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17 New Orleans Restaurants for Gluten-Free Dining

Have your gluten-free cake, and eat it too

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Poke Loa
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New Orleans would hardly be New Orleans without po-boys on airy loaves of New Orleans-style French bread, little white clouds of beignets, dense and sweet bread pudding, roux-based gumbos, and muffulettas on bread the size of a plate — none of which spells hospitality to the gluten-free folks.

On the other hand, New Orleans is also home to lots of naturally gluten-free food like boiled seafood, seafood fried in cornmeal and other gluten-free flours, Bananas Foster, and Vietnamese cuisine using rice flour as the starch. Beyond that, more restaurants beyond the usual suspects are accommodating gluten-free diets. Here, now, are Eater’s top spots for gluten-free dining in New Orleans.

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The Catch Seafood Restaurant

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This Metairie seafood restaurant is known for being especially accommodating to gluten-free diners, especially since everything is fried with cornmeal, ensuring no cross-contamination. Great fried seafood platters, onion rings, and items like the buffalo shrimp appetizer, fish Atchafalaya with crawfish tails, and honey garlic salmon can all be ordered gluten-free.

Honey garlic salmon from Catch
The Catch Seafood Restaurant/Facebook

Hippie Kitchen

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Hippie Kitchen serves health-conscious breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily in Old Jefferson with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. The “happy hippie” section of the brunch menu offers gluten-free items including huevos rancheros and breakfast, and the dinner menu has a handful as well — including pulled pork enchiladas, eggplant Napoleon, and a grilled salmon plate served with quinoa. Plenty of hearty options for the whole table.

Hippie Kitchen’s gluten free salmon platr
HK Nola/Facebook

Catalino's

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This year-old restaurant on Maple Street with a menu of Guatemalan specialties is 100% gluten-free, offering true peace of mind for those with an allergy. To start, there’s elote, guacamole with plantain chips, enchiladas, and tostadas; entrees include jocon (lightly-fried chicken with potatoes and mirliton in a green sauce), skirt steak with black beans and fried green plantains, and a stew of mirliton, beans, pumpkin seeds and beef; and desserts like rellenitos, fried sweet plaintains stuffed with sweet bean paste. All tortillas are made at the restaurant.

Tostadas from Catalino’s
Catalino’s/Facebook

Bearcat Cafe

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Bearcat Cafe owner and chef James Reuter IV’s mother has celiac disease, so he’s used to accommodating gluten-free diets. He’s also very comfortable accommodating the indulgent and the not-so-indulgent, with a menu handily divided into “good cat” and “bad cat” sections. Good Cat breakfast selections include house made yogurt and chia seed pudding, with a Bad Cat breakfast of crab and soft scrambled eggs with a side of potatoes. The cafe maintains a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and paleo menu choices as well.

Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar

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Superior Seafood makes ordering and identifying gluten-free items easy with a special gluten-free menu. Chargrilled or raw oysters, salads, raw oysters, blackened fish, shrimp risotto, and flourless chocolate cake are just a few options for people avoiding gluten. Plus, the restaurant serves a stellar frozen French 75 and has a daily happy hour with 50 cent raw oysters.

Casamento's

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Gluten-free diners can enjoy freshly shucked Gulf oysters with a side of ice cold gluten-free beer served in a jelly glass at this unassuming 1920s-era oyster bar that has occupied this tiled-from-top-to-bottom spot on Magazine Street since its inception. Plus all the fried seafood is gluten-free, coated in cornmeal sans flour. Casamento’s keeps its pre-refrigeration, 1920s-era traditions and closes during the summer.

Theo's Neighborhood Pizza (multiple locations)

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Theo’s allows diners to substitute gluten-free pizza crust on any 10-inch pizza for $4.50. With build-your-own or specialty pizzas with options for red sauce or olive oil, it’s hard not to find a pie that suits the mood. The crust tends to be thinner and crispier than most. Locations in Uptown, Mid City, Elmwood, and Metairie.

Poke Loa (Multiple locations)

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Locally owned Poke Loa’s Hawaiian fast-casual poke bowl concept means the menu is almost entirely gluten-free. Choose bases like white rice, brown rice, or mixed greens. Top it with fresh, raw fish plus sauces and other toppings. Locations in the Garden District, Metairie, and the CBD.

Slice Pizzeria

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Slice Pizza makes all its gluten-free crust in the restaurant with King Arthur products. The menu covers all the basics (pepperoni, white pies, etc) plus some more creative Louisiana-inspired pizzas such as muffuletta pizza covered with meats and topped with olive salad. The daily weekday happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. brings half price mussels and $4 glasses of wine.

The Daily Beet (Multiple locations)

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Owner Dylan Maisel was well-known for JuiceNOLA inside the St. Roch Market before he opened his juice cafe, The Daily Beet. It’s known for salads that can make a meal, cold-pressed juice and booze, as well as rice bowls with veggies and kimchi. In short, the vegetables are the headliner at this healthy cafe, and the menu makes gluten-free living a breeze.

