Gluten Free Restaurants: St. Louis

Flash back to 2013…I was newly diagnosed with Celiac and trying to make this gluten-free lifestyle work. I was also a post-grad 20-something with a big kid job who now had some disposable income and LOVED to eat. The problem was… at the time, the St. Louis gluten-free restaurant directories I stumbled across only mentioned national chains. All is good and well there, but there are only so many times you can eat at Maggiano’s or PF Chang’s before you want a more local, unique dining experience. So I started curating a list of gluten free restaurants St. Louis that could accommodate us gluten-free and Celiac folk. And here we are, 10+ years later!

Below, you’ll find a directory of St. Louis restaurants that I’ve personally visited, that can accommodate for gluten-free and Celiac diets. Restaurants marked with ** indicate a link to a Gluten-Free Pearls blog post. While I’m now living in Chicago, I get back to St. Louis quite often and continue to add to this list. I’ve also added a reader-submitted section based on your suggestions – feel free to email me at glutenfreepearls at gmail dot com with recos to add below!

Please note, this list is not meant to be a list of restaurants that are certified gluten-free or exercise cross-contamination best practices. Restaurant practices may also change (e.g., the use of dedicated fryers), and I can’t get back to all of these spots to verify protocols. These pearls are only meant to guide you in the right direction depending on your level of gluten intolerance/sensitivity. So, please be cautious and call ahead, and address your dietary needs and concerns with the manager and server.

Without further ado, I give you this list of gluten free restaurants in St. Louis (updated December 2022).

Brentwood/Richmond Heights/Maplewood

• Maggiano’s Little Italy  (Brentwood) – Great Italian chain. They have GF loaves of bread! Plus: buy one entree, take one home.
• Fozzie’s Sandwich Emporium** (Richmond Heights) – An OMG awesome sandwich shop.
• Mai Lee (Brentwood) – Very gluten-friendly. Staff is very knowledgeable about gluten. Peanut sauces can be subbed out for fish sauce to make it GF. Chicken and pork are usually safe, but steak and beef are marinated in soy sauce.
• Schlafly Bottleworks (Maplewood) – The flagship location for Schlafly Beer. Their seasonal cider is not GF, as it is made on the same lines as the beer. Ask for the allergen menu. Try the hummus & veggies – it’s delicious.
• Boogaloo  (Maplewood) – Have quite a few menu items that are gluten-free. Grilled andouille and corn maque choux, mussels steamed in white sangria, black bean soup, hummus, and creole smoked St. Louis-style ribs with BBQ sauce and mango coleslaw are all GF. Be sure to check with your server as menus change.

Central West End

• Lazy Tiger (Central West End) – Great cocktails and good vibes. Light food menu – but a surprising amount of things can be modified to be GF. Owned by same folks who run Retreat Gastropub and Yellowbelly
• Pi Pizzeria (Central West End) – Great GF pizza! The locations are dwindling but still a fan.
• Scottish Arms (Central West End) – I’ve only been for lunch, but they can do gluten-free salads. More limited options for gluten-free folks. Not a huge fan.
• Dressel’s Pub** (Central West End – Temporarily closed) – Totally cool about accommodating for GF. Check the post.
• Brasserie by Niche (Central West End) – French Brasserie – great cocktails and great about modifications for GF.

Chesterfield

• Edgewild (Chesterfield) – Awesome Chesterfield gluten-free restaurant option with a dedicated menu. Located in the old Bahama Breeze, this urban winery + restaurant has pretty great food and the staff is incredibly friendly. GF meals come out on their own plate. The scallops are amaaaze. And you’ll never be able to tell you were in Bahama Breeze.

Clayton

• Pei Wei (Clayton) – The little sister of PF Chang’s, offering takeout options.
• Herbie’s ** (previously Central West End, now Clayton) – Great brunch option; upscale dinner spot.
• Pastaria**  (Clayton)- The latest endeavor of Gerard Craft, owner of Niche. Homemade gluten-free pasta and delicious gelato.
• City Coffee House & Creperie (Clayton) – Buckwheat crepes; however, cross-contamination is an issue. Would not recommend for Celiac’s.

