Tanta

This is not gluten-free restaurant, but it can easily be adapted with a little help and advice from your wait-staff. It’s very good Peruvian food. My waitress was Tanya. When I was first seated, she asked if it was a preference or an allergy. I told her it was a medical diet. She then asked if cross-contamination was OK or not. I said not. And then she advised me very carefully on the menu, dish by dish, and seeing what could be adapted, and what could not. About 3/4 of the menu is adaptable. Tanya made sure there was no cross-contamination; she knew the cooking methods and double checked everything with the chefs of the evening. I had a wonderful meal and a wonderful time. I had ceviche classic, pulpo, Lomo Saltado,and a rice dish with seafood. Everything was delicious. The drinks were strong, the music was great, and it was very nice evening. Because this is not a gluten-free environment, you are very dependent on your wait staff. If you go, I urge you to ask for Tanya.

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the 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?

— Good

No GF menu, but our waiter was very attentive to my dietary restrictions (e.g., gluten, dairy, soy) and even asked whether contact in the kitchen (i.e., cross-contamination) was acceptable. (It isn’t for me.) He proceeded to guide us to appropriate menu choices and modifications. The food was delicious, and I had no negative reactions whatsoever (which I typically do when I eat at a restaurant that is not dedicated GF). I definitely recommend this restaurant if your server is as attentive to dietary restrictions as ours was.

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

— Very

Safety Feature Ratings

• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions

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 dinner
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Reservations recommended

The food is absolutely amazing!!! They are consistently accommodating and incredibly attentive to any food allergies and sensitivities. I’ve been here numerous times and never had an issue! They are even flexible with shifting pre set menus to align with dietary needs. Hands down, my favorite restaurant in Chicago.

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?

— Some

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

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for breakfast/brunch
• Good for kids
• Good for takeout
• Good selection of healthy options
• Good with other allergies
• Offers outdoor seating

Great food, great staff. Big fan.

Celiac friendly?

Yes

Delicious and most of the items are naturally gluten free. The waiter was extremely knowledgeable and very helpful! Would definitely recommend. They used a shared drier though, so beware of cross contamination

Wonderful Peruvian cuisine. Many gluten free choices. I had the Lomo Saltado (stir fry tenderloin) which was delicious. Our waiter was very knowledgeable on components of dishes and also cross contamination. Be aware that there is only one fryer so anything fried is off limits. Also the ceviche bar comes in contact with gluten dishes but he mentioned they could clean it before preparing my food (I didn’t order ceviche though).

Beware, Tanta marinades theory Peruvian chicken in beer.

As expected, and given the heavy bent on seafood (ceviches!), the majority of the menu is naturally gluten-free, with only gluten-containing subcomponents being a problem (for example, Huancaina sauce is thickened with puréed saltines in order to give it a cement-like consistency). Luckily, the staff was as knowledgeable and friendly as advertised, and were more than happy to spend time explaining menu items and recommending great substitutes, such as Huacatay [Peruvian black mint] sauce in lieu of the Huancaina, or chimichurri potatoes in lieu of deep-fried yucca. The latter highlights the biggest hit to Tanta's gluten-free rating, as it has no dedicated fryer -- and this affects not only deep-friend subcomponents of a dish, or tasty appetizers such as the yuquitas, but also the complimentary plantain chips given at each table. The drink menu is huge, but if you're not much into alcoholic beverages you'll be happy to note that some traditional Peruvian beverages are also served. The Chicha Morada [purple corn] drink, whose flavor is a akin to the milder offspring of grape juice and sarsparilla root beer, makes a refreshing starter! The desserts were also mind-blowingly good... the chef was happy to modify the Chicherito to make it gluten-free, but the naturally gluten-free Mouse de Chocolate Fortunato took the [GF] cake in terms of exquisiteness! Overall, the food was superb and the service was exceptional, and minus the fryer issue the restaurant deserves a lot of credit for trying to cater to gluten-free diners. Ironically, Tanta could probably benefit from traditional gluten-free versions of their problematic menu items... for instance, empanadas made using mashed fried yucca are superior in flavor and texture than their flour equivalents. Hopefully in time, Tanta can make the small improvements necessary to transition from simply a great place to try for GF diners, to a perfect recommendation!

Celiac friendly?

No