Top 42 Gluten-Free Mediterranean Spots to Discover in San Diego

Cynthia Jetson

BEWARE. The Gluten Free (GF) Labels on the menu mean GF options available for that dish, NOT that the dish is gluten free. Talk to your server about your order. I was excited when seeing the GF labels all over the menu, especially when seeing that most of those dishes involved pita bread. Sadly after talking to the bartender I learned that their pita is (obviously) not GF. Their rice pilaf also has soy sauce in it, so do not just assume the dish is GF even though they are labeled GF. Service was great and the food was good. Pricey, but normal for the gaslamp area and it was very tasty.

William Silva

best salad and potatoes !

Tom Keller

We were very surprised by the menu and dishes served. There wasn't a theme I could discern. Most of the entrees were absolutely wild and unique to me and my gastroexpert wife. Don't get me wrong the food was extremely delicious, with serious attention to detail. Expansive beverage / wine / NA selection with some fun unique cocktails, like the iberico fat old fashioned. Appetizers were equally wild. Roasted oysters with bone marrow and horse radish butter? Venison tartar with calabrian chile? Yes yes and yes please! I'm sad we didn't try more : ( based on how scrumptious those were. Wild dishes that not only worked but stood above other elevated cuisines we've had in San Diego. Entrees continued the trend. We sampled two pizzas, one anchovi that was gobbled up and another that was gluten free and also goneso. I had the grilled iberico pork secreto, and found while some chew here and there, the balance with white beans, arugula and apple mostarda sauce was delightful. The Oxtail Gnocchi was sublime. The two real all stars of the night were the Torchio and the Cappelleti. Both for very different reasons. The latter has a lemon sauce that is vibrant, and the bugs bunny was very tender and flavorful. On the former it was a hot mess. Curly pasta with a huge burratta in the middle surrounded with succulent lamb. What?! I will say the portions of the gnocchi and cappelletti were perfect for a light meal. Side note, our server sent us two drinks that were not what we ordered (originally ordered the "shield" sauv blanc and got the "il masso" Pinot. Didn't complain because it was good but asked to taste the sauv and the server was correct in what I really wanted! Same with the Ponche he served the Lemon and Herbs and after trying both he was correct again!) Based purely on the vast differences of cuisine choices this is an easy repeat location. Atmosphere was open and inviting, modem but sophisticated. Glass Window Kitchen in the back provided all the right vibes. Looked at the desserts but could not indulge after such a filling and appetizing meal. Will repeat! Great job yet again, Brian!

Jen Johnson

The food was wonderful. It's hard to find a restaurant that has good gluten free options that the kids and adults will all like. Our waiter wasn't the friendliest, but when there was an issue with some chicken that had been ordered, handled it quickly and notified the manager who was very quick to resolve this issue. Would definitely recommend.

Quincy Woltersdorf

Great, knows a lot about celiac and tastes amazing.

Tricia Garland

I have Celiac and it’s always nerve-wracking to go out and eat. The team at Cava was very knowledgeable and accommodating. I felt very comfortable and will be back again!

Anthony Layos

Gluten free options available here! Great service during Covid and food lives up to reputation.

Kathleen Daigle

Brent

We’ve been coming here a couple times a year and it really become a place for 20 year olds. It is beautiful inside but so loud you have to scream to be heard. It’s basically an entire bar for a very young crowd. Don’t expect a nice quiet dinner. The starters are small. The lobster risotto was bland (we’ve had much better) and the cioppino was light on the seafood and also bland. The gluten free chocolate cake was so small all 4 of us burst out laughing when it came. The drinks were excellent. If we ever come back we will try sitting outside next to the street.

Molly Jensen

Really great food and service! But I asked for a Santorini bowl gluten free and they gave me couscous and said it was gf when it isn't. I didn't realize until it was too late. Gluten damages my nervous system so this sucks.

Stephanie Corona Leblond

Delicious, healthy food. I had one of the bowls and it was great. Lots of options for dairy free, gluten free or vegetarian diets. The staff is super friendly and helpful. There's a nice outdoor patio. It's super kid friendly. Would highly recommend this spot.

Jeremiah Hoehner

This restaurant is one of the best I have ever experienced...in any city. The entire menu is gluten-free! The food is other-worldy good! The portions are massive! One dish would serve two people easily...and this is coming from a guy who usually finishes his plate. I simply could not do it! The grape leaves are a must-order appetizer. The rice and all the meat we tried was amazing...fluffy rice, with tender, juicy and very flavorul meats. Again...gluten-free! They boast a great wine list as well! The atmosphere is very relaxing. If you visit San Diego, you need to add Bandar to your calendar as a dining experience worthy of your time and tastebuds.

Robyn K

I ordered a gluten free plate with chicken skewer, rice and salad. It was so fragrant and flavorful. The rice was cooked to perfection and very aromatic. The salad complemented the rice and chicken. I also added their garlic yogurt sauce which makes the dish complete. I want to add that the gentleman who helped me made sure everything I ordered was gluten free and they also changed out the gloves they were wearing from making the previous meal to help minimize cross contamination.

ForOurDog

Great Gluten-free options, incredibly fresh, and please try ALL three dipping sauces. Each sauce is unique and ranges from fresh to spicy HOT, so dip sparingly during your tester phase. Each entree was amazing, you will find a winner salad and a mouth-watering bowl. You can choose a vegan option or a variety of meats, we appreciated the gyro meat and VGF beanballs.

Monique Beatty

Authentic, delicious Greek food. Gustavo was a fun and attentive server. Mary (the owner) spent time at each of the tables and shared some fun jokes and stories with us. As wonderful as the people and atmosphere were, the food was absolutely the highlight. Everything we ordered - tzatziki, hummus, melizanasalata, dolmathes, souvlaki, gyros, lentil soup and baklava - was fresh and perfectly seasoned. Also a good selection of gluten free options. Just go. And enjoy.

Christy Abshire

Sooooooo good! This is the best and most authentic Lebanese food I’ve had in a very long time. From the moment you walk in the door, to the moment you walk out, you are treated like family. The food is easily a 10/10, and the service is equally impressive, fun, friendly and extremely personable. I have a gluten allergy and the woman who helped with our order (I believe it was the owner) knew exactly how to guide us. We told her what we liked and she sent out the perfect order for us. This place is an incredible gem and I’m so happy we discovered it! We will be back a lot! 💞

Joshua Bradley

After walking out of my nearby hotel, I turned a corner and stumbled on Mama's Bakery, which I suspect is one of the best kept secrets in North Park. We are talking rediculously good street-style Lebanese shawarma. Good plates for gluten-free folks like myself and for the gluten-full, the Manaeesh flatbreads heated up on a traditional dome griddle looked amazing. Pro-tip: order the stuffed grape leaves

T C

They have gluten free pasta. Yummy

Brittany Cowan

Update seen after 2nd paragraph! (S/p dine-in): Yummy! The "pink" hummus was one of the best hummus', if not the best I have ever had; the consistency was decadent. The 2 chicken kebobs were juicy. I wish their Babaganoush was dairy free! I would love to try other items on their menu. I picked my order up to-go, but next time I might dine-in as the restaurant breathed a low-key comfortability. I am thankful for the lovely gentleman who helped me via an outgoing call made to them after placing my order online. Despite their phone prompt system, it would have been easier if I had called before ordering, but even so he was so considerate in his willingness to notice a possible inconsistency within my order. S/p **dine-in experience*: Wow! Amazing! So, the server was awesome- he was SOOOO sweet, going above and beyond to cut off the bread that covered the Turkish Lamb Veggie Tajine which he couldn't have explained more efficiently. Honestly, the only server that made 3 options for a foodie the easiest ever lmao 🤣😂😂. I had requested gluten free, hence him cutting it off. It wasn't their fault; I just requested it too late etc. I also got the Beef Sherwarma Bites which are surprisingly gluten and dairy free! Anyways, just so so nice. But, about the dish- delicioussssssssss Very nice hostess as well!

