Updated in 2021! East Side Mario’s is an Italian restaurant chain across Canada, with a heavy concentration of locations in Ontario. It was originally recommended to us more than a decade ago by two viewers, but we have just updated all of the information below. They still offer some wonderful dairy-free pasta options, with numerous variations. And now they have ample gluten-free choices, too. I’ve added that information to this new guide.
Dairy-Free Menu Guide to East Side Mario’s
East Side Mario’s needs to clean up their allergen information a bit. We used their current menu, online allergen information, and allergen chart to create the information below. Then we followed up with their corporate staff to hash out any discrepancies that we noted to create the information below. As always, confirm before ordering!
Starters
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Garden Salad with Garden House Dressing (no croutons)
Notes: Their Budda Boomers don’t declare milk as an allergen on their website, but they are coated in parmesan and correctly labeled on last year’s allergen chart.
Mains
- Sausage and Peppers Penne
- Seafood Linguine
- The Club Wrap (see Note below)
Note: It says The Club Wrap contains milk on their website, but no milk on allergen chart. Their staff confirmed that it contains egg, but not milk.
Build Your Own Pasta
- Pasta Arrabbiata
- Pasta Signature Tomato
- Pasta Primavera (see Notes below)
- Pasta Options: Cavatappi, Fettuccine, Linguine, Spaghettini, Bowtie, Penne, Gluten Friendly (gluten-free)
- Sauce Options: Signature Tomato, Arrabbiata, Primavera
- Topping Options: Seasoned Chicken Breast, Spicy Italian Sausage, Shrimp, Steamed Broccoli
Heads Up! The pasta comes with salad and their garlic homeloaf bread. It’s a dairy-free bread, but brushed with garlic butter. A loyal reader named Claire said they will leave off the butter on request, and the margarine served on the side is made without dairy.
More Notes: Their website states the Primavera Vegetables do not contain milk, but their allergen chart says the opposite. We confirmed with their staff that they do not contain milk. However, their Roasted Button Mushrooms and Meatballs do contain milk. On their website it states that the Fish & Chips are milk-free, but according to the company, the fish batter does contain milk.
Pizzas
- Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
- Bacon
- Diced Ham
- Pepperoni
- Spicy Italian Sausage
- Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Black Olives
- Caramelized Onions (see Notes below)
- Spicy Cherry Peppers
- Bell Peppers
- Roasted
- Mushrooms (not roasted)
- Tomato
- Pineapple
- Bruschetta
- Marinated Roma Tomatoes
- Spinach
Notes: Unfortunately, East Side Mario’s wheat pizza crusts contain milk, but they told us you can build your own pizza with their gluten-free, dairy-free pizza crust. The Caramelized Onions are listed on their website as milk-free, but on their allergen chart as containing milk. We confirmed with the restaurant that they are milk-free.
Add Ons
- French Fries
- Grilled Chicken
- Sautéed Shrimp
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Salmon Fillet
Dipping Sauces
- Mario’s Tomato Sauce Dip
- Roasted Garlic Aioli Dip
- Spicy Arrabbiata Dip Sauce
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Options at East Side Mario’s
According to the information provided by East Side Mario’s, all of the items listed above are also gluten-free, except for the Italian Wedding Soup, Club Wrap, Sausage and Peppers Penne, Seafood Linguine, and wheat pastas. You can build-your-own pasta with their gluten-free pasta and all of the proteins, sauces, and toppings listed. Same for the pizzas!
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, and restaurants are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure that they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
Where to Find East Side Mario’s
They have over 85 locations in Canada, and one lone location in the United States, in Livonia, Michigan. See their website below for addresses and hours.
Website: www.eastsidemarios.com
