Top 50 Gluten-Free Lunch Spots Across Des Moines

Jacinda Daniel

Everything is gluten free which was amazing, I didn't have to worry about only getting to choose from two items on the menu. The salsa options were a bit odd, there was a cheese/yogurt type dip among the four they give you and it just didn't fit with the Latino flavors well, it was more Mediterranean in taste. Definitely pricier for how much food you get but the chips are a free refill. When I asked about diet pop options I was told they didn't have any but they have what appeared to be a full bar with a fountain pop sprayer (which normally would have at least one diet option). The only thing I could have to drink was water there (I'm a type one diabetic and regular pop is a bad situation).

Stephanie Dowdy

Love this place. Great gluten free options & excellent service!

Jon Burk

Endless food and bottomless mimosas/bloody marys/mixed drinks is a hell of a way to start a weekend. Staff is very friendly and attentive. Food is delicious and there were plenty of options for gluten free eaters.

Cortez Jones

Had the BEST experience here. Trying to find a restaurant that offers a gluten free menu as well as regular with no discernible differences in taste is 1 in a million and buzzard Billy’s is exactly that. Any time we ever come back it will be good at BB. Kristen, Kela and shiree are the best servers EVER!

Mijo Martinez (Mijo Martinez)

My chicken chiabatta sandwich was a bit dry and the food selection was limited, but they did have substantial gluten free options. The setting and staff were very nice, making it an overall excellent experience.

Chris Clark

They're pizza is fantastic & they've got the best gluten free crust I've ever had! The reason they have a perfect score is because they brought us the wrong pizza, but next they not only brought out the correct pizza, but it was also the largest size possible at no extra charge & they comped our drinks! Thet were extremely apologetic & everything was delicious. It was a long wait, but well worth it.

Hunter Gonzales

Food was delicious and decently priced, so many gluten free options. Service was quick and simple nice but not always checking up on you but consistent service overall. Kinda nosy but private as well. Definitely would come back as an outastater 👏

Nicholas Kalianoff

Great place to sit on the patio or watch the games. Very conscious about gluten free options also. Good drinks, reasonable prices.

Haley Downe

This place ROCKS!! Our server Olivia was great and we really enjoyed the coffee, gluten-free pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and omelettes. The only thing holding this place back from a full 5 stars was the portion size of the orange juice. Orange juice was $5.50, and while I understand that it is fresh-squeezed, the portion size was only about 5 total gulps (I’ll do the math for ya - more than 1 dollar per gulp…) which was disappointing. Don’t get it twisted - we LOVE this place and will totally be back again as we have many times before. Just leaving some constructive criticism as we truly want this place to flourish! Thanks again Olivia!

Dani Rae Carter

Incredible! The drinks were fun and the menu had a ton of vegan, vegetarian, gluten free options. Beautiful atmosphere as well- Would recommend!

Kassie Scheckel

My family and I came to eat here on 6/20 because of the dairy free and gluten free options, necessary accommodations for some of our family members. The vibe was alright; we called ahead and were seated promptly. The outdoor play area was a neat touch. The server was friendly but did forget to place the order for my 2 year old, which was frustrating. It was highly concerning that our food came out so quickly. My husband and I ordered the Fried Bologna Sandwich; it was greasy and gross and I could not eat it. My brother-in-law got The Dunbar, which also had bologna on it. The 3 of us who had some of the bologna ended up with food poisoning. I attempted to notify the restaurant via Facebook messenger and the 3 attempts “couldn’t send”. I sent them a message through their website, and also contacted the health department. Not a good experience and won’t be back. Update: they did reply back to my message through their website and refunded us, so I appreciated the customer service aspect to help remedy the situation.

Penny Zaugg

Great gluten free option!!

