Gluten Free London: 9 Delicious Stops for Your Next Visit

Ann-Marie

July 14, 2024

9 Must-Visit Gluten Free London Restaurants and Bakeries

Heading to London and looking for some delicious gluten free food for your next trip? You’re in the right place. Eating gluten free in London is easy and delicious and is key to building the perfect London itinerary for your next trip. I had the most amazing time visiting gluten free London restaurants as someone with Celiac and am excited to share all these fantastic finds!

In the United States, I am accustomed to calling restaurants ahead of time to go over their kitchen procedures, speak to the manager, re-run through the procedures once at the restaurant with my waiter, and double check to make sure they let the kitchen know that I have an “allergy”. The process is exhausting!

In London, the process was as simple as asking “do you have gluten free food?” and “is it safe for someone with Celiac disease?” and most restaurant staff could give me a confident answer right away. However, even with my increased confidence is kitchen procedures in London, I primarily stuck to restaurants that offered more extensive gluten-free menus and had more rigorous kitchen procedures for cross contamination.

When I visited London, I was travelling with a friend that is not gluten free so it was important to me to find restaurants that would not sacrifice her experience to eat delicious gluten-filled food but also would keep me safe. For this reason, most of the places on this gluten free London list are not 100% gluten free but vetted extensively to make sure they take cross contamination and Celiac disease seriously.

With all that said, after having spent a few food-filled days in London, I’ve put together a list of the restaurants and bakeries that I would highly recommend if you are looking for the best gluten free London spots!

Contents hide

1 Gluten Free London Restaurants

2 Gluten Free London Bakeries

2.1 The Free From Bakehouse

2.2 Lola’s Cupcakes

3 Gluten Free like Me?

4 Don’t Stop Exploring Here!

Gluten Free London Restaurants

Los Mochis

Los Mochis was the perfect intersection of taste, ambience, vibes, and safety that I was looking for in a gluten free London restaurant experience. Plus, it is 100% gluten free!

This Mexican-Japanese fusion restaurant- yes you heard that right- had to have had one of the most unique menus I have ever seen. It was like a perfect split in half, with all the Mexican food imaginable on one page, and then a fabulous variety of Japanese on the next. How often is it that you can get a Wagyu steak and chips and guacamole as your two appetizers?

This “Tokyo meets Tulum” establishment is decorated in traditional Japanese and Mexican adornments making the atmosphere truly one of a kind. There are multiple different dining areas to this restaurant, including a patio, lounge, inside dining, and bar. Depending on what you are looking for out of your dining experience, you can choose any of these areas.

For my meal, I decided on starting with some delicious Ajo-Chipotle edamame. I highly recommend if you are looking for a spicy twist to your traditional edamame dish. For my main meal, my friend and I decided to try a bunch of different sushi rolls and they did not disappoint!

Los Mochis has two locations between Notting Hill and London City. The Notting Hill location was my favorite restaurant stop on my gluten free London tour and I cannot speak higher of my experience there.

Honest Burgers

Dotted all throughout London, Honest Burgers in one of England’s popular burger chains. Better than fast food burgers, Honest Burgers still maintains a casual vibe and affordable menu prices while providing a cozy, inviting atmosphere. Even better, they have safe gluten free food!

I studied abroad in London prior to eating gluten free, and this was one of my friends and I’s favorite places to grab a bite to eat. After becoming gluten free, I feared I may never have another Honest Burger again. Much to my relief, I was so glad to find out I was wrong! All of their burgers can be made on a separate grill and they have a dedicated fryer for their fried sides.

While the majority of the menu caters to the traditional beef burger, there are a number of chicken, vegetarian, and vegan options as well. I can’t recommend just one burger off the menu, but make sure you get the Rosemary Salted Chips (french fries), as these are what keep bringing me back time and time again.

Cotto

Looking for some gluten free Italian in London? Cotto is the place to go! This adorable little family-run restaurant is nestled in a quiet neighborhood not too far off the London Eye and Westminster Bridge.

From start to finish, I felt that my gluten free needs were completely taken care of. They have a separate gluten free menu, offer gluten free bread to start, almost everything on the menu can be made gluten free, and they brought my food out with an allergy sticker which helped to make me feel extra safe.

I highly recommend Cotto if you are looking for a quiet, cozy lunch or dinner option with hearty food that tastes like it came from your Italian grandma’s kitchen.

Cote Brasserie

Perhaps you are in the mood to switch it up and try some gluten free French food in London. If that’s the case, Cote Brasserie is an excellent option to pop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner! With over 20 locations scattered throughout London, no matter where you are staying there is bound to be a Cote nearby.

Cote is open from morning until night, making it a reliable option for any time of day. I visited for breakfast and got the classic “Cote Breakfast”. They substituted the traditional bread for gluten free bread and ensured that my food would be prepared in a separate area of the kitchen. When my food came out, I appreciated that there was an allergy flag on my food instilling an extra level of confidence in how seriously they take allergies.

I recommend visiting Cote if you are searching for a convenient but classy dining option on your gluten free London hunt.

Bill’s

Bill’s is another convenient gluten free London option with over 10 locations throughout the city. Open all day, you can find breakfast, lunch, and dinner options at this classic English restaurant. With a heightened emphasis on health options, you can find a diverse array of fresh food options including fish, salads, burgers, salads, and pastas.

I visited Bill’s twice on my trip to London- once for breakfast and the other for dinner. Starting with breakfast, I was excited to see they had gluten free pancakes with fresh fruit. Ensured by the waitstaff that it would be prepared in a separate area of the kitchen, I decided to try them. My decision was affirmed when my pancakes came out with an allergy marker and they were some of the best, if not the best, gluten free pancakes I’d ever had.

For dinner I enjoyed a classic burger and a fries (they have a dedicated fryer) which were both good. This wasn’t my favorite meal during my trip to London, but I appreciated the ease of walking in and laid back atmosphere of the restaurant at night.

Similar to Cote, I highly recommend checking out Bill’s if you are in the mood for a casual, but nice meal with safe gluten free food in London.

Paladar

For my final restaurant recommendation, you need to check out Paladar for some hearty, yummy Latin American deliciousness. This 100% gluten free gem is tucked away in Southwark. With a strong emphasis on Latin American decor, music, and food, you will feel like you have stepped out of London while dining at Paladar.

The menu is creatively divided into three categories: “The Land”, “The Sea”, and “The Farm”. If you are traveling with other dietary needs (vegetarian, pescatarian, etc.), this menu has a little bit for everyone!

To start, we got some bite-sized empanadas that came with a yummy dipping sauce. Then, for my main course, I got one of my favorite dishes during our stay in London, Chochinita Pibil. Chochinita Pibil roughly translates to a pulled pork dish. Similar to fajitas, this came out in a sizzling cast iron skillet with sides of pickled onions, pineapple, and chili jam to build little tortillas out of.

Tacos Padre

While not a “restaurant”, I needed to add this spot to my list since I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Tacos Padre. This is a little taco pop-up is located in Borough Market near the wooden bleachers. I tried a few different taco varieties and the Patatas Con Chorizo. While the tacos were fairly standard, the Patatas Con Chorizo was unlike anything I’ve ever had before- really flavorful and hit the spot after a long flight!

Gluten Free London Bakeries

The Free From Bakehouse

Situated in Borough Market, the Free From Bakehouse is your one stop shop for all gluten free baked goods. 100% gluten free, they carry one of the more diverse selections of baked goods I have seen from a gluten free bakeshop. I ended up trying a traditional British delicacy, the “Battenberg”, which was a almond and apricot flavored sponge cake encased in a marzipan outer layer.

Gluten Free London Stop: Free From Bakehouse — Source: Borough Market

Lola’s Cupcakes

Lola’s cupcakes is a small, order-at-the-counter cupcake shop located just outside of Neal’s Yard in Covent Garden. While this is not a dedicated gluten free shop, they have a couple gluten free cupcake flavors that come already packaged in a boxed container. While I was hesitant about safety at first, I was assured by the statement on the packaging saying that the cupcakes are prepared in a dedicated gluten free bakery. I tried the Red Velvet cupcake, and despite having come pre-packaged, I thought it was incredibly fresh and tasty!