Given the rising food allergies, how will you stay safe during your London trip?

*This is a collaborative post on how to stay safe during a London trip when you have allergies  

Exploring the one-of-a-kind, top-tier culinary landscape of London is one of the must-do things everyone should cross off their list at some point. From Micheline-starred restaurants to eateries with ages-old reputations to A-starred bistros, you’re spoilt for choice if you want an unforgettable experience. For this reason, we deem it necessary to remind you that a few inconveniences are always a probability, with one of the paramount things to draw attention to being food allergies or intolerances.

Given the rising number and awareness of food-related allergies, increasingly more consumers go for eateries that provide zero-allergen foods, justifying why the market in question has ballooned to a monstrous US$50,36MN in 2024 and a spine-chilling US$102,69MN could be on the maps for the decade’s end. Likewise, the probability of stumbling across food-related incidents like fatal allergies, poisonings, intolerances, and consequential problems like eczema and fever are proportionally climbing.

Food allergies are making victims who had no idea about a similar intolerance overnight. Now, whether you’re strolling Hackney or Shoreditch and no matter if you’re hitting Akoko, Mambow, or Bouchon Racine, this roundup of tips may make the difference between a hauntingly beautiful or disastrous journey. This guide is all the more helpful if you knowingly eat out with allergies. Ready?

Preview menus

With everything from menus to meal sizes to ingredients and given eateries’ obligation to enumerate every potential allergen found in their offerings, you can rest assured knowing that your takeout or dining-in experiences are unlikely to result in a disaster. Data like this give you the advantage of being the victim in case you happen to suffer from an allergy that could’ve been prevented if you had been given the right, full details about a meal.

For instance, say you’re allergic to fish, a thing which you make public when reaching the restaurant. In the meantime, the restaurant omits to specify the existence of fish oil in a sauce you’re serving or to remove it after you’ve specifically made this request. In this scenario, you’ve ordered something that triggers your allergies and can be fatal. Such an instance means you might have just enough proof to reach out to a lawyer to help you fill in a compensation claim and obtain the remuneration you deserve to reduce some of the damage or harm incurred.

Prior to your reservation making, take time to look at the eyed eatery’s menu online or offline. This way, you’ll discover the allergens the business uses for possible accidents like cross-contamination.

Or continue your quest

Assuming this possibility gives you the fright; you’re advised to keep seeking your best deal in town. Remember that London boasts one of the most diverse and complex food sceneries across the country, with multiple options serving every international cuisine you may think of, as well as spin-offs and cutting-edge fusions. By the end of 2020, London will have accommodated over 22,316 licensed restaurants, bars, and pub sites, which speaks volumes about what you will encounter in the megapolis! You can be a first-time visitor or a long-established resident in the capital; it’s almost irrelevant! You’ll always have something new to try and revoice when it comes to your taste buds’ bookkeeping.

Inform the staff of allergies

Whether you’re bar-hopping or out to serve a delicious meal, the servers, barmen, and waitresses should always be aware of your allergies and intolerances. You would be surprised to discover how responsive and receptive people are to allergy sufferers, all the more since the stability of a business is at stake. Should anyone breach their obligatory duty of care, then more parties face repercussions, be they legal, moral, or reputational. Noteworthy, these problems could trickle down to the bottom of the system.

Usually, and especially in top-notch restaurants, servers ask visitors if they have any dietary restrictions or allergies. At that time, be prepared to notify them about your restrictions and ask them to eliminate any probability of cross-contamination.

Double-check your foodstuff

Make a habit of double-checking your food once it reaches your table, and feel free to ask questions if there seems to be an underlying issue with your order. There’s no such thing as being paranoid or too sceptical when it comes to protecting your own safety when you’re serving food out of your kitchen, where you would normally be aware of all the ingredients getting digested.

If anything, send feedback and ask for another course. Pick around the ingredients that may trigger your allergies and you may even give an example of how seriously the broader audience should tread these issues.

Ask all the right questions about allergies

There are some questions every allergy sufferer should be ready to ask when eating food made by someone else. Here’s a list to help you find your words rapidly when the context requires you to.

• Are there any (nuts, eggs, soy, wheat, sesame, sulfites, gluten…) in your servings?
• Is this option made with *specific allergen*?
• Could this food come into contact with an allergen? Can cross-contamination be avoided?
• Is anything containing a specific allergen cooked in the same recipient with my food? What about the oil used for frying?

No one wants allergies triggered.

There’s no such thing as a restaurant that’s okay with its visitors incurring harm and damage after an allergic reaction is triggered by its offerings. Servers don’t forget to specify important information to the cook on purpose—such accidents often occur due to numerous reasons, including fatigue, an overcrowded setting, understaffed crews, and so on.

When someone has a restriction, limitation, intolerance, allergy, or aversion, multiple dishes can be readjusted to prevent any potential tragedy. Many reputable restaurants offer special training so that cooks can adjust dishes according to customers’ dietary restrictions. And given the varied range of cutting-edge restaurants in London, it’s safe to say that finding the one to hit your spot can be a breeze!