By Danielle Kutchel
It’s often said that gluten-free versions of baked goods, sweet treats and savouries don’t taste as good as their gluten-filled cousins.
But that’s not the case at Simply Gluten Free, where owner-operator Philomena and her family are bucking the bad-taste trend to provide allergy-friendly foods that are not only good for the gut, but tasty too.
While Philomena is not a coeliac herself, she has a passion for cooking that infuses her work.
And with her products proving popular, Simply Gluten Free now has two bakery-cafe locations: one in Mentone, and one in Cranbourne.
Philomena is proud to be able to say that she has achieved her goal of getting gluten-free food to taste like normal food.
Both cafes are packed with the freshly-baked foods that customers love: gluten-free bread, rolls and bagels, pies and sausage rolls, pizza bases, donuts, arancini, lasagne and so much more. New additions like jelly slices and waffles are currently selling “like crazy”, according to Philomena.
While the Cranbourne cafe is back open for dining-in, online ordering and home deliveries are available, with Philomena’s son looking after the deliveries.
Delivery to the south-eastern suburbs takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and is free within a certain radius, subject to minimum order amounts.
And for those with other allergies, the store also offers wheat-free, nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan and fructose-friendly options.
Philomena said she and her team take food safety very carefully and ensure there is no cross-contamination that could put customers at risk.
She’s pleased to see the reactions of her customers when they try her foods for the first time.
“When they taste it and say, ‘it can’t be’, I just love hearing that,” Philomena says.
Simply Gluten Free Cranbourne is located at Shop 3 1370 Thompsons Rd, Cranbourne and is open Monday to Friday 11am-5pm and Saturday 10am-3pm. Find out more at https://www.simplyglutenfree.com.au/ or follow them on Facebook and Instagram for a sneak peak at their products.