Delmar Loop/University City

• Diego’s Cantina (University City) – My recently discovered FAVE Mexican spot … owned by the same team as Frida’s. Chips are GF, margs are awesome, and the food is great.
• Frida’s (University City) – Temporarily closed for renovation – Vegetarian deli with vegan, raw, gluten-free, soy-free and oil-free options. Sit down and stay awhile, or order at the counter to-go. They have GF wraps, crackers and bread. Note that they aren’t an allergen-free restaurant, so still give your server a heads up if you’re Celiac. Same team operates Diego’s, above!
• Fitz’s American Grill and Bottleworks**  (Delmar Loop) – Enjoy this American bar food while watching the root beer being bottled in the back.
• Blueprint Coffee (Delmar Loop) – Specialty coffee shop offering pour-over coffees, specialty coffee drinks and a smattering of food, including GF cookies and GF granola. Good place to sip and stay awhile.
• Eclipse Restaurant (Delmar Loop) – Their menu rotates quarterly with the equinox, but you can usually find some great gluten-free options. They always have pretty delicious salads. Occasionally they have gluten-free bread from Companion Bakery. I’ve had a pretty mean pear cobbler here,  but it’s not on the menu any longer. Regardless, you should be able to find something you like!

Des Peres/Ballwin/Valley Park/Town & Country

• Casa De Tres Reyes (Des Peres) – Mexican food from the same owners as Three Kings. The chips are not GF. Most of the menu can be modified to be GF but be careful on cross-contamination – when I went, most of the staff was very young/green and not super knowledgeable so be sure to advocate for yourself and talk to the manager if needed! I went with a bowl (no tortilla) to avoid cross-contamination.
• Corner Pub & Grill** (Valley Park)-  Awesome bar food and one of my go-to spots for dinner with the fam–we’re talking fries in their own dedicated fryer, burgers, sandwiches, the whole shebang. The owner’s daughter is gluten-free – hence, “Hanna’s Menu.”
• The Shack (Valley Park, Town & Country) – Great brunch/lunch spot, the sister of Corner Bar in Valley Park. Amazing gluten-free menu including GF bread and GF pancakes.
• Mia Sorella (Town & Country) – The sister restaurant of Trattoria Marcella, Mia Sorella offers gluten-free pizza and gluten-free pasta. Servers are knowledgeable and many of their dishes can be prepared gluten-free. Try the shaved brussel sprout salad and the roasted chicken, prosciutto and spinach GF pasta, in a smoked mozzarella demi cream.
• Saffron – (Des Peres/Ballwin) – This Indian restaurant has tons of gluten-free options. And I felt the servers were pretty confident in their answers to me. Stick to the Indian dishes (they do have some Chinese dishes on their menu), avoid the naan, and you should be good to go. I got the Chef Signature Biryani with saffron-basmati rice and also tried the Chicken Tikka Masala. Both were delish. Beware, portions are HUGE.
• The Tavern Kitchen and Bar (Valley Park) – Owned by the same folks as the Corner Pub and Grill and The Shack, this place prides itself on modern, upscale comfort food. Named St. Louis Mag’s restaurant of the year in 2011.

Kirkwood

• Britt’s Bakehouse – Hands down, the best gluten-free bakery/baked goods in St. Louis. Order ahead to make sure they have what you want, but honestly everything I’ve tried there is amazing.
• Amigos Cantina (Kirkwood) – Dece Mexican spot, chips are not GF. Make sure they know about your allergy and be careful of flour and corn tortillas being warmed on the same area!
• Billy G’s (Kirkwood) – Located in adorable downtown Kirkwood right on historic Argonne, this popular local spot has GF pizza and pasta. Pizza is decent. I can’t speak to the adult pastas, but I did have the “kid’s mac & cheese” and it was average. Given it’s a bar/grill (albeit with nicer finishes), I’ve always been pretty impressed they have GF options. Good for groups and great patio.
• The Daily Bread Bakery & Cafe (Kirkwood) – Inquire about the salads. But the name says a lot.
• Bar Louie (Kirkwood) – You can usually find a salad and a couple entrees here that are GF.

