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Japanese Mexican fusion, French pastries, and Ottolenghi everywhere: gluten free London is a foodie Walhalla. While riding one of her cherry double-deckers is a great way to discover the city’s richness, nothing quite captures the culture of a place as well as its food. One must eat a lot though, to truly enjoy her diversity, as the city is as multi-faceted as her population of nearly ten million.
The magnitude of the city meant that I was spoiled for choice on gluten free food as well. Prior to the trip I saved a bunch of gluten free restaurants, gluten free bakeries and cafés in my Google Maps, which would have sustained me for a year. The handful I have tried were phenomenal, but the blue dots on my map leave me a lot to come back for.
Based on my experiences, this gluten free London guide will take you to markets, gluten free bakeries, great Thai food, and a guide to what to eat at a stand-up comedy performance. Make sure to read it all the way to the end, where I have reviewed Ottolenghi’s restaurant Rovi plus the gluten-free Japanese-Mexican Los Mochis and have bundled the restaurants on my ‘to-eat’ list.
Getting to Lovely Gluten Free London
Before we get started on where to eat comes the most important question: how to get there. We took the Eurostar from Amsterdam, which only took four hours and was way more comfortable than an economy class seat. Looking out the window is also much more fun in my opinion, as you can see the landscape change up close. Booking tickets is probably easiest through Trainline, as they show you the best routes and fares available. If you live too far away for a train ride, then London has six international airports to choose from. I always select the cheapest and most comfortable flight through Skyscanner, which really is the best travel hack out there!
Camden Market
Red brick industrial buildings, silver humanoid statues and countless wooden sample sticks in a maze of food stands: you have found yourself at Camden Market in Camden Town. The last time I visited, I remember I loved the edginess of the place with its vintage stores and market halls, but mostly, I remembered the food. While the food has remained superb, the true vintage stores are harder to find. Instead, the alleys are lined with plastic heart sunglasses, denim jackets with Taylor Swift and Harry Styles printed on the back, and band t-shirts, mass-produced in China.
While there were some gems hidden in there, the true gem was the food. We had a hefty breakfast, so none of us were hungry, but who could say no to tasting samples? The first one we encountered was the best by far: Makatcha’s Indonesian Coconut Curry, which was completely dairy and gluten free. We love Indonesian food, but this was probably the best curry I had ever tasted. This also made me even more excited for our upcoming trip to Indonesia in September.
We sampled much more though: there was plenty of Indian food and Korean and Thai fried chicken to go around. Every alleyway was dedicated to a specific part of the world, and the Italian one showcased another completely gluten free stand called Tapioc Gluten Free Wraps. We could not sample anything here, but we will be sure to try it next time. With much more gluten free options around, Camden Market is a must visit, if you need a change from the many great gluten free restaurants in London.
Overwhelmed by the wide choice of food stands? Then a guided Camden food tour might be a great idea! A quick search showed the tour ‘Flavours of Camden’, with lots of gluten free options in the tour description. When booking a food tour, make sure to contact the guide in advance, so everything can be arranged to suit your needs. You can book this food tour, and many others, through GetYourGuide.
Libby’s Bakery: Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurant in London
When you type in ‘gluten free bakeries in London’ on Google, Libby’s cannot be missed. With multiple locations around London, it is probably your best bet at finding last-minute croissants and loafs of sourdough bread. On our first morning of our trip, we decided to go explore Notting Hill, which conveniently had a Libby’s establishment. After walking through the neighborhood’s colorful streets, we reached the bakery around 11 AM, only to find that most of their pastries and loafs were sold out.
Lucky for me, they had one sourdough loaf left, and a bunch of croissants and pains au chocolat. I had one of the latter on the spot and we all ordered a cup of coffee. We also got to share one of their amazing brownies, which had a consistency closely related to fudge (yum!). After, I took some croissants home with me, and while the bread stayed fresh for a couple of days, the croissant got a little harder to chew (I also still think Craft’s croissants are the best in the world). So, make sure to get your croissants fresh, and get there on time as this gluten free bakery in London sells out quickly!
Where to Stay in Notting Hill
Besides Notting Hill being a lovely area to stay in, I would advise you to book an apartment or hotel here so you can get your gluten free croissants fresh every morning. If you are visiting London with family, consider this apartment close to Libby’s. It looks lovely and has three bedrooms that ensure everyone’s privacy. Going with a friend or your significant other? The Ruby Zoe Hotel is a great (and fancy!) option for those who love to be pampered. Notting Hill is a pricy area to stay in, however, but lucky for us, Libby’s has multiple venues, so check out where to stay on a budget here.
