Bristol is packed full of gluten free friendly restaurants and eateries, and I have made it my personal mission to find the best coeliac safe spots to eat in the city.

Since moving to Bristol at the start of 2021, I’ve been slowly discovering the amazing foodie scene and I am loving what the city has to offer.

I’ve always found it easy to find gluten free options in Bristol. There is good awareness and plenty of eateries offer either a gluten free menu or have staff who can advise you on coeliac friendly choices.

So whether you fancy a gluten free fried chicken burger or a vegan poke bowl, have a read of the guide below and you’ll definitely find something to tempt you.

If you are local to the South West, be sure to check out my Gluten Free Bath and Gluten Free Somerset guides too. They are packed with yummy places to eat across the region.

Where to Stay

Marriott Royal Hotel – I’ve stayed at this hotel a couple of times now. It is right in the centre of the city, so you have easy access to lots of nearby restaurants. We actually walked 5 minutes to go to Cosy Club for our breakfast, but the hotel contains the Coeliac UK accredited restaurant Miller & Carter too if you prefer to eat there.

Gluten Free Bristol Guide – Restaurants, Cafes & More

Central Bristol

Pieminister – let’s start with pie shall we! Pieminister have some brilliant gluten free pies and when I visited the Stokes Croft branch most of the sides were gluten free too. Staff were really helpful and reassured me that my gluten free food would be kept away from the gluteny pies.

pieminister bristol gluten free pie

Pasta Ripiena – one the best meals I have had in Bristol, they have a great gluten free menu here including housemade fresh filled pasta. It’s a mixed kitchen, but they have cross contamination controls in place and make every effort to keep coeliac diners safe. Iberico pork to start, ricotta and nduja filled pasta for main and the BEST pannacotta for dessert – I was one happy diner! Please book in advance, as they make the gluten free pasta fresh each day and need to know how many gf diners they have coming.

Cosy Club – a very coeliac friendly spot and a great choice for brunch. It’s set in the centre of town in a beautiful building. They have an extensive gluten free menu and staff were really helpful. All dietary requirements get put through as allergies so the kitchen takes it really seriously. We’ve eaten here a couple of times and I’ve always had a great experience. It’s very kid friendly too.

cosy club bristol gluten free

Pho – Coeliac UK accredited Vietnamese food. I am a big fan of Pho as 95% of the menu is gluten free and their food is delicious! Try the spicy wok fried rice, or go for a classic bowl of Pho noodle soup. Everything here is yummy, plus they have a great kids menu (including options for unders 2s).

pho bristol gluten free

Honest Burger – for one of the best gluten free burger feast around, go to Honest. They have a very gluten free friendly menu (their chips and onion rings are naturally gluten free) and have processes in the kitchen to minimise the risk of cross contamination. Order a gluten free bun for your burger and a nice cold gluten free beer, and you are all set!

honest burger bristol gluten free

Artists Residence – in Portland Square, this hotel has very cool interiors and a restaurant/bar area. They had good gluten free choices when I visited and the chef helpfully marked the menu up for me. As I am coeliac she recommended I avoid the deep fried items and chips – while they have a dedicated fryer they are located next to eachother and there can be cross contamination when things spit. ANYWAY, they have gluten free bread and usually pasta too. Their cocktails are excellent – have a spicy mango margarita!

Pasture – I wasn’t a huge fan of Pasture, but they did cater for me ably. It might sound silly, but there’s no dedicated fryer at this steak restaurant so you end up with baked potato or new potatoes as your choice instead of chips. It just reminded me of the old coeliac days when I would always get lumbered with steak and jacket potato in pubs. And the jacket potato at Pasture was decidedly pub quality too…not great. A fellow Bristol coeliac also had an upsetting experience here recently, with the waiter being very rude to her regarding her gluten free dietary requirements. Making her feel like an inconvenience. Pasture just didn’t live up to the hype for me – the steak was average, the menu limited for coeliacs and atmosphere was lacking for a pricey place (we had a child watching loud Cocomelon next to us during our late evening meal…I’m a parent, but come on!). On the plus side, they didn’t gluten me!

