Ultimate guide to gluten free Vancouver: Restaurants & bakeries

Last updated: February 2020

Whether you have Celiac Disease, an intolerance to gluten, or you’re just doing it for health reasons — avoiding gluten and wheat can be a challenge when you’re going out to eat in Vancouver. Until you actively start avoiding the stuff, you never really realize that WHEAT IS IN EVERYTHING! So, if you’re sick of getting the side salad with no croutons, no soy sauce, and no bread on the side, or if you’re tired of feeling like an awkward weirdo for always having to ask “is this gluten-free?” then we have a list for you.

Bakeries

• Main Street / Fraser Street:
  • Quejos (4129 Main Street) – Specializes in delicious cheese buns, perogies, and pizza crust! You can buy products at the cafe or enjoy a bunwich. (website)
  • The Gluten Free Epicurean (E 15th Avenue, Vancouver – Near Fraser Street and Kingsway) – Apple fritters, peanut butter cookies, cinnamon buns, s’mores bars, and frozen gluten-free products. (website)
• South Cambie Street
  • Lemonade Gluten Free Bakery (3385 Cambie Street, Vancouver) – Award-winning gluten free bakery. Amazing breads (their quinoa loaf is famous), baguettes, buns, treats, and other delights. (website)
• Kitsilano:
  • Panne Rizo (1938 Cornwall Avenue, Kitsilano) – Another award-winning bakery with a great selection of pastry, bread, sandwiches, pizza, and muffins. They also make outstanding gluten free cakes. (website)
  • Edible Flours (2280 West Broadway, Kitsilano) – A natural vegan bakery with a rotating menu. Delicious and MOIST baked goods include cupcakes, donuts, scones and chocolates. (website)
• North Vancouver
  • Two Daughter’s Bakeshop (121 East 1st Street, North Vancouver) – A hidden gem, this 100% gluten-free facility offers tasty treats that are better than their wheat-filled alternatives. They also offer gluten-free baking classes! (website)
  • Mountain Top Cafe and Bakery (#103-1124 Lonsdale Avenue) – Offers some great bread, muffins, and the usual other gluten-free options. Gluten free chicken pot pie, and sandwiches are awesome. (website)

Food Trucks

• Downtown Vancouver
  • Culver City Salads (Various locations in Downtown Vancouver) – Plant based & gluten free food truck specializing in entree salads that include fresh and local veggies. (website)
  • The Juice Truck (roving Vancouver as well as with a cafe on 28 West 5th Avenue) – Healthy and nutritious cold-pressed juices and gluten-free snacks that include energy balls, salads, and “almost sushi”. (website)
  • Mom’s Grilled Cheese Food Truck (roving downtown) – Delicious grilled cheese sandwiches now offered on gluten free bread by request! Now you don’t have to watch your friends in envy as they salivate over grilled cheese. It’s your time to shine! (website)
  • Chickpea – Plant based food with a Mediterranean twist, this delicious food truck also has a popular restaurant on Main Street. (website)
  • The street food scene in Vancouver changes regularly, for the most up to date listings, check the Vancouver Street Food app.

Raw (plant-based) specialty restaurants

• Downtown Vancouver
  • Indigo Age Cafe and Kombucha Bar (436 Richards Street, Vancouver) – Juice bar with vegan and raw food breakfast, lunch and dinners. They also offer lots of cooking classes! (website)
• North Vancouver
  • Buddha-Full (106 West 1st Street, North Vancouver and Maplewood area) – Juice bar and cafe with organic, raw sandwiches, pasta salads, wraps, and tons of smoothies to choose from. (website)

“Upscale” Dining (ie. wear a nice shirt)

• Main Street
  • The Acorn (3995 Main Street) – Healthy food, all done up! The Acorn is a fabulous place for a fancy date night, or a place to take someone you want to impress. The food is amazing and the menu clearly states GF options. Rotating menu focuses on what’s local and fresh. (website)
• Gastown
  • Ask for Luigi (305 Alexander Street) – This Italian restaurant is an amazing option for good gluten-free eating in Gastown. For $2 extra you can request gluten free pasta made fresh to pair with their exquisite pasta selection. (website)
  • Nuba (207 West Hastings Street) – Nuba is located in many locations around Vancouver, but this bright and airy space is a favourite. Their menu features tons of GF options including appetizers, falafels, soups, and salads. (website)
• South Granville
  • Heirloom Restaurant (1509 West 12th Avenue) – Delicious and fresh restaurant that focuses on vegan and vegetarian entrees. GF options are displayed in the menu, giving you lots of choice for sandwiches, soups, avocado fries, and more. (website)

