Top 50 Gluten-Free Lunch Spots Across Waterloo

Trevor Richardson

seems like this place would suck during the school year, but was quite pleasant. had a fancy deglutenized beer which was fantastic

Sheila Taylor

We booked this location for a large group. They were able to accommodate our request for a specific seating time. The table and seating area were comfortable and the noise level was reasonable. We had two servers assigned for 14 people. They were very busy so service was somewhat uneven. We were very happy with the selection of food from meat to vegetarian to gluten-free and vegan options. Unfortunately, some of the food delivered to our table was lukewarm because they left it under the heaters too long. I don’t fault the kitchen. I believe the service staff were very busy. They forgot our meals until we asked for the status of our entrees. Overall, a great place to meet with a large group. But be prepared for some service gaps on a busy night. The table next to us with six people had the manager and a server doting on them all night, even though our table spent more money!!

Jenna

Always our go-to restaurant in KW for bringing friends/family visiting the area. Consistent, well-priced, and something on the menu for everyone. Also very gluten friendly with a large plant-based menu as well.

Alex Kinsella

Always an absolute delight having breakfast here. Food is amazing and they have gluten free bread for toast. 10/10

Alex Brubacher

Amazing food and wonderful staff. Their gluten free crepe was big, and the best I have had in a very long time. The staff was friendly and our server Hannah was amazing, getting our food to us so we could all eat together even though some of our items were delayed. It was busy there, and thus load due to many conversations. So if you are looking for a quiet place for breakfast/brunch look at how busy it is first.

brianne burnell

Favourite cafe in the region. Always lots of seating, amazing sandwiches, SOOOO many gluten-free options. The baking is so good. My go-to spot for a coffee date.

Suzanne Borghese

OUR DRINKS AND FISH N CHIPS WERE DELICIOUS! BOTH THE GLUTEN-FREE & STANDARD PORTIONS WERE HUGE!! We ordered our drinks just before 5 and were thrilled to be extended the Happy Hour discount from the bar! THE STAFF WERE DELIGHTFUL, EFFICIENT AND MADE OUR EXPERIENCE LOVELY. We waited a little long to be noticed and seated when the place was quiet inside. Actually had to step in to get someone's attention. High top table chairs are near impossible to pull yourself into the table with and our table was so wobbly we had to ask for it to be adjusted. Having to leave the restaurant to get to the bathroom to wash your hands etc before/during your dining experience is a little frustrating and odd to return back to your seat through the entrance past folks waiting to be seated.

Faizal Jamal

We love the food at this place! The best Gluten-free and vegan food I’ve ever had! Great service and management, and they are very well informed of the menu and different allergies. Have eaten here multiple times and always come back to try something new. 😋 make sure to try their power smoothies as well.

Eric Bender

My wife and I had Jose and the Los Rolling Tacos team cater our wedding of approximately 50 guests. They did an absolutely fantastic job, can't say enough good things. The menu selection, scheduling, food quality, gluten free and vegan options, fair pricing, it was all A++++. Would recommend to anybody looking to cater a food truck for an event, or looking for a place to go for some of the best Mexican food around. Big thank you to Jose and the entire Team @ Los Rolling Tacos. We'll be visiting soon. Eric and Jill

Amanda Howard

Scott was great and hospitable. Playoff hockey and wings for this Celiac was perfect...

Sherry Rezvani

We decided to check this place out for the first time (I called and confirmed they have GF options including cesar salad) this evening and we had a terrible experience. I asked for Gluten Free Cesar Salad (no croutons) and the server even asked if this was a preference or allergy and I mentioned allergy. My salad came and after a few bites, I found a few crotons underneath my lettuce! They apologized and brought me a new salad (which I was skeptical about after the incident). Service was not good at all. We were the first to sit on the patio and ordered our food and drinks (water only) quickly. Time passed and 4-5 more tables were filled in the patio, our server brought everyone else water except for our table (seems like she skipped us intentionally rather than forgetting us!). we waited a few minutes and she passed by a few times without even bringing us water until we asked. She did not come across polite at all (young tall lady with blond her braided on the back). Terrible experience - won’t come back again.

Andrea Hildebrand

We had the freshest salads, absolutely scrumptious pasta, by far the BEST gluten free pasta I've had anywhere ever, and a wonderful house-made tiramisu. The food was excellent! We recieved very warm, hospitable and attentive service from Sarah A. We brought a friend visiting from abroad with the promise that Ennio's is legendary and one of the best places in town. Thanks for meeting and exceeding our expectations!

Katelynn H.

Good breakfast. I always get the gluten friendly pancakes, and they sit well ( celiac ). I would strongly recommend joining the waitlist before going. It's a great option !

Kelly McLean

We went on market day, Thursday. I had the Caesar salad with chicken, mom had one of the specials on gluten free bread, sister had the southern chicken sandwich, and nephew had the kids chicken tenders. The Caesar salad was good, with a more vinaigrette type dressing than creamy. My mom's sandwich was tiny, likely because the gluten free bread was about half the size of a normal piece of bread. The southern chicken sandwich was good but nothing special, and the fries were nice and crispy. The kids chicken tenders were homemade, delicious, and a large portion. It was very busy, which we expected for 12:30 on market day, so we can understand the 10+ minute wait for drinks. Food came out fairly quickly despite how busy it was, probably 25 minutes. The waters came in tiny, kid-sized cups. I can only imagine how frustrating it is for servers to have to frequently refill these waters on busy days. The service was acceptable, and checked all of the boxes for things that needed to be done like drink refills and quality checks, but our server was not outgoing and friendly by any means. I would probably come back, but maybe not on a busy market day.

Laura W.

Very friendly, awesome that they do gluten free fries and burgers, which is hard to find!

Ray Hopkins

We had a great time at Sunset Grill, outstanding service and the food was very good. This time we ordered a gluten free version of the avocado toast... delicious! I ate my regular 3 eggs overmedium with home fries and whole wheat toasts, no butter! Coffee was great!

Abby Lavell

This cafe is amazing!! Great place to work or just sit and have a coffee. The food is incredible and almost everything on their menu can be made gluten free. The gluten free products taste great and are good quality. The staff there are also very nice and friendly. Highly recommend!!

Eat In Ontario Blog

Some meals don’t just fill you up. Instead, they transport you. ALMADINA, a family-run gem feeding KW for over 40 years, feels like a warm memory on a plate. With four locations (including long-loved market stalls at St. Jacobs and Kitchener), it’s a household name in the region. Everything is made from scratch, in-house: no shortcuts, just generations of tradition and care. We began with the famous salad plate: roasted red pepper hummus (a forever fave), creamy tzatziki, and bright, gluten-free taboulee. Fresh, vibrant, and full of flavour. The falafel? Crispy, golden, and satisfying — exactly how grandma wishes she made them. The shawarma manakeesh, roasted in their woodstone oven, struck a perfect balance of veggie, cheese, and tender chicken. The mixed grill was pure comfort: juicy shish kabob, tawook, and kofta. No sauce needed, though that red pepper hummus pairs with everything. To sip: their strawberry lemonade is summer in a glass — tart, sweet, and refreshing. We closed with hot mint tea, simple and soothing. To hear more about this review, follow us @eatinontario on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, & Facebook. ✨🤩🙏

Lena Kahn

Stellar gluten free eats, so inclusive for celiac disease. #skillet and dedicated toaster

Bess Lillico

This little cafe is a hidden gem. The staff is friendly and helpful, the atmosphere is relaxed and quiet, and the food is comforting and tasty. They have many vegan and gluten-free options and everything is delicious. Their gluten-free muffins are incredible. Prices are reasonable. I highly recommend The Healthy Owl.

KFP

We have eaten here a few times, nice little place in downtown Waterloo. The cafe is connected to a small independent theatre. Coffee and lattes are excellent. Tried most of the sandwiches, all are very good. The Godfather is my favourite. Delicious gluten free options are available. There is a huge selection of locally sourced beers, perfect with a sandwich. Convenient place to have a quick dinner before a movie.

Shawn Wasserman

Great for Celiacs! I used to go to Mel's all the time as a student. Then I stopped when I was diagnosed with Celiac and I then had a very bad episode. This was years ago, long before COVID. NOW, they have completely redeemed themselves and then some! They have a great GF menu and try very hard to ensure safety. I felt great after eating and the burgers are just as I remember. Pretty sure the GF bun was from O'Doughs, so it could be better (especially with all the great GF bakeries around). But they clearly toasted it on the grill so it was really good. Glad to be able to come back to this old haunt again. ❤️ Whomever updated their gluten free training, menu, and setup, I thank you. ❤️

Nicole Shapiro

Truly disappointed. For the amount of marketing around gluten-free options on this menu, I was surprised when there were no GF wraps or GF sandwiches (1/2 of their menu). I ordered a Bangkok salad with falafel and the 5 falafel that were on top of this salad were rock ice cold and didn’t realize until we were driving away. I couldn’t put my fork in it, that’s how frozen they were. I actually had to take the falafel home and heat them up in an air fryer. I can’t believe I paid for this.

