

The obvious ones

All the breads. Naan, roti, paratha and kulcha are wheat. Every bread on our list contains gluten. There is no gluten free naan.
Battered and crumbed entrees. Onion bhaji is usually chickpea flour and often fine, but samosa pastry is wheat. Spring rolls are wheat.
Some Indo-Chinese dishes. Chilli chicken and chilli paneer are Indo-Chinese in origin and that style often uses soy sauce and cornflour batter. Ask.

The ones people miss

Asafoetida, also called hing. This is a resin used in a lot of vegetarian and lentil cooking. Commercial hing is very commonly cut with wheat flour to stop it clumping. Anyone who has been coeliac for a while knows this. Many restaurants do not.
Pre-mixed spice blends and some thickeners. Compound blends can carry wheat as a filler or anti-caking agent.

We flag this because it is the difference between a restaurant that ticks a box and one that has actually thought about it. When you tell us you are coeliac, these are the things the kitchen checks.

How to order a gluten free meal here

Say it when you book, and again at the table. Twice is not excessive. Booking notice lets the kitchen plan, and the table reminder makes sure it reaches the person cooking.
Say whether you are coeliac or gluten sensitive. These are different, and the kitchen handles them differently. Coeliac means we take extra steps on preparation. Sensitivity means we focus on ingredients.
Order from the GF-marked dishes. They are marked on the menu for exactly this reason.
Swap bread for rice. Steamed basmati, jeera, saffron or coconut rice. Or order a biryani, which is a full meal on its own.
Ask about the entree. Tandoori entrees are usually the safer choice than anything fried.

A meal that works

If you want a plan you can order straight off, this one holds up:

Tandoori entree to start, checked with the staff.
One meat curry from the GF list.
Channa masala or aloo gobi to share.
Steamed basmati and jeera rice for the table.
Gulab jamun is not gluten free, so finish with something else or skip dessert.

Cross-contact, stated plainly

We make wheat breads in the same kitchen, in a tandoor, all night. Flour is present. We take care with preparation surfaces and utensils when we know a coeliac diner is in, and that is why the notice matters. What we cannot tell you is that this is a gluten free kitchen, because it is not.

If you are highly sensitive, ring us on 07 4659 7777 and talk to us before booking rather than after. We would rather have that conversation on the phone than have you sitting at a table wondering.

Why the award matters and why it also doesn't

Being voted the best gluten free restaurant in Toowoomba by local diners tells you that gluten free customers here have had a good run of it and said so. That is worth something.

What it does not do is replace a conversation about your particular situation. A coeliac diner with a very low tolerance needs different handling from someone avoiding wheat by preference. Tell us which you are and we will work with it.

Visit Us
Address	177A–179 Margaret Street, Toowoomba City QLD 4350
Phone	07 4659 7777
Email	info@restaurantstoowoomba.com.au
Lunch	11:30am to 2pm, seven days
Dinner	4:30pm to 9pm, seven days

Common questions

Do you have gluten free options?

Yes. Gluten free dishes carry a GF marker on the menu, and most curries are gluten free as cooked because the gravies are thickened with onion, tomato, yoghurt and ground nuts rather than flour.

Do you have gluten free naan?

No. Every bread on the menu contains wheat. Order rice instead, either steamed basmati, jeera, saffron or coconut, or have a biryani as a complete meal.

Is your kitchen gluten free?

No. We bake wheat breads in the tandoor throughout service, so flour is present in the kitchen. We take extra care with preparation when we know a coeliac diner is dining, which is why advance notice matters.

Are samosas gluten free?

No. Samosa pastry is wheat. Onion bhaji is usually chickpea flour, but check with the staff on the night.

What is asafoetida and why does it matter?

Asafoetida, or hing, is a resin used in lentil and vegetarian cooking. Commercial versions are commonly blended with wheat flour, so it is a hidden gluten source in Indian food that many kitchens overlook. Tell us you are coeliac and the kitchen checks it.