Are you a Coeliac visiting the UK and looking for safe gluten free restaurants in London? This comprehensive guide will help you choose the best gluten free restaurants for you….from gluten free street food via fish and chips to 3 Michelin starred restaurants, all with gluten free menu choices.
Latest update: September 2024
When I travel to new cities and countries, I always look for gluten free travel guides written by coeliacs and gluten intolerant people who actually live those cities and countries as good first sources of information.
I live in London (I’m proud to call this wonderful city my home for 20 years!) and I have personally visited all the restaurants and cafes listed here, sometimes many times.
This is NOT a list created from a Google search of places which purport to offer gluten free dishes.
This is a collection of gluten free restaurants in London that I eat at and am happy to recommend.
However, good restaurants close, chefs move to new establishments and great new places open. Spot something not quite right or a great place missing? Please do reach out to me via the email link above, or leave comment below.
100% gluten free restaurants in London
In truth, I don’t make a massive effort to search out 100% gluten free restaurants. Of course I’m happy when this is an option, but given the choices and high standards of non-100% gluten free restaurants in London, this is an option for me but not a requirement.
Utter Waffle – This award winning waffle house now has two locations in South London offering delcious savoury (as well as sweet) waffles. Well worth the visit whereever you are in London. The absolute best light, fresh and crispy gluten free waffles topped with interesting combinations of flavours.
Free From Bakehouse – Although Caroline’s award winning can be bought online and in various outlets ranging from Fortnums to Whole Food Markets, it’s to Borough Market (NB the market is only open Wednesday – Saturday) you should come. The market itself is a wonderful place for a foodie to roam, if a little crowded on a weekend. My favourites are the savoury tarts and the raspberry and white chocolate brownies are impossible for me to resist – so good!
Niche – This 100% gluten free and Coeliac UK accredited restaurant in Islington offers British classics (don’t miss the Shepherdy Pot Pie!) and even a Sunday roast menu including gluten free Yorkshire Puddings. As well as all menu items being gluten free, the entire menu is also peanut, tree nut and sessame free.
Where do you recommend for a reasonably priced gluten free lunch or dinner in London? The multiple location (chain) restaurants:
Although the word ” chain” perhaps has negative connotations for some, for those with allergies and intolerances they can be an ideal place to eat. Why? Because excellent staff training, standardised procedures and a well thought through approach at head office level (often involving industry experts) means high quality processes to minimise the risk of cross contamination.
Almost all of the restaurants below are nationwide in the UK (some much bigger than others) so if you are travelling outside of London, these are highly recommended places to eat.
Honest Burgers – The original location is in the thriving culinary centre that is Brixton Village but they are expanding their restaurants all over London. Honest serves arguably London’s best burger in a gluten free bun along with house chips (French fries) with rosemary salt which can’t be beaten. They even offer gluten free Daura beer! If you only had time to visit one gluten free place for lunch in London, I would choose either Honest or Leon. £
Leon – Possibly my favourite place for a healthy quick lunch with a wide choice of gluten free options such as felafel served with rice and slaw is my favourite. Clear and well displayed allergy labelling. They have a good kid’s menu and welcome small people with pencils, paper and smiles. Branches located all over London and expanding. Can be found landside at Heathrow T3, King’s Cross and Folkestone Eurotunnel for any Eurostar travellers. £
Pho This Vietnamese chain of restaurants found all over the capital have recently updated their menu so that it is 99% gluten free. Please note that the crispy spring rolls are one of the very few things on the menu which are NOT gluten free. ££
Rosa’s Thai – If you love Thai food, Rosa’s is a must visit for authentic Thai dishes. They have a dedicated gluten free menu and I particularly like the transparency in explaining how gluten is handled in their kitchens. ££
Itsu – A chain of good sushi restaurants located all over London and even airside at Heathrow T5. Itsu offer a good range of gluten free options which are shown on their website here. Itsu DO offer gluten free soy sauce. The bottle of gluten free soy sauce is usually located away from the till, with a few other condiment bottles. You will need to ask for a small pot with a lid and you can help yourself to gluten free soy sauce to take away. £
Wahaca – Chain of Mexican restaurants set up by a former Masterchef winner. There is a gluten free menu, waiters are (normally) very clued up and there are plenty of gluten free options. ££
DF Mexico – I’ve eaten at the Old Truman Brewery site (near to Brick Lane / Spitalfields) but they also have a Tottenham Court Road. Come here for delicious rice bowls ad tacos (make sure to ask for the corn/gluten free tortillas when you order). From the same group as Wahaca, this restaurant’s allergy menu has almost identical wording to Wahaca’s. Sadly the nachos and tortilla chips here are not safe for coeliacs. ££
ASK Italian, Zizzi, Carluccio’s, Pizza Hut, Prezzo, and Bella Italia – These Italian chain restaurants which are easily found all over London all offer gluten free menus. Carluccio’s is my favourite for pasta, even offering this laminated gluten free menu. I prefer the gluten free pizza at ASK Italian. ££
Gourmet Burger Kitchen – Offer gluten free buns but unfortunately they don’t offer gluten free fries in all locations (please ask in each location) but their burgers are delicious.
