Gluten-free London: a French celiac's favorite places

London and gluten-free food

London is an extremely welcoming city for celiacs. In every restaurant I went to, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free dishes were marked with a small symbol on the menu. No need to ask for the allergen chart as in France: all the information is in your hands.

Gluten-free options in restaurants can be free or come with a small extra charge, both exist.

Good places to eat

I am starting straight with good places, because you will not eat much typical English food (fish and chips, maybe?). So I would rather recommend gluten-free places I tried and enjoyed.

Honest Burgers

A burger chain in London with a gluten-free bun option (just ask when you order, sometimes for a small extra charge) and a gluten-free beer on the menu (canned). The burger was really delicious, but what makes this chain a success is its amazing rosemary fries. They also have a vegetarian burger and a plant-based one. Careful, some limited-time specials contain gluten. For an indulgent meal I happily recommend Honest: they have restaurants in almost every central neighborhood, so there will always be one near you!

Drury

This café serves brunch, salads, sandwiches and pastries. I stopped because a quick look at the window showed that half the pastries were gluten-free. The menu has brunch dishes with a gluten-free option, gluten-free quiches and salads, and marks all the gluten-free and vegan dishes. When I went, during Covid, you ordered by scanning a QR code that took you to a website listing all the options, very handy! I had avocado toast with a poached egg on top, and a slice of brownie. It was really good: for lunch or brunch, I recommend stopping there. I went to the Covent Garden one (188-189 Drury Lane).

Farm Girl

I went all the way to Notting Hill to have brunch at their Portobello Road restaurant (59A Portobello Road), not knowing it was such a touristy place. They told me there was a two-hour wait, so I went elsewhere. Still, I read very good reviews on London gluten-free blogs, and given the crowds, the food must be good. So book if you can, or go at a quieter time than noon on Saturday.

Brown and Rosie

As I was starving, I stopped for breakfast right next door, at Brown and Rosie (21 Pembridge Road). Once again, I realized that most of the menu was gluten-free when I saw a slice of gluten-free lemon cake in the window. The bowls are really good and generous, and the lemon drizzle cake (the one that made me walk in) was excellent. The service was slow when I went (the online reviews say so too), but the food was gluten-free and very good, so I recommend it if you are in the area.

100% gluten-free places

Since my trip, I have spotted several entirely gluten-free places that I have not tried yet:

• Libby's (61 Ledbury Road, Notting Hill): a 100% gluten-free bakery with croissants, bagels and cakes. A short walk from Portobello Road, a good alternative if Farm Girl is full.
• Copains (54 Neal Street, Covent Garden): the 100% gluten-free Parisian bakery opened in London at the end of 2025, then a second shop in Islington, on Upper Street. You will find it in my gluten-free Paris guide too.
• Niche (197-199 Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell): a restaurant where everything is gluten-free, from brunch to dinner. A chance to try pie and mash, a traditional English dish. Book on weekends, the dining room is small.

More good places

On other blogs by gluten-free Londoners, I spotted lots of places I cannot wait to try. I particularly recommend the GF Guide: its very complete guide to gluten-free places in central London.

Buying gluten-free food

I only stayed three days, in a hotel, so I did not go to supermarkets much. I walked into a small Sainsbury's at random, and they had a very decent gluten-free shelf compared to the rest of the shop.

I was pleasantly surprised by gluten-free prices: 2.60 pounds for 500 g of gluten-free muesli (which was very good, by the way). That has nothing to do with the daylight robbery we have in France. Even though French national health insurance reimburses part of the cost for celiacs, I think gluten-free food is cheaper in London.

I also found more variety, with nicer cakes and breakfast cereals than in France (madeleines may be my favorite cookies, but I do not want to eat only that!). From what I read, you should find gluten-free products in every supermarket: Marks & Spencer, Whole Foods...

If you found London welcoming for celiacs, you will be surprised to learn that Paris has even more 100% gluten-free restaurants! For general advice, read my gluten-free travel tips.