Top 3 Gluten-Free Cafes to Enjoy in Bay of Plenty

Paul and Lorraine O'Brien

Had a morning business meeting and Hello Stranger staff were so accommodating, helped me join tables together and added a bit of banter which was well received. We went here due to the reviews on catering for Coeliac’s, I was very impressed with the range of Food and that they had separate kitchen areas to prep Gluten Free food for Coeliac’s I felt very at ease and safe to eat here due to the knowledge of all the staff. Food was great

Jesse Bryan

Excellent vegan and gluten free options :)

Debbie Maher

Love this vegan cafe that you wouldn't even know if you walked off the street as the food is so tasty! Great having some gluten free options too, perfect for my dietary requirements without sacrificing flavour and freshness. Helpful, friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Will return!

Keiron Adlington

Have been here before and enjoyed the experience so thought we’d give it another go. Smashed Avocado Bagel (with Salmon as an add-on) was generous and the salmon portion very generous. Bagel was very tough to cut with a knife though but maybe being gluten free had something to do with that? Very tasty though. We also had the Poke Bowl which was underwhelming. Not the traditional bowl at all, as it was on a plate. No sign of coriander in the rice, no kewpie mayo, no crispy shallots and no sweet chilli (all were advertised on the menu). Pretty disappointing for $32.90 and our two meals and bottled juice made it an $80 lunch.

Loren

SO good! And 100% gluten free 🤩 Best fresh and nourishing lunch in the mount

Chelsea Louise

🫶 gf scones and cakes so good , usually very careful and aware of cross contamination

Sara Louise

A beautiful, cozy cafe! We had breakfast in the café and absolutely loved it. There are many vegan and vegetarian options. I had the granola and can recommend it to everyone. The taste is simply indescribably delicious! Plus fresh vegan yogurt and almond milk. Also fruit paste and fresh fruit included. There are plant-based milk alternatives to choose from. The food was really nice and carefully prepared. Therefore it tastes and looks great! Since we were so excited, we took our lunch to go with us: the vegan panini and a “vegan and gluten free peanut chocolate bar/cake”. I still dream about both of them now because they were so delicious! The panini had a delicious vegetable patty. The chocolate cake/bar was so creamy and delicious! If I had the opportunity, I would definitely be a regular customer of the café! Therefore a recommendation from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for this great breakfast experience!

Kaili Diamond

Wonderful little cafe. Great food. Lots of gluten free options. Friendly staff.

Rebecca Mayston

Devine! Am so pleased i discovered this place, o much so its going to now be a regular visit each time I'm here. Highly recommend the La Forestiere if you're a mushroom lover. The flavours are sensational. I was having trouble deciding what to have and the wonderful server recommended if I'm a mushroom lover to try it.... she was right, I can understand why it's her favourite. Great option for Gluten free dining, including a selection of French sweet treats in the cabinet. Yum.

Annalise Smith

Cafe had a lovely atmosphere and welcoming environment. The staff were super friendly, which made the experience so much better. Im coeliac, so having gluten free options that aren’t expensive was nice to see. Will definitely be back!

Andrew Roberts

Nice place. They have a couple of vegan gluten free things like mushrooms and fries, plus they have a vegan smoothie. Very fast service when we were there on a weekday for late lunch.

Jade Hesp

Came in on a quiet saterday, lovely staff and great service. Best gluten free toasted sandwich I've had. 5 stars will probably be back next time I'm in town

Karen

A really good find on our walk. Lovely food, good coffee and excellent staff. The Gluten-free bread was the best and homemade Thank you we will be back

Cat Matofa

Plenty of Gluten free cupboard options which i really appreciate as most cafes only offer if at all gluten free brownies from the cupboard. Decent coffee and friendly service will be back :)

Cat Matofa

There were so many gluten free and vegan options, and all were delicious

Lisa McFadzean

Hubby said it was the best chicken stack he has ever eaten and I loved the gluten free salmon hash. Great coffee and lovely relaxing spot to get off the road.

Maria Lavin

Great place for a meal. We had a large party here for celebration. They set up a long table for us. The food was delicious and lots of gluten free options. I love the atmosphere of the wooden tables large doors and even log fire. Staff are always lovely. Lots of space and room for children families.