“Casual” Dining (ie. wear pants, at least)

• Main Street Area
  • The Wallflower Modern Diner (2420 Main Street) – A restaurant to make any dietary-specific person happy. Most items on the menu are available with house made gluten free bread. Favourite food options include GF poutine, burgers, and other comfort foods. (website)
  • Fassil Ethiopian Restaurant (736 East Broadway) – If you want to enjoy injera (sort of like a pancake and the base for most orders at this restaurant), order 4-days in advance and you can enjoy a gluten-free version! This is the best Ethiopian food in Vancouver. Injera is necessary to enjoy it, so plan ahead! (website)
  • Chomp Vegan Eatery (3586 Fraser Street, Vancouver) – “Vegan food that doesn’t suck“, with a slogan like that, how could you resist this awesome little eatery? Everything on their menu is vegan, gluten free, nut free and organic. Wraps! Pizza! Salad! Yum. (website)
  • Meet on Main (4288 Main Street, Vancouver) – Lots of choice at this restaurant that features a menu that is 100% vegan and gluten free. The best thing on the menu is their huge selection of french fries! Tons of different flavours to try from. Or, you could just get a salad. (website)
  • The Arbor (3941 Main Street) – From the team that brought us The Acorn, comes the Arbor! Just down the street, this vegetarian comfort-food restaurant is heavenly. Everything on the menu is 100% vegan and gluten free unless noted. (website)
• Commercial Drive
  • La Mezcaleria (1622 Commercial Drive) – A Mexican cantina that offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Specify to your server that you are GF and they will let you know what’s available. High-quality Mexican foods and good tequila. (website)
  • Eternal Abundance (1025 Commercial Drive) – This cafe offers raw & cooked vegan meals, smoothies, and gluten-free desserts. Gluten free pancakes, salads, sushi (with gluten-free tamari) and sandwiches. There’s also a grocery store attached with retail items. (website)
  • Chau Veggie Express (5052 Victoria Drive) – Near to Commercial Drive, this Vietnamese restaurant offers awesome takes on veggie food that also happen to be gluten free. The menu is expansive and offers lots of fresh choices. (website)
• Kitsilano
  • Romer’s Burger Bar (1873 West 4th Avenue) – Consistently ranked as one of Vancouver’s best burgers… Romer’s now offers gluten free buns for their freshly made and delicious burgers for $.75 extra. A steal for a flavour vessel that will blow your mind. (website)
  • Aphrodite’s Cafe and Pie Shop (3598 West 4th Avenue) Laid-back organic cafe that also features plenty of gluten free options (including pie!). They offer corn flour English muffins, flax bread for sandwiches or toast, brown rice flour tortillas for quesadillas or wraps, gluten free salad dressing, and fresh gluten-free and vegan pies every day! (website)
• Downtown
  • The Parlour (1011 Hamilton Street, Yaletown) – You can order fresh, gluten-free dough for any pizza for just $4. It’s not celiac-friendly, however and may contain traces of flour. This hip joint has tons of pizza options (including #swag), as well as lettuce wraps, and other share plates. (website)
  • Heirs Pears (605 Nelson Street) – With a 100% gluten free menu, this restaurant is sure to satisfy any craving you’ve had! With an inventive menu featuring breakfast food and lunch specials, you’ll leave happy no matter what you order. (website)
• Granville Island
  • Edible Canada (1596 Johnston Street, Granville Island) – Gluten free fish/crab cakes! While Edible Canada is not a 100% gluten free facility, they try hard to offer an almost-completely-gluten-free menu with some fantastic options including poutine, corn fritters, gnocchi, and steak. (website)
• South Cambie Street
  • La Taqueria (2549 Cambie Street) – Mexican tacos that are authentically gluten free (made of corn). Make sure you tell the server that you’re GF to ensure you don’t get any surprises. (website)

