| Visited On: | September 6, 2014 |
| Gluten Free Menu: | No (options listed on regular menu) |
| Server Knowledge: |  |
| Server Attitude: |  |
| Variety of Gluten-Free Options: |  |
| Overall Gluten-Friendly Rating: |  |
| Overall Dining Experience: |  |
| Price Range: | $10-$15 per person, plus tax and tip |
For several months, Halifax has been waiting for Krave Burger, its newest gourmet burger joint, to open its doors. Last month, they released a sneak peek of their menu. It included an icon for many gluten-free options, including French fries. We all know what that usually means: cross-contaminated and not suitable for Celiacs.
Still, I was curious, so I tweeted them to ask if they would have a dedicated fryer. Their response was amazing:
We couldn’t ask for much more than that! Krave opened their doors last week and we stopped by on Saturday. Their menu is right on the wall as you walk in, making it easy to choose what you want. All main course gluten-free options are marked with a (fairly small) “G” icon. Gluten-free options for drinks and add-ons are not marked.
The list of gluten-free options is pretty good for a burger place. Here are the highlights:
- Most of their burgers are or can be made gluten-free.
- All salads (including dressing) are gluten-free.
- Both their French fries and sweet potato fries are gluten-free and cooked in a dedicated fryer.
- Remember, it’s always important to communicate your specific dietary needs to your server!
All orders are taken at the counter, and once we decided what we wanted we were served right away. Michael ordered the Bacon Cheese burger ($11.48 for the combo) with onion rings ($2 upcharge) and a Krave lager (made locally by Propeller). I ordered the Chicken Caprese burger (also $11.48 as a combo, plus $2 upcharge for the gluten-free bun) with regular fries and a fountain drink. (Sadly, they were out of truffle fries.) I realized as I was ordering that the chicken burger didn’t have a “G” icon, but the server said they could make it gluten-free without a problem.
We grabbed some condiments, took a seat, and waited for our food. Michael’s beer was delivered pretty quickly, but our food seemed to take a long time. This could be because they just opened, or because we were both absolutely starving! Luckily, when our meals arrived we weren’t disappointed. The server also confirmed that my order was gluten-free as she dropped it off, which I really appreciated. We dug in right away. I absolutely loved the chicken burger: moist, flavourful, with a nice herb mayo and plenty of fresh toppings. The gluten-free bun held up quite well and overall the balance was excellent. The French fries were also superb: fresh, hand cut, hot, and well-seasoned.
Michael’s meal was just as enjoyable. The burger was juicy and perfectly cooked, although the patty was slightly small for the price. The toppings went well with the burger and were well balanced. The onion rings, however, totally stole the show: he said they were the best that he has ever had! (Unfortunately they’re not gluten-free.)
It’s so nice to see a restaurant doing gluten-free the right way and paying attention to what their customers need. I’m already kraving our next visit!
Krave Burger
5680 Spring Garden Road (Halifax)
902-407-5728
Web Site: http://kraveburger.com/
Gluten For Punishment 
#1 by Dave on September 14, 2014 - 11:17 am
Was wondering when we were going to see a review of the Krave…didn’t take too long I see! lol. I went by there the other day before dropping the wife off at the airport, but didn’t make it inside…no place to park!! Where did you manage to park?
#2 by glutenfree4hfx on September 14, 2014 - 11:18 am
All the Twitter pics were making me hungry 🙂 We found street parking but you could also park in Park Lane, off Dresden Row.
#3 by Dave on September 14, 2014 - 11:41 am
Street parking…where exactly, how close? :0 There’s nothing on Spring Garden Road, and only a handful of metered spaces located all the way around the block, as far as I could see. I suppose I could park at the parkade, but it seems wasteful to spend money on parking just so that I can spend money on a burger 🙂
#4 by glutenfree4hfx on September 14, 2014 - 4:49 pm
We went down a block or two and found free parking on a side street. It’s definitely hard to find free parking downtown!
#5 by Philly Gannon on January 20, 2015 - 10:50 am
I was thinking of going but this review turned me off of the place. too much Gluten-free everything. it is a fad diet that there is no published experimental evidence to support any benefits. hell, unless great care is taken, a gluten-free diet can lack the vitamins, minerals, and fiber which are found in wheat, barley, and other gluten-containing whole grains and may be too high in fat and calories. Also, Processed gluten-free foods are often higher in salt, sugar, glycemic index, transfats and other processed fats.
so this is a burger joint I will avoid and be sure to tell people to avoid. sorry, but jumping on fad diets and supporting unhealthy eating is not cool. there are people allergic to nuts, but I don’t see any restaurants advertising as being nut free.
Flip Burger and Relish are good enough anyways, the last thing Halifax needs is ANOTHER burger joint, and if they insist on another burger place, bring back The Works.
#6 by glutenfree4hfx on January 20, 2015 - 12:11 pm
I’m sorry you feel that way. For many people, myself included, the gluten-free diet is the only treatment for a lifelong, incurable illness. More restaurants are catering to more dietary restrictions and choices. For example The Wooden Monkey has nut-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free options.
I do not think the gluten-free diet is automatically the right or healthiest choice, but for some of us it’s a necessity. If you’re not interested in it then perhaps blogs focused on it shouldn’t be on your reading list.