Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
The Infatuation
Where To Eat When You're Gluten-Free & Can't Take Another Salad
By Candis R. McLean,
4 hours ago
You can’t drink just any beer on the bar menu. The soy sauce at your local sushi spot may as well be for decoration. And when your friends get you a birthday cake, you have to do an ingredient deep dive before you can even blow out the candles. But have no fear—your days of endless salads or rice bowls are over. Philly has a ton of GF options, so you can stop playing food detective and actually enjoy an exciting meal. These are our 11 favorites. (FYI—not every place on this list has an entirely gluten-free kitchen, so we’d recommend checking with them before you dine if you have a serious allergy.)
At Okie Dokie Donuts near Passyunk Ave, you'll find creative flavors like orange cardamom, oolong ginger, and earl grey lemon, along with more familiar staples, like a cinnamon-y apple cider and german chocolate cake. They’re all soft, cakey, and most importantly, gluten-free (yes, every single one). You’ll almost always find crowds lining up on the weekends (especially on Sundays when they close early at 3pm), but it's worth the wait for a perfectly sweet pick-me-up.
Emmy Squared is one of the best places for pizza in Queen Village. They focus on crispy Detroit-style pan pizza, with options like a margarita with piles of creamy burrata, and The Angel, topped with a truffle-y mushroom cream, ricotta, and mushrooms. And while the neighborhood loves the thick and pillowy crust, you can, too—the gluten-free version has the same level of quality as the original. If you’re looking for GF pizza that doesn’t taste like a stale wafer, Emmy Squared should be at the top of your list.
Tomo Sushi and Ramen in Old City is a standout for Japanese food—in fact, it’s in our weekly rotation. It’s also a spot where gluten-free people don’t have to compromise. Tomo offers countless GF options, ranging from earthy miso soup and specialty rolls to the colorful chirashi and super-fresh salmon bowls. Our favorite roll is the aka-yuki, which is loaded with spicy tuna, seared white tuna, and wasabi tobiko (with a healthy dunk of gluten-free soy sauce, of course).
PS & Co. is an entirely vegan and gluten-free coffee shop near Rittenhouse Square. They have a massive all-day menu of things like caramel cookies, mango lassi smoothies, sesame oat bagels, and veggie tacos (which are basically mini gardens wrapped in a baked brown rice tortilla). You can point to anything on the menu at the laidback, plant-filled space, and it’s not only safe to eat, but super satisfying.
We love so many things about Doro Bet on Baltimore Avenue, like the Sami Dan music they play and the bright walls covered in African art. But what we really can’t stop thinking about is the perfectly crispy teff flour fried chicken. This Ethiopian spot also serves generous shawarma salads, falafel wraps, and spicy doro wot that’s just as worthy of stalking. It’s a great option for a quick lunch or casual weeknight meal when you’re craving fall-off-the-bone peppery stewed chicken.
This Lao spot in Kensington is perfect for catching up with friends over spicy tom yum soup, light and coconut-y banh xeo, and earthy green chili curry. All of those options are gluten-free—as are around 15 other items on the menu—and taste so good that you’ll want to eat it in small forkfuls just to make the entire dish last longer. Most of the GF dishes are under $20, and they open as early as noon, so it can work as your go-to spot for a casual lunch or dinner that doesn’t make you wince when you pay.
Tulip Pasta and Wine Bar is one of our favorite Italian restaurants in town, and their gluten-free pasta is so incredible that you’ll check the menu three times to verify the “GF” on it. Outside of the pasta, small plates like grilled scallops with smoky shishito salsa verde and tuna crudo are also gluten-free. When nothing less than tagliatelle caprese or spaghetti and clams will do, this is the spot.
Indian Char House in West Philly is our highest-rated Indian restaurant in the city. This casual, plant-filled spot also has an extremely large menu. You can order the whole thing and it will feel like an endless buffet—and that goes for the gluten-free options, too. It works for a light lunch of crispy veggie pakoras, chili paneer, and cilantro-heavy lentil soup, or a dinner of juicy lamb kabobs and smoky scallops. Heads up—it’s a small space, so if you bring a big group to divvy up the sweet and rich chicken handi karahi, come early.
Blue Corn is a small, 10-table Mexican restaurant in the Italian market, and it’s one of our go-to spots when we want a fun night out that starts with good margaritas and great tacos. Everything here is made in the small, open kitchen—from the two semi-spicy salsas that appear on every table to their gluten-free blue corn tortillas that form the base of most of their tacos, quesadillas, and huaraches. Just remember, it's cash only.
This Thai stunner in Fishtown is one of the most in-demand restaurants in Philly. And since most of the menu is GF, it’s the ideal place for a special night out when gluten is not your friend. Kalaya isn't just 14-foot-tall trees and hot people at the bar—the Southern Thai curries, dumplings, and spicy duck salad consistently hit.
When you want to impress a client or date who's GF, or you just want to get up, close, and personal with a big steak, make a reservation at Barclay Prime in Rittenhouse Square. Also if you’re hoping to spot someone from the Eagles, this is definitely the place to do it.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Most Popular
Comments / 0