Top 44 Gluten-Free Dining Spots Across Des Moines

Harv

This place is a gluten-free haven.

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.

Allison Merritt

Great atmosphere and service. However, would not recommend to those with celiac disease despite the gluten free menu options. Clearly was either cooked with gluten containing items and heavy cross contact, or my 5 year old with celiac disease was served gluten pancakes despite confirming and re-confirming.

Brett Giberson

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

Sredna

Loved the gluten free orange chicken here! Plenty of gf options to choose from. They also have cbd/thc infused drinks here. Outside is a large outdoor patio where kids can play too while waiting for food. Very friendly service, we'll be back!

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.

Kenzie Kelso

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

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.

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!

Kyle Schmaltz

Great place, it's nice they have gluten free options like salads available.

Mark Nook

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

Christina Ney

We had a reservation for 5:45. We arrived a little after 5 to have a pre dinner drink at the bar. The wine selection was extensive but not overwhelming like some wine menus can be. I was able to enjoy a glass of wine while my boyfriend had two glasses of beer until we were seated promptly at 5:45. Our survey was Colby, and they were very accommodating for my gluten allergy and allowed us to enjoy our meal with the perfectly timed check-ins. We were very happy with Colby for making this dining experience so amazing! Caviar Cones My boyfriend ordered the caviar cones and has only had caviar a few other times previously. They didn’t stand out to him as a must order. Caesar Salad For our first course we selected the Caesar salad which came split on separate plates, which was ideal for my allergy. It was the perfect portion, well balanced dressing to lettuce ratio. My boyfriend said all croutons need to be like the ones on this salad. They were soft, yet crunchy, but didn’t crumble at the fork. Filet Mignon I got the 8oz filet, I’ve gotten filets at a ton of similar restaurants in the dsm area and while is wasn’t super special it was perfectly cooked, the addition of the potato puree was the perfect amount to compliment the steak. I can never pass up a filet and I would definitely order this again. Bacon Glazed Chop The standout of our experience was the pork chop. WOW. I’m personally not usually a fan of pork chop but we heard from many people to order it. We both loved the flavor, tenderness, and overall thought this was the highlight of our meal! Whether you’re dining with a partner or out with a group, someone has to order the bacon glazed chop! You won’t regret it! Hot Fudge Sundae We decided to end our meal with a sundae, we normally don’t save room but we knew we wanted to try a dessert. The salted caramel and vanilla ice cream were so delicious. They make their ice cream in house which is what encouraged us to get something with ice cream. The candied pecans were delicious and perfectly sweet. The chantilly cream, man I could eat a bucket of that, it was so good. It was a great end to our experience at Oak Park. Atmosphere - we loved the vibe of the space, the bar was so unique and we loved that everyone got a window for dinner and it didn’t feel over crowded. We felt we had plenty of space between other guests so enjoy our time and chat at a normal level. Overall our favorite experience at a higher end restaurant in Des Moines! ETA: one of the memorable things was out coats from coat check. They kept them warm, so we had warm coats before leaving! A great service for a winter out.

Ev Tripolitis

Thai tea and veggie pho were great! Gluten free and vegan options (gf/vg)

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!

Melissa Reyerson

I always have wonderful and quick service while eating here. Very vegan and gluten free friendly and food is always fresh. If you don't get a tortilla - you are offered chips for free, and they do not charge you extra for guacamole!

Heidi Anderson

Great Korean fried chicken, and love that they have gluten free options available too.

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.

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!

Samuel Taromina

Gluten free and non gluten burger are amazing

LW Evans

Dinner on the patio is best here as indoors is a bit too noisy. Excellent cocktails; Pear Vino was fab! 🤩 Portions are generous the half order of the centro salad was enough for 2! Chicken Saltimbocca was tasty good and they did it gluten free with green beans. I'll be back for another evening on the patio!

Monserrat A.

Tasty for a fast food noodle shop. They have keto, gluten free and loads of vegetarian option. Generous portions and great prices. I’ll be back.

Jane Kirk

I usually order using the app, and it's always fast and fresh and tasty. Perfect for gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, and they have veggie, chicken, and stake if you don't want fish. Super customizable.

LW Evans

Asiago chicken with gluten free pasta was a tasty treat! Excellent dish with lots of textures and flavors. This place never disappoints 😚

Holly Fettinger

Food was good - plenty of gluten free options, and wait staff informed about what could be modified. Appreciate the extra assurance, as not all restaurants have knowledge around the impact to celiacs and for many of us, it can take us out of commission for days - it isn't a choice unfortunately, I mean who would want an autoimmune disease to randomly show up at 53?

