Pica Pica Gluten Free

100 a% Wheat and Gluten Free menu!

Pica Pica on Valencia, SF

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen is the first gluten free eatery I visited in San Francisco. I found their website and was excited to check this place out because it is a 100% wheat and gluten free kitchen! There are three types of bread to choose from if you are in the mood for a sandwich: Arepas (grilled corn flour cake), Maize’wich (sweet corn bread) and Cachapas (100% sweet corn sandwich) and various interesting fillings. Elsewhere on the menu are empanadas, soups, salads, sides of yuca fries and sweet plantains and drinks. Yum!!

All of the food is Venezuelan cusine but what first attracted me to this place was the empanadas which I became I huge fan of in Argentina. I ordered three empanadas with three different fillings and a side of black bean paste salsa. The empanadas are very different from the Argentine style ones that I am used to but still very tasty, especially the black bean ones!! John had a portion of sweet plantains and they were great too. Everything on the menu is unique and looks amazing so I will definitely be returning to try some of their corn sandwiches.

Venezuelan style empanadas

Fried plantains

Pica Pica is a small eatery which caters for both sit in and take out orders. It was pretty busy with lots of people coming and going whilst we were there which made me wonder how many of them were coeliac. Since what they sell is pretty unique, many customers that don’t have to stick to a gluten free diet may not even aware be that Pica Pica is 100% gluten free. They just come for a tasty snack. The world needs more eateries like this. 100& safe for coeliacs and delicious for everyone!

UPDATE: I couldn’t resist popping back to Pica Pica to try their lunch special which consisted of a small Arepa and salad. I was hoping the meal would be a little more substantial than it was, but it really was very delicious. I went for the Pabellon filling of shredded beef, sweet plantains, black beans and queso fresco. Yes, it tastes just as amazing as it sounds!

ANOTHER UPDATE: I now visit Pica Pica on a pretty regular basis. It’s definitely my favourite gluten free eatery in San Francisco. The food is absolutely amazing! I love it. I love it. I love it.

mmmmm!

Arepa and salad