How to Eat in a Restaurant on Passover

If you observe Passover but are willing to eat on plates that are not Kosher for Passover, you can still eat in some restaurants. The following are some suggestions to make this easier.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Decide to what extent you are observing the holiday. If you are Ashkenazi and do not eat kinyonot, you have far fewer choices than if you are Sephardi and eat rice. Knowing what you will and will not eat before choosing a restaurant helps you make a better decision.

2. Avoid ethnic restaurants. If you will not eat rice or kinyonot, you will probably find little or nothing to eat at a Mexican or Japanese restaurant, for example. American-style bistros with lots of salads and meat/fish entrees will offer a wider range of choices for you.

3. Check the menu before you go. Even if you have an idea of a restaurant that will work, it is a good idea to check the menu of the restaurant before you go, if possible. Luckily, you can research many restaurants' menus online.

4. Ask questions. If you need to know whether your salad dressing has corn syrup, ask! Restaurant servers are supposed to be able to provide information like this to patrons.

5. Don't be afraid to ask for modifications. Restaurants are used to patrons asking for menu substitutions. Also, the prominence of the Atkins Diet means that many people who are NOT keeping Passover avoid eating bread products, so someone else has probably asked for a sandwich without the bread.

Tips & Warnings

• If you wish to avoid corn syrup, be cautious when ordering any food with a dressing or ketchup-like sauce, as these almost always use corn syrup. You can ask for oil and vinegar in lieu of salad dressing.