How to eat out safely with celiac – the questions worth asking at a restaurant

Why “no bun” isn’t enough

When you have celiac, the question isn’t only whether there’s gluten in the recipe, but also whether the dish came into contact with gluten along the way. This is called cross-contact: crumbs on the work surface, oil that was previously used to fry schnitzels, a knife that cut bread and then a tomato. With celiac, even a very small amount can be harmful, so “we took the bread off the plate” isn’t always a safe dish.

The good news is that more and more places in Israel are familiar with the issue, and with a few of the right questions you can figure out very quickly whether the kitchen knows what it’s doing.

Before you go: a little prep goes a long way

It’s easiest to check in advance, at a quiet time – not in the middle of the dinner rush. A short phone call or message helps you find out whether the place is really suitable, and sometimes lets the kitchen prepare as well.

• ✓Ask to speak with the shift manager or the chef, not just whoever answers the phone
• ✓Ask whether they have experience with diners who have celiac, not just with a “gluten-free diet”
• ✓Check whether they have a gluten-free menu or dishes marked on the menu
• ✓Choose less busy hours, when the staff have time to listen and be careful

The checklist: what to ask the kitchen

These are the questions that make the difference. You don’t need to ask all of them every time – pick the ones relevant to the dish you’re ordering:

• ✓Fryer: Is there a completely separate fryer for gluten-free food? Fries cooked in the same oil as schnitzel or tempura are no longer safe for celiac.
• ✓Surfaces and chopping boards: Is the dish prepared on a clean surface, with a separate board and knife, or ones that have been washed thoroughly?
• ✓Pasta and rice: Is the gluten-free pasta cooked in clean water and a separate pot? Water used to cook regular pasta already contains gluten.
• ✓Grill and plancha: Will the dish be placed on an area where buns or pitas were also toasted? Sometimes you can ask for baking paper or a separate pan.
• ✓Sauces and seasonings: Does the sauce contain flour, regular soy sauce, beer or a spice mix that might contain wheat? What about marinades and coatings?
• ✓Toaster and microwave: Is there a separate toaster for gluten-free bread? A shared toaster is full of crumbs. In the microwave and oven – is the dish covered or heated in a clean container?
• ✓Gloves and hands: Did whoever made a sandwich before change gloves and wash their hands?
• ✓Desserts and drinks: Is the dessert served with a cookie or crumble? In cafés – is oat milk frothed with the same steam wand? At the bar – is the beer gluten-free or regular?

💡 An open question works better than “This is gluten-free, right?”. Try “How do you prepare this dish for someone with celiac?” – the answer will tell you a lot about the kitchen.

How to explain it to staff without feeling awkward

Most staff want to help; they just don’t always know the difference between a dietary preference and a disease. A short, clear sentence prevents a lot of misunderstandings. For example: “I have celiac – it’s a disease, not a diet. Even a small crumb of gluten harms me, so I need the dish prepared separately, with no contact with bread or shared oil.”

Ask for the note to be written clearly on the order sent to the kitchen, and when the dish arrives, make sure it really is the gluten-free one. And if something sounds unsafe – a hesitant answer, a plate that arrives with croutons, or “I think it’s fine” – it’s completely okay to pass. A simple, safe meal is better than days of discomfort.

💡 You can keep a short “celiac card” on your phone that explains what you can’t eat and why cross-contact matters. It’s especially useful abroad, but it also helps at a busy restaurant in Tel Aviv.

What the tags on “Bli Pirurim” mean

To make it easy to filter places at a glance, every business on the site is tagged according to the level it declares. Here’s what each tag means:

• ✓100% gluten-free – the whole place, including the kitchen, is declared gluten-free. This is usually the most comfortable option for people with celiac.
• ✓Separate kitchen (75%) – the place also serves dishes with gluten, but declares a separate prep area or kitchen for gluten-free dishes. It’s worth asking how the separation is kept in practice, for example with fryers and utensils.
• ✓Has gluten-free dishes (50%) – the menu has dishes whose recipes contain no gluten, but they’re prepared in a shared kitchen. This is where questions about cross-contact matter most.
• ✓Separate gluten-free menu – a bonus tag showing there’s a dedicated menu, which usually signals greater awareness. It can appear alongside any of the levels.

💡 The tags are based on what the places declare, and kitchens, suppliers and staff change. So even at a place with the highest tag, anyone with celiac should always check with the staff before ordering.

After the meal: help the community

Had a good experience? Tell people about it. Positive feedback encourages places to keep investing, and helps other diners know there’s someone they can rely on. And if you came across something that doesn’t match what the place declares, let us know – that way we can update the information on the site and keep it reliable.

FAQ

More on the blog

• 🔬Celiac disease – what it actually is, how it’s diagnosed, and how it differs from gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy
• 🕵️Where does gluten hide? The Israeli guide to foods, ingredients and labels