EXCLUSIVE: GF lobster roll lands in St Andrews after Courier ask

The Courier

28-04-2025

When I asked Dune's Lobster Shack in St Andrews if they could make me a gluten-free version of their famous lobster roll, I never expected that moment would spark a small revolution.
But now, thanks to that conversation, everyone can get their claws on a gluten-free lobster roll – no special requests needed – and for the same price.
And let me tell you, it is phenomenal.
I've always had a love for shellfish. It goes back to childhood holidays, when my dad would lift me up to peer into the glass tanks at seafood restaurants abroad.
He taught me how to crack open crab claws, navigate a plate of prawns, and tackle a whole fish. I was hooked.
As an adult, I've continued that obsession with fresh, local shellfish – especially lobster and langoustines – on travels around Scotland, seeking out the best coastal restaurants and fish shacks.
So you can imagine the pang of longing I felt the first time I spotted those beautifully overstuffed lobster rolls being handed out from the hatch at Dune, a wonderful offshoot of celebrity chef Dean Banks' St Andrews restaurant empire.
The Lobster Shack opened in the summer of 2024 and has been going strong ever since.
There they were – plump, toasted, dripping with indulgence – and utterly off-limits to me as someone who has to eat gluten-free. I could have just asked for the filling, sure, but that always feels like accepting second best.
Instead, I finally got round to asking: Could you make one gluten-free? And the answer from chef Adam Kidd wasn't just 'yes' – it was 'let's make it great.'
That spirit of inclusion is part of what makes Dean's venues like Haar and Dune stand out. Whether it's a tasting menu or a takeaway, if you say you're gluten-free, they don't just remove the gluten – they reimagine the dish.
As Adam put it: 'Everyone deserves to have a great experience.'
That attitude shows. When I went back to Dune recently to try the newly official gluten-free version of the lobster roll – I arrived with high hopes but a healthy dose of scepticism.
Gluten-free bread is famously tricky. So many versions are dense, crumbly, dry, or oddly sweet. I usually avoid it entirely. But what came out of the kitchen blew me away.
The bun looked perfect – lightly golden, crisp at the edges, with a soft, springy interior.
'I toasted it in lemon oil,' Adam explained later, 'because gluten-free bread needs a little help. That oil adds flavour and softens it up.'
It worked. The hint of lemon sang through and lifted the entire roll. Honestly? If you didn't know it was gluten-free, you wouldn't guess.
Inside the roll was a generous heap of lobster meat, nestled into a crisp lettuce leaf to help hold everything together. But this was no ordinary seafood salad.
It was a mix designed for depth and heat: chunks of sweet, juicy lobster from Yule Fisheries in Arbroath (delivered fresh by Tommy, who supplies all Dean Banks' venues), kissed with chipotle for smoky heat, a touch of Arbroath Smokie for richness, and finished with a silky Katy Rodgers crème fraîche from Fife.
Every bite was cool and creamy, smoky and spicy, fresh and just a little decadent.
I took my roll to the sun-drenched terrace at Dune and ate it overlooking the medieval spires and university buildings of St Andrews.
It was one of those lunches that makes you want to text everyone you know and tell them to go there immediately.
And it means so much more than just being able to eat a lobster roll. It's about not being left out. It's about being seen as a customer who deserves the full experience – not the 'safe' version.
In so many places, saying 'I'm gluten free' still leads to eye rolls, missing sauces, dry bread, or meals that feel like afterthoughts. But not here. Not with Dean Banks' team.
In fact, the gluten-free approach seems deeply personal. Dean's son Felix is coeliac, and until now, he's never been able to have one of these rolls. 'I'm so excited to make him his first lobster roll,' said Adam with a grin.
And it's not just the roll. Dean Banks' business is quietly making sure that more and more of its offerings are coeliac-friendly without compromising on quality. Their home-delivery wagyu burger kits are also now available gluten-free.
And I'll be back very soon. Because as much as I loved that one roll, I could have easily eaten three.
Address: Lobster Shack, 80 North Street, St Andrews KY16 9AH
When: Served from midday, Thursday – Sunday
Price: £12