Gluten Free London Travel

Fish and chips!

Our little family spent a wonderful week in London back in August. The plan was to meet a bunch of friends, get a feel for what it may be like to move to the city at some point in the future (in a world where San Francisco doesn’t exist or is no longer an option!) and to eat as much gluten-free food as we could get her hands on. Mission accomplished!

There was a lot of exciting eating going on all week. London is an absolutely fabulous place to be if you’re gluten-free. They are so many different options to choose from. It was impossible to try out everything I wanted to in just ones week but here are the places we were able to enjoy.

Leon is a chain with  more than 20 restaurants across the city of London. It’s healthy, fresh and amazingly delicious fast food. It’s exactly what I wish every city I visited had, a place for a tasty box of gluten-free lunch. Hot boxes and salads. Yum! I ate at Leon 3 times during our week in London. Almost everything on their menu is gluten-free and clearly marked as so. Moroccan Meatballs, Sweet Potato Falafel, Thai Green Curry,  Chicken and Chorizo. Yum, yum, yum! I want a Leon right next door!

Lots of Leon!!

Lunch from Manna

Manna is a fantastic Vegetarian restaurant in the Primrose Hill area of London. I got their Indian Delight Masala baked potato for lunch and it cam with all sorts of amazing sides and toppings. I spoke with staff about cross contamination and was told not to order anything fried as gluten and non-gluten items are fried in the same area. Anything else is safe.

The Truscott Arms in Maida Vale was another favourite! Their bar menu is great and offers loads of gluten-free goodies. I went for the Battered Cornish Cod with Chunky Chips and Pea Puree. It was so amazing. Cake of the day is always gluten-free and that day it was Chocolate Almond Cake. I had one piece for dessert and a second to go. Exciting day! The menu offers plenty of gluten-free options as well as options which can be made gluten-free on request.

Chocolate almond cake

Pizza Express offers a range of gluten-free pizza and it’s pretty tasty. We got a few take-out pizzas for dinner with friends on our first night in the city and my gluten-free tummy was very happy. Coeliac UK have awarded Pizza Express with their accreditation after they made their pizza creation process safer for coeliacs. They have incorporated new labelling and storage, they use new equipment only for gluten-free orders and they’ve also changed the flour used for tossing and stretching to be gluten-free!

La Tasca was another restaurant at which we enjoyed a really tasty gluten-free meal. We spent the afternoon having lunch with the lovely Gluten-Free Mrs D, her lovely Mr. D and their two little ones. John and I devoured a tasty chicken and chorizo paella. Yum!

Restaurants and cafes to try on our next visit –

WAGFree Food in Brixton

Honest Burgers who currently have seven locations in and around London

Cookies and Scream in Camden

Cotto in Waterloo

Bake-a-boo in West Hampstead

Check out my earlier gluten-free in London post for more ideas!

What are your favourite gluten-free spots in London town?