Andrew Bost

Fairouz cafe was a wonderful experience that created authenticity and love with their meal. This small service restaurant is tucked in an unassuming location but wows with it's exceptional service, personal touch, and home style feel. I typically shy from most Lebanese restaurants as what we have in Ohio is just mediocre. I eat gluten intolerant and struggle to find amazing experiences such as this. I would go out of my way to come back if I visit San Diego again. Fairouz has a quaint atmosphere with it's paintings adorning the wall done by the owner and gives way to it's same love and detail from the wonderful couple servicing here. We had a chat about toum sauce and the conversation was very helpful and educational. I enjoyed every aspect of this meal and had a joke about not wasting any tomatoes as I don't enjoy them. They had joked about not liking cucumber and that we should trade. they understood so they took to servicing my main dish accordingly. The sauce missed out on a little of that excess garlic as I prefer, but I loved it, as it was a great creation of this traditional Lebanese staple sauce. The chicken was cooked almost flawlessly with a wonderful seared on the exterior for a great finish. The pilaf was a little more plain but perfect for the side addition starch. The dinner salad was great. The feta was awesome and just purely blissful on this well balanced appetizer. There's no doubt in my mind you will enjoy this experience. I couldn't stop myself from eating before taking a picture for this review. Stay fantastic Fairouz. I hope to be back soon.

ivan oliveros

Here's something new for my taste buds... Delicious and beautiful Moroccan and Mexican flavor fusion! We were craving something Mediterranean and tacos at the same time and this popped up on Google! No reservation needed and gluten free options were appreciated 👍

Wendolyn

5 stars for flavor, freshness, and authenticity. The falafel was made on the spot and it’s both vegan and gluten free. Would highly recommend getting extra garlic paste- it’s delicious!! This place was also recently featured on the Food Network.

Cendy Prator

Visiting from PDX. I got a shih kabob platter (lamb) It was huge. I would have liked to see a platter with smaller potions. The lamb was great. I can not eat gluten or dairy. They were able to accommodate the no dairy, they did not have gf pita bread tho. I have been to other Mediterranean restaurants that did. Overall it was good. The server was great. Prices were I suppose appropriate for the area. I will have to go to other restaurants to evaluate properly.

Sophia Wright

Coco at the cash register could not have been more helpful and friendly. My mother has a food allergy and we hate to be a bother but Coco was able to knowledgeable assist us and even double check for us that the food contained no gluten. We appreciate her patience with us. Very happy with our visit. The food was very delicious and fresh. Would definitely go back!

Mike Rossi

Oh my goodness! Everything here was amazing - from the service to the food to the atmosphere. Every employee was on point, knew their role, and executed it perfectly! The food is to die for. We had the 5 course menu, and it rocked. I am gluten-free, and they were so accommodating and didn't make it seem like I was an inconvenience to them. Why this restaurant doesn't have at least one Michelin star is beyond my grasp. It's that good!!!! Go here and you won't regret it.

I'm Yore Huckleberry!

I have eaten a lot of Mediterranean food. My grandmother was from Greece and I also have an affinity for Israeli food. This place has very good food. Excellent flavors. Almost went twice in a short visit to the area last year and came back this year. The pistachio baklava was excellent and enough for 2 people! Our second visit this year wasn't quite as good, but it was probably more due to our dish selection. I would recommend the Kebabs, whole meats or wraps. My wife is gluten-free and found plenty of options she could eat.

Zel

Gluten free Mediterranean heaven! Everything on the menu can be made Gluten Free! I tried the Cocktail flatbread/pizza and it was excellent! Stoked to try their Gyro Wrap next!

East Valley Momma

Love all the gluten free options. We were pleased to find out kids eat free during the week.