This Lower Garden District coffee shop caters to those with dietary restrictions (and anyone who enjoys good food). In addition to a menu of salads and salads, the third wave coffee shop features a daily selection of gluten-free bakery items. Coffee at HiVolt comes from Counter Culture.

The Ozzy plate puts poached eggs on greens and quinoa with a kefir lime dressing at Hivolt
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Josephine Estelle

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The smart, polished Josephine Estelle in the Ace Hotel is is a hybrid gem from Memphis-based chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman. It’s an Italian, Southern, New Orleans osteria where pork shoulder and collards find their way into a guanciale-laced rigatoni pasta dish. Many of the menu items are already gluten-free, and most pasta dishes can be made gluten-free upon request (with the exception of stuffed pastas).

Fran Parente

This unique little cafe sits among a row of art galleries on Julia Street with dishes full of Caribbean and South American ingredients. Owners Dana and Christina Honn have one of the strongest commitments to sustainability, especially sustainable seafood, in the city. Carmo prides itself on catering to a variety of diets, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Plus, a new bar means lots of space for cocktails and small bites.

Red Gravy

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Owner and chef Roseann Roster has a serious commitment to serving local products at this charming, little Italian cafe just off Canal. Menu items that are gluten-free (or can be prepared gluten-free for an up charge) are marked with an asterix on the menu. Pasta made with almond and arrow root flours and yard eggs is available for $5 extra on bolognese, carbonara, and red gravy- covered pasta. Plus, Red Gravy has one of the best brunches in the city.

Muriel's Jackson Square

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This French Quarter classic overlooks Jackson Square and has dedicated brunch, lunch, and dinner menus for the gluten-free diners looking for classic New Orleans fare. Shrimp remoulade, blackened fish, and creme brulet are all available at Muriel’s. Or hit up brunch for a brandy milk punch and a shrimp and andouille omelette.

Meals From the Heart Cafe

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Almost all items on the menu can be made gluten-free at feel-good Meals From the Heart Cafe in the French Market, including the much-sought-after Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger. Known for having one of the best crab cakes in the city, Meals From the Heart also serves a vegan version and gluten-free opion, a rare beast for sure. Other great options include gluten-free po-boys and tacos.

A fruit salad from Meals from the Heart Cafe
Meals From the Heart Cafe/Facebook

Paloma Cafe

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Paloma Cafe, a Latin and Caribbean-inspired cafe from the folks behind Revelator Coffee, operates out of a sleek, 60-seat corner spot in the Bywater with two former Compére Lapin chefs and Eater Young Gun nominees helming the kitchen. Drawing on influences from their Venezuelan and Dominican heritages, the duo prepares classic, Latin-inspired food (including plenty of gluten-free and vegan options) that highlight local ingredients.

The Catch Seafood Restaurant

This Metairie seafood restaurant is known for being especially accommodating to gluten-free diners, especially since everything is fried with cornmeal, ensuring no cross-contamination. Great fried seafood platters, onion rings, and items like the buffalo shrimp appetizer, fish Atchafalaya with crawfish tails, and honey garlic salmon can all be ordered gluten-free.

Honey garlic salmon from Catch
The Catch Seafood Restaurant/Facebook

Hippie Kitchen

Hippie Kitchen serves health-conscious breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily in Old Jefferson with plenty of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. The “happy hippie” section of the brunch menu offers gluten-free items including huevos rancheros and breakfast, and the dinner menu has a handful as well — including pulled pork enchiladas, eggplant Napoleon, and a grilled salmon plate served with quinoa. Plenty of hearty options for the whole table.

Hippie Kitchen’s gluten free salmon platr
HK Nola/Facebook

Catalino's

This year-old restaurant on Maple Street with a menu of Guatemalan specialties is 100% gluten-free, offering true peace of mind for those with an allergy. To start, there’s elote, guacamole with plantain chips, enchiladas, and tostadas; entrees include jocon (lightly-fried chicken with potatoes and mirliton in a green sauce), skirt steak with black beans and fried green plantains, and a stew of mirliton, beans, pumpkin seeds and beef; and desserts like rellenitos, fried sweet plaintains stuffed with sweet bean paste. All tortillas are made at the restaurant.

Tostadas from Catalino’s
Catalino’s/Facebook

Bearcat Cafe

Bearcat Cafe owner and chef James Reuter IV’s mother has celiac disease, so he’s used to accommodating gluten-free diets. He’s also very comfortable accommodating the indulgent and the not-so-indulgent, with a menu handily divided into “good cat” and “bad cat” sections. Good Cat breakfast selections include house made yogurt and chia seed pudding, with a Bad Cat breakfast of crab and soft scrambled eggs with a side of potatoes. The cafe maintains a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and paleo menu choices as well.

Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar

Superior Seafood makes ordering and identifying gluten-free items easy with a special gluten-free menu. Chargrilled or raw oysters, salads, raw oysters, blackened fish, shrimp risotto, and flourless chocolate cake are just a few options for people avoiding gluten. Plus, the restaurant serves a stellar frozen French 75 and has a daily happy hour with 50 cent raw oysters.

Casamento's

Gluten-free diners can enjoy freshly shucked Gulf oysters with a side of ice cold gluten-free beer served in a jelly glass at this unassuming 1920s-era oyster bar that has occupied this tiled-from-top-to-bottom spot on Magazine Street since its inception. Plus all the fried seafood is gluten-free, coated in cornmeal sans flour. Casamento’s keeps its pre-refrigeration, 1920s-era traditions and closes during the summer.

Theo's Neighborhood Pizza (multiple locations)

Theo’s allows diners to substitute gluten-free pizza crust on any 10-inch pizza for $4.50. With build-your-own or specialty pizzas with options for red sauce or olive oil, it’s hard not to find a pie that suits the mood. The crust tends to be thinner and crispier than most. Locations in Uptown, Mid City, Elmwood, and Metairie.

Poke Loa (Multiple locations)

Locally owned Poke Loa’s Hawaiian fast-casual poke bowl concept means the menu is almost entirely gluten-free. Choose bases like white rice, brown rice, or mixed greens. Top it with fresh, raw fish plus sauces and other toppings. Locations in the Garden District, Metairie, and the CBD.

Slice Pizzeria

Slice Pizza makes all its gluten-free crust in the restaurant with King Arthur products. The menu covers all the basics (pepperoni, white pies, etc) plus some more creative Louisiana-inspired pizzas such as muffuletta pizza covered with meats and topped with olive salad. The daily weekday happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. brings half price mussels and $4 glasses of wine.

The Daily Beet (Multiple locations)

Owner Dylan Maisel was well-known for JuiceNOLA inside the St. Roch Market before he opened his juice cafe, The Daily Beet. It’s known for salads that can make a meal, cold-pressed juice and booze, as well as rice bowls with veggies and kimchi. In short, the vegetables are the headliner at this healthy cafe, and the menu makes gluten-free living a breeze.

HiVolt

This Lower Garden District coffee shop caters to those with dietary restrictions (and anyone who enjoys good food). In addition to a menu of salads and salads, the third wave coffee shop features a daily selection of gluten-free bakery items. Coffee at HiVolt comes from Counter Culture.

The Ozzy plate puts poached eggs on greens and quinoa with a kefir lime dressing at Hivolt
FACEBOOK

Josephine Estelle

The smart, polished Josephine Estelle in the Ace Hotel is is a hybrid gem from Memphis-based chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman. It’s an Italian, Southern, New Orleans osteria where pork shoulder and collards find their way into a guanciale-laced rigatoni pasta dish. Many of the menu items are already gluten-free, and most pasta dishes can be made gluten-free upon request (with the exception of stuffed pastas).

Fran Parente

Carmo

This unique little cafe sits among a row of art galleries on Julia Street with dishes full of Caribbean and South American ingredients. Owners Dana and Christina Honn have one of the strongest commitments to sustainability, especially sustainable seafood, in the city. Carmo prides itself on catering to a variety of diets, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Plus, a new bar means lots of space for cocktails and small bites.

Red Gravy

Owner and chef Roseann Roster has a serious commitment to serving local products at this charming, little Italian cafe just off Canal. Menu items that are gluten-free (or can be prepared gluten-free for an up charge) are marked with an asterix on the menu. Pasta made with almond and arrow root flours and yard eggs is available for $5 extra on bolognese, carbonara, and red gravy- covered pasta. Plus, Red Gravy has one of the best brunches in the city.

Muriel's Jackson Square

This French Quarter classic overlooks Jackson Square and has dedicated brunch, lunch, and dinner menus for the gluten-free diners looking for classic New Orleans fare. Shrimp remoulade, blackened fish, and creme brulet are all available at Muriel’s. Or hit up brunch for a brandy milk punch and a shrimp and andouille omelette.

Related Maps

Meals From the Heart Cafe

Almost all items on the menu can be made gluten-free at feel-good Meals From the Heart Cafe in the French Market, including the much-sought-after Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger. Known for having one of the best crab cakes in the city, Meals From the Heart also serves a vegan version and gluten-free opion, a rare beast for sure. Other great options include gluten-free po-boys and tacos.

A fruit salad from Meals from the Heart Cafe
Meals From the Heart Cafe/Facebook

Paloma Cafe

Paloma Cafe, a Latin and Caribbean-inspired cafe from the folks behind Revelator Coffee, operates out of a sleek, 60-seat corner spot in the Bywater with two former Compére Lapin chefs and Eater Young Gun nominees helming the kitchen. Drawing on influences from their Venezuelan and Dominican heritages, the duo prepares classic, Latin-inspired food (including plenty of gluten-free and vegan options) that highlight local ingredients.

Related Maps