The Banyan Tree

Absolutely fuck this place. My best friend had her wedding ceremony dinner there. She emailed ahead of time with a detailed explanation of how my celiac would need to be accommodated and they confirmed they would be able to handle it. Within 15 minutes of eating I was puking my guts up in the bathroom. Worst part is I told them about my reaction, and their immediate response is “there is no way” and had the audacity to ask if I had too much to drink. Days later, I’m still dealing with some of the worse gluten exposure symptoms I’ve had in 10+ years. It sucked having such a severe reaction at such a special event, and having the restaurant point the finger at me made it 10x worse. Needless to say, don’t go here if you are sensitive celiac like myself.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Not at all

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

This menu was easy to navigate and the staff is very accommodating. The food was tasty and allowed for many gf options.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Very nice experience they can easily accommodate gluten and dairy free the waiters and hostesses take note of your dietary restrictions.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Some

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Great food and didn’t get us sick! My partner and I both have celiac, so we talked to the server, the host, and like everyone in between just to be 200% safe about cross contamination. Everyone was gracious enough to let us know we would be safe. We had the chilled prawns as an appetizer, catch of the day and the filet for our mains. The only GF dessert is sorbet though that’s a bummer. All menu items that contain gluten are marked, most are GF or can be made GF. Overall super happy and would go back.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for dinner
• Good for keto
• Good for kids
• Good for takeout
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating
• Reservations recommended

Absolutely WONDERFUL!!! I truly cannot say enough.

Apparently their (former) head chef had Celiac and totally steered the ship to be full of safe choices and staff who are educated and empathetic. I would keep an eye on this over time, but since it sounded like she is no longer there, it may be a good idea to check in on the menu before visiting.

Currently 90% of the menu is available gluten free and they are ready/willing to adjust whenever possible. The 2 ish items on the menu you shouldn’t have are marked “CG” for “contains gluten” - as opposed to marking GF everywhere and having people turn up their noses.

At the recommendation of our waiter, I had the short rib - holy crap! It was so tender and delicious. My husband had the fresh catch of the day (and I was even able to take a bite!!). The curry flavor was different, but we both really enjoyed it. Since it was our honeymoon, they gave us a dessert. We chose Bananas Foster, but they gave the gluten to my husband and we split the rest. Also memorable and so well executed.

Usually, my bar for 5 stars is 1. I am confident I’ll be safe, 2. I have a handful of choices, and 3. Food tastes ok/good. This place blows that criteria away! If I could give it 10 stars, I absolutely would.

One note, it is expensive. However, if you’re going to treat yourself to a fancy pants dinner out, you should do it where you know you will be safe and the food will be something you dream about for years to come!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Dedicated gluten-free space in the kitchen
• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Offers outdoor seating

Waitress was extremely knowledgeable, said most dishes could be adapted. We had the Hawaiian Ciopino & the Mahi. Both delicious. Great cocktails & sorbet for dessert. I would definitely have gone back again during my stay if I could have.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good for lunch
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good vegan options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating

Staff knew which items were GF, DF, and V/VG and very knowledgeable about cross-contamination. Most of the menu could be made GF. They even subbed GF bread to go with my entree and I took home a tub of their Mac-nut ice cream that usually comes on a non-GF baked dessert. They were so good to me and I can’t wait to go back soon!

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— Gluten-free items are marked on the main menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dairy-free
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating

We stayed at the Ritz for part of our honeymoon and ate here for lunch/dinner multiple times. I felt really safe after talking to staff/chef and they were good about avoiding cross contamination. I didn't get sick and ate here probably 4x in 3 days. The food was delicious too!

Celiac friendly?

Yes