Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Review: Sneaky Dee’s

Restaurants that appear on AllergyBites may have updated their menu or changed management since a review was posted. Please confirm that they are still allergy-friendly & that menu items don’t contain your allergen(s) before visiting or placing your order.

Sneaky Dee’s is Allergy-Friendly. Who knew?!

By Liz Frederiksen

I often find myself in the College and Bathurst area, but despite having passed the iconic Sneaky Dee’s for years, I had never walked in. But once I learned they were allergy friendly, my curiosity was sufficiently piqued, and I decided to give it a try. And I’m glad I did!

Sneaky Dee’s first opened in 1987, and moved to their current location in 1990. That’s 28 years in their current home and 31 years in operation overall, which is an incredible run. Their support for indie music is well known, and they’ve hosted many bands and artists including Feist and Broken Social Scene.

I decided to go to Sneaky Dee’s for an early lunch on a bright, sunny day in the middle of the week. Even though it was almost blinding outside, walking into the restaurant felt like entering a cave. I was expecting a lot of frenetic energy, but it was very calm and delightfully quiet during this off-peak time. As I was enjoying my graffitied view, I did spy high chairs in the back, so they are indeed ready for our little ones.

While Sneaky Dee’s is known for its nachos and other Tex Mex offerings, what drew my interest on the menu was their all-day breakfast. Scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes and toast was just the thing I was craving!

The waiter was very helpful, and confirmed with the kitchen that the meal was tree nut safe. He also explained that they “do their best” to accommodate allergies, and that they have vegan and gluten-free options as well. He felt that because the kitchen is used to making meals without meat, eggs, dairy or gluten, that they have a good system for making allergy-safe meals.

It is important to note, though, that their kitchen is not allergen-free, so calling ahead to ask questions about your particular allergens is the way to go. I also recommend heading over between peak times, when staff aren’t too rushed to adequately address your concerns.

The plate of food that arrived at my table was massive! The eggs and sausage were greasy and delicious. It’s definitely not health food, but when you’re treating yourself, does it really matter? The potatoes were a little dry, but that was inconsequential because the rest of the dish was over-the-top tasty.

Despite being incredibly full, I still ordered dessert. I reasoned that I couldn’t possibly do a proper review without something sweet to write about! I wanted to order apple pie with ice cream, but the waiter checked with the kitchen and let me know their ice cream was not nut-safe, so I went without. They were nice enough to put lots of whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon on my plate to compensate. In keeping with their huge servings, the slice of pie was enormous, but I’m not complaining! However, if you’re so inclined, there is definitely enough to share.

I want to go back again soon to try their nachos because friends of mine made it abundantly clear that I missed out on the best Sneaky Dee’s has to offer. Whatever you’re in the mood for, be sure to arrive with a very empty stomach. You’re going to need it!

This allergy-friendly restaurant was reviewed by guest blogger, Liz Frederiksen. Liz is a proud Torontonian and a lifelong food allergy thriver. A copywriter and social media coach by trade, Liz is happiest when hula hooping, hiking, or sharing good food with her family. All opinions are her own.