Jodi Allen

I placed a pickup order at 5:16pm and app said order would be ready at 5:30pm. Arrived at 5:45pm and it took until 5:50pm to get assistance. Teenager at register stated it would take 10 minutes. He then confirmed with cook that 10 minutes was accurate. Cook looked at ticket and said with 2 gluten free sandwiches it would be a while. Grill started to be cleaned at 6:05 pm and order was started at 6:10 pm. Let me point out that while standing there waiting I watched the counter fill up with other pick up orders and people walk in put in their order and receive it while I was there. Someone obviously made a conscious decision not to fill my order in a timely manner because of the gluten free sandwiches. Jasmine attempted to give me a cookie and I refused because of allergies at 6:20pm. At 6:23pm more than an hour after my order was placed I received my order finally. My specific instructions in my order were to write names on the sandwich package and to bag the gluten free separately. Neither instruction was followed. Jasmine gave me 2 coupons for 3 sandwiches and I told her i should receive 3 because our order was due at 5:30pm. She said no and that we could leave and didn't need to return to the store. Not once did she apologize or provide an explanation. I was not happy and yelled going out the door thanks for not saying I'm sorry. I would have been happy with the 2 coupons and an apology. Jasmine lacks the skills to be a manager if she can't apologize to a customer for a decision she probably made. I feel that Jasmine was discriminatory in her actions because of the food allergies and her overall actions. Jersey Mike's as a company has practices in place to accommodate customers with food allergies but this employee seems to have decided to not provide your typical great service becsuse of it.

Brett Giberson

Great food! Excellent gluten free options. Awesome location. We will be back!

Jamie Goff

Their Gluten Free pizza is amazing!!! Went to order it on door dash and it wasn't showing up so I called the restaurant and spoke to Emily and she went above and beyond to get me my gluten free pizza. Second time we've ordered from them and both times its been fantastic!! Even better when the customer Service rocks!!

Michelle M.

Amazing! Probably the best dang burger I've ever had... the lil' Elvis and the phenomenal dirt balls were the icing on the cake. Gluten-free bun also available. I'd rate this more than 5 stars if it was possible.

Samantha Kreek

We had a horrible experience with this Jersey Mike's location. We went here due to the reputation for being decently celiac-friendly. My husband and one of my four children cannot have gluten. The staff was rude and hesitant to answer any questions. One staff member just blankly stared at us numerous times. The wait for the gluten-free sandwiches was 20 minutes, versus the regular sandwiches which were almost instantaneous. They prepared the gluten-free sandwiches in a special area, as they had told me. However, they also used that area for the online orders, and the staff member rudely told me she had to clean it up before she could prepare our food. My husband's order was completely incorrect. We ended up getting glutened and it made for a rough trip. Avoid.

Jackie Akerberg

THE BEST Southeast Asian restaurant around with the most friendly staff and coolest vibe. We order from lucky lotus at least once a week and it always satisfies! They have so many gluten free and vegan options and everything is delicious. Their spice is legit - I like my food super spicy and a level 3 hits the spot (this would be comparable to a level 4 or 5 at most places to order wisely). I highly recommend the tofu laap, summer rolls, nasi goreng, tofu char sui, nam khao, bing bing wraps, waterfall salad, khao soi, and basically anything that they have on their menu because i promise you it will be delicious and you will be coming back for more in less than a week. BTW Kevin, Z and the rest of the family and team are true gems and pour their hearts and souls into everything they do! So friendly. So amazing!

Ben Miller

Went in on a quiet Thursday afternoon and the service and food were top shelf. Ribeye steak was cooked to perfection. Brussels were excellent and the cornbread is actually GLUTEN FREE! Start with the deviled eggs or the street corn dip!

Brooke Weber

I have been here several times recently for brunch. This place knows what they are doing and they are really good at it: the atmosphere, the decor, the food, the service. The lattes here are the best in the area, hands down. Even the cups and saucers are beautiful and add to my enjoyment of the coffee drinks. I want the exact cups for my own home. The seasonal latte flavors are creative and never overly sweet. I do love a pumpkin spice latte, and St. Kilda has the best. I was interested in a seasonal mocha and was hesitant to order it for fear it would be too sweet, but the server told me more about it so I decided to try it. It was the best mocha I’ve ever had with the perfect balance of flavors and just the right amount of sweetness. Everything that’s a part of the Big Aussie Breakfast is prepared to perfection: thick cut bacon, delicious blistered roasted tomatoes, perfectly crispy house-made bread. Even the gluten-free bread is excellent. Last week my boyfriend got a hashbrown on the side and it was the best hashbrown I’ve ever had - a lovely soft texture on the inside and perfectly crispy all the way around on the outside. The last 3 times I’ve eaten there, we’ve had the same server. I love her! Very friendly, relatable, and a bit quirky in the best possible way. After our last visit, I decided St. Kilda in Valley Junction is my favorite place for brunch.

Leigh Hannah

Pizza slices are huge and delicious. Also, the gluten free crust is one of the best I’ve had!!

