A historic seaside town, we stopped off at Carmel for a quick look and ended up staying for a few hours. The quaint shopping streets are perfect for a wander and there are plenty of restaurants to choose between for lunch. In this mini guide you will find a fab gluten free restaurant recommendation and an overview of this pretty town.

Gluten Free Carmel

The beach at Carmel by the sea is glorious. The softest white sand, wide and long. The clear ocean rolls onto the shore with green and blue breakers. Occasional driftwood shelters pop up to break up the bright, white expanse. You can perch yourself on one of the dune-like slopes and watch the local dogs playing or brave a dip in the ocean (it’s colllld!).

We found a very coeliac-friendly spot for lunch, which is my gluten free Carmel restaurant recommendation. Flaherty’s focus on seafood and they have a dedicated gluten free menu and fryer. They offer Udi’s bread and Mariposa baked goods (which are excellent).

The waitress had perfect gluten free knowledge and actively offered us gluten free bread when we sat down. She assured us they are very careful to avoid cross-contamination and they have dedicated gluten free fryers. There was so much gluten free choice we hardly knew where to start! In the end we had the crab cakes, calamari and a lobster BLT sandwich. They have loaaads of other gluten free choices: fish and chips, clam chowder, fish tacos, seafood linguine with gluten free corn pasta, etc.  

So there we have my fleeting gluten free Carmel guide. It really is a lovely spot to stay for a few hours and we will be staying for longer next time we are in California.

Happy travels!

Laura x