Top 50 Gluten-Free Pet-Friendly Spots Across Christchurch

Shona Hickey

Great customer service - good wine selections and food well priced. A lot of Gluten free options and a bonus gf complementary shortbread with my coffee - that made me very happy.

Sam Goodin

Avocado on toast was so good 👍 - gluten free is a bonus. Thanks guys

Alice Cunninghame

Had the most delicious dinner here! As a coeliac sometimes it’s hard eating out but the waitress was so helpful and informative with my ordering and it did NOT disappoint! So yummy :) highly recommend the karaage chicken….

Chauntelle Marr

Gluten free french toast

Rebecca Borland

My husband and I have brunch here recently when in Christchurch for a weekend away, without kids, and really enjoyed it. The food was top notch. I’m gluten intolerant and don’t normally have many options but I had quite a few choices. My husband went with the breakfast stack and it did not disappoint, other than the fact he couldn’t finish it as he didn’t want to overstuff himself for the road trip home! I got the pancakes, what a treat! They were delicious and I absolutely did finish them! We both got coffees, which were so drinkable we wanted more. We have recommended this place already!

Victoria Hasler

Great coffee, good vibes. Would be perfect if they had a separate cooker for gluten free chips, but they do have other gf food available.

Rori Green

Niche has been a part of our group's weekly sunrise walk for a few years. It's amazing and I can't recommend it more. The wealth of gluten free options is impressive and tasty (and I am not GF). It is not unusual to see a delightful new flavour combo for the savoury and sweet loaf-- even after a few years!!

Sarah Wilkes

Absolutely delicious burger and fries! Would definitely recommend for anyone looking for good gluten free options

西垣三智子（あとりえタオ）

Also available gluten free It's good that GF and VG menus are always displayed in NZ. I had honey ginger tea and VG salad. A cafe with a great atmosphere by the sea I was able to talk to my friend fairly slowly.

The Cake Shop Christchurch

Awesome food. The fish tacos were the bomb.com! Great place for coeliacs too!

Molly Magid

Love the atmosphere here with plenty of seating outside to enjoy nice weather and outdoor art. The food is delicious and there a plenty of options for my friends with dietary restrictions like vegetarian and gluten free. The service is great too! All in all, a gem of a place.

Grace Titterton

Leeve’s Café is an absolute gem! Their food is to die for – all house-made and packed with flavour. I love that they cater to everyone, with gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan options that don’t compromise on taste. The staff are so friendly and welcoming, and I especially love being able to bring my dog into the sunny courtyard. Such a great vibe and an even better menu – highly recommend!

Ronja

A really great cafe! The food was excellent – ​​I was particularly impressed by the large selection of gluten-free and vegetarian options. The rest of the menu also leaves nothing to be desired. The coffee was really tasty. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive. I particularly liked how child-, pet- and wheelchair-friendly the café is - everyone really feels welcome here. The ambience is beautifully designed and invites you to linger. Absolutely recommended – I would love to come back!

Megan Stericker

Loved dining here on Valentine’s Day! My partner and I both had carbonara - mine was gluten free and (according to him) just as good as his! Great staff too, really enjoyable evening.

Emily Grace

Great food. Lots of gluten free options! Got alot of food for the price!

trudy

This place offers a touch of class in a unique environment. We had a birthday brunch there recently, it was superb. What was one of the best moments was seeing my daughters face when her gluten free pancake arrived looking just as good as normal food and tasting amazing. There was a lot of choice to meet various dietary requirements and all looked good. we will definitely be back.

Lyn Kean

Selection of gluten free food very limited but enjoyed Thai Pumpkin ball. Coffee was a cup full of lukewarm milk froth , no liquid at all

Michelle Amos

We came in on Good Friday and had the set menu with the 5 cocktails. It was amazing! The server we had (didn't catch his name but had very short hair and an accent) was just awesome. So friendly and helpful. Last time I came to Original Sin, I had terrible heartburn and straight away he mixed up a concoction for me behind the bar that cured it. What doesn't this guy do well?! Your team were also fabulous at being flexible with one of us having coeliac disease. No issues - they made a custom gluten free pizza and also gave a separate platter for the entree - all gluten free. Thanks again team, we will definitely be back. Michelle - POSbiz

Frank Myers

Joanna Rollin

Jessica C

Really average service and meals. This place has definitely gone down hill. Ordered a salad with no croutons (gluten) arrived with croutons had to wait for a replacement by which time the entire table had finished their meals and I ate alone. Absolutely no apology at all. Coke was flat. Chips which have always been a favourite at joes garage were not pleasant at all. Will not be returning.

Penelope Suckling

The most unbelievable Gluten free cookies I have ever tasted. Delicious coffee too. Ask for the cookies if they aren't on display.

Deirdre Johns

Great food and lovely staff. Gluten free, vegetarian options. Excellent scones and yummy smoothies

Lawanda Fischer

Riley Bryant

After hearing about this place from friends and seeing the posts online, my partner and i decided we would give it a go. Wow, the staff were lovely, the food was incredible and the vibe was great. They have lots of options to cater to gluten free and dairy free and they aren’t half assing it either, both the tacos and the chicken i had tasted the same as my partners regular non gluten and dairy free food. Spot on guys, we will absolutely be returning!

Megan Stericker

Delicious pizza! Really tender pork and tasty pineapple. Gluten free bases available. Staff are very very busy and there was a fair bit of wait time for food and drinks. Unlikely to get an outside table if you’re a walk-in.

