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Funnel cake at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs in Reading Terminal Market
Joel Bernstein

26 Philly Restaurants With Great Gluten-Free Options

Pizza, pasta, soft pretzels, bagels, cookies, and more

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Funnel cake at Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs in Reading Terminal Market
| Joel Bernstein

Going out to eat can be complicated for those with gluten allergies or sensitivities. Sure, plain old meat and vegetables are available on most menus, but does the restaurant know how to avoid cross-contamination with glutenous products? And does it still feel like a meal without carbs in the form of bread, pizza crust, or croutons?

Luckily for gluten avoiders, Philly’s restaurants have answered the call. Burger and sandwich shops offer gluten-free bread. Pizza places are baking gluten-free crust and bakeries are focusing on allergen-free sweets and breads. Restaurants serving some South and Central American and Asian cuisines often meet gluten-free needs too, thanks to their use of corn- and rice-based products.

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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Slice Pizza (multiple locations)

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Pizza shop Slice, which has two locations in Philly and one in New Jersey, prepares and cooks its 10-inch thin-crust gluten-free pies separate from other pizza products. Vegan cheeses and meats are available as toppings alongside a long list of regular cheeses, meats, and veggies.

slice pizza Slice Pizza [official]

Spring Garden Street’s Sazon gives gluten-free food the Venezuelan touch. Arepas come topped with meat, tofu, or veggies — making the restaurant a good spot for vegan options, too. It’s BYOB and cash-only.

Prohibition Taproom

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Every Tuesday, it’s gluten-free fried chicken night at Prohibition Taproom. The meal comes with gluten-free sides and the bar always has ciders available.

Prohibition Taproom [official]

Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs

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Get in the carnival spirit at this Reading Terminal Market spot for corn dogs, poutine, funnel cake, and hand-cut fries. It’s all naturally gluten-free. Go with a traditional corn dog topped with chili and cheese or try something different like one fried in sweet potato batter.

Joel Bernstein

El Merkury

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Everything on the menu except the churros at Central American specialist El Merkury is gluten-free. Choose from a variety of taquitos, papusas, and tostadas. Rumor has it they’re even working on a gluten-free version of those popular churros.

A large portion of the menu at this modern Indian restaurant in Center City is free of gluten, including its popular cauliflower in a tangy red sauce, chicken tikka, and the rice dish biryani.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (multiple locations)

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Iron Hill’s 16 locations — including the new one in Center City — cater to guests with gluten sensitivity (note: the kitchens are not gluten-free, so cross-contamination could occur) with a large menu of salads, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood, ice cream, and even beer. There is also a gluten-free kids menu that comes with a drink, side dish, and ice cream for $7.

Iron Hill [official]

Harp & Crown

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Besides the pizzas and pastas, Harp & Crown’s menu is largely friendly for gluten-free eaters, with several options for both entrees and sides.

harp & crown Hillary Messman

Honeygrow (multiple locations)

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Homegrown hero Honeygrow’s empire is expanding — and that’s a good thing. The salads at this fast-casual chain are fully customizable, as are the stir fry options, which include rice noodles and a few gluten-free sauces (spicy garlic and red coconut curry).

Bar Bombon

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Bar Bombon isn’t just 100-percent vegan — it offers more than a dozen dishes that can be served sans gluten, making it a good choice for a group with strict dietary restrictions. The Puerto Rican-influenced menu includes gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tacos, nachos, and several vegetable dishes.

Bar Bombon [official photo]

Revolution Taco

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The bulk of Revolution Taco’s menu is safe for gluten-free eaters, including several tacos and burrito bowls topped with a choice of meat, smoked mushrooms, or chickpea veggie burger.

Oyster House

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Thanks to a raw bar and a menu of simply prepared seafood, most of Oyster House’s dishes are naturally gluten-free, or can be made that way.

platter of oysters Jason Varney

Mission Taqueria

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Gluten-free diners will find plenty of options at Mission Taqueria, which pumps out corn tortillas by the dozens for tacos with chicken mole, braised lamb, grilled mushrooms, and more.

Neal Santos

Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s modern Mexican spot offers an entirely gluten-free dinner menu. Yes, that means everything — from chips and guac to carne asada — is safe. At lunch, everything except the tortas is gluten-free too.

