10 Of The Best Gluten-Free Friendly Restaurants In London
Where as asking ‘is this gluten-free?’ a couple of years used to send waiters into a frenzy nowadays restaurants are much more accommodating when it comes to catering for coeliacs and those avoiding gluten.
Here we’ve rounded up 10 of the best restaurants around London that have a wide range of delicious gluten-free options:
1 – Banana Tree, various locations
A delectable fusion of Asian cuisine Banana Tree is a great place to go with friends for an easy lunch as the menu is jam-packed with tasty offerings and a whole host of gluten-free dishes so you won’t feel left out whilst your pals tuck into their pad thai’s and ramen soups. With lunch discounts and drinks offers you can fill your boots and still have change to spare on an extra cocktail, the staff are super friendly and more than happy to help out with guiding you on ingredients and the the prime locations make it a great pre-theatre spot.
We recommend: The Legendary Rendang
2 – Wild Honey, Mayfair
When you want to treat yourself or you’re celebrating a special occasion Wild Honey is the place to be, a little more upmarket (with a pricier menu) but with a coeliac head chef this place does gourmet gluten-free like no other. Offering intimate and elegant dining in a stylish space the menu reflects the ambiance with a seasonal fixed menu for lunch (£29.50) and dinner (£35.00) or the daily a la carte menu with divine choices such as Italian ricotta dumplings and wild game ragu.
We recommend: venison, crushed ‘Delica‘ pumpkin, pear and Armagnac sauce
3 – Hummus Bros, various locations
The easy, healthy, grab-and-go lunch hands down goes to Hummus Bros. Their slick sit-down restaurants are always buzzing with groups of friends tucking into big bowls filled to the brim with fresh salad and creamy hummus complete with huge hunks of artisan bread for soaking up every last bite. The wraps are very popular with nearby office workers as they’re deliciously cheap, filling and compared with other lunchtime outlets, pretty healthy. A heavy focus on fresh tastes and top notch service you’ll be hard pushed to find a better speedy lunch than Hummus Bros.
We recommend: hummus with beef and aubergine topping, served with a warm gluten-free pitta bread
4 – Bird, Shoreditch.
Home of delicious gluten-free fried chicken! Everything is made with honest, sustainable ingredients and you’ll be spoilt for choice with the mouth-watering chicken which is all freshly prepared without ingredients containing gluten and the wings are probably the best you’ll find in London. The chips, sauces and belly-busting desserts are all equally finger lickin’ good but the it’s the chicken here that will have you back for more.
We recommend: wings in honey-ginger sauce
5 – GB Pizza, Clerkenwell
The Telegraph’s Zoe Williams declared the gluten-free pizza at Great British Pizza ‘the best pizza I’ve ever had’ and there’s usually queues around the block for a slice of the GB pie on any given weekend which just goes to show how popular this unassuming little eatery is. The gluten-free bases are made off-site by head chef Annie who started GB in Margate and brought it to the capital for the booming London gluten-free market with toppings that include British Kentish Vegetables and cured meats sourced from local markets.
We recommend: Roost chicken – Rotisserie chicken from Roost, Roost barbecue sauce, red onions, coriander
6 – The Truscott Arms, Maida Vale
More gluten-free pub grub than you can shake a stick at! This independently owned gastropub is famous for it’s vast gluten-free menu which includes scrumptious offerings such as the pulled lamb sandwich with mint pesto and the beef chips with ‘Truscott sauce’. All the ingredients are locally sourced within 50 miles of the premises where possible and with the number of coeliacs in the family who run the pub you can guaranteed you’re in safe hands when it comes to what’s on your plate. The fine dining evening menu is also mostly gluten-free so you will be exceptionally catered for whether it’s a romantic dinner or just snacks with friends.
We recommend: black pudding scotch egg with black garlic and mayonnaise
7 – Nama Foods, Notting Hill
The benefits of a raw food diet have been extensively discussed in the media for having amazing health benefits and Nama Foods focuses on producing fresh, raw and flavoursome dishes that are as hearty as they are healthy. Tucked away on Talbot Road Nama Foods is the perfect spot for lunch, dinner or a freshly squeezed juice and the restaurant also offers raw food catering, cleanses and preparation courses so it’s no surprise it hails itself as a ‘raw food nirvana’. With raw food being the healthiest thing you can eat the entire menu is 100% meat, dairy, and gluten free.
We recommend: Pad Thai – Rainbow noodles, mung bean sprouts and coriander tossed in a sweet chilli glaze and dressed in a tomato tamarind sauce
8 – Honest Burgers, various locations
An easy but delicious choice is Honest Burgers, the pioneers of gluten-free burgers since 2011 where they opened the doors to their first burger shack in Brixton and have then exploded all over the London burger scene, producing tasty and affordable meaty treats. Pretty much everything except the ‘Honest’ burger is gluten-free and everything is made in dedicated areas so there’s no chance of cross-contamination. All the meat is sourced from gourmet butcher Ginger Pig so not only are the burgers delicious, they’re of a high quality too.
We recommend: cheese burger served with rosemary fries
9 – NomNom, Hampstead
Whilst not technically a restaurant we thought we would include NomNom, a gorgeous gourmet bakery that specialises in gluten-free treats such as cookies, doughnuts and those delicious little cupcakes you crave but could never eat, until now. NomNom do not use any eggs, butter, animal fat, wheat, gluten, yoghurt, cream, rye or yeast in their cooking so even for those with the most restrictive of diets can find a treat in here. NomNom also deliver so would be a good call for a birthday party!
We recommend: treble chocolate muffins
10 – InSpiral, Camden
Located in funky vegan hotspot Camden, InSpiral is an informal vegan cafe cooking up a wide range of gluten-free and vegan food with a heavy emphasis on fresh, healthy ingredients with a relaxed vibe. Serving dishes to cater all tastes including curries, all-day breakfasts, snacks, incredible desserts and even a raw food menu. InSpiral is a one-stop shop for those looking for a relaxed lunch or dinner, which can all be washed down with a delicious smoothie or cocktail.
We recommend: the gluten-free crepe with curried butternut and pumpkin seed