Ladue/Frontenac

• Canyon Cafe** (Frontenac) – One of my GF faves in STL. Good Southwestern Food / Tex Mex. Ask for your own basket of GF chips.

Lafayette Square

• Polite Society (Lafayette Square) – THIS PLACE IS A GEM and secretly gluten-free. The chefs cook nearly everything with GF flour because “why not” — so you can have things tempura portobello and fried chicken schnitzel. They just need to get GF buns and life would be grand. One of my fave STL meals, get here ASAP!
• Bailey’s Chocolate Bar** (Lafayette Square) – Such a great date place. They serve a lot of chocolate things. Flourless chocolate cake is GF and wonderful.
• Square One Brewery and Distillery (Lafayette Square) – Brewery offering GF buns and a menu that can be modified. No GF beer, but they have wine and cocktails available

Midtown/Downtown

• Brick River Cider Co (Downtown West) – St. Louis cider spot. I love their dry ciders but it’s fun to get a flight and try a few different things in their brick & mortar location, in an old fire station. Their cider is also carried in quite a few spots around STL!
• Vicia – a FANTASTIC meal in STL – super local and seasonal ingredients, Midwestern fare – an amazing experience all around and great with GF. Wildly creative with vegetables and perfect for a date night or special occasion. They’ve been nominated for a ton of awards and you’ll see why when you visit.
• Schlafly Tap Room (Midtown/Downtown) – No GF beer here for you, but they do have a normal menu with the non-GF options crossed out.
• Fountain on Locust (Midtown/Downtown) – New owners as of 2021 and I haven’t visited the revamped spot, but I understand there are lots of GF options!
• Taste of St. Louis**– An annual food festival in downtown St. Louis. Check their website ahead of time to see which food booths will offer GF options.
• Rooster (Downtown) – Absolutely delightful brunch spot. They serve GF crepes. Prepare for a food coma.
• Pappy’s Smokehouse (Midtown and St. Peters)- Quite possibly the best barbecue in St. Louis, INMHO. The ribs and many of the sides  (baked beans, green beans, slaw) are gluten-free. The original BBQ sauce is not GF, but you’ll be safe with the Sweet Baby Jane or the Holly’s Hot Sauce.
• Bailey’s Range** (Downtown)- Obsessed. Try the salted caramel milkshake, burger with a gluten-free bun, and the fries, which are fried in a separate fryer.
• Bridge (Downtown) – Owned by the same folks as Rooster, they have a great wine list; or beer list for the non-GFers.

The Hill/South City

• Favazza’s  (The Hill)- When you’re craving authentic Italian food, this is your spot. Located on the Hill, they have a whole host of pizzas and pastas. Try the baked penne with italian sausage. And what is it about Italian restaurant salads?? They’re amazing. Only downside is they do not offer GF bread.
• Rigazzi’s**  (The Hill) – This Italian restaurant on The Hill has a pretty bountiful menu, marked with GF options. They offer GF buns and pizza, but no pasta.
• Charlie Gitto’s (The Hill) – Upscale Italian. A St. Louis classic that offers gluten-free pasta.
• Anthonino’s (The Hill) – Greek and Italian food on the Hill. They can do GF pizzas and pastas – be sure to let them know to cook all separately.
• Retreat Gastropub (The Grove) – Ample gluten-free options on the menu, including a gluten-free flatbread and french fries from a dedicated GF fryer. But…I was underwhelmed by the food. Come for the drinks and the atmosphere, which is great for girls’ night out or date night.
• Golden Hoosier (South City) -Funky neighborhood bar with a great outdoor patio, natural history museum-esque decor (think: taxidermy) and nearly the whole menu can be made gluten-free! Yes, that means fried things! The server told me that one of the owners has Celiac and wanted to be able to eat at their own bar 🙂

St. Charles

• Bugatti’s Steak & Pasta (St. Charles) – This place is seriously good. Located at Ameristar in St. Charles, they are very knowledgeable about gluten-free. Try the Shrimp Scampi and cream-cheese mashed potatoes.
• Culpepper’s  (St. Charles) – Salads and proteins, with modifications.

