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A hand holds a shallow dish holding a bowl with a tall pile of shaved ice with drizzles of orange sauce dripping down the ice and the bowl. A mint garnish sits atop the pile.
Dessert at Kalaya is a shareable, gluten-free shaved ice dish called Nam Kaeng Sai.
Mike Prince

15 Philly Restaurants With Great Gluten-Free Options

Don’t miss out on pizza, pasta, cheesesteaks, tacos, Thai food, sweets, and other gluten-free gems

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Dessert at Kalaya is a shareable, gluten-free shaved ice dish called Nam Kaeng Sai.
| Mike Prince

Going out to eat can be complicated for those with gluten allergies or sensitivities, especially those with celiac disease who need to avoid cross-contamination. Luckily, it’s gotten easier over the years for gluten-free diners in Philly. Some cuisines, like many from South and Central American and Asian countries, naturally limit or avoid gluten thanks to their use of corn and rice. Burger and sandwich shops offer gluten-free bread. Pizza places bake gluten-free crusts and bakeries add allergen-free sweets to the mix — or skip gluten entirely.

If you have a serious gluten allergy, use this list as a guide to restaurants that can accommodate you, but alert your server regardless. With a few exceptions, these restaurants are not entirely gluten-free.

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One of Philly’s buzziest restaurant openings and still one of the toughest reservations to book, Kalaya offers a mostly gluten-free menu. The bulk of the Fishtown spot’s elegant Thai dishes, like the charmingly shaped dumplings, tom yum with jumbo river prawns, and a shareable shaved ice dish called Nam Kaeng Sai, are naturally made without gluten.

Jumbo prawns in a metal dish.
Kalaya.
Mike Prince

One of the most exciting openings of 2023, Gilda has been delighting Philadelphians with its Portuguese menu. All of the sandwiches at this Fishtown cafe and market can be served on gluten-free wraps, and the caldo verde soup, pastéis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), piri piri chicken, and salad DeOliveira are also gluten-free.

Emei brings the Sichuan heat to eaters of all stripes: The bulk of its food is naturally gluten-free or available that way at your request. The casual Chinatown restaurant also clearly designates its gluten-free dishes, like egg drop soup, dan dan noodles, and kung pao chicken, with symbols on the menu.

Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs

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Get in the carnival spirit at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs, a fully gluten-free spot for corn dogs, poutine, funnel cake, and hand-cut fries in Reading Terminal Market. Go with a traditional corn dog topped with chili and cheese or try something different like one fried in sweet potato batter.

Four corn dogs with different toppings lined up in baskets in front of a sign reading Fancy Corn Dogs.
Corn dogs at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs.
Joel Bernstein

El Merkury

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Everything on the menu except the churros is gluten-free at Central American specialist El Merkury. Choose from a variety of taquitos, pupusas, and tostadas at either the Rittenhouse or Reading Terminal location.

A large portion of the menu at Veda in Center City is free of gluten, including the modern Indian restaurant’s popular cauliflower in a tangy red sauce, spinach fried in chickpea flour, and chicken tikka.

Harp & Crown

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Besides the pizzas and pastas, the food at Center City restaurant Harp & Crown is largely friendly for gluten-free diners, including options like spicy wings and a happy hour salmon poke. Sibling restaurants Double Knot and Sampan also offer plenty of gluten-free dishes.

Bar Bombon

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Bar Bombon isn’t just 100 percent vegan — it also offers more than a dozen dishes that can be had sans gluten, making it a good choice for a group with a variety of dietary restrictions. The Puerto Rican-influenced menu includes gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tacos, nachos, and several vegetable dishes. In the same neighborhood, P.S. & Co. is also vegan and entirely gluten-free. The cafe’s menu offers versions of dishes from several different cuisines.

Mission Taqueria

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Everything at Mission Taqueria is gluten-free — even the churros. This convivial downtown gathering place pumps out corn tortillas by the dozens for tacos with carnitas, fried mahi mahi, and cauliflower al pastor. Just downstairs, sibling restaurant Oyster House also serves plenty of gluten-free seafood.

