Purportedly the only restaurant in Singapore that is 100 per cent gluten and dairy-free (GFDF), Open Door Policy is on a mission to prove that healthy eating does not have to be bland. Couple that with a focus on sustainability, and you’ll find a restaurant that is both charming andsatisfying to dine at.

Most of the herbs and vegetables used in its dishes are grown in the restaurant’s micro-gardens, which sit right on its walls. On vertical shelves are row upon row of fresh watercress and other greens, which are harvested daily. In this way, guests can literally watch their vegetables grow as they eat—talk about getting close to your food source.

Executive chef Ryan Clift (of Tippling Club, Open Farm Community and Ding Dong) personally oversees the selection and use of each ingredient, and works with his team to find healthy alternatives to gluten and butter.

The quinoa salad alone will dispel any notions about flavourless GFDF fare—it comprises a medley of fermented root vegetables like golden beets and carrots, drizzled with garlic soil, olives and basil oil. Also noteworthy is the warm chorizo and octopus salad with baby spinach. The pastas are the stars of the menu, with the vegan maccheroni and king crab orecchiette the most popular choices. The texture of the noodles is wonderfully al dente, and it is impossible to tell that they are gluten-free.

Regulars of ODP will find a familiar favourite in Dairy-Free Apple Crumble, revived from its former eight-spiced glory with a crunchy oatbased crumble, lathered in a blanket of cashew milk crème anglaise. It makes for a sensational sweet ending.