Soulard/Fox Park

• Lona’s Lil Eats – This asian fusion spot is currently my #1 fave healthy-ish spot in St. Louis. It is sooooo gluten-free accommodating, the owners are lovely, and you 100% feel like you belong there. Expect rice paper wraps, bowls, salads. Very accommodating for GF, paleo, vegan, vegetarian.

South Grand/Tower Grove

• The King and I (South Grand) – Thai restaurant with a GF menu and ample vegetarian/vegan options. I’ve only been there once and got the pad thai, which was too sweet for my liking. However, I’ll be back to give it another go.
• Lulu’s Local Eatery (South Grand/Tower Grove) – My vegan mother loved this place. I dug this place, too. Cool vibe, cool people and good food. Options are marked GL for “glutenless” as they aren’t a fully dedicated gluten-free facility (e.g., oils, fryers, etc.) Menu rotates seasonally and is oh so fresh.
• Treehouse Vegetarian Restaurant (South Grand/Tower Grove) – This place is seriously awesome. It’s a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free paradise. And nearly everything is house-made. It’s crazy how good everything tasted. Not everything is GF, but the servers are very knowledgeable so just make sure to ask. What we ate: Fried beets + vegan aioli, a “johnny cake” (get this), and a smoked “sausage,” brussels sprout and sweet potato hash served with eggs and hollandaise sauce. Plus a fresh squeezed grapefruit mimosa. Plus a gluten-free strawberry cheesecake.

Webster Groves/Rock Hill

• Perennial on Lockwood (Webster Groves) – Restaurant/Food outpost of Perennial Artisan Ales, in collaboration with O+O Hospitality. Lots of GF ciders, wines, and cocktails – plus menu can be modified for GF. (No GF bread, though – and fryer has cross-contamination.)
• Clover and the Bee (Webster Groves) – Cute breakfast and brunch spot in Webster Groves, great coffee, and very easy to accommodate for gluten-free. Owned by Olive+ Oak team!
• Cyrano’s Cafe** (Webster Groves) – Nice little gluten-free menu with appetizers, entrees, salads and desserts.
• Nachomama’s Tex Mex (Rock Hill) – One of my fave Tex-Mex places in STL. Menu is marked with gluten-free symbols. Chips are GF. The white queso is glorious and the margaritas are STRONG. The burrito bowls are mighty nice, but they also have tacos and fajitas with gluten-free corn tortillas. (The steak tacos are my fave.)
• Olive + Oak (Webster Groves) – This upscale restaurant serving creative American dishes was one of the best meals I’ve had in STL, period. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable about gluten-free and we could not have had a better meal. Cocktails were amazing. Highly recommend.
• Robust (Webster Groves; Downtown (at the MX) – A decent amount of gluten-free options. Salads, goat cheese tart, meats and cheeses.

Multiple Locations:

