Updated February 2022! 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.
East Side Mario’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Allergen Notes & Vegan Options
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. This menu guide includes dairy-free menu options first, followed by add-ons. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu items, and see the Heads Up notes to help fill in the blanks.
Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: All of the following items are listed as gluten-free, or can be made gluten-free with a gluten-free pasta swap, except the Italian Wedding Soup and Club Wrap. All of the following items are also made without egg, peanut, and tree nuts, unless otherwise noted. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.
Starters
Heads Up! All starters at East Side Mario’s do contain milk. Some locations might accommodate the wings with no sauce or with dairy-free hot sauce. 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.
Soup & Salad
- Italian Wedding Soup (contains egg)
- Garden Salad with Garden House Dressing (no croutons)
Mains
- Sausage and Peppers Penne
- Seafood Linguine
- The Club Wrap (see note below) (contains egg)
Heads Up! It says The Club Wrap contains milk on the East Side Mario’s website, but no milk on allergen chart. Their staff confirmed that it contains egg, but not milk. On their website it states that the seasonal Fish & Chips are milk-free, but according to the company, the fish batter does contain 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)
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. 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.
Add Ons
- French Fries
- Grilled Chicken
- Sautéed Shrimp
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops
- Salmon Fillet
Dipping Sauces
- Lemon Garlic Aioli Dip (contains egg)
- Mario’s Tomato Sauce Dip
- Roasted Garlic Aioli Dip (contains egg)
- Spicy Arrabbiata Dip Sauce
Toppings
- Bacon
- Diced Ham
- Pepperoni
- Spicy Italian Sausage
- Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Black Olives
- Caramelized Onions (see note below)
- Spicy Cherry Peppers
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms (not roasted)
- Tomato
- Pineapple
- Bruschetta
- Marinated Roma Tomatoes
- Spinach
Heads Up! Unfortunately, East Side Mario’s wheat pizza crusts and gluten-free Cauliflower crust contain milk. 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.
East Side Mario’s Vegan Menu Guide
- Garden Salad with Garden House Dressing (no croutons)
- BYO Pasta Arrabbiata
- BYO Pasta Signature Tomato
- BYO Pasta Primavera (see Notes below)
- All Noodles, including Gluten-Free
- Steamed Broccoli
- French Fries
- Mario’s Tomato Sauce Dip
- Spicy Arrabbiata Dip Sauce
- Black Olives
- Caramelized Onions
- Spicy Cherry Peppers
- Bell Peppers
- Mushrooms (not roasted)
- Tomato
- Pineapple
- Bruschetta
- Marinated Roma Tomatoes
- Spinach
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, food sourcing, and restaurant protocols are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure 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.
Each location of a chain restaurant has different management and staff, and some might have different owners. This means differences in processes, ingredients used, menu options, and food sourcing can occur. Always verify the safety of your order for your needs at your current location.
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
Average Reader Review
Rate Your Dairy-Free Experience with this Restaurant
What Others Are Saying ...
Excellent service & knowledgeable staff
I called in an order, they were very knowledgeable on what foods contain dairy. They modified my meal and had it packaged up no problem at all. I ordered the Penne pasta with the original sauce, Italian wedding soup and the home style loaf (minus the garlic butter) and vegan butter.
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