Cowbee – gluten free waffles! All their waffles are gluten free (they told me they found gf flour just makes better waffles), but some of the toppings are gluteny so the gf choices are marked on the menu. They have measures in place to avoid cross contamination and I was impressed. Staff were so helpful – let them know you are coeliac so they can take extra care. They can scoop ice cream from a fresh tub if you ask. Nov 2022 – they told me they may add a non-gf vegan waffle to the menu soon, so please check before you order.

Mrs Potts Chocolate House – unfortunately I could not eat here (staff recommended I didn’t due to the same equipment being used for baking), but they have lots of gluten free sweet treats. If you are not coeliac them enjoy!

Nandos – plenty of gluten free options are available at this restaurant chain, which specialises in chicken and chips. If you are coeliac you’ll need to let them know when you order and then the manage supervises the cooking of your food as a safety precaution.

Revolucion de Cuba – would be a fun one to visit as a group, or as a family as they were very kid friendly (plus Alba my 3 year old LOVED being able to sit in a beachhut outside). The menu is marked as NCGI rather than GF, but staff were ace and said they would take extra care over my order (so be sure to tell them if you are coeliac). I had a nice safe meal but the quality of the food is nothing groundbreaking. Fun for cocktails and a casual meal.

Bushi Sushi

(closed for now as Joe got a promo at Root to head chef – congrats Joe!)

Totally brilliant sushi available for delivery – you can order direct on their Instagram. They can adapt all menu items to be gluten free and understand how to safely cater for coeliacs (both are Michelin-trained chefs and they used to have a coeliac housemate). Excellent quality sushi that I loved, including gluten free tempura prawn rolls!

Wapping Wharf

Wapping Wharf is a cool area to wander around, in central Bristol, with shops, cafes and restaurants in shipping containers.  If you fancy a picnic lunch, check out Better Food for gluten free supplies. There are a few gluten free friendly restaurants and cafes (some offering takeaway) to try too:

  • BOX-E – absolutely excellent seasonal food, rightly awarded a Michelin guide Bib Gourmand, BOX-E has been one of my favourite meals recently. The food was sensational and they catered so well for me as a coeliac, telling me they make an effort to accomodate all dietary requirements.
  • Loki Poke – this poke bar is fully gluten free as they use tamari instead of soy sauce. We loved their poke bowls and would absolutely recommend them. I also often order them on Deliveroo. Good vegan options too.
  • Cargo Cantina – for amazing tacos and margaritas, this little restaurant at Wapping Wharf has loads of gluten free options and can cater for coeliacs. I grabbed some delicious tacos to takeaway and enjoyed them sitting next to the water on the wharf, dreamy! A couple of coeliac friends have since told me their dining in experience was excellent too.
  • Root (awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand) – I made it to Root recently and loved it. Great, seasonal food, knowledgeable staff and plenty of gluten free choices.
  • Seven Lucky Gods – they catered really well for me. While a good portion of the menu was off limits, there was plenty for me to have (and gf tamari too), to enjoy a meal out with a big group.
  • Salt and Malt – *Wapping Wharf branch no longer suitable for coeliacs, but Chew Valley Lake outside of Bristol is*. Which is gutting as they used to be but recently have stated they cannot cater for coeliacs because their kitchen space is too small. All their batter is gluten free, along with chips, peas, curry sauce, tartare sauce. They use a dedicated fryer and also have battered sausage and batter halloumi on offer. They have a non-gluten free breaded scampi, so this is the cross contamination risk. The good news is that their Chew Valley branch close to Bristol can still cater safely for coeliacs and their fish and chips are delicious!
  • Pizzarova – *not suitable for coeliacs due to cross contamination risk* but if you are simply avoiding gluten and are less sensitive they offer gluten free bases here.
  • Some others I plan to check out this year: The Wild Beer Co (gluten free pale ale features on their menu and I’ve heard a rumour their fish and chips are gluten free); Harbour & Browns (plenty of gluten free marked on their menu, I’ll find out if it’s coeliac safe); Oliver’s Ice Cream (potentially has gluten free cones, so if they could scoop from a fresh tub it would be okay for coeliacs); Tare (they state on their website that if you give them prior notice they can cater for gluten free customers).

Stokes Croft

Poco Tapas Bar – oh Poco, how I love you. Currently top of my list for food in Bristol, this restaurant is absolutely excellent and a must visit for foodies. It’s seasonal, British small plates from a set menu and they cater for coeliacs easily. Many of their dishes are stealthily gluten free (including “orzo” pasta when I visited). They have coeliacs in the family so understand how to cater for us and I was honestly blown away by the wonderful food. They also had delicious gluten free bread.

Nadu – delicious Sri Lankan and Tamil food with vast gluten free choices. When I visited I could not have any deep fried items due to a shared fryer, but there is plenty else to enjoy. The waitress serving us was a legend, checking cooking processes for me and reassuring me. Be sure to try hoppers while you are there, coconut flour pancakes shaped like a bowl with a fried egg and spicy samal inside. Perfect for date night or a dinner with friends, their cocktails are delicious too!

North Central Bristol (Bishopston/Redland/Clifton/Montpellier/ Westbury Park)

The Gallimaufry – on Gloucester Road, I love this place and it’s one of our locals! Their food is amazing with great gluten free options and a dedicated fryer. We always have the buttermilk fried chicken and also enjoy their arancini. It feels like the kitchen is run by real foodies, as the flavour pairings are always top notch. They have a good selection of gluten free beers too.

Kibou – for amazing Japanese food with excellent gluten free options, try Kibou in Clifton. I’ve eaten here twice and have felt so safe both times. Safe are really knowledgeable, they have great cross contamination controls, gluten free tamari and gf fried chicken. Delicious sushi and cocktails, I just loved it.

Wilsons – I’m a big Wilsons fan, the food is excellent. It’s a seasonal set menu and as long as you book in advance they can cater easily for gluten free diets. The perfect place for a special occasion. Go for the wine pairing if you can, they dish up some gems!

Pazzo – the newest opening from the Bianchi’s Group, they catered for me so well as a coeliac. I had email in advance and when I arrived they had already fully marked up the menu for me. Loads of dishes were naturally gluten free and they had gluten free pasta to adapt the pasta dishes. Plus three desserts I could choose from! A great spot for a date night for dinner with friends.

Hubbox – (CURRENTLY CLOSED – while they find a new premises as their lease ran out) yessss more gluten free fried chicken, I love you Brizzle! I had a little lunch date with my 4 year old at the branch on Whiteladies Road :), and they had tonnes of options for me. All their fried chicken is gluten free, fries, sweet potato fries, loaded fries and more. All cooked in a dedicated fryer too, speak to staff, they are really clued up and helpful.

The Kensington Arms – a posh pub, this is a lovely place for a cosy date or civilised catch up with friends. They were very helpful and talked me through the gluten free options, took care to avoid cross contamination and even had a dedicated gluten free fryer for the chips. Gluten free beer available too.

Bosco Pizzeria – on Whiteladies Road, I had some incredible gluten free pasta here. There’s no gluten free pizza options, but trust me go for a big bowlful of pasta and you will be one happy diner!

Laura’s Pizza – a brilliant takeaway option, Laura offers coeliac friendly gluten free bases (tried and tested on her coeliac sister), plus gluten free arancini cooked in a dedicated fryer. My new favourite takeaway! She has separate utensils and trays for the gf pizza and prepares the gluten free dough entirely separately from the regular dough.

Boston Tea Party – we ate at the Redland branch in North Bristol, but they have a few cafes across the city including in the centre of town. They have some good gluten free choices marked on the menu and assured me that my gluten free bread would be toasted separately.

Fishers Restaurant – a seafood restaurant located in Clifton in North Bristol, we have had a great experience getting takeaway gluten free fish and chips from here. Staff were so reassuring and helpful when I spoke with them, assuring me that all gluten free food is cooked in a dedicated fryer. The fish and chips were top notch. They also have a dine in restaurant, which I haven’t tried yet but definitely will once things reopen.

On their website they note that the majority of their food is gluten free or can be made gluten free and they won an award in 2016 in the Free From Eating Out Award. They also have some yummy gluten free desserts such as banana fritters and sticky toffee pudding!