Christopher Porter

Melinda

I came here for lunch with one of my friends who is Vegan and gluten-free. We originally tried to order something for her from the brunch menu--arepas, but the cook said that the cheese was already mixed in. They instead brought out the dinner menu where my friend was able to find something fulfilling that would also be kind to her tummy. Not only that, but her quinoa salad was absolutely to die for! We originally chose Panka because they were giving away free coffee for Latino Restaurant Week and were pleasantly surprised that they not only had a brunch menu, but that they are absolute perfectionists when it comes to execution of their food. You could taste the pride in every bite! We can't wait to come back here! You wouldn't think that it would be much in a little strip, but this restaurant is beautiful inside! They also have outdoor seating but there's a little bit of construction going on right now. Definitely one to put on your list!

Bruce Reyer

Jody Griggs

Not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen but the server made sure my breakfast had no toast with my gluten-free omelet. Tasty.

Claire McKay

Food was FANTASTIC and affordable. Staff was friendly and very accommodating to gluten free allergy.

Lindsey Astor

I havent eaten gluten in a while so I haven't been here in over a decade, and I was pleased to have such a nice nostalgic taste from my childhood! Thanks to harper in the drive thru for making it such a kind and pleasant experience!

Ashe

Good GOLLY. I love this place. We went to celebrate getting through wedding planning and to celebrate a new job. Everyone was SO NICE. I mean 10/10 customer service. I have a severe gluten allergy and they were ON IT. Went so far above and beyond. The chef at the time (who was leaving) amazing and funny. The (what I can assume) Manager he was awesome too. Checking in making sure everything was perfect. And honestly this place is a 2.5 $ not 3. For what we got it was perfectly priced. We will be back!!!

Isaac Slings

A wide arrange of drinks! Great variety of food. Didn't get a refill on our waters but had a nice array of 8 cocktails. $100 bill for two with 4 cocktails wasn't a bad time. The mojito options are plentiful. Gluten free buns are also available

Kaylyn Hunt

Great food! Even had a gluten free menu which was nice!

Simon McCoy

Decent Gluten Free Sandwich. They changed gloves and tried to eliminate cross contamination.

Alicia Andrews

Always willing to listen for special orders, i.e. gluten free. Just need ask. Bartender is great and good conversation!-if you want to chat. Food hot and delicious. Combos husband and I can share with G.F restrictions.

Katelyn Hobin

Love this place! Great Gluten free options!

Melinda Bianchi

The first thing you'll notice about this place is how beautiful it is. The design is flawless, melding an open-air, wispy feel with clean, industrial look. Whoever designed this place is brilliant! I've been here 3x since they opened over the summer. The first week they were open it was pretty crazy but somehow they got hot, delicious food out quickly. Drink service took a little longer but it wasn't horrible. Great teamwork! Now that the hype has died down a little bit and it's winter, I can judge it a little better. The food here is still amazing! Still delicious, still hot, still comes out quickly. I've gotten a different entree every time I've visited and have never been disappointed. My friends who are vegan and gluten-free also love the menu here! Drinks come a lot quicker now that there aren't 1000 people swarming the place. The beer is tasty, obviously. Their cocktail specials are also really good! They have tons of tables inside for dining. Lots of seats around the bar. We brought our dogs with us over the summer and sat on the patio. The wait staff was always gracious enough to bring our pups water. I don't usually visit a restaurant more than once but this is a recurring go-to in Des Moines. Highly recommend!

Tess Martens

Cute little diner with gluten free options!

Steven

Great menu with some really tasty items. Gluten free options are available. The poached pear salad is one of my favorites. Their cocktail list is pretty good and the service is always adequate. Love grabbing a quick bite for lunch here.

Devin K

The food was amazing as always and the drinks were mixed very well. We came for my birthday and the woman who seated us told me happy birthday immediately and the table had little decorations saying happy birthday sprinkled on it. Our server was knowledgeable about the gluten free options which was great and has proven true every time we have eaten at any 801 location. We ordered a wedge salad which was delicious but it was by far the smallest wedge we've ever had. Instead of even being a wedge it looked like they took the two outside layers of a wedge and laid them on the plate, then hit it with all the extras and called it good. The blue cheese potatoes were perfect and the dry aged porterhouse was the best steak I've had in my life. Definitely doing that again. Unfortunately though our server disappeared after dropping off our food and taking my wife's drink order. I said I'd wait a few minutes and she never came back the entire time we were eating. I had finished eating and was still waiting so I called up to the bar and ordered a drink. The bartender was great enough to bring it to the table and even box up our food for us. The waitress didn't come by again until at least five minutes after the fact just to verify that she needed to charge for my negroni. She didn't even apologize for not circling around to us for such a long time. To clarify, we were eating at the tail end of the night and the restaurant wasn't that busy. Later instead of coming to our table and asking if we wanted another drink she stayed behind the bar and asked us. Like I said, it wasn't crowded at that point but when you are paying well over $200 for a dinner you expect a certain amount of professionalism. She was a very nice server but you could tell she was focused more on her other table of four that was spending more money than we were even though she had more than enough time to handle both of us. Overall still a great place and we'll be back. I'm sure our experience was an exception and not the rule.