5 Of The Best Gluten Free Eateries In Edinburgh
Anyone who has ever had a food allergy knows how hard it can be to eat out, it can really complicate your plans and make things difficult for both you and those around you. First off, this is not your fault!! It’s unfortunate, and it can really suck sometimes, but nowadays we are really lucky to have so many options out there that make our lives a hell of a lot easier – and tastier!
When I find a place that I like to eat in, that can cater for my allergies, I tend to stay very loyal and come back again, and again, and again. So this may be a short list, but I can promise you that it’s a good one! Here are, in my opinion, 5 of the best gluten free eateries in Edinburgh:
1. Loudons Cafe and Bakery
I came across this place a year or so ago and absolutely love it. There’s now two of them in Edinburgh (SO HAPPY), the original on Fountainbridge and another which has just opened at New Waverly. Just about everything on their menu can be made gluten free and their bread, which I believe is baked on the premises, it truly fantastic. They also offer many vegan options and a great selection of cakes of which at least half are normally vegan, gluten free or both.
The staff are always very kind and attentive, sporting matching blue Loudons t-shirts with quotes on the back of them like ‘a house is not beautiful because of its walls but because of its cakes’ – old Russian proverb – and ‘ I live on good soup not fine words’ – Moliere. They are more than happy to discuss the food with you and will always alert the kitchen in the case of allergies. I cannot recommend this place enough, and I would definitely consider it to be one of the best gluten free eateries in Edinburgh.
2. Apiary. Educated Flea. Three Birds.
These sister restaurants are very popular with my family as they have something for everyone. Their entire menu, including deserts, is 99% gluten free, with any other dish able to be adapted to suit any need. I have to say, we haven’t been disappointed once. They have set course menus for special prices, and a wide range of beverages on top of it all! Though we have only been for dinners, they also open for brunch.
They state that they work with ‘local and artisan suppliers’, supporting the community of small businesses in Edinburgh which allows them to ‘incorporate Scotland’s outstanding larder with punchy global flavors to offer food you simply won’t find anywhere else in Edinburgh’. I wouldn’t expect anything less from one of the best gluten free eateries in Edinburgh.
3. Pumpkin Brown
This cute little cafe is tucked away in Edinburgh’s Grassmarket. Its menu is extremely fresh with a wide range of options all of which contain no refined sugars, gluten or dairy! This eatery may be small but it packs a punch full of goodness which is why it hits my top 5 list. I’d recommend their Daily Dose C Bomb juice which contains orange juice, lemon juice, and organic freeze-dried cherry! They also do amazing salads and Acai bowls packed with toppings.
4. Hula Juice Bar and Gallery
Round the corner from Pumpkin Brown, we have Hula! This gluten free eatery is definitely Instagram goals – it has one of the brightest indoor settings you’ve ever seen with big pink jungle wallpaper surrounding you as you eat. They have a huge menu with, again, some of the most colorful food options out there. If something marked gluten free doesn’t take your fancy, you’re able to choose other items off of the menu that can be adjusted if they are labeled GFO (gluten free option). I’ve eaten here a few time and will definitely be back for more, their raw, vegan, gluten free cakes are enough to keep me coming back forever and ever.
5. L’Etoile Salon de Tea
Though there aren’t many gluten free options here, this is the place I find myself stopping in time and time again for their gluten free, vegan scones – along with one of their many choices of tea. Their macarons are also gluten free, and baked by the owners themselves who also have a shop in Paris, so if you’re ever visiting the French capital maybe you can stop by.