Rosa’s Thai
On Thursday we had plans to go see Abba Voyage and we did not want to feel to rushed by eating out, so: we ordered in. Our Airbnb was located in Richmond, where there seemed to be a Thai restaurant on each corner. We were immediately drawn to Rosa’s Thai, a chain with numerous establishments around the UK. Its colorful red exterior drew us in, and the smell of the several curries and pad thai plates made us stay to order a couple of curries.
The curries were marked gluten free but are cooked in an environment that may contain traces. Which was fine for me, but please check with them in advance if you are celiac. We ordered the Red Duck Pineapple Curry, ‘Gaeng Kiew Wan’ Green Curry, and the Gaeng Massaman, with mango sticky rice as dessert. All of these dishes were phenomenal and took me back to my trip to Thailand back in 2018. If you are in need of a quick but delicious meal, make sure to check them out to make your gluten free London trip complete.
The Comedy Store
A brief mention for this one on our second night: the Comedy Store in the heart of London. A venue where both newbies and established comedians get their time to shine. After lunch at Rovi’s (on which more later), we wanted something small and not too fussy to eat. The Comedy Store provided just that: snacks like nachos and loaded fries, as well as some burgers.
I ordered a burger without the bun, which was everything a burger should be, simple! This, again, was fine for me as a gluten intolerant traveler, but if you are celiac, I would recommend eating something at one of the many dedicated gluten free restaurants in London like Cream Dream Café in Covent Garden Ugly Dumpling in Soho before the start of the show.
Ottolenghi Café and Cakes
I am a huge Ottolenghi fan: I probably cook a recipe from his book Simple every week and would eat his food every day if I could. That London is an Ottolenghi treasure, I was not aware of and got a little bit too excited when we stumbled upon one of his cafés. These ventures are part bakery, part lunchroom and part shop, where you can buy his cookbooks, special ingredients and cakes.
At first glance, I was very disappointed that there were no gluten free signs hidden among the pastries. Hopelessly I asked the waiter if there was any chance I could eat one of them, to which he responded with: “four.” We tried two of them: the flourless orange and almond cake with chocolate ganache and the flourless lemon, polenta and pistachio cake. They also had a flourless chocolate and rum fondant cake and flourless white chocolate and macadamia cookie.
Afterwards, we took the tube to Hyde Park and had a picnic in the sun. The cakes were scrumptious: I love a little orange and chocolate action, but you can wake me up for pistachio and lemon any day too. Now it is time to go look for these recipes in Yotam’s cookbooks and come back to try the other two pastries. A little disclaimer for my celiac friends: the cakes were put in between gluten cakes, so the risk of cross-contamination is high.
Rovi
From dessert to lunch, nestled in an inconspicuous street in Fitzrovia, you will find Rovi, a restaurant that makes vegetables the star of the show. With produce from their own garden, the chefs at Rovi create dishes that just explode in your mouth with flavor. This eclectic looking restaurant greeted us with friendly faces when we came in.
I had informed the restaurant of my gluten intolerance beforehand, and from the get-go they were very knowledgeable of what I would and would not be able to eat. However, they could not provide a complete celiac safe environment, so eat here at your own risk. We had decided on the lunch menu, which was based on OTK: Shelf Love, a cookbook I have in my possession but have not yet cooked a recipe from (who else is guilty of collecting cookbooks?).
I had the summer courgettes with tomatoes and ricotta as a starter. While I usually think courgette can be a boring vegetable, these ones were both zesty, comforting and spicy. For the main I had the black lime beef skewers with sumac onions and a green salsa and labneh on the side. These skewers were cooked over an open fire, the smokey flavors mixed with the freshness of the labneh and the sharp spice of the salsa left me wanting more!
As a dessert I was able to pick something from the à la carte menu, as the muhallabieh was not gluten free, so I opted for the rhubarb rice pudding with cardamom custard and pistachio. This one brought me back to Nepal, where kheer (rice pudding) is a common dessert.
The atmosphere was great, the people friendly and the food was so good I could have not wanted more. However, I was just a tiny bit disappointed to find they could not accommodate celiac guests, and that with both my starter and main, they did not swap the pita bread with something gluten free, instead they put it in a separate bowl on the table.
But they did have a great surprise for Wessels parents, who were celebrating their anniversary, with another beautiful dessert and two glasses of champagne. I would recommend Rovi to any gluten intolerant traveler, but if Ottolenghi’s staff were to read this review, I would tell him to at least get some gluten free pita at Tesco to make the experience complete for all guests.
Where to Stay Near Rovi in Fitzrovia
If you would like to stay in the center of London, Fitzrovia is a great neighborhood with some quiet streets that will guarantee a good night’s sleep. Prices are high, but you will get good value for your money. Like the Rathbone Hotel with its luxe rooms that harbor a classic feel, or my favorite, the Magda Boutique Rooms with gorgeous lined bedding I just put on my wishlist and striped ceramic tiles I need in my bathroom. Click here to see the pