Garlic has been banned from some restaurants because they cause bad breath under masks

Top chefs have abolished the use of the pungent plant in their dishes so that customers don’t have to endure breathing in the strong smell trapped inside their face masks after they eat.

Thomas Makkos, owner of Nello on Upper East Side, told the New York Post: “People always complained that it was smelly and gassy. I made the decision to get rid of it altogether and my customers thanked me.

“Imagine eating a meal with garlic and putting your mask on. You’re breathing your bad breath.”

While other diners like Fasano and Osteria 57 have followed suit and banned the ingredient from their menus, others have refused to alter their recipes.

Il Piccolo Buffalo, in Little Italy, said it’s impossible to substitute and replicate the flavour.

Garlic, historically known as Italian Vanilla, has become a central element in Italian-American cooking and is as synonymous with the cuisine as tomatoes, olive oil, and parmesan.

Ali Tisi, proprietor of Il Piccolo Bufalo, said: “It’s very difficult to substitute. It’s not going to happen.”

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