Cote Brasserie – This collection of restaurants offer delicious classic French dishes with a dedicated gluten free menu, accredited by Coeliac UK. The team behind Cote have put a lot of effort into developing a great menu for Coeliac / gluten intolerant diners. My top picks are steak frites. Gluten free dishes here are identified with small picks to ensure diners receive the correct dish.
Ping Pong – Think you can’t eat dim sum? Think again! Ping Pong now offer gluten free (plus nut free) dim sum in their restaurants. I’ve eaten here a few times since they’ve offered the gluten free menu and have been impressed each time at their cross contamination measures and how the cooking process was explained to me. ££
Pure – A great choice for breakfasts with all porridge and bircher muesli made with gluten free oats. Other gluten free breakfast options are the super eggs with various toppings ranging from goats cheese or smoked salmon or salsa fresco. There’s also plenty of gluten free lunch time options from salads or hot pots. The coffee is really good here and the staff in the branch I visit at Moorgate are super friendly.
Mid-priced independent gluten free restaurants in London
Which independent restaurants in London offer a reasonably priced gluten free meal?
Ceru – If you love the flavours of the Eastern Mediterranean, you should head for Ceru with a menu of big, bold Levantine dishes packed with flavour. So much of the menu here is gluten free, including items normally off limits to coeliacs including spice battered squid (served here with harissa yoghurt) and there are plenty of options for vegetarians too; the sticky aubergines with dates and tamari are a must. Locations in South Ken (very handy for the V&A, Natural History Museum) and Soho
Bird – Come to bird in Shoreditch for naturally gluten free finger lickin’ good fried chicken – yes, it really does exist! (check website for current locations)
The Vurger Co – This vegan and plant based burger resto in Shoreditch offers gluten free burgers and buns. I thoroughly enjoyed eating here, especially as they offer 50/50 fries – for those like me who can’t decide between regular and sweet potato fries. ££
Eliot’s Cafe – If you are into food markets, this cool little restaurant with a daily changing menu is perfectly situated for Borough market. I booked a table for Saturday brunch (of delicious leek, goat’s cheese and Jersey Royal frittata) here via OpenDining with a note on my dietary restrictions. I was extremely impressed they called me back within 10 minutes to confirm they could safely cater for me. Check their website for opening times. ££
Gluten Free Afternoon Tea in London
Don’t all British people enjoy afternoon tea? Tell me where should I go for gluten free afternoon tea in London…
I DO indeed LOVE afternoon tea! It’s such a treat and there are many places in London which offer excellent gluten free (and nut free) afternoon tea. I’ve been lucky to enjoy quite a few gluten free afternoon teas (and I have a couple planned for 2019) so I will update this page.
Why not celebrate just being in one of the world’s most exciting cities by treating yourself to that quintessentially English tradition of Afternoon Tea? Many of the top London hotels offer gluten free afternoon tea alongside their regular afternoon tea menus. Some also cater for additional dietary requirements such as diabetic and vegan. The best afternoon teas can be found at Brown’s Hotel, Claridges Hotel, and Fortnum & Mason. The Sanderson Hotel offers a Mad Hatter’s themed gluten free afternoon tea. I’ve recently tried the gluten free and nut free afternoon tea at the beautiful Claridges hotel and also the Lanesborough hotel (blog posts to come). Prices vary but budget for around £40 per person. Afternoon Tea is VERY popular and weekend slots can be booked weeks or even months in advance so please plan ahead and reserve if at all possible. ££
Tips for (gluten free) afternoon tea:
It’s VERY popular: You should book as far in advance as possible.