• Revel Kitchen (multiple locations) – Healthy fast casual spot with GF, paleo and vegan options. Good spot for takeout.
• Nudo House (Creve Coeur and Delmar Loop) – Awesome fast casual spot with delicious GF pho and ramen for the non GFers.
• Hi-Pointe Drive In (Kirkwood, McCausland area, Downtown) – Burgers! with GREAT GF buns. Fries are not fried in a dedicated fryer and therefore not GF.
• Clementine’s Naughty & Nice Creamery (multiple locations) – Ice cream spot with GF and vegan flavors. Ask them to scoop you fresh ice cream from the back or get a pint!
• Katie’s Pizza and Pasta** (Rock Hill, Town and Country) – Great spot for a date, ladies lunch or family hang, Katie’s offers wood-fired gluten-free artisan pizzas, gluten-free pasta and gluten-free beer.
• Wasabi (Clayton, Warson Woods, Downtown St. Louis) – Sushi restaurant. Clayton menu clearly notes GF sushi options. Great happy hour!
• The Original Pancake House** (Ladue, Chesterfield) – Try the hashbrowns and gluten-free blueberry pancakes.
• Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (Clayton; Downtown) – These folks make a mean steak. The filet mignon, chicken breast, mashed potatoes are gluten-free.
• Dewey’s Pizza  (Kirkwood, University City, Webster Groves, Ellisville, St. Charles, Edwardsville, IL) – YAAAAAS Dewey’s now has gluten-free pizza crust (at least at the Kirkwood location). And it’s damn good. Expensive. But good. Be careful of CC if you’re very sensitive. I’m fond of the Green Lantern. The Kirkwood location will also let you BYO vegan cheese to add on top.
• CJ Mugg’s (Clayton)- Sandwiches, burgers, salads and entrees. No dedicated fryer.
• Lion’s Choice (Multiple locations) – GF buns are pre-packaged which is great for Celiac. Be sure to let them know you have an allergy and ask them to change their gloves before handling your order or cutting your meat. ANNND fries are GF!!! Be careful with some of the sauces on the counter – not all are GF. Check out the website for the most updated nutrition/ingredients.
• Pasta House  (Multiple locations) – A safe bet for gluten-free pasta and salad.
• PF Chang’s** (Brentwood, Chesterfield) – Upscale Chinese chain. Try the chicken lettuce wraps!
• Chevy’s Fresh Mex (Olivette, Tesson Ferry area, Hazelwood) – Decent Tex-Mex. Call ahead of time and they will make fresh tortilla chips in a dedicated gluten-free fryer.
• Noodles & Company (Multiple locations) – A great go-to in a fix. They now serve gluten-free fusilli in addition to their rice noodles. See their gluten-free guide at the restaurant.
• St. Louis Bread Company (aka Panera Bread) (Multiple locations) – Many of their salads are gluten-free with modifications. Ask about their “Hidden Menu,” with an array of gluten-free options.
• Cecil Whittaker’s Pizza (Multiple locations) – This local pizza chain offers thin crust St. Louis-style GF pizza Crusts are baked in own tins to avoid cross-contamination. Perfect for the GF soul who mourns the loss of Imo’s.
• Drunken Fish** (Central West End; Ballpark Village; Westport) – Plenty of gluten-free options. They’ve recently redesigned their menu to denote the gluten-free options.
• Three Kings Public House (Delmar Loop and Des Peres) – While I can only speak for the Loop location, Three Kings has definitely gotten more GF friendly – they now offer gluten-free buns. Check out the burgers, sandwiches and salads. Fries are not fried in a dedicated fryer. Delmar usually has several GF beers and ciders as well.
• Sugarfire Smokehouse (Olivette, St. Charles, O’Fallon, Washington) – Get here when they open, or prepare to wait. But regardless, it’s well worth it. This place is SO GOOD. Dare I say I like their pulled pork better than Pappy’s? (gasp!) All of their meats and sauces are GF except for the white sauce. Sides change often, but when I went, the potato salad, red beans and rice, coleslaw and several of their other sides were GF. The line moves quick, so you might want to call ahead of time and ask them about GF.
• Mission Taco Joint** (Delmar Loop, Central West End, Soulard) – Relatively easy to get GF here. Try the tacos. Chips are not GF.
• Sasha’s Wine Bar and Market (Clayton/Demun; Tower Grove) Only been for apps, but I got the hummus plate with veggies and a greek salad (tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, feta and a vinaigrette). Really good.
• Crazy Bowls and Wraps (Multiple locations) – They offer plenty of gluten-free options. My standard is the Power Bowl with brown rice and grilled chicken, the Chicken Stir-fry Bowl with organic gluten-free garlic ginger or jalapeño cilantro sauce, or the High Protein Bowl.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (Multiple locations) – The chips, corn tacos, salads and burrito bowls are gluten-free. Make sure to ask them to change their gloves before preparing your meal and get ingredients from the back.
• Qdoba Mexican Grill (Multiple locations) – Go for the Naked Burrito Bowls or the soft white corn tacos. The chips and hard corn tortilla shells may contain gluten. But the queso is GF and so good, so feel free to dump that all over your burrito bowl. Can I confess that I may like Qdoba more than Chipotle? Full allergen info is on their website, but make sure to tell the restaurant, too.
• First Watch (Multiple locations) – It’s super easy to eat gluten-free here, but no pancakes or GF bread. Try a skillet or an omelet.
• Subway (Multiple locations) – Salads are your friend. Try the chopped spinach chicken salad with your choice of toppings – it’s not half bad. I usually stick with olive oil and vinegar for dressing. Not saying this is a great option but…when you’re in a pickle…
• Lester’s Sports Bar & Grill**  (Various locations) – You have plenty of options. Click through to the post.
• Taco Bell (Multiple locations) – Rice and beans, my friend. Rice and beans. That’s it lol.
• Jimmy John’s (Multiple location)- Try the Unwich. Make sure they change their gloves.
• Red Lobster (Multiple locations) – I’ve sampled the shrimp and snow crab legs. Talk to your server and a manager about their allergen list – the in-store GF options are not always the same as what’s posted on the corporate website.