Happi Pie

Delicious food. The staff there are amazing and treat you with so much respect. They also have markers to tell you if something is gluten free or if it is vegetarian, so it really helps out people with specific diets.

Kenzie Kelso

Great food, tons of vegan and gluten free options, great service.

April Worrall

love the gluten-free options! Great food and a great company that gives back to our communities.

Gina W.

My first food stop in Iowa was to take a solo walk to get tacos at Malo. This one was a home run at my first at-bat as a Des Moines rookie. Wow. I timed it just right, and they were placing my bag of food on the table right as I walked in the door. I got the avocado and fried onions on corn tortillas, and instead of getting a combo, I got the portobello mushrooms as my side. That way I was able to just put them on my tacos. I also got a side of fruit with sweet chili sauce. It didn't want to have anything super spicy before my marathon (think about it) so I got the pico de gallo. The tacos were delicious, and the fresh tortillas seemed handmade. The fruit was so juicy and sweet, but the stunner here was the portobello mushroom - like steak strips. Savory and meaty but not too salty... Just amazing. I had enough left over for a second meal. Great vegan and gluten-free options.

Shawna Schmidt

Can not say enough good things about our experience at Kava DSM!!! From the AMAZING gluten free/dairy free waffle to the dairy free gelato, to the decor and super kind owner! It was our first time visiting and he went above and beyond to help us understand everything he offered and how it can help me with inflammation! I will definitely be reaching out to his wife also who is a natural health practitioner! I would give them 100 stars if I could! We will definitely be back very soon ❤️

Katelin Tiernan

Super gluten free conscientious on top of DELICIOUS FOOD. I will be back over and over and can't recommend enough.

BREIGHTON Robison Engeman

Neat little place with great gluten free options and friendly staff! I'll be back!

Brian Moe

Delicious food options. Had the gluten free steak and mushroom flatbread. It was hold-your-breath-and-close-your-eyes delicious. Brussel sprouts were on point. Deconstructed nachos were amazing. And service was excellent, especially given the unexpected rush at the end of the night.

Dawn Collins

My daughter and I got some to go dessert and margaritas! The dessert was so fresh and tasty! We are both gluten-free and wanted to try some of their gluten-free dessert! So delicious! We also had a drink while we waited for our food! The mule was absolutely delicious! I believe it was strawberry. Just perfect! I can't wait to go back and have an entree!

Carole Kern

Update: Mike Larsen contacted me several times to apologize, get feedback, and to locate the record of the sale. The meal bill was fully refunded. He said he spoke with his people to improve the experience. Everyplace can have an off night. I would give them another chance. Original review: Poor service, got the order wrong, sandwich was sparsely covered with contents making it mostly stale bread, salad dressing wasn't mixed, salad had wonton stips which are not Gluten-free even though the order was for Gluten-free. Expensive meal we threw away and went elsewhere to eat.

Jennifer Bartlett

Shrimp and grits, collard greens with bacon...I felt like I was back home. The gluten free options are limited, but they are done well!

Stacy Kearney

Loved everything we ordered!! They even helped us adjust our sushi orders to be gluten free. The specialty roll I ordered gluten free was so good.

Mark Nook

A great place for lunch and very Gluten-Free Friendly.

Sheila Dunbar

The crew at Grateful Chef are very welcoming and helpful. They offer great made ahead meals you order on Monday and pickup Thurs or Friday's. They offer gluten free, vegan, paleo options regularly. They also have fresh made salads and other goodies to purchase. I have loved all the food I have ordered from here. I have had one problem when the gluten free pasta was mush and the credited back my money for that dish. Highly recommend.

Dawn Green

I cannot give more than one star to a place where a waiter (Nick) refused to walk over to us yelling in front of everyone, “What?? I see you!” When we politely waved him towards us saying, “We have a question.” He didn’t budge and said, “And I have an answer. What?” It was embarrassing. I wish I had a video of it. When we had to answer with enough volume across the seated guests that it was about something we ordered, he finally walked over. He was rude. We said we ordered sashimi. I never had sashimi served on tempura squash, and since one of our group was gluten sensitive, we said we wouldn’t have ordered it. He master-of-factly declared that EVERYTHING (enunciated) was gluten. Including the seaweed salad, Nick? The roll with virtually nothing but fish and roe, Nick? You are rude. On the other hand, Josh was pleasant, and he helped make up for the poor behavior. But the damage was done. While we had planned meals, we had had enough and left.

