Tapi Go!: Gluten-free Brazilian fare on the Main

One could easily walk past Tapi Go! without paying attention because the place is so discreet. The two or three essential things to know about Tapi Go! are the following: it’s very good, it’s gluten-free, and, on top of that, it’s really inexpensive.

Tapioca crepes!

It’s also very cheerful because these pan-fried crepes, folded in half, come in white, pink or green. They are large crepes made with tapioca flour and filled with various homemade mixes. Our favourite went to “Eggs in Love,” a beautiful pink base of beets with mozzarella, scrambled eggs with chives, tomatoes with basil, avocado and olive oil. The house offers a dozen or so equally tasty crepes as well as half a dozen bowls of acai that can easily satisfy an average appetite. Moreover, this little berry — the fruit of the acai palm tree grown in the Amazon River basin in Brazil — is rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and minerals, benefits that make it a superfood. Finally, all the homemade recipes at Tapi Go! are gluten-free, which is quite an achievement, especially for such a modest place and explains the growing success of the address.

This little Brazilian outlier is the second address in Canada, the first Tapi Go! was opened in Toronto in the middle of the pandemic by Clarissa Aguiar and her husband Rui Raposo. She’s Brazilian and he’s Portuguese and neither of them are cooks. In fact, she’s more of an engineer and he’s an architect, but they’re both big fans of the crepe, a street food favourite in Brazil.

Brazilian with love but without gluten

Soon after, Luis Almeida, born in Minde, Portugal and a friend of de Rui’s, suggested that he open a second location, this time in Montreal. In mid-August 2022, the deal was done and this second Tapi Go! opened its doors on Saint-Laurent Boulevard just north of Duluth Avenue. Designed by Florence Charrons of Indee Design, the very simple décor cleverly combines Brazilian and Montreal touches. As soon as they open, the atmosphere is very nice and the service is pleasantly warm. The very modest prices also contribute to the good mood of the clientele and the fact that one can enjoy popular Brazilian specialties without gluten is a big plus for everyone, whether one is sensitive or allergic to gluten or not.

Written by Jean-Philippe Tastet
Photography by Mikael Lebleu

Last update: November 03, 2022

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