Robin Buhl

Barbara Watts

Evelyn Contreras

I got really bad food poisoning from eating at this location last night, in particular I got the mushroom sauce and grilled chicken with gluten free rotini. As soon as I called to speak to manager nicely cuz I’m not a Karen I’m just trying to make them aware of the situation the tone in her voice changed when she said she was the manager. She took my information and said they would be in contact. I understand customer service is hard so I’m as nice as possible, going through the situation I’m in right now isn’t fun at all so I didn’t appreciate the defensive attitude when they got me sick. Over all though server was great and attentive, my partner didn’t get sick as he didn’t order what I did but the night staff kitchen team messed up big time. Just wanted to make everyone aware is all don’t ordered what I did cuz you can get sick or maybe just a one time either way be aware!

Hippie Tech

The outdoor sitting area is sort of a enclosed greenhouse; nice and chill, I walked there so I'm not sure about parking. Food was a good portion size, I got the grilled chicken salad and they accommodated my request to use olive oil instead of seed oils and a vinaigrette instead of the tzatziki sauce. Service was prompt and meal was ready fast. Just skip the bread on the salad dish if you want gluten free.

Christopher Gittens

TheMoEdmond

Always great food and service! I love the gyros and Greek salad with rice... sooo good!! Great if you must eat gluten free - I ask them to give my husband the pita. 😉

Erin F

Celiac diner here…I called ahead to check safety. They let me know what wasn’t safe and assured me they could handle a celiac order. I was nearly done with my bowl (chicken, greens, no sauce) when I found a piece of their carved lamb beef which is NOT gluten free. So frustrating!

A S

Halal wagyu kebabs and wagyu shawarma in SD. Being in SD, I had to try this because anywhere there is halal wagyu we make the trip out. I got the wagyu beef kebabs on a salad for dine in and a wagyu shawarma wrap for later. One thing I noticed, is that everyone in the restaurant and outside seating had wraps. So if you’re going to try one item, get the wrap if you can. The beef kebabs are juicy with a slight crisp on the outside. I wish I tried this in the wrap but was sharing with those who didn’t eat gluten at the time. They have separate fryers for fries and fried chicken, so if you have a gluten allergy you can still get fries. The beef shawarma is slightly tougher than shawarma that I have had before so I would recommend wraps over plates/ fries as the sauces, veggies, and bread help with the texture. Make sure to get extra sauces. We liked the chipotle and garlic dipping sauces. Everything was served in disposable bowls/ plates even when we dined in. Spoke with the cashier, and they use Australian halal wagyu for the items that are Wagyu.

Linda Mashuda

Accommodated my gluten and dairy allergies. Juicy Greek chicken with crisp skin is first rate. Would make the flight from the East coast just to get the great food and friendly service

Jason Hill

Fantastic Greek food! Excellent vegan and gluten-free options. Everything was perfectly well cooked, seasoned, and fresh ingredients. I highly recommend.

David L

Just had a nice dinner at Slowly. Great for date night. The menu showed only one gluten free item, but there were several when we asked so my wife was happy. Friendly and accommodating staff. Will definitely come here again and will bring my dogs as their patio is pet friendly.

Krista Neeley

Great food and lots of gluten free options s!

peg sqq

Very nice, kind, happy employees. Alandra and Hector made a delicious meal for us. Generous portions and excellent quality food. We will be back. The falafel was some of the best I’ve had. And it’s gluten free!

M. Frankie C

Have ordered the Chicken kabob dinner twice and both times I wasn't disappointed. The chicken is moist and full of flavor, the rice is well cooked and flavorful, the hummus has a nice light flavor and consistency. The dinner plate is enough to share or have another meal later. Definitely recommend! I have a gluten (wheat) allergy and was very happy that everything on the menu is gluten free except the Lentil soup, pita bread and Kufta My husband had the lentil soup and pita bread he said soup had good flavor but the bread was a bit hard as if overcooked or reheated