Billie Newland (billiexnewland)

Fun place with great food options! Love they do deals on their burgers and the fact they have gluten free buns available!

Kathy Kay

Great Food...Always! Love the gluten free options

Christopher Porter

Cayla Marie

I always love Culver's because the food's great at a reasonable cost and the service is great as well. I recently needed to try a gluten-free diet and the options they have are good, especially compared to anywhere else. You apparently need to just tell them to substitute the bun for a gluten-free bun and to treat it as an allergy. The bun's an extra $1.60 or so, and comes in a separate plastic bag with a fork and a knife so you can assemble it together, and they package anything that could be contaminated in another paper bag. The bun tasted no different from a regular bun and had a good texture compared to so many other gluten-free "breads". I got fries even though they're not technically gluten-free (maybe because they're fried in the same oil as the breaded sides?), and they made sure to tell me it's not technically gluten-free and they put it in a separate bag. If you have allergies, I'd make sure to give them a bit of extra time and try not to go through the drive through during lunch rush, so they have plenty of time to properly handle your food, same as you would anywhere else. The culvers.com website should have a list of options that are gluten free if you search for it. I'm glad it seems they take the time to treat the health of their customers seriously and offer those options for those of us who are born with or develop dietary restrictions. Today, Lexi was the one who took my order today and she was incredibly accommodating, helpful, and personable when I told her I was ordering gluten-free for the first time and she walked me through their options. I can't upload the pictures of the food for some reason but it all looked and tasted good. I'll definitely be coming again, especially when other options are so limited. Thanks!

Cory Zorn

Food sucked you need to pay attention to people that have food allergies all I could buy was a bowl of soup because everything else had bread in it the waitress said they'll take my croutons off guess what that's not gluten-free

Jeff King

The gluten-free pizza was decent. My wife said her burger rocked. It was the Frisco melt, and I had the pasta. It was a penne pasta with a southwest Alfredo sauce, plus chicken and tortilla strips. It was fantastic.

Allison Snyder

It was a little nosy but this place had an excellent menu and the pricing was good. Their gluten free options were well-labled and they had a good variety.

Ciarra Wagner

I have recently went gluten free and dairy free for health reasons. I also have a extreme rice allergy. This place is the golden jackpot. Friendly staff to explain the menu. Very clean environment. Great atmosphere. I ordered the fried tacos and my husband got the sweet corn cakes! The food seriously made me feel normal and I could order really anything off the menu.

Claire K

Quick, quality food in a clean and pleasant environment at a fair price. I cannot stress enough how unique and flavorful this food is-- whether you love Ethiopian food or have never tried it, Gursha is worth visiting! Vegetarian and gluten-free options. I recommend the injera with gomen (collards) and ziggini (beef with berbere/ sauce). Street parking and convenient location.

MrBubbles4U

I love to eat A Dong! Wife has celiac and can't eat wheat, but they have delicious stir fry for them and rice wrap spring rolls as well. Very good food over all!

LW Evans

We had a nice dinner and lots of gluten free options here! Quick service, good house salads and delicious gf chocolate cake 😋

Josh Anderson

This place was awesome, staff was friendly and helpful, did not feel rushed. Staff helped us figure out how to make items Gluten-free for my Fiancé. Some shakes are also Gluten-free l. Just like all restaurants there is a chance for cross contamination but let staff know and they can help the best they can.

Erik Donner

Great menu and awesome prices for being downtown. There is a decent selection of gluten free here, too!

Justyne Valentine

So. I don’t even know where to begin. Pho was cold, vegan pho was very underwhelming and both it and the beef had a bitter aftertaste. The beef was ordered and charged as a full size, but was definitely in a smaller bowl than the vegan. I asked if one of the foods was able to be made gluten free and if they could find out which part wasn’t gluten free and they said they’d find out, walked to the counter, walked back, and told me they think ‘it all has it in it. or maybe just the sauce?’ We ordered a regular % cloud match boba and a 50% sweet Thai milk tea with oat milk. The cloud matcha came out with 50% sweet and the Thai milk tea came out with milk. Lastly, the vegan pho was specifically stated that it’s a wheat allergy and I found several egg noodles in it! I’m very allergic to dairy and wheat- both were stated when ordering every single thing- yet both ended up in my system! Not part of the review :if you think I’m just Karen-ing or whatever, please see my profile- I very very rarely post negatives reviews anywhere. This one is just so dangerous that it needs to be out there asap