I have just returned (and am still recovering) from a week away in the glorious city of Budapest: five days of fun, sun and £2 bottles of champagne. Before I flew I had a typical and all-too-familiar panic about travelling to a new country as a coeliac. Luckily this is something I have learnt to cope with, so I made sure I had done my research and packed emergency Free From millionaire shortbreads. If worse came to worst, I could live off of those for 5 days, right?

Upon arrival, I was pleasantly surprised. Of course, “I can’t eat gluten” wasn’t always understood, but we did manage to locate a couple of really great restaurants with very clear labelling on their menus, namely Tuning Bar & Burger and Yellow Zebra.

On our first evening we stumbled across Yellow Zebra after wandering around manically trying to find a suitable place to eat. And what a blessing it was! The menu clearly stated which allergens were in each of their dishes (gluten, milk, eggs, celery, etc), and the food was excellent! After a painful 10 minutes of indecisiveness, I chose a beef steak with “steak potatoes” and peppercorn sauce. I could very happily eat it all over again. Besides its allergen-friendliness, Yellow Zebra was also a hit with the rest of my friends. It had a wide range of typically Hungarian dishes and a very long cocktail list, all costing around a very modest £2.50 (although we did have to Google what an ‘Orgasm’ was*). Unfortunately I can’t find the menu anywhere online, and when I google ‘Yellow Zebra’ all I can find is information on their bike hire and tours (it’s an extremely multifunctional venue). Anyway, if you ever find yourself in Budapest, it’s on Lázár u. — the same street as the well known ruin bar, Szimpla, which is also worth a visit (or five in our case).

With top ratings on TripAdvisor, Tuning Bar & Burger was another top find. Gluten free buns… need I say more?!? Their menu has something for everyone, including a really tasty looking veggie burger and a gooey gluten free (!!!) chocolate pudding for dessert. We liked it so much that we visited twice in two days. A burger and fries costs about 2890ft, which works out at just over £7 — a total bargain and you’ll be leaving with a v