Scarpetta

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Upscale Italian restaurant Scarpetta on Rittenhouse Square offers a gluten-free menu that includes a few pastas, such as the signature tomato basil spaghetti.

Double Knot

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Nearly everything — upstairs and downstairs — at Michael Schulson’s Double Knot can be prepared without gluten. Think: fried rice, sushi, and grilled skewers.

Lacroix

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The elegant Lacroix at the Rittenhouse hotel can adjust any menu to meet gluten-free needs. Chef Jon Cichon even has practice creating gluten-free versions of the restaurant’s five-course tasting menu. Bonus: All of the hotel’s dining options, including the afternoon tea, offer gluten-free options.

Lacroix [official]

A big portion of Sampan’s pan-Asian menu is gluten-free, including Wagyu beef satay, hamachi crudo, Peking duck, fried rice, and pad thai. A dedicated menu lays it all out.

Sampan [official]

P.S. & Co.

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P.S. & Co. is 100-percent vegan and gluten-free. The creative menu offers versions of dishes from several different cuisines, like tacos, summer rolls, pad thai, veggie burgers, and ramen, along with cookies, cakes, and pies.

Rex 1516

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South Street’s Rex 1516 offers a full gluten-free dinner menu that includes mussels with gluten-free toast for dipping and a burger served with spicy pimento cheese and bacon on a gluten-free bun. The Southern restaurant recently added gluten-free brunch options, including shrimp and grits, and the bar offers two hard ciders. The kitchen uses a separate fryer for fried gluten-free food.

Rex 1516 [official]

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 (sandwiches with a corn-based dough), patacones (sandwiches with fried plantains instead of bread), and sides.

Puyero Venezuelan Flavor [official]

Emmy Squared - Queen Village

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For an extra $4, make any of Emmy Squared’s pizzas gluten-free. The Queen Village outpost of this New York-based restaurant employs Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour in its pies, such as the spicy Roni Supreme with pepperoni and the Tony Luke, Jr. with broccoli rabe and provolone.

pan pizza with slice taken out Emmy Squared [official]

Cry Baby Pasta

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At Cry Baby Pasta in Queen Village, diners can sub in gluten-free pasta for $2. On the menu: basil pesto, cacio e pepe, pomodoro, and other sauces.

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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, created 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.

P'unk Burger

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At East Passyunk Avenue’s P’unk Burger, gluten-free buns are an option for all of the burgers (the patties are also gluten-free). Sauces and gluten-free toppings are available too, and there are rotating gluten-free specials. Note that the kitchen works to avoid cross-contamination, but gluten-free items are prepared in the same kitchen as items with gluten.

P’unk Burger [official]

Sweet Freedom Bakery

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Sweet Freedom in Bryn Mawr is an allergen-free powerhouse. Everything in the bakery — the cupcakes, muffins, cookies, breads, and more — is gluten-free, vegan, and kosher, with no corn, soy, peanuts, or refined sugar. Note that the Center City location is closed.

Slice Pizza (multiple locations)

Pizza shop Slice, which has two locations in Philly and one in New Jersey, prepares and cooks its 10-inch thin-crust gluten-free pies separate from other pizza products. Vegan cheeses and meats are available as toppings alongside a long list of regular cheeses, meats, and veggies.

slice pizza Slice Pizza [official]

Sazon

Spring Garden Street’s Sazon gives gluten-free food the Venezuelan touch. Arepas come topped with meat, tofu, or veggies — making the restaurant a good spot for vegan options, too. It’s BYOB and cash-only.

Prohibition Taproom

Every Tuesday, it’s gluten-free fried chicken night at Prohibition Taproom. The meal comes with gluten-free sides and the bar always has ciders available.

Prohibition Taproom [official]

Fox & Son Fancy Corn Dogs

Get in the carnival spirit at this Reading Terminal Market spot for corn dogs, poutine, funnel cake, and hand-cut fries. It’s all naturally gluten-free. Go with a traditional corn dog topped with chili and cheese or try something different like one fried in sweet potato batter.

Joel Bernstein

El Merkury

Everything on the menu except the churros at Central American specialist El Merkury is gluten-free. Choose from a variety of taquitos, papusas, and tostadas. Rumor has it they’re even working on a gluten-free version of those popular churros.