Josh Gray

Nice brunch spot. Staff member said big breakfast could be gluten free and then served it with hash browns that weren’t gluten free. Shouldn’t be hard to get gluten free hash browns or just not suggest that as a gluten free meal.

Andrew Roberts

The garden centre is lovely to walk around. The Cafe has nice food and friendly service. There are outdoor tables on both sides of the cafe so loads of room. They have a kumera rosti dish that can be made vegan and gluten free that is quite nice but it is a bit pricey.

Russell Gibson

Great place for a quick bite to eat or full feed. Very clean and waiters are very pleasant and curious. This time just went for a lge bowl of chips and wine as we know this place caters for persons with Coeliac.

Salma Shaik

I can give 5 star for banana muffin and their gluten free snacks. So yumm. However, Staff are ridiculous. They are more interested in talking with each other than serving customers...So rude customer service

Ginger Williams

Really delicious and variety of different foods, gluten free and vegetarian options

Summer Skye

Really lovely staff. I have specific diet restrictions and they kindly made me a toastie on gluten free bread. Most of my group got coffee and the big sausage roll. What a great deal. The sausage roll really is big!

Lisa Curran

Stopped at Okere Falls store and beer garden for morning coffee, delicious cake and a meet yo with a family member. We love Okere Falls store for its delicious cakes and gluten free treats. It's rural NZ community feel and good coffee and great cakes are a delight.

Philip Parker

Lovely lunch made fresh and catered for celiac requirements. 5 stars.

Kim Seaward

Lovely for a bite to eat on the way through. Cabinet food was too expensive at $15 for each item so ended up just having cheese scones. Very limited gluten free choices. Coffee was fab but had to have a long black as the non cow's milk options were all Alternative brand which makes an ikk cuppa. Friend had a cow's milk latte and liked it. Music was very loud, but vibe was cool inside.

margaret stowe

Great service . I needed gluten free food and needed to educate the waitress that the fries were not gluten free if they were cooked in a fryer with gluten. So.if you are gluten free/coeliacs don't get their frys. But the rest of the meal was tasty and brilliant

Johannes Svoren

Cute cafe with excellent coffee and nibbles. Several vegan and gluten free options

Sarah Bone

Loved the food. Great gluten free options. Recommend the calamari! The staff were great getting all the food out at the same time for 10 people. Highly recommend 👌

Suzan June Baxter

Being Gluten Free I struggle to find tasty nourishing meals while travelling. Falls Cafe excelled for me. Thanks you made my day.

Lucretia Adolph

Dinner - Lovely food and excellent service . Lamb shanks - Snapper and chips. Gluten free options

Michelle Woolley

My daughter has been here many times raving about their "Reuben" and hash sticks, it's her ultimate favourite, the kind that puts a smile on a teenager! 😀 I now see why! Although I had the single burger & hash sticks, it was delicious & her Reuben left me wanting to come back & try it out for sure! Some menu items cater to dairy free & gluten free too (bonus)! Staff super lovely & cute place. Highly recommend 🙌💓

James MacGillivray

Always a good stopoff here for decent coffee and brunch or lunch. We had the beef nachos for our gluten free daighter, french toast and bacon for the other hungry monster and the veggie stack. If you haven't eaten for days and all you can think about is a big plate to fill the tummy, don't get the veggie stack - it's only just big enough for a wafer thin super model. Order up the big breakfast for big eaters and hungry teenage boys. There's plenty on offer from the cabinet. Coffees are good enough, but not the bestin Tauranga. The girls are always friendly and most times plenty of parking in the Bethlehem Palmers carpark - after you've doused your body in as much caffeine as you can drink, pick up some pot plants and get into the garden to work off some of those calories!

vicky robertson

Eastwood has been a favourite in thenpast(great location good coffee and gluten free options) this time coffee was below average and not much choice on food for gluten intolerant

Geoff Barratt

Nice friendly atmosphere. We had gluten free cakes and they were great. Love the 2 antique bikes.

