Allergy Friendly Berlin: Michelberger Restaurant

What happens when a celiac and an allergy girl walk into a restaurant? The kitchen staff freak out?! Well, not at the Michelberger Restaurant!

95% of the time before eating out at a new restaurant I will call or email in advance. This way I can make sure that they will be able to accommodate my food allergies and they know I am coming. There is nothing like rocking up to a busy restaurant with multiple food allergies and expecting to have a safe and stressfree meal. It’s better for everyone to prepare, me included.

So when Kate, the celiac in this story, and I decided to go out for lunch, Kate did the investigating and made sure that Michelberger Restaurant knew we were coming.

Allergy & Celiac Friendly Berlin: Michelberger Restaurant

After talking about how both of us wanted to go Michelberger Restaurant, but never had an opportunity and since Kate knows the chef, it felt like the perfect starting point for our dining adventures. We had a few nervous moments while ordering because of the back and forth with the waitress. In the end, the restaurant did a great job at making sure we had a safe meal. I didn’t get my first choice, or precisely what was on the menu, however with a few substitutions they served up a hearty plate of mashed potatoes (so good ‘n buttery) and beef shoulder.

The sign of a quality restaurant is one that can take your list of allergens and make you something that is full of flavour, looks beautiful, and is safe. Nothing can feel more disappointing than some steamed vegetables at a restaurant known for its creative and beautiful food.

A side note: It is better to be safe than take a chance and I acknowledge that catering to food allergies can feel like a huge liability. That’s why I am super appreciative when the kitchen can create something other than a plate of lettuce because you know that’s happened more than once.

♥ That sauce! Those potatoes!

Dining with a celiac

Dang, I thought dining out with food allergies was hard! Since meeting Kate, I have been learning a lot about what it’s like to be celiac. Our recent lunch date was eye-opening. It is so much fun to eat out with someone who also becomes an investigator while talking to the waiter. We were able to compare notes about how we dine out safely. And bond over things like why neither of us eats foods containing Worchestershire sauce or what we both see when looking at a menu. For instance, risotto. I see it as a potential problem because of broth, which can contain sunflower oil or soy, she see’s it as a red flag also because of broth but this time because it may contain yeast. We might not have the same dietary restrictions, but man can we share/laugh about our in-depth knowledge of ingredients!

I know that this will not be our last dining experience. So, get ready Berlin we are coming at you!

Kate has recently launched an Instagram account and hashtag #celiacdoesntsuck where she celebrates the wins of eating gluten-free. I highly recommend checking it out and getting to know more about celiac disease.