Top 25 Gluten-Free Spots to Explore in Harvard Square, Cambridge

Jason Knowlton

Angi Horn

We were very pleased with our visit. Amazing service and the food was great. Much bigger portions than we were expecting, we ordered way too much! My niece is gluten free and the server marked up the menu to show exactly what was gf or could be modified to be gf. Amazing service! We had the ubiquitous kale salad, burrata that comes with sweet potato bread (gf bread also available), grilled broccoli with hummus, and roasted potatoes. Both the cocktails and cocktails were great too!

Melissa Gene

GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS NOT GLUTEN-FREE I came to this location on 6/5/24. I was very excited to be visiting this restaurant in Cambridge. I am vegan and have a gluten allergy and saw on the menu that many items were denoted gluten-free so I was very happy that there would be food for me to eat. (I had also not eaten all day so I was extra excited.) I went up to the counter to order and while ordering was told (in a very rude/smug way) by the people working the register that everything that is noted as gluten free is not actually gluten free but “gluten friendly” and not safe for an allergy and they would not recommend for anyone who actually eats gluten free to eat at their restaurant. Either the menu needs to be changed to say “gluten friendly” or a kitchen process needs to be changed so the gluten free options are actually gluten free and there is no cross contamination. I do appreciate that they let me know so I didn’t get glutened but I shouldn’t have found out while ordering - it should have been clearer (and that’s on Veggie Grill). The staff at this location were also rude, unhelpful, and didn’t offer any suggestions. They honestly didn’t care and were not kind at all. I hope management changes the menu to be clearer so people that do have a gluten allergy are able to either eat safety or don’t come with their hopes up only to not be able to eat not anything. They should also train their staff on some basic customer service/kindness. (They didn’t even apologize - which I feel like is just like basic customer service.) Maybe other staff members are great and the ones that were working the register were just the bottom of the barrel but I am honestly shocked with how I was treated. Luckily, I don’t live in Cambridge so I won’t run into this issue again but I want to flag this for future gluten-free travelers (and honestly anyone who may come into this seemingly wonderful place…).

Kenichi Iwasaki

We had delicious doughnuts at this store the other day. What’s special about this place is that they make great gluten-free doughnuts which I find precious. For people who cannot eat gluten, finding good doughnut stores that make decent gluten-free doughnuts isn’t always easy, especially doughnuts carefully made not to have any gluten contamination from other food sources. We’d definitely visit this store again. Thank you for making sure to include gluten-free doughnuts on your menu. That makes a huge difference for some people. We truly appreciate it.

Sherri Antonuccio

This is the best place to enjoy a gluten free brownie. Wow! I have been to a few places in Boston and nothing compares to the brownie I purchased here. It is so big! The taste is amazing, so fudgy! You would never know it’s gluten free! I have also had their chocolate cream pie during the holidays and you can request that to be gluten free. The pie was beyond amazing. I will definitely be making it a part of our holiday celebrations. Anyone who is gluten intolerant knows how hard it is to find a place with excellent gluten free bakery items. I’m happy to say I have found the perfect place. Thank you and thank you for always being so friendly and kind.

Mary Wilcox

We came mostly for the desserts, and they are absolutely delicious. The available ice cream flavors were really creative. We chose the pink peppercorn flavor which was fruity and fun to eat. The pistachio white chocolate cake was the favorite of the composed desserts we had, but the peaches & cream (the gluten-free but not nut-free option) dessert and (dark) chocolate tart were also amazing. If it weren't for the fact that we don't have an unlimited budget and desserts in general aren't exactly healthy in large quantities, I could make a daily meal of just the desserts.

T Keeps

Best burgers we have had in a very long time. Waitress cared enough about my daughter's gluten allergy that she double checked with the chef and came back to correct one part of our order to be GF. This place was a home run. I just wish they had a location closer to my home!!!!

Deena Dickey

Brandon Messinger

Olivia Crane

I went here for Dine Out Boston with a few friends and we had the best time. The ambiance and decor was so cute, they had great music playing but not too loud so great for chatting. The service was great and the food was so so good! The chopped salad was so delicious and they were super accommodating of my gluten allergy. Will definitely be returning!