Seven corn tortillas topped with ingredients like beans, avocado, and crema.
Tacos at Mission Taqueria.
Neal Santos

Doro Bet

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In University City, Doro Bet makes its crunchy, juicy fried chicken and vegan mushrooms gluten-free with teff flour, which is also what typically makes injera so accessible for celiacs. This casual Ethiopian spot also serves spicy fries, falafel, and collared greens. You’ll find more gluten-free Ethiopian fare from siblings Alif Brew, just down the street, and Salam Cafe in Germantown.

Puyero Venezuelan Flavor

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Just off South Street, Venezuelan counter-service spot Puyero boasts an almost entirely gluten-free menu, including arepas with a corn-based dough, patacones with fried plantains instead of bread, and a variety of sides.

Cry Baby Pasta

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At Cry Baby Pasta in Queen Village, diners can sub gluten-free noodles for a couple of extra dollars in pasta dishes topped with basil pesto, cacio e pepe, pomodoro, and other sauces. Gluten-free eaters also recommend Tulip Wine Bar in Fishtown and Panorama in Old City for gluten-free pasta.

Bar stools at a bar, plus some tables with chairs.
The interior of Cry Baby Pasta.
Society Hill Films

Taffet's Bakery

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In honor of co-owner Omer Taffet’s mother, who has celiac disease, he and his wife, Natasha, founded their namesake bakery to provide gluten-free breads and pastries. The Italian Market shop produces pretzels, muffins, sourdough boules, pizza crust, bagels, baguettes, cookies, brownies…the list goes on.

Pizza shop Slice, which has locations in the Italian Market and New Jersey, prepares and cooks its 10-inch thin-crust gluten-free pies separate from its other pizza products to avoid cross-contamination. Sibling restaurant P’unk Burger on East Passyunk Avenue offers gluten-free buns, burger patties, sauces, and toppings. Another good spot for pizza is Emmy Squared, which has locations in University City and Queen Village; the popular chain will employ Cup4cup flour upon request to make its Detroit-style pies gluten-free.

Pizza with globs of soft cheese and Brussels sprouts on it.
Slice.
Slice

Southhouse

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For gluten-free bar food, Southhouse in South Philly hits the spot. The popular sports bar offers gluten-free cheesesteaks with cheddar cheese on Taffet’s Bakery rolls, plus gluten-free burger buns, chicken nuggets, and fried mozzarella — and the food is available until 1 a.m.

Kalaya

One of Philly’s buzziest restaurant openings and still one of the toughest reservations to book, Kalaya offers a mostly gluten-free menu. The bulk of the Fishtown spot’s elegant Thai dishes, like the charmingly shaped dumplings, tom yum with jumbo river prawns, and a shareable shaved ice dish called Nam Kaeng Sai, are naturally made without gluten.

Jumbo prawns in a metal dish.
Kalaya.
Mike Prince

Gilda

One of the most exciting openings of 2023, Gilda has been delighting Philadelphians with its Portuguese menu. All of the sandwiches at this Fishtown cafe and market can be served on gluten-free wraps, and the caldo verde soup, pastéis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), piri piri chicken, and salad DeOliveira are also gluten-free.

Emei

Emei brings the Sichuan heat to eaters of all stripes: The bulk of its food is naturally gluten-free or available that way at your request. The casual Chinatown restaurant also clearly designates its gluten-free dishes, like egg drop soup, dan dan noodles, and kung pao chicken, with symbols on the menu.

Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs

Get in the carnival spirit at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs, a fully gluten-free spot for corn dogs, poutine, funnel cake, and hand-cut fries in Reading Terminal Market. Go with a traditional corn dog topped with chili and cheese or try something different like one fried in sweet potato batter.

Four corn dogs with different toppings lined up in baskets in front of a sign reading Fancy Corn Dogs.
Corn dogs at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs.
Joel Bernstein

El Merkury

Everything on the menu except the churros is gluten-free at Central American specialist El Merkury. Choose from a variety of taquitos, pupusas, and tostadas at either the Rittenhouse or Reading Terminal location.

Veda

A large portion of the menu at Veda in Center City is free of gluten, including the modern Indian restaurant’s popular cauliflower in a tangy red sauce, spinach fried in chickpea flour, and chicken tikka.

Harp & Crown

Besides the pizzas and pastas, the food at Center City restaurant Harp & Crown is largely friendly for gluten-free diners, including options like spicy wings and a happy hour salmon poke. Sibling restaurants Double Knot and Sampan also offer plenty of gluten-free dishes.

Bar Bombon

Bar Bombon isn’t just 100 percent vegan — it also offers more than a dozen dishes that can be had sans gluten, making it a good choice for a group with a variety of dietary restrictions. The Puerto Rican-influenced menu includes gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tacos, nachos, and several vegetable dishes. In the same neighborhood, P.S. & Co. is also vegan and entirely gluten-free. The cafe’s menu offers versions of dishes from several different cuisines.

Mission Taqueria

Everything at Mission Taqueria is gluten-free — even the churros. This convivial downtown gathering place pumps out corn tortillas by the dozens for tacos with carnitas, fried mahi mahi, and cauliflower al pastor. Just downstairs, sibling restaurant Oyster House also serves plenty of gluten-free seafood.

Seven corn tortillas topped with ingredients like beans, avocado, and crema.
Tacos at Mission Taqueria.
Neal Santos

Doro Bet

In University City, Doro Bet makes its crunchy, juicy fried chicken and vegan mushrooms gluten-free with teff flour, which is also what typically makes injera so accessible for celiacs. This casual Ethiopian spot also serves spicy fries, falafel, and collared greens. You’ll find more gluten-free Ethiopian fare from siblings Alif Brew, just down the street, and Salam Cafe in Germantown.

Puyero Venezuelan Flavor

Just off South Street, Venezuelan counter-service spot Puyero boasts an almost entirely gluten-free menu, including arepas with a corn-based dough, patacones with fried plantains instead of bread, and a variety of sides.

Cry Baby Pasta

At Cry Baby Pasta in Queen Village, diners can sub gluten-free noodles for a couple of extra dollars in pasta dishes topped with basil pesto, cacio e pepe, pomodoro, and other sauces. Gluten-free eaters also recommend Tulip Wine Bar in Fishtown and Panorama in Old City for gluten-free pasta.

Bar stools at a bar, plus some tables with chairs.
The interior of Cry Baby Pasta.
Society Hill Films

Taffet's Bakery

In honor of co-owner Omer Taffet’s mother, who has celiac disease, he and his wife, Natasha, founded their namesake bakery to provide gluten-free breads and pastries. The Italian Market shop produces pretzels, muffins, sourdough boules, pizza crust, bagels, baguettes, cookies, brownies…the list goes on.

Slice

Pizza shop Slice, which has locations in the Italian Market and New Jersey, prepares and cooks its 10-inch thin-crust gluten-free pies separate from its other pizza products to avoid cross-contamination. Sibling restaurant P’unk Burger on East Passyunk Avenue offers gluten-free buns, burger patties, sauces, and toppings. Another good spot for pizza is Emmy Squared, which has locations in University City and Queen Village; the popular chain will employ Cup4cup flour upon request to make its Detroit-style pies gluten-free.

Pizza with globs of soft cheese and Brussels sprouts on it.
Slice.
Slice

Southhouse

For gluten-free bar food, Southhouse in South Philly hits the spot. The popular sports bar offers gluten-free cheesesteaks with cheddar cheese on Taffet’s Bakery rolls, plus gluten-free burger buns, chicken nuggets, and fried mozzarella — and the food is available until 1 a.m.

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