Amelia

Server was very friendly. The oat ice cream was great for someone who is lactose intolerant and gluten free. Will definitely come again. You can also get the ice cream for $1 for the summer deal on the app!

Stephen Snudden

Decent food and low key. Possible to eat for under 30$ for two. Gluten free options.

carl fournier

Had gluten free pasta with shrimp. Fast service and delicious food.

S. Justin Hong

I must say the sushi here is the best in KW. But they really need to work on their service. One of the servers is really trying to make people order more dishes(without clear mentioning if it is complimentary let alone the price), mixing up the separate bills several times, and not explaining enough about the dishes. My friend with celiac ordered gluten free teriyaki(which they said they could), but she had a bowel reaction an hour after she had the dish, which was not pleasant for her at all. My friends and I were regular to this place, but we haven’t gone back since then. What a shame.

Tass Chapman

Great options, and easy gluten free options. Staff knows what is safe..

jacquie brouwer

Ordered “gluten Free” meal for Celiac. They state they can accommodate this dietary need but my meal arrived with a piece of pita in it. I called and they did nothing to rectify the mistake. Said they would email me a voucher for a free meal. Head office emailed me but is now ghosting me. Clearly not safe for people requiring a gluten free diet. People with Celiac disease should definitely avoid. I get that mistakes can happen but not doing anything to rectify the situation is not cool. So as you can see they posted a couple emails and ask that I contact them. So I did. They told me it was too late for a refund. I literally reached out the day of the incident and also a half dozen other times. Clearly they are not willing to resolve the mistake they made. Our family use to be regular customer but I definitely will not return.

Andrea Chau

i always come to this freshii location. today i was greeted with a smile and a hello. my friend and i always get the buddha bowl with chicken and neither of us eat gluten but the service reps are always happy to customize the bowl for us and ask about the allergy if they are unsure. The price is reasonable for a healthy ‘fast food’ option and it’s a great place to go if you have a group with allergies or vegetarian preferences. in and out within 20 minutes. You guys rock!

Em Ponders

Too good. Very friendly staff. Healthy. Comfortable atmosphere. Lots of great vegan and gluten free options.

Lisa W

What a great evening celebrating my birthday with friends. Our server "J" was the best and always made sure everything was on point. I had the Dragon Bowl (AWESOME). J surprised us with a special "happy birthday" gluten-free brownie with ice cream. Such a great ending to a perfect evening!!!

Gabby Jansen

The best pita and poutine place in town! This restaurant is a staple for us, we visit almost 3 times a month and order dinner. Their meals are super filling and a great healthy alternative to fast food. They even accomodate for my celiac and make a pita in a bowl for me! The staff are very friendly and approachable and the food is always top tier.

Kathy

We enjoyed our evening at Kelsey’s. Our waiter, Tim, was very entertaining and assisted us with our food and drink selections. We ordered the Steak Fajita (big winner), a retro menu item, the Beef Tenderloin with Creamy Blue Cheese Pasta (which I requested with gluten-free pasta; it was a bit heavy on the salt, but I still enjoyed it), the Chicken Thai Curry Bowl (disappeared fast), and the Chicken Fried Chicken (the presentation was lacking on that one, but it still disappeared).

Paige Gascho

My favourite cafe in the area! I’m always impressed by their menu, especially by how many vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options they have. The atmosphere is great and service is always so friendly. Highly recommend checking it out!!

Dan Vu

Staff was super friendly and helpful in deciding on what to get and try. This place is GF friendly so if you have a friend that has celiac take them here. Chicken Adobo was tender, flavourful and moist. Would recommend. The meat portion isn't a lot and could be more. You'll still be hungry after this dish. Lots of rice to fill you up though if you're into the carbs. BBQ Skewers can't complain. Something nice to try. Flavour spot on and not over cooked. Pineapple soda on tap hit the spot. Definitely should try. Pancit Bihon portion size was good and had a variety of items.

A.S

I love hanging out here! The drink was so good and the food never disappoints. Their desserts are awesome—and I really appreciate how many gluten-free options they have. The vibe inside is super cute and cozy, definitely gives aesthetic goals. Can’t wait to come back and bring my friends along!

Neha Warmoota

I recently visited Noodlebox and had a great experience! The food was fresh, flavourful, and came out nice and hot. The staff were friendly and helpful, especially when I had questions about spice levels and options for customization. I also appreciated that they offer vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-friendly options — it’s great for groups with different dietary needs.

Molly Kelly

My go to restaurant in KW that is very celiac friendly and hands down the best Thai in KW! The owners are lovely, the menu is very accommodating to allergies and the take out is quick.