Kevin Barhydt

Again and again we return to L.A. Burdick and are amazed. Got lucky this time. The district manager happened to be in the shop and guided us to some really fun chocolate covered citrus, apricot and mango. Beyond good! Teas and snacks were delicious, and I enjoyed an amazing gluten free baked dessert. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Owen Russell

Just ordered here—friendliest service! Mauri, Feda, Mani crushed it! Eveything was so clean and they were so careful with my gluten free allergy! Will definitely be coming back!

Elle Troeger

Atmosphere can be widely variable, depending on whether or not you drew the short straw. We were seated right away without a reservation on a Sunday around 1pm. There were several nicer tables available which is why we asked to be moved from the single DARKEST place in the dining room - right next to the bathroom. We were rewarded for asking with the single BEST seat in the house - upstairs, overlooking the front of the dining area. Reader, this is the brunch experience I was hoping for. Lots of natural light. Great spot to watch people from (you can even see out to the street and sidewalk). Not too loud on the upper level. It was a bit too chilly for outdoor seating. The food: My brunch date got a cortado with the burrata sandwich, noting the sourdough bread was exceptional. We both thought burrata - while wonderful - was a little too runny/drippy for sandwich format... but ideated about how to make it better. (Make it open face and poach an egg on top. Move it to the breakfast side of the menu.) I got the beet latte (hot) and it was tasty except the chocolate powder on top was an unhappy surprise. Next time, I will know to ask for no chocolate. What a strange combo: chocolate and beet. For food, I had the "beef and pickles" sandwich on gluten free bread. The gf bread held together pretty well and the mouthfeel was the okayest. It's not the amazing sourdough they have but it's a solid stand in. That pastrami / saurkraut / mustard / pickles palette is my jam, though, and this sandwich was great.

Marissa Gillis

Very nice restaurant all around. The service was wonderful and they accommodated my allergies (gluten and dairy) very well. They do not have a lot of GF and DF options but everything I had was wonderful. Would recommend!

Rebecca Kowalczyk

I tried Cafe Sushi for the first time tonight and it completely exceeded my expectations. I ordered it through delivery to indulge in after a nine month pregnancy sushi drought. After eating hospital food for a while, I was especially looking forward to it, but often get disappointed when trying new restaurants because most struggle to accommodate my gluten allergy. All of the dishes I ordered were not only exceptionally fresh, delicious and well composed, but completely safe. They were carefully labeled with stickers and notes on the receipt to confirm careful prep. None of the dishes felt like they were missing key ingredients (it's clearly not one of those places that accommodates allergies by taking half of the ingredients out of the dish or telling you that you can "just have an salad"). There were special, seasonal and local ingredients in the dishes and a huge variety of flavors. The fish had that buttery texture you only get in the best places. I would say it was exactly the meal I was dreaming about and hoping to have post baby, but it was even better than that. Thank you so much Cafe Sushi!

Craig Hefner

We just walked in with no reservation. The only place to sit was outside on the "street" (alley really), which was fine. They accommodated us. The problem I have is with the menu. I am gluten free; there was literally nothing I could eat. It was as though they had never even thought about such issues. They found a stake for me (no stake on the menu so that was mysterious) and some veggies. It was very delicious. However, for a restaurant to not even have thought about food sensitivities in 2023 was shocking to me – took me back to the 1990's.

Barbellz

This was my first time trying Shake Shack, and it turned out to be a great experience. We were visiting Boston for a few days and decided to take the subway out to Harvard. This location made for a convenient and enjoyable lunch stop. The restaurant was fairly clean and offered both indoor and outdoor seating options, which was a nice touch. I especially appreciated the quiet atmosphere upstairs — it was a comfortable spot to relax and enjoy our meal away from the busier areas. Another highlight was the option to order through a tablet, making the whole process quick and easy. Overall, this Shake Shack location provided a pleasant dining experience, and I’d definitely consider coming back the next time I’m in the area. 🍔 Burgers 100% all-natural Angus beef. No hormones and no antibiotics ever. Our proprietary Shack blend is freshly ground and served on a non-GMO potato bun. ShackBurger® Cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce SmokeShack® Cheeseburger with all-natural smoked Niman Ranch bacon, chopped cherry pepper, ShackSauce 'Shroom Burger Crisp-fried portobello mushroom filled with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce Shack Stack® Cheeseburger and a 'Shroom Burger topped with lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce Hamburger Let us know if you would like ShackSauce, lettuce, tomato, pickle, or onion GF Option: Make it a gluten-free hamburger bun ➔ +$1.00 (Note: Our kitchen is not a gluten-free dedicated facility.) 🍗 Chicken Chick'n Shack® Crispy chicken breast with lettuce, pickles, and buttermilk herb mayo (100% all-natural cage-free chicken. No hormones and no antibiotics ever. Served on a non-GMO potato bun.) 🌭 Flat-Top Dogs 100% all-natural beef. No hormones and no antibiotics ever. Split and griddled crisp. Shack-cago Dog® Dragged through the garden with Rick’s Picks Shack relish, onion, cucumber, pickle, tomato, sport pepper, celery salt, and mustard Hot Dog Vienna all-beef dog Chicken Dog Shack Shack chicken, apple, and sage sausage 🍟 Crinkle Cut Fries Fries Cheese Fries Bacon Cheese Fries

