One of the hardest things about not eating gluten is finding something healthy and GF for lunch. The City of London is full of branches of Eat and Pret a Manger, neither if whom sell much / anything in the way of healthy grab and go gluten free wraps or sandwiches for a quick lunch.
Are you looking for other gluten free lunch items in London? If so, please check out my Coeliac’s Guide to Eating out in London’s best gluten free restaurants.
Although I’m a keen cook, there’s not enough time in the day for me to prepare a packed lunch either at the start or end or the day.
So what’s a girl to do? Well, I love sushi but I like the good stuff (not you, M&S) and I would probably be completely bankrupt if I ate sushi every day.
Step forward Barney’s a small antipodean run place just off Bishopsgate. It’s the kind of place which probably exists all over the West End but the like of which I’ve not found in the City before.
Every day huge bowls of freshly prepared veggies are laid out for customers to help themselves put into a salad box. The price of the salad is determined by weight. The selection changes daily but usually includes steamed brocolli with fresh chilli, roasted butternut squash scattered with pumpkin seeds, maybe a rice salad with Mediterranean veg and dill and daily there’s a warm tortilla to select a slice from.
Here’s my lunch from earlier this week:
There are items on sale which include gluten but the selection of gluten free and healthy grab and go style foods, alongside the freshness of the food, makes Barney’s a real winner for a quick and easy gluten free lunch in the City.
Gluten Free Mrs D
That lunch looks great! I want one of those every day.
If you're ever in Soho, Vita Organic in Soho is amazing!
Hi Claire, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I will definitely check out your suggestion next time I'm in the West End!
Alas, Barney’s has now closed. 🙁 I miss them so much and filling the void is quite difficult.
Author
Yes, it’s a real shame Barney’s has now closed. It was such an unusual place to find in the City: Great tasting, healthy food and not a chain! The last time I walked down there, I think Barney’s still have their kiosk on Broadgate Circle but I’m not sure if they still do the salads in there. Where do you buy lunch now in the Square Mile?