Eat a Pitta – I’ve tried the Clifton and Gloucester road branches personally and was so impressed. A real go to of mine when I am out and about. They have a station dedicated to preparing falafel boxes for coeliacs, away from the very gluteny pittas. When I first went in I was so dubious, but they were brilliant and changed gloves, used clean utensils for picking up my falafel (straight from the fryer), then selected my salads and prepared my falafel box in the dedicated area.

The Coconut Tree – We had a delicious meal and a very good experience at Coconut Tree on Gloucester Road. They had plenty of gluten free options on the Sri Lankan style menu, and when I informed them I was coeliac they told me they would take really good care and that I could relax and enjoy my meal safely. What a nice response! I’ve also had delicious takeaway from them since.

Picaro – lovely tapas restaurant on Chandos Road, with plenty of gluten free options (even desserts) and good processes for coeliacs. The owner’s daughter is coeliac so they get the importance of avoiding cross contamination and have a dedicated fryer.

Reel Soul – Our local fish and chip shop that serves a meeeeean gluten free fish and chips! They have coeliacs in the family so understand how to cater safely and have a seperate prep are for the gluten free food. Their gluten free battered prawns are a favourite of mine and they also do gluten free kids meals. We get takeaway from here regularly and have never had any issues.

Bristol Lido – Treat yourself to a lunch/swim package at the beautiful Clifton Lido. They cater really well for coeliacs and gluten free diets in the restaurant. Nearly the entire small plates menu was gluten free when I visited, and they had gluten free bread. They also told me they would take extra care preparing my plates, when I told them I was coeliac.

Bravas – another great spot for tapas, I’ve eaten here twice without issue and they have reeeeally good gluten free bread. They don’t have a dedicated fryer so all deep fried items are off limits for coeliacs like me, but there are plenty of other gluten free choices and their food is excellent.

Westbury Park Pub & Kitchen – What a stealth gf find! This pub has fantastic gluten free options, with a dedicated gluten free fryer and the use of corn flour for some of their batter. I had a fried chicken burger with chips, all coeliac safe and delicious! Baby changing and high chairs available.

The Spiny Lobster – This seafood restaurant on Whiteladies Road has a sterling reputation and I had an excellent experience eating here. They were totally clued up for coeliacs and the staff member who welcomed us was actually a coeliac herself. It’s a classic fidh restaurant, who source daily from Devon. Loads of gf choices, gf bread available and even gf desserts! A good spot for dinner with your parents, or for a classy date night.

Pickle & Fry (at the Cloak & Dagger) – 100% gluten free Korean inspired food is served at this coeliac-run pop up. Popcorn shrimps, Korean fried chicken, dirty kimchi fries and plenty of vegan options too. Keep an eye on their Instagram to see where they are popping up next. They also sometimes run a Saturday evening collection slots service so you can pre-order a feast to pick up. At the time of writing (autumn 2022) they have a residency at the Cloak and Dagger.

The Lazy Dog – we had such a good roast dinner here one Sunday with friends, definitely recommended. Staff were really reassuring about gluten free, it was no hassle and I got a massive plateful of safe and delicious grub!

Snobby’s – I’m on the fence about Snobby’s. The food was great and they kept me safe and could capably talk me through the menu, but my god did they leave me feeling on edge. The kitchen team are Italian, and Italians are sensibly very cautious about catering for coeliacs. Everything was heavily loaded with a “but our kitchen isn’t 100% gluten free” and I just felt so awkward as we were with friends. I booked in advance, noted I was coeliac, and would really have found it better to discuss all this in advance. Not to be put on the spot with a “eat at your own risk” type of disclaimer.

And ones to try at your own risk:

Muino – unfortunately I was mildly glutened (cross contamination) at Muino BUT I am including them in this guide as they had been so helpful and knowledgeable about gluten free. Every restaurant can have an off day. For example staff immediately knew I couldn’t have anything deep fried as it’s a shared fryer. Seems I may have unfortunately fallen into the “small kitchen cross contamination” trap and perhaps others eating here would be fine or I would have been fine on another day. It’s a shame as the food was lovely and the team were helpful. Certainly non-coeliacs should definitely visit as they had plenty of very yummy gluten free options.

