Part of a trio of gluten-free venues in Melbourne (along with Hotel Nacional in the city and Rufio in St Kilda), this sunshiney corner spot is a haven of inclusion across its Latin menu of tiger prawn tostadas, beef empanadas, crunchy jackfruit tacos and good old patatas bravas. If you can’t decide, the $65 banquet menu delivers value in spades. Stick around for dessert – the lemon curd tart does citrus-lovers proud – and say cheers to your good fortune with the help of the eight-strong margarita list or a zippy gluten-free Mexican beer. 201 Ormond Road, Elwood. repeatoffender.co/

It’s not strictly a restaurant (although the spritzes argue otherwise), but the focaccia at this retro-styled South Yarra newcomer is so good, it deserves a place in the gluten-free pantheon. The rugged fermented bread is thinner and crisper than the fat and puffy version Melbourne knows from the 1990s. Fillings include the Roman Empire (with mortadella, artichoke sauce, stracciatella and pistachio) and a vego version oozing with the gooey virtue of eggplant parma and pesto. Jump on the end of the Toorak Road queue, safe in the knowledge that happiness awaits at the counter. 16 Toorak Road, South Yarra. zitasfocaccia.com/

Rice Paper Scissors – Melbourne & Fitzroy Prawn crackers punchy with green nam jim. Garlic and ginger marinaded fried chicken with sriracha mayo. Twice-cooked pork belly, sticky with tamarind caramel. Picking your way around the coeliac-safe options at this Asian street eats specialist yields plenty of gluten-free fun. The herby, zesty whirlwind includes tuna crudo and a fiery jungle curry, while a few dollars extra will deliver gluten-free bao for the slow-roasted lamb with rendang mayonnaise. In other good news, a nicely composed booze list knows how to complement all that spice. ricepaperscissors.com.au

The noodles are super fresh at this soba specialist, where organic Tasmanian buckwheat is stone milled on site and magicked into perfection every day in steaming bowls of soul-warming soup bases such as soy milk, sesame and mushroom (and with add-ons including sliced beef, fried tofu skin, mushrooms and poached egg, it’s big enough to feed a small army). Soba is naturally gluten free, you say? True, but the rest of the menu is equally safe, including chicken karaage curry rice, agedashi tofu and vegan gyoza. shimbashisobamelbourne.com.au

Feel the Italian joy without the impending sense of doom at this Coeliac Australia-accredited pasta bar. Owner and chef Tina Persano creates gluten-free versions of the classics like casarecce carbonara, arancini balls and even schnitzel bites for the bambinos (it’s a labour of love thanks to her son being coeliac). The gluten-free shadow versions extend to the bread and the enticing dessert list, where Nutella doughnuts, house-made cannoli and a tiramisu (cutely rebadged ‘Tina mi su’) are waiting for conspicuous coeliac consumption. 3 Union Street, Brunswick. ciaomamma.com.au/

This eye-poppingly bright wholesaler and cantina brings Melbourne closer to Mexico City thanks to its traditional nixtamalised corn tortillas (in the slow route to delicious, the corn kernels are cooked in water and lime and soaked overnight before being ground into flour). Grab a table at the backstreet Kensington joint for tacos any which way, including perennial favourite al pastor (spiced marinated pork, sliced thinly off the spit with pineapple and chipotle salsa). Chicken and beef come sizzling off the plancha and the classic vanilla flan is a dessert non-negotiable. Go crazy: everything on the menu is gluten free. 72 Stubbs Street, Kensington. latortilleria.com.au/

The sushi bullet train is fun; the service is warm and welcoming; the space is proto-industrial schmick. A Federation Square highlight since it opened in 2003, this smart-casual Japanese joint knows how to please a gluten-free crowd. There’s soy sauce that’s safe to apply with gay abandon and a designated GF menu section. Kingfish jalapeno sashimi with yuzu soy, ocean trout nigiri and inside-outside rolls with a spicy scallop sauce are all good to go; ditto the mushroom and water chestnut rice paper dumplings. Take the kids, who can get down with simple GF sushi rolls, while the orange blossom cake will appeal to everyone. Federation Square, Cnr Swanston & Flinders Streets, Melbourne. chocolatebuddha.com.au/

The mood-making stalactites decorating the ceiling at this Lonsdale Street institution (47 years and counting, opa!) welcome all comers. Accredited by Coeliac Australia, the spiritual heart of Melbourne’s Little Athens has perfected its gluten-free pita bread, opening a world of souvlaki satisfaction without dire consequences. The option of combining spit-roasted chook and the fall-apart lamb shoulder into one package of perfect happiness speaks to the accommodating ethos. So does the fried calamari, served as hot and salty as nature intended, and the feta fritters with the rich and creamy house tzatziki. 177-183 Lonsdale St Melbourne. stalactites.com.au/

If pizza and pasta are the holy grail of the gluten free movement, this Northcote hotspot is its temple. Follow the giant yellow neon hand spinning pizza dough in the front window and grab a booth or commandeer an alfresco table on the deck. Either way, it’s a great setting to go face down in coeliac-friendly carbs like the stonkingly rich gnocchi with caramelised onions and Gorgonzola. There are plenty of vegan options, too, thanks to plant-based fior di latte and feta, and we feel compelled to give a special shout-out to the toe-curlingly good skinny fries amped up with rosemary butter. 104 High Street, Northcote. eatprimo.com.au/

The coeliac crowd can relax at this recently revamped corner pub on Fitzroy’s ridiculously hip Gertrude Street with the news the chic venue is gluten-free accredited. Excluding a few items marked with an asterisk, the entire menu can be made GF. That means no focaccia or tiramisu, soz, but there’s a world of Italian excellence to explore from Rockpool alum Andy Lockyear’s confident Italian menu. Hit the pasta – pork sausage rigatoni or dainty swimmer crab linguini with cherry tomatoes, pistachio, mint and lemon – the six-strong pizza selection and a gooey eggplant parmigiana (just add fries). 148 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. thegertrude.com.au/