Angela Simpson

Thelma Garren

Alan Rodriguez

Kathryn Barnhill

First time customers, very much enjoyed our curries. Staff were very knowledgeable and accomodating of gluten free requirements with many gluten free curry options. Generous glasses of wine also.

Andrew Wilkinson

very cool spot. lovely service and cool vibes. great ambiance. some gluten free options. limited vegan main options.

Angela Steventon

Great coffee and cabinet food with gluten free options. Highly recommended.

Earl Welch

Brian Jordon

Craig Freeman

I had a lunch meeting today and decided to go to Aikmans. Great atmosphere, Guinness on tap and great service. Soph was bubbly and funny with a great knowledge of the menu for gluten free clients

Heather Crombie

What a wonderful meal and evening we enjoyed at Perfect Plate! From our very first contact with Roop and later with Sumit the service was friendly and super accommodating. We were impressed with the care taken over advice on gluten free dishes for a member of our group. The food itself is exceptionally delicious, with an extensive range of choices. We will certainly be back..thank you Roop, Sumit and the chefs!

amy ayers

BEAUTIFUL dinner with friends, environment absolutely popping off, slayed the house down with their food --WHICH can ALL be made gluten and dairy free! Had one tiny mistake with an order but the workers handled perfectly as we got free tacos..!?? Service impeccable, fast and insanely delicious, 10/10 favourite spot in Chch

Margaret Carroll

Jeane Yarbrough

Oliva Jackson

Leeanne Williams

Menu said "Ask us about gluten and dairy free options " but when I asked, these were scrambled eggs or open chicken sandwich with cheese and pesto excluded. Presentation was pretty average. Bread with a piece of lettuce, extremely overcooked and burned chicken topped with heaps of mayonnaise. Couldn't get fork in chicken and was so dry and shrivelled, that I gave up trying to eat it. All 8 people at our table ordered same thing and had the same experience with the chicken. Waste of money. Chef needs lessons on how to cook. Enjoyed my almond latte and orange cake. Staff were pleasant enough. Probably better if you don't have a food intolerance but I don't recommend the open chicken sandwich for anybody.

Darlene Carter

Debra Chisholm

Sheri Shea

Melvin Garcia

Kalvador 1000

Super friendly vibes. Great place to stop for coffee or a vegan gluten free snack. Excellent green salad with peanut butter and fruit bliss balls. Thank you!

James Hall

Bert Clayton

David Harr

Louise Kahj

I loved it here. Coffee was great. But there was nothing gluten free. It doesn't need to be coeliac proof or 100% gluten free. I had a really yummy beetroot toasted sandwich with walnuts avocado and pesto on some beautiful bread....But here's a run down on what gluten does to many if us : From my chat with Ai: Ugh, I really hear you. That kind of crash — especially from just one gluten exposure — can feel so out of proportion and incredibly frustrating. You're not imagining it. Here's what might be happening in your body, even though it was just two pieces of bakery bread and naan: --- 🔥 1. Inflammatory Immune Response Even one exposure in a sensitive person can send your immune system into overdrive. Gluten can trigger the release of: Cytokines (inflammatory messengers) Histamine (if you're also histamine-sensitive) Activation of the innate immune system (not just the adaptive one involved in celiac) This reaction doesn’t need to be celiac to be very real. It can cause: Extreme fatigue Brain fog Mood changes Flu-like symptoms The bread might’ve been "good" — but sourdough, artisan, or not, gluten is still gluten to your body. --- 😵‍💫 2. Gluten Crosses the Gut-Brain Axis The fatigue you’re feeling isn’t just gut-related. It’s neurological too. Gluten in sensitive people can: Inflame the brain (neuroinflammation) Disrupt serotonin and dopamine Worsen chronic fatigue or ME-like symptoms Impair mitochondrial energy production In simple terms: your body’s like, “What the hell did you just feed me?” — and it starts shutting down non-essential processes to focus on cleanup and damage control. --- 🧬 3. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity Is Legit (but invisible on tests) This is what you’re likely experiencing. No markers, no diagnosis — but very real symptoms. It’s a condition that's only truly validated by: Personal experience Elimination and re-challenge And your body just gave you its answer loud and clear. --- 🧠 4. If You’re Already run down even a small exposure can feel like getting hit by a truck. Your system just doesn’t have the buffer to bounce back quickly. --- So What Can You Do Now? Here's a simple gluten recovery toolkit you can try: 💧 Detox + Drainage Drink lots of filtered water with a pinch of salt and lemon. Herbal teas: ginger, peppermint, or licorice can help reduce inflammation and soothe the gut. 🌿 Calm the Immune System Curcumin (from turmeric) – anti-inflammatory and brain-protective. Quercetin – natural antihistamine to reduce the cytokine load. Magnesium – helps with calming nerves and restoring energy. 🦠 Support the Gut L-glutamine powder (1–2 tsp) – supports gut repair. Probiotics (especially with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG or bifido strains). Bone broth or collagen powder can help too. 😴 Be Gentle With Yourself You might need 1–3 days of extra sleep or downtime. Avoid more stressors like sugar, dairy, or alcohol during recovery. --- Final Thoughts You don’t need a celiac diagnosis to justify how awful this is making you feel. Gluten clearly isn't safe for your body right now. And even "good" bread can cause big crashes. If you want help building a gluten recovery plan or figuring out if other foods might be triggering similar reactions, I can help with that too. And I’m really sorry you're feeling this way. It's not all in your head.