Some hotels have dress codes to varying degrees, I’d recommend checking the website in advance. Don’t worry, you don’t need a hat! But gentlemen sometimes require jackets and usually long trousers.
Gluten afternoon tea in most of the 5 star hotels is going to set you back upwards of £ 55 – more if you add a glass of champagne
The Luxury List – Fine Dining Options for Coeliacs in London
I’m looking for a restaurant to enjoy a fantastic meal, where should I go for gluten free fine dining in London?
Perhaps you’d like a special romantic meal? Or maybe you’d like to entertain a client (or even better, be entertained?). London has many excellent and Michelin starred restaurants and the majority of these will be able to cater for gluten free diets without fuss by adapting the dishes.
Good restaurants do get booked up long in advance so if you have somewhere special in mind, make sure you call in advance and reserve a table. At the same time, notify the restaurant of your dietary restrictions, discuss with them how they will handle cooking for you and ask they confirm which menu options would be suitable for you.
Gordon Ramsey, Royal Hospital Road – Like every upscale restaurants in this list, Gordon Ramsey’s flagship restaurant catered effortlessly for my gluten free and nut free dietary requirements. But what more would you expect from a Michelin 3 star restaurant? Wonderful food and stellar wine list £££££
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park – voted top 5 restaurant in the world, this 2 Michelin star restaurant delivers spectacular British food from historical recipes. I’ve been lucky to go three times and on each occasion they’ve catered both gluten free and nut free effortlessly. ££££
The Ledbury – This 2 Michelin star restaurant in Notting Hill has won a slew of awards. The menu focuses on the best of British produce in its stunning dishes. The food was delicious but I found the interior décor, whilst stylish, to be a bit lacking in atmosphere. Perhaps just the January night I visited. ££££
The Palomar – I adore the food here, inspired by modern day Jerusalem. The Octo Hummus is divine – reason alone to eat here. I’ve sat both in the back (with reservation) and at the high bar overlooking the kitchen on another visit. Whilst not everything is gluten free, they do a great job of offering delicious gluten free and nut free adapted dishes. Sadly no gluten free kabaneh, though! ££££
Nopi – Lebanese / Middle Eastern / Asian influenced dishes. Many naturally gluten free options or can be easily adapted which means your (non gluten free) dining companions should be very happy with the choice of gluten free sharing dishes. £££
Andina – The Peruvian restaurant and Pisco bar scored big points with me not just for the delicious food but also for the comprehensively allergen labelled menus. £££
Hakkasan – Think you can’t eat gluten free Chinese? Think again! With one day’s notice the kitchen can prepare dishes such as Golden Fried Soft Shell Crab gluten free and without the risk of cross contamination. The interior of this Michelin starred restaurant is dark, sexy and I particularly love the pink mojitos here. ££££
Nobu– Japanese food in this well known celeb spot on Park Lane. They were incredibly helpful with gluten free dining and provided me with gluten free soy sauce. ££££
Rivington Grill – On a recent visit I had notified their Shoreditch location in advance of my dietary restrictions. When I arrived the chef had pre-prepared a menu for me with the items I could eat indicated. Menu focuses on modern British cuisine and has a lovely brasserie feel. Olympic visitors may find the Greenwich location convenient. £££
Polpo – Arrived in London without making any plans? This Italian bacaro in Soho could be the place for you as they don’t take advance reservations. Reasonable selection of gluten free dishes to share. However, it scores extra points with me since they were playing The Smiths the last time I ate dinner there! £££
Gluten Free Restaurants near London’s Top Tourist Attractions
Where can I eat gluten free near to London’s tourist attractions?
Tate Modern – Offers gluten free options as well as delicious gluten free cakes if you need a sugar fix with a slice of modern art. £
The Natural History Museum – lots of gluten free options in The Restaurant (including fantastic gluten free pizza), a dedicated buggy park and plenty of high chairs. ££
Royal Academy – The Peyton & Byrne restaurant has been very accommodating in adapting dishes to be gluten free on numerous Friday night visits. They also do gluten free chocolate cake. ££
British Museum – Offers gluten free Afternoon Tea for a very reasonable £18. Advance notice required. ££
Gluten Free Fish and Chips in London
Hang on, you’ve not mentioned where I can find gluten free fish and chips in London yet?
London and the UK may be known for it’s national favourite of fish and chips but it’s surprisingly difficult to find coeliac safe fish and chips in London. If you’re in a restaurant which claims it has gluten free fish and chips, please do check and double check the batter AND that they have a separate and dedicated fryer as this is not always the case.