Veda

A large portion of the menu at this modern Indian restaurant in Center City is free of gluten, including its popular cauliflower in a tangy red sauce, chicken tikka, and the rice dish biryani.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant (multiple locations)

Iron Hill’s 16 locations — including the new one in Center City — cater to guests with gluten sensitivity (note: the kitchens are not gluten-free, so cross-contamination could occur) with a large menu of salads, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood, ice cream, and even beer. There is also a gluten-free kids menu that comes with a drink, side dish, and ice cream for $7.

Iron Hill [official]

Harp & Crown

Besides the pizzas and pastas, Harp & Crown’s menu is largely friendly for gluten-free eaters, with several options for both entrees and sides.

harp & crown Hillary Messman

Honeygrow (multiple locations)

Homegrown hero Honeygrow’s empire is expanding — and that’s a good thing. The salads at this fast-casual chain are fully customizable, as are the stir fry options, which include rice noodles and a few gluten-free sauces (spicy garlic and red coconut curry).

Bar Bombon

Bar Bombon isn’t just 100-percent vegan — it offers more than a dozen dishes that can be served sans gluten, making it a good choice for a group with strict dietary restrictions. The Puerto Rican-influenced menu includes gluten-free buffalo cauliflower tacos, nachos, and several vegetable dishes.

Bar Bombon [official photo]

Revolution Taco

The bulk of Revolution Taco’s menu is safe for gluten-free eaters, including several tacos and burrito bowls topped with a choice of meat, smoked mushrooms, or chickpea veggie burger.

Oyster House

Thanks to a raw bar and a menu of simply prepared seafood, most of Oyster House’s dishes are naturally gluten-free, or can be made that way.

platter of oysters Jason Varney

Mission Taqueria

Gluten-free diners will find plenty of options at Mission Taqueria, which pumps out corn tortillas by the dozens for tacos with chicken mole, braised lamb, grilled mushrooms, and more.

Neal Santos

Lolita

Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran’s modern Mexican spot offers an entirely gluten-free dinner menu. Yes, that means everything — from chips and guac to carne asada — is safe. At lunch, everything except the tortas is gluten-free too.

Scarpetta

Upscale Italian restaurant Scarpetta on Rittenhouse Square offers a gluten-free menu that includes a few pastas, such as the signature tomato basil spaghetti.

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Double Knot

Nearly everything — upstairs and downstairs — at Michael Schulson’s Double Knot can be prepared without gluten. Think: fried rice, sushi, and grilled skewers.

Lacroix

The elegant Lacroix at the Rittenhouse hotel can adjust any menu to meet gluten-free needs. Chef Jon Cichon even has practice creating gluten-free versions of the restaurant’s five-course tasting menu. Bonus: All of the hotel’s dining options, including the afternoon tea, offer gluten-free options.

Lacroix [official]

Sampan

A big portion of Sampan’s pan-Asian menu is gluten-free, including Wagyu beef satay, hamachi crudo, Peking duck, fried rice, and pad thai. A dedicated menu lays it all out.

Sampan [official]

P.S. & Co.

P.S. & Co. is 100-percent vegan and gluten-free. The creative menu offers versions of dishes from several different cuisines, like tacos, summer rolls, pad thai, veggie burgers, and ramen, along with cookies, cakes, and pies.

Rex 1516

South Street’s Rex 1516 offers a full gluten-free dinner menu that includes mussels with gluten-free toast for dipping and a burger served with spicy pimento cheese and bacon on a gluten-free bun. The Southern restaurant recently added gluten-free brunch options, including shrimp and grits, and the bar offers two hard ciders. The kitchen uses a separate fryer for fried gluten-free food.

Rex 1516 [official]

Puyero Venezuelan Flavor

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

Puyero Venezuelan Flavor [official]

Emmy Squared - Queen Village

For an extra $4, make any of Emmy Squared’s pizzas gluten-free. The Queen Village outpost of this New York-based restaurant employs Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour in its pies, such as the spicy Roni Supreme with pepperoni and the Tony Luke, Jr. with broccoli rabe and provolone.

pan pizza with slice taken out Emmy Squared [official]

Cry Baby Pasta

At Cry Baby Pasta in Queen Village, diners can sub in gluten-free pasta for $2. On the menu: basil pesto, cacio e pepe, pomodoro, and other sauces.