Gluten-free dining out in Amsterdam
It is becoming easier for people with a gluten allergies or intolerance to enjoy eating out–especially in our capital. Are you looking for a gluten-free restaurant? With mostly premium steaks, salads with nuts and grilled vegetables on the menu, The Uptown Meat Club offers an extensive choice of gluten-free dishes.
A gluten-free diet in a nutshell
Gluten is a protein that occurs naturally in many different grains, such as wheat and spelt. The term comes from the Latin word gluten, which means glue. This brings us straight to the function of the substance: Gluten ensures that dough rises well and it makes dough products airy and firm. This means that gluten plays an important role in the bread-baking process.
Despite gluten having a number of positive physiological and technological properties, a gluten-free diet is popular. For people with gluten intolerance (called celiac disease), it is necessary to avoid foods containing gluten. Those who cannot tolerate gluten due to celiac disease will suffer from stomach and intestinal complaints after eating foods containing gluten. In addition, there are many people without gluten sensitivity who simply feel more comfortable following a gluten-free diet.
Which foods contain gluten?
There are nearly 20 types of grains and grain products that contain gluten. Wheat is especially common as an ingredient in bread and pastries, salty snacks and pasta. If you follow a gluten-free diet, many regular foods will have to be removed from your shopping list. With many foods, it is obvious that they contain gluten. However, there are also plenty of foods with 'hidden' gluten. Because gluten is a binding agent, it can be found in products such as soy sauce and ketchup. And spice mixes, meat products and ready-made soups are not always gluten-free. It is therefore advisable to always check the packaging for gluten present before purchasing.
Foods without gluten
Fortunately, there are also many gluten-free foods that fit well within a gluten-free diet. Vegetables, fruits, potatoes and meat are good examples of foods that do not naturally contain gluten. But if you add breadcrumbs, marinade or spices, then these foods may no longer be gluten-free.
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Where can you eat gluten free?
It is becoming easier for people with a gluten allergies or intolerance to eat out, especially in our capital. For example, there are more and more catering establishments with gluten-free dishes on the menu or restaurants that completely focus on gluten-free food. Italian restaurants with gluten-free pasta and pizza are springing up like mushrooms. You never have to search long for a cup of coffee with a piece of cake without gluten.
A growing number of people with gluten-intolerance in the Netherlands has forced catering entrepreneurs to take the condition really seriously. There’s growing awareness and knowledge about gluten-free food preparation among chefs. This is expressed, among other things, in the careful handling of gluten in the kitchen and the growing gluten-free range. Yet in 2022, there are still countless restaurants that score an insufficient score in the field of gluten-free menu options.
Would you like to eat out with the guarantee that you will be served a high-quality dinner without gluten? Then it is wise to contact the restaurant in advance or to do good research yourself. Types of restaurants where you can eat gluten-free without any problems are salad and seafood bars, Mexican restaurants (with corn tortillas), meat restaurants and Asian cuisine.
Gluten-free restaurant Amsterdam: visit The Uptown Meat Club
The Uptown Meat Club is an excellent option for anyone looking to dine out gluten-free. The Uptown Meat Club is not a completely gluten-free restaurant, but our menu does contain many gluten-free and low-gluten dishes. Our chefs can also adapt the dishes so that they are fully in line with a gluten-free diet. In our meat restaurant, you always get a full alternative. So, lettuce leaves to replace wraps or a corn toast instead of the burger bun that your table companions receive. You can indicate your dietary requirements in advance to the service or in the 'comments' box when you make an online reservation at our gluten-free restaurant in Amsterdam.
Enjoy the best steaks (gluten-free!)
At The Uptown Meat Club, the leading role is played by high-quality steaks. Nice and pure without frills and of organic origin. We only serve unprocessed meat dishes. In the kitchen, the steaks are not breaded or marinated in spice mixtures. This keeps the steaks gluten-free. In our gluten-free restaurant Amsterdam, enjoy premium beef such as bavette, rib-eye or an extra large tomahawk to share. On our menu, you will also find a nice dry-aged selection (including Chateaubriand). We mature this meat for about 30 days in a special maturing cabinet. The result is a luxurious piece of meat with an intense, nutty taste and fine structure. In this article you can read more about the process of dry-aging.
A separate fryer for fries
Steak and fries is a great combination. You can also order a portion of fries as a side dish at The Uptown Meat Club. Fries are naturally gluten-free, so you might think they are always suitable for a gluten-free diet. Unfortunately, this is not the case. At some catering establishments, the fries are prepared in the same fat as the snacks that are not gluten-free, such as bitterballen and croquettes. This causes cross-contamination in the frying fat. The gluten does not care about the high temperature of the frying fat!
The Uptown Meat Club aims to be a good option as a gluten-free restaurant. That is why we have a separate fryer in the kitchen for the fries. We fry the fries in vegetable oil, separately from other snacks, so that they remain free of gluten. In addition, we only provide our fries with a pinch of salt. So no gluten-containing (herbal) mixtures.
In short: Put The Uptown Meat Club on your list as a suitable gluten-free restaurant in Amsterdam for your next meal out! You can find us near the Vondelpark in the Van Baerlestraat.