Restaurants with Gluten-Free Beer

• Main Street Area
  • Craft Beer Market (85 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver) – With a location that serves THAT many beers, you know that they’re going to offer some gluten free options. Craft offers SIX different types of GF beers, including ales, tripels, and lagers. Nice! (website)
• Commercial Drive
  • Biercraft (1191 Commercial Drive – Also located on South Cambie and up at UBC) – Delicious gluten-free beer options include Green’s, Mongozo. Other two locations may also serve Glutenberg. (website)
• Gastown
  • Rogue (Waterfront Station, Gastown) – This bar has three locations in Vancouver and typically has Glutenberg Blonde on tap. You can ask to see if they also have any Omission or New Grist. (website)
  • The Irish Heather (212 Carrall Street, Gastown) – European gastropub that also features long table series that offer gluten-free friendly options. Serve New Grist bottles of beer. (website)
  • The Alibi Room (157 Alexander Street, Gastown) – An awesome pub for craft beers and local eats. They offer Glutenberg Red Ale on tap. (website)
• Downtown
  • St. Regis Bar and Grill (608 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver) – This pub always has a sports game on the TVs and offers lots of gluten-free friendly options including gluten free toast and pizza crust. They also have Bards, New Grist, and Omission Pale Ale available as bottled beer. (website)
  • Tap & Barrel (Convention Centre, Coal Harbour) – Gluten-friendly alternatives are available (but not specified on the menu). They also serve Omission Beer and a few others, but you have to ask specifically for them. (website)
  • Bestie (105 East Pender Street) – You can also eat the sausages at this little German Currywurst house. They serve Omission Gluten Free Pale-Ale for $6. (website)

Guilty Pleasures

• Donuts
  • Cartems Donuterie (534 West Pender Street) – An ever-expanding list of gluten-free (and vegan!) donuts with rotating flavours that include salted caramel, double chocolate, and earl grey. (website)
• Waffles
  • Scandilicious (1340 Commercial Drive) – Amazing waffles that are ranked as the “best waffles in Vancouver”, now offered in Gluten free versions! You’ll never know the difference… these GF waffles are made specially with their own gluten free flour blend (website)
• Ice Cream
  • Earnest Ice Cream (3992 Fraser Street, Vancouver) Earnest Ice Cream is a great local source for ice cream, and while you usually don’t have to worry about gluten in ice cream… you never know! Tell your server you’re GF and they’ll be able to help you out. Earnest Ice Cream also has amazing vegan options made with coconut milk. (website)
  • Innocent Ice Cream (4895 Main Street) Finally, your gluten free ice cream sandwich prayers have been answered. Innovative ice cream sandwiched in between two freshly baked gluten free cookies. Yum! (website)
• PIZZA!
  • Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. (located in Kitsilano and on Main Street) – For pizza lovers who are wheat intolerant or have nut allergies – Rocky Mtn Pizza creates extremely tasty gluten free and nut free pizzas! Daily salads, soups & cheesecakes are also gluten free and nut free. (website)
  • My Slice Pizza (1630 West Broadway, Vancouver) – Certified gluten free crust is available for dine in, take away, or delivery pizza. Tons of topping options like classic margharita, buffalo chicken, and pesto Italiano. (website)
  • Hell Pizza (Davie Street and North Vancouver) – Unique toppings and cryptic names, Hell Pizza is well known around Vancouver as offering some great pizza. Gluten free crusts are available for all pizzas for only $3.50 extra. (website)
  • Rebellious Tomato (2951 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver) – Gluten Free crust options are available for all of their pizza options. Toppings include Thai Curry Veg, Ninja Chicken, Shrimp Pesto, and other options. Delicious! (website)
• Sushi (Wheat Free Soy Sauce Available)
  • Shizen Ya (Downtown and West Broadway near VGH) – Brown rice, great vegetarian selection, no msg, organic greens, and they don’t look at you in confusion when you ask for wheat-free soy sauce! (website)
  • Miku Restaurant (200 Granville Street, Vancouver) – Listed as a gluten-free friendly sushi restaurant. Have never been, can anyone confirm? (website)
  • Iki Sushi (2756 West Broadway, Kitsilano) – 3/4 of their menu is dedicated gluten free and they also have gluten free wasabi and soy sauce. (website)
• Fish n’ Chips
  • The Fish Counter (3825 Main Street, Vancouver) Delicious fish fried in a gluten-free batter with a dedicated gluten-free fryer. Sustainable seafood, awesome fries. This place almost makes you feel healthy for eating fish & chips… (website)
• Fast Food
  • SMAK Healthy Fast Food (1139 West Pender Street, Downtown) – You had me at gluten free croutons. SMAK offers great and healthy fast food in the downtown core with tons of options for salads, hot food, breakfast, and more. (website)

Did we miss any of your favourite locations to get gluten-free food/beer in Vancouver? Let us know in the comment section and we’ll add it to the list!