Strada & Co

If you're gluten free, or cooking for someone who is, Strada & Co is the name locals in Ivanhoe tend to pass along. It's a cafe-style bakery in Ivanhoe, Victoria, and word has it the kitchen has gone fully gluten free, which is a big part of why coeliacs speak so warmly about it.

What people rave about is the range. There are fresh-from-the-oven pastries like almond and pistachio croissants, danishes and sausage rolls, plus arancini, lasagna and veg pasties made in-house, and gluten free bread and rolls that locals say hold their own against the ordinary kind. The panini get plenty of love, especially the cotoletta and the polpette. One coeliac said it was the first and only time they'd been able to taste and love an almond croissant, and the caramel slice is among the desserts on offer. Coffee gets a good word too, including a decent decaf.

The staff are a highlight. We hear they're warm, knowledgeable about gluten free needs, and happy to cut things in half so a group can try more than one thing. Even non-coeliacs are won over: one local was sent here by a friend who doesn't need gluten free food, and a bulk panini order for an event had guests who eat gluten freely still talking about it afterwards. Catering is something they do, so ask them about larger orders.

You can dine in, with indoor and outdoor seating that suits families and kids, or take food away, and delivery is available. There are vegetarian and vegan options, plus breakfast, brunch and lunch menus. Opinion isn't unanimous on everything: one visitor found a breakfast bun a bit bland and thought a kids' toastie was dear for what it was, though they rated the lamington highly.

They keep set weekly hours and are closed one day, so check before you head in, particularly if you're making a special trip for a gluten free feed.