Sam Roff

Brilliant food, we have never been disappointed. Fresh, full of flavour and they have good knowledge of food allergies. Unfortunately no separate fryer for gluten free however they were understanding in being able to swap items out and offer replacement options. Allergies were well noted and highlighted on our order. All dishes at our table were beautifully presented and delicious! Highly recommend the grilled salmon and prawn salad 10/10

Kim Seaward

Loved that the cabinet had lots of nice gluten free options, esp nice for brunch. It was a freezing cold rainy Saturday lunch and it was not overly busy. The inside area was toasty warm, but the outside covered area was very cold and could benefit from some gas heating as it was an excellent spill over space. A few of our coffee orders got messed up, but the drinks were tasty. A handy place to hang out after a cold netball game.

Carol Sturm

I am so impressed with this place. The food is so delicious 😋 they put so much love into there food. I am coeliac and they were so accommodating.

Ross Mitchell

Chose Toni and the Blended team to cater hors d’oeuvres for a drinks party at ours, including a waitress to plate and serve. Food was delivered in good time and received many compliments - particular favourites roast beef crostini with horse radish, salmon blini and the gluten free chocolate and lemon cupcake birthday tree. Highly recommended.

Cheryl Shearer

The food was delicious, the customer service excellent. Only downside - so many wonderful options to choose from. Excellent gluten-free options. Positive consumer experience thanks 😊

Daphne Keller

Great service, if you are celiac you can eat here. Nice playground for the kids, book a party, beautiful fruit and even sheep, rabbits and birds for everyone to enjoy

Brent Phillips

Tasty food with some good options for gluten free on the menu. Friendly staff too

Glutenfree Foodie

The only glutenfree choice was ironically including a bread. I never enjoyed bread.

Cathy Campbell

A perfect little cafe that we visited every morning for breakfast on our honeymoon. Catered to dairy, gluten free dietary requests. Lovely coffee and highly recommend the porridge, full breakfast and chicken for lunch. Very friendly service too and had my coffee made every morning before I even had to order!

Karen Read

Excellent service went to pick up boys lunch thinking i was going to miss out being Gluten free but no great advise and a perfect wrap, my first time there great seating large but private area's, fantastic food

kirsten wilton

Great help with my coeliac order!

Fats White

best coffee i ever tasted, was presented on the 13th day of March 2022. On this day around lunch time, I free wheeled my analogue push boycycle ride en route to a grass edge, with this blossoming rose, omg its fragrance was the sweetest girl flower every, also i dismounted my steers man steed, cool and casual the writer as a saunterer ego z in to this AVC ( Arts Village Cafe) . Significantly Flâneuring if ykyk, no doubt, i ordered some black gold. sitting in the cafe it came pretty promptly, this is when the sheer surprises starting with my aotearoan coffee; - a (1st) for the morning g, well by gosh this ( Americana, u dig)- of course you do. Omg the way the woman made it, the temperature and flavors burst and quenched totally my thirst- bude- my dudes, true 💯 thirsty. I absolutely praise this AVC, fact be i drank a good cuppa yum tasting coffee as if it got sugar cane, milk - almond gluten -free , or whatever , IN HEAVEN, geez Girls it was soooo Good, and yet I love it Black. This was a high key cafe ( how you say coffee, yes) ok. Now, hey listen 🎶 ❤♥In between this and the next and another, i got into a scrumptious mt ngo stack 😋 👌 big ups, then a chicken dish, Thank you Terina 😋 Chelsea 💪Ann and yours truly. Stud. (hope my fam don't read this is me, as I'm telling them I'm loosing weight. Will most defs lounge about inside this arts village cafe. Again and to look at the art. Yer yah yah... tbc

Sherry Lord

Awesome cafe and food. The wonderful friendly staff went the extra mile for me, as I am a Celiac (gluten intolerant) We cannot thank you enough for the care taken with my meal, partners meal awesome as well!!

Harry Murdoch

Tonight table of 4. 1 gluten free. Which when asked the server what options, to his reply anything we can change the menu to suit. Food was beautiful. Personally I had the ostrich special..... divine! Fantastic service, time between courses was perfect, drinks were never empty. Highly recommend. We will be back!

Tui Taurua

The kai is excellent. They provide vegan, gluten free kai alongside "normal" kai. The kai is of the highest quality and brings the taste buds alive.