Monique Ardizzi

Hard to find Chinese restaurants that offer gluten free options, so very glad I found Wok Wagon since moving to Waterloo region. The curry Singapore mee and Szechuan chicken are delicious. Good portion sizes too.

Daniela Vanderzand

We dined here on a Sunday night with a party of 10 and we had a very wonderful experience. The servers Heidi and Emily (I think these were their names) were lovely from the start, and were very attentive to details. We had lots of different dietary restrictions that they had no problem accommodating and even had a whole gluten free menu. Everyone was very happy with their food and the patio was very pretty and great for a warm summer night. We will definitely be back!

Emily Skublics

This was a gorgeous restaurant with very knowledgeable staff and delicious sushi. One of the few places I've been where the server knew about sources of gluten in sushi (soy sauce, wasabi, imitation crab, etc.) and was able to modify dishes accordingly and provide tamari.

Ashley Eden

I had multiple miscommunications over my meal which created frustration. I ordered the seafood sirloin but without shrimp (allergy) abd mashed potatoes instead of croquettes (gluten-free). The waitress asked if I wanted more of another seafood instead of shrimp so I requested scallops. The meal initially arrived with shrimp so it had to be taken back. When I got it replaced, there were only scallops and cold chunks of butter in the sauce. I was told the lobster wasn't served due to contamination with the shrimp, which is fine had I been told. If I knew the plate would be so limited I'd have ordered something else. And where the restaurant saved money but not serving shrimp OR lobster, I am really unimpressed with the value. I was offered a dessert in compensation (only one gluten free option) which we took to go. I'd have preferred a discount on my meal as the issues with my dish really took away from the experience. While the food was otherwise ok, I'm not thrilled with my expensive dining experience this evening.

Samantha Hanley

Absolutely amazed. From entry to exit it was a perfect experience. This family owned, family run authentic Turkish restaurant is wonderful. Our server was wonderfully kind and attentive. We loved the clear glass and open kitchen to just see the passion their family takes making food. *long happy sigh* 😊 A good range of different seating. The music was really great. They have what looked like a stage area, so I was curious about that. We received a complimentary appetizer. Stone oven baked bread, which I believe they call Pide. Yum! It came with 4 dips. I was nervous of the pink one (beet yogurt I believe) but oh my goodness, that was our absolute favorite one. I am vegetarian, I don't usually eat dairy and try to not eat to much bread but it's hard to avoid here. It may just be their culture that they eat a lot of meat, grains/gluten/breads and cheese. It was the eggplant pide....yummy, my picky 3 year old even loved the leftovers. I was shocked. We received complimentary Turkish tea at the end of our lunch. I'm not use to tea, nor do I usually like it. But I wanted to experiment all their culture I could. Once cooled it was definitely strong but quite good. We felt so comfortable and warm inside. It was a wonderful experience! Beats any of our canadian restaurants here (just bland compared)

Aidan Perry

Great place to get tasty burgers! Inside tables are very clean and service is fast. Good variety of different burgers included in the daily combos through the week. Employees are knowledgeable about gluten-free options which is greatly appreciated.

Jess Kolmel

The BEST meal and experience I’ve ever had. We were served by Benoit and his lovely team, who provided prompt, friendly, and informed service experience. A question we had that a staff member couldn’t answer prompted her to ask one of the chefs to come to our table. The food was incredible, we each had the tasting menu. As someone who has 2 allergies (dairy and gluten) they did not disappoint with their accommodations. It wasn’t skimpy or lame substitutions, it was delicious. We will 100% be coming back!

Angel Milton

I ordered the roasted red pepper soup, which I usually love. I asked them not to put the croutons in as I am gluten-free. However, they put in the croutons.ruined the soup for me

Kimber Munford

It's so nice to find a mostly gluten free menu, and especially dosa, my favourite food ❤️ Absolutely delicious, with generous portions. Shivani was so helpful and sweet. She even packed up some sambar to go! 5/5, we will be back!

Alex

The gluten free burger was actually really good. The bun didn’t fall apart like most gluten free buns. Felt like the burger was made with love. Will definitely be coming back.

Elle Sally

Woah. SO good! Finally decided to come in after hearing about The Three on instagram. What have I been doing?! It's a buffet (figuratively) of healthy, whole food choices with SO many gluten free and dairy free options. I got the Cobb salad with egg, avocado, bacon, and opted to substitute cabbage for the cheese... along with the lettuce, corn, and more it comes with. The dressing was rich and tangy. Moral of this story is I can't wait to go back :)