I’d decided some time ago that I would celebrate being gluten free for one year with a meal out. It may seem like an odd thing to celebrate to some, but the past year has been tough and things are finally looking up so it seemed like a milestone worth marking. I’d recently had a great gluten free breakfast at Bistro One in Plymouth, and a well timed Groupon offer made Bistro One an easy choice for the venue.
Owner Stephen Barrett is a wine expert, and the meal started with a mini wine tasting. This was a new experience for me and something I really enjoyed. Stephen very clearly knows his stuff and was able to talk us through bringing out the subtle flavours of the wines in a way that I (not really a wine drinker) had never experienced. It’s always a very personal experience eating at Bistro One, and Stephen will detail the origins of both the wine and food throughout. If you are a wine connoisseur then it’s probably worth visiting for the wine alone.
Moving onto the food, Bistro One is extremely accommodating for both people on a gluten free diet and vegetarians (like my wife Abby). Dishes are labelled GF where there is a gluten free option available. Standard dishes are made gluten free where possible, and gluten free pasta is available as standard. To start I had garlic bread which as most people with coeliac disease will tell you is a rare treat. This was delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed.
Onto the main and I was immediately attracted to the pasta and meatballs. Meatballs have always been a favourite of mine, and so often are made with wheat flour. In this case they were made with polenta for all so they were gluten free. Made with pork, beef and veal they were absolutely delicious and again I thoroughly enjoyed. The veal was sourced in Cornwall and all ingredients are locally sourced and sustainable where possible.
For dessert there was an option for gluten free warm double chocolate brownie, served with vanilla pod ice-cream. This again was delicious and I really love the combination of warm and cold in a dessert. A great end to the meal, though I would have liked to see a bit more brownie if I’m honest.
Overall a fantastic meal and really good value with the Groupon offer. Some really great gluten free choices and it was really nice to be able to eat some things that are usually simply not an option. Abby was very happy with the vegetarian options too, and being able to order off menu (as she always does!). I’d recommend a visit and we’ll certainly be going back again.
Gluten Free By The Sea 
i don’t ALWAYS order off menu 😉 But I love Bistro One bc Stephen lets me! Plus the wine…oh, the wine….
Actually, that’s a lie. I ALWAYS order off menu.