The Mayfair Chippy – I’m a huge fan of this stylish fish and chip shop with three locations in the capital. Dedicated fryers here make this a good choice for coeliac safe fish and chips. Vegans won’t go hungry here either. If, like me, you live close to the Clapham location then you can have you gluten free fish and chips delivered directly to your door via Deliveroo. ££
Olley’s Fish and Chips – Olley’s opposite Brockwell Park offers Coeliac UK certified gluten free fish and chips every day of the week! But you don’t have to take my word for for how good their fish and chips are – in 2019 Olley’s have just been rated in the Top 10 fish and chip shops in all the UK! Olley’s is 10 minutes by overland train from Victoria station to Herne Hill. ££
The Seine Rigger – technically this is not in London (it’s in Surrey) but I enjoyed the fish and chips here so much I’ve had to include it. If you’re in south London, this might be an option. Please do call ahead to make sure the separate fryer is on and for them to prepare a fresh batch of the gluten free batter.
Gluten Free Bakeries in London
Wait! You’ve missed my favourite gluten free bakery or restaurant in London from this list, why is that?
Perhaps your favourite spot is one I haven’t visited, or perhaps I did visit and I didn’t have a great experience there, both reasons they might not be in this list.
This is a list of my personal recommendations. This is not a list constructed from google search or other people’s blog posts; these are the places I have actually eaten in, sometimes once and sometimes I eat there every week! If you met me in real life, these are the places I’d tell you to eat.
However, one other reason there are some notable absences (especially London’s gluten free bakeries) is that I have a nut allergy (I’m allergic to almonds, hazelnuts and chestnuts) which means many of the gluten free bakeries which use nuts/nut based flours are off limits for me.
London’s Gluten free restaurants – the closed list
Just like the Lonely Planet says, good restaurants close, new restaurants open and head chefs and menus can change regularly. That’s why it’s always important to double check information before making a special trip to any restaurant you’ve found online – and another reason why it’s good to trust a local with your restaurant recommendations. It’s easy to write blog posts from Google searches, but they are not always kept updated. Here’s a list of the gluten free and coeliac friendly restaurants in London we’ve had to bid a sad farewell to:
Mommi – I live nearby and the closure of this abulous restaurant in Clapham, south west London, offered an exciting menu of Japanese – Peruvian inspired dishes.
Ardiciocca – I adored my meal at this 100% gluten free trattoria and pizzeria in Fulham which offered dishes with wonderful flavour combinations not found at other gluten free restaurants in London.
Leggero – This friendly Italian restaurant – evolved from a previous incarnation as La Polentaria – had expanded to 3 locations in London however, all have now very sadly closed all of their restaurant sites. Instead, they offer their excellent pastas – and more – from their online shop. Leggero is 100% gluten free.
GROM – Sadly Grom in Piccadilly has closed, Londoners will now need to fly to Italy for gluten free gelato
Yorica – The central London based cafe offered those with multiple allergies, soft serve ice cream with toppings usually out of bounds for coeliacs such as jammy wheels, cookies and sprinkles. They also offer waffles and crepes, both gluten free. Although the café has now closed, you can still buy Yorica’s products in selected supermarkets.
Beyond Bread – Very sadly, Beyond Bread have now closed all of their locations in London, including the outlet in Selfridges. Sad times.
La Polentaria – the bad news is that this fantastic 100% gluten free restaurant focusing on (yes, you guessed it…) polenta has closed but the good news is it’s been replaced with a new restaurant with the same team Leggero (see above).
WagFree – This pioneer of gluten free dining in Brixton Village is no longer operating. In its place is Station 26, a 100% gluten free restaurant
Manna Dew – Battersea’s finest 100% gluten free patisserie and cafe is very sadly no longer operating as a cafe – however, they do offer a delivery service
Romeo’s Gluten Free Bakery – Whilst Romeo’s gluten free bakery has closed, it’s sister restaurant (a few doors along Upper Street, Islington), Romeo’s Sugar Free restaurant remains open
Juliet gluten free bakery –Walthamstow – another 100% gluten free bakery which has closed down. Again, they offer an online service for customers in North / North East London
What are your best gluten free restaurants to eat at in London? Do you have any coeliac safe restaurant recommendations in London to share? Please do leave a comment below and help fellow travellers to London, along with gluten free and coeliac Londoners, get the best out of the gluten free restaurant scene in London.