Not My Faves (and Why)

• Rosalita’s (Des Peres) – Terrible Yelp reviews aside…our waitress let me know that despite all the things labeled GF on the menu, there was an extreme risk of cross-contamination. I expect that for chips and non-dedicated fryer, but hadn’t anticipated that for the regular menu items!

Reader-submitted GF Pearls (note, I have not personally dined at all of these restaurants or verified GF options with the restaurant.

• BBQ ASAP  (Ballwin)- Mary from BBQ ASAP notes that all of their sauces and meats are gluten-free. They also keep GF bread in the freezer that can be thawed for your meal. Many of their sides are also GF.
• PuraVegan – Sarah says, “You have to try PuraVegan near Forest Park. Everything on the menu is gluten free. The Pad Thai is to die for. Seriously amazing food!”
• Cooper’s Hawk Winery  (Town & Country) – Meghan notes this location in Town & Country has “wonderful GF options and very knowledgeable staff.” Website looks like they have a GF menu!
• Bandana’s (Multiple locations) – Courtney notes, “All the meats and sauces are GF, and you get to order an extra side instead of the garlic bread.”
• Broadway Oyster Bar (Downtown St. Louis) – Rae says,  “Ask your server about them and they will get a list of items from the kitchen. I have modified several of their menu items to make them gluten free. For instance: The Crawfish Enchiladas have flour tortillas, but if you ask them to swap the tortilla for rice and have them put the cheese sauce (gluten free) and Crawfish stuffing over the rice like a casserole, it is not a problem. Also swap the side Jambalaya (which is gluten free) for red beans and rice (also gluten free). If you get the Jambalaya it’s almost too much rice with the meal. Other changes can be made if you request them.
• Vin De Set (Downtown) – Christie notes they have a gluten-free menu.
• 1111 Mississippi (Downtown) – Gluten free menu available.
• Chuck E. Cheese (South County) – Gluten free pizza.
• Incredible Pizza (South County) – Gluten-free pizza, says Dan.
• Fortel’s (Affton location only) – Gluten-free pizza, also says Dan. Separate oven and all. Website notes, “Fortel’s in Affton caters to customers who can’t tolerate wheat-based bread, chicken tenders, brownies, and pizza crusts.”
• Bill Gianino’s – Dan says, “Gianino’s has a gluten free menu.” Includes pasta and pizza!