Thali – *the first time I ate here I had a great experience, however I was glutened on our second visit* – a curry restaurant in Montepelier, have plenty of gluten free food options (and gluten free beer too). All the curries are gluten free, although the starters and anything deep fried is not coeliac friendly due to a shared fryer. They also have good dairy free and vegan options. The food was really yummy and is perfect for a casual meal with friends.

North Bristol – Stoke Gifford/ Kings Weston

Hao Wei – oh my days, we had gluten free coeliac-friendly Chinese takeaway and it was insaaaaane. My first time having crispy duck in YEARS, it was delicious. Hao Wei have loads of gluten free choices on the menu and can prepare all items safely if you let them know you are coeliac. They have a dedicated gf fryer. I can’t wait to order again! (update – have had three takeaways from them now, amazing every time)

Kings Weston Estate Cafe (Morgans) – a gem of a find, this cafe always has lovely gluten free cakes, stored and served safely. They also have gluten free bread and will prepare food safely when you mention you are coeliac. Staff and well-trained to deal with allergens and were very knowledgeable and helpful. The cafe is located in the basement of the manor house.

The Wave – the cafe at the Wave has some great gluten free options, including coeliac friendly fish and chips. They’ve cross contamination controls in place.d

South Bristol

Sonny Stores – I had a lovely meal here. It started off on a wobbly footing, with a really strong “well you are putting yourself at risk eating here” type warning, but after further questioning I decided it sounded like any mixed kitchen. At the end I thanked the kitchen team and they told me they make a big effort to avoid cross contam for coeliacs, using clean boards etc. I would definitely visit again.

Not tried personally but recommeded to me:

  • The Burger Joint – Southville
  • Eat Your Greens – Totterdown
  • Don Giovanni’s – Redcliffe

East Bristol

Cake House Redfield

A super popular local bakery. They have some wonderful-looking gluten free cakes here, however not necessarily coeliac friendly. When I visited there was a bit of confusion about what was and what wasn’t gluten free, so I did not feel comfortable trying their cakes.

LHG Taproom

A cool brewery that always has at least gluten free beer in cans and also brew some gluten free beer of their own. Last time I went they even had gf beer on draught, which was such a treat.

Around Bristol

Flourish – Saltford

A farm shop and restaurant, they have very good gluten free options here and I enjoyed a vegetarian brunch (non-veggie option also available). They have processes in place to limit cross contamination.

Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm – Wraxall

A brilliant outing for kids, there are plenty of gluten free options at this farm park/zoo. From prepackaged gluten free cakes and ice cream to hot lunches. I had a jacket potato and staff assured me they take care to avoid cross contamination in the kitchen when you mention you are coeliac.

The Old Crown Inn – Kelston

This is a lovely little pub with a dedicated gluten free fryer. Gluten free options include fish and chips hooray! There’s a great walk nearby too, up to Kelston round top, in case you want to work up an appetite first.

Salt & Malt – Chew Valley Lake

Excellent gluten free fish and chips that are suitable for coeliacs (as their kitchen here is larger than Wapping Wharf, giving them more space to keep things safe). Grab a portion and enjoy them sat next to the lake – it’s a lovely spot.

Others on my hit list in Bristol, which I have received as recommendations but not tried personally yet, include:

  • Asado – when my son was in the children’s hospital (across the road from Asado) I nearly got takeaway from here and had a reassuring chat with the manager. They do not have gluten free buns but can prepare a bunless burger and fries safely. Let them know if you are coeliac and they will take extra care with your order.
  • Severn Shed
  • Society Cafe
  • Mud Dock Cafe
  • The Cottage Inn
  • Three Brothers Burgers
  • Friska
  • The Florist
  • Miller & Carter Steakhouse is Coeliac UK accredited
  • strawberry thief
  • the stable
  • Catch 22
  • Izakaya
  • Dhamaka
  • Burger Theory
  • San Carlo
  • Bella Vista
  • Urban Tandoor
  • Quay Street Diner
  • The Hippy Chippy
  • 99 Queens
  • The Giggling Squid
  • The Penny
  • The Canteen
  • Cafe Kino
  • Casa Mexicana
  • Suncraft

For more UK gluten free guides, you might like the following:

Laura xxx