PIN FOR LATER
I am from the US and looking for cooking classes in gluten free where the bread, desserts, everything taste as good if you were cooking with gluten. Can you help
me with this. Your pictures look really good and so taste is the next thing.
Thanks so much look forward to hearing from you soon.
My daughter is in the UK at the moment and is Gluten free. She would love to do a short course if there is one on offer for gluten free – do you know of a good one please. She already cooks well but she wants to learn more.
Author
Hello – thanks for stopping by and commenting! Is your daughter in London? If so, I would recommend your daughter tries the course run by Sarah Jones at Especially Delicious Cakes. You can read my blog post here: https://glutenfreemrsd.com/2011/03/gluten-free-baking-course-london.html which has the contact details for the course.
Alternatively the Gluten Free and Allergy Show is on this coming weekend at Olympia in London where there will be some cooking demonstrations. Here’s the website: http://www.allergyshow.co.uk/
What part of Australia are you from? Fantastic country!
A fab Italian restaurant in Waterloo (LONDON) near the London Eye, across from Lambeth North tube station is COTTO’s ITALIAN RESTAURANT. The lovely man who owns the restaurant has coeliac and is very aware of being and serving gf! Can be casein/dairy-free if you ask, as found in the majority of American diets for children with Autism and ADHD/ADD (gluten-free, casein-free). Anyone who is a TACA member and/or a DAN! diet for children with Autism, please head towards Cotto’s — as of our last few visits there, they are genuine supporters of our special diets and how it affects kids with autism. x
Author
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I haven’t been to Cotto yet but I’ve heard lots of good things about it so I really should go and try it soon. There is also a gluten free restaurant in Kingston, SW London which is very good.
If you ever find yourself in Belfast please stop by St Georges market on a Saturday 9am to 3pm or Sunday 10am to 4pm. I run a small baking business called Check out my Buns and I speciailise, although not exclusively, in sweet treats made with gluten free ingredients and I trade at St Georges every Saturday and Sunday.
This is really helpful – thanks!
Author
Glad you found this guide useful and thanks so much for letting me know!
If you have any specific questions on gluten free eating in London, please do feel free to reach out to me either via email or via my Instagram / Twitter – @glutenfreemrsd
Thanks for sharing your list! As i have to visit top restaurant in east London and i will also follow your list.
Have fun 🙂
Author
Thanks so much for sharing that, I will take a look!
Thanks for sharing such a nice list.
Hiya. A fab article although when trying to book Hakkasan they informed me they could only cater on a very limited basis for gluten free which was a shame as I was just about to buy a voucher for my sisters wedding present but I don’t want her having a limited menu. It may be worth checking these restaurants still have these policies as it seems they have changed? The search continues but I am hopeful I can find one from this list!
Really useful site – incredibly helpful for finding good places for coeliac visistors, but your link to Eliot’s cafe is out of date – new link https://www.elliots.london/
This list is good – and it would be nice to update it.
Note to others – the deep fried spring rolls at Pho mentioned above are the only thing on the menu that is gluten-containing! The rest of the menu is great though 🙂
Author
Thanks Andy! Well noted on the spring rolls, I will update that. Are there any other restaurants you’d recommend?
Thanks for sharing this amazing and updated content.
Author
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
Unfortunately I think Ardiciocca is closed!
A few other gems to add to your list:
– Station 26 in Brixton – 100% gf, tiny and cozy, great for brunch
– Paladar near Elephant & Castle – also 100% gf South American food, incredible GF churros
– Cotto near Waterloo – not 100% gf, but INCREDIBLE gf selection. It’s owned by an 80+ year old Italian man with celiac who goes out of his way to make everyone feel safe and welcome. Homemade gf ravioli, lasagna, and omg the fudge cake is to die for!
Thank you SOOOO much for this!! We are traveling to London this fall and one of our party is Coeliac. It’s her first time abroad and we want it to be special. Having these options will make all the difference. A godsend.
Author
Thanks so much! Glad I could help, I hope you have an amazing time here in London!
Hey, great list, it is very unfortunate but the Vurger Co. is permanently closed now 🙁
Author
Thanks so much, I’ll update the guide. Very sad news, I really enjoyed their food. Initially when they closed the Canary Wharf branch, the Shoreditch location was open for a while but sadly all closed. Thanks again!