Armaan Jinnah

I had heard a lot about Joe's Pizza before coming to the USA, and it didn't disappoint me. I really liked the pizzas; they had thin crust that was very cheesy and delicious. They also had gluten-free pizza, which made my dad happy! The service was quick and easy. They have so many celebrities coming from all around the world! I found out about Joe's Pizza from friends where joey ordered it so many times.

brian spinks

Gluten free pizza was meh. Crust was of the frozen spongy variety. Otherwise good ingredients.

Danforth N

Sometimes difficult to find a seat during busy hours. But that's literally my only complaint. A great option if you are trying to accommodate various diets. Keto friendly, vegetarian friendly (Tofu option for protein), gluten friendly. Good stuff.

Naomi Karmel

Great food! Large quantities and can accommodate gluten friendly and vegan options

David Danehy

Burgers were excellent. Freaky frappes were a real treat. My burger was a little past medium but not enough to upset me. If you get the nachos, make sure you share it or you will have trouble finishing your meal. There are all kinds of burgers to satisfy all tastes and they have gluten free options for those who need it.

Elena D

Very nice place! They have gluten free pasta.

N Neil

So I arrive and there are no staff out front or on the floor. I am nothing if not proactive, and since I ordered my food for pick-up online, I walk towards the back and see an ordering stand near the kitchen and make myself known. I am 5 minutes late for my pick-up, but I still catch her by surprise. She looks about to hand me a bag but then someone else comes out to hand her another bag, which was apparently mine. I grab the bag and she gets the drinks. She has them in one of the cardboard push in carriers, the drinks are way to heavy for the carrier and they begin to move toward each other, leaning in on one another in semi collapse. I put the drinks on the table and I ask for extra syrup. I am told, "Oh, I think she put some in there, but I will get you extra." Then apparently the waitress who put my order together tells me she put some on there. I said "She told me I want some extra." Then I hear her go talk to someone else in a nearby section and she says, "Yeah, she knows I didn't put any in there." What?! Why?! I don't know this girl from a hole in the ground. Why would you mess with someone's order on purpose? When I get back what do I find? She did not put any in the bag, so if I had not asked for extra for my gluten free pancakes, I would have had none. My food was okay. I needed hot sauce and the syrup, and excluding one bad piece of meat from the steak tips, I enjoyed my meal. I loved how things were stacked in the containers. My food was still nice and warm when I got back. What was messed up was one of the drinks. I ordered two of the same thing, strawberry lemonade. One was great, the other tasted like they had started to add the lemonade and stopped and added something else on top of it. It was slightly effervescent, and it should not have been and way watered down, like it did not taste like lemonade at all. I had to throw it away. I called them about the drink and left a message for the General Manger today, but I was still pleasantly surprised by my meal. It is pretty spacious inside, but pretty dim for an all day breakfast spot. They could have just been conserving energy and only had lights on full blast in the section by the front where everyone was seated. It was the section I walked past to get to the kitchen. I would recommend them, just double check your order before you leave. The food won't knock your socks off, but it still will be tasty.

Errol Sullivan

Such an awesome place! Came here with my friends and the drinks were delicious. Everything is well priced, the atmosphere is great, lots of gluten free options available for food, and our waiter Santiago was awesome. He helped us with the arcade cabinet and we had a lot of wonderful interactions with him. Santiago had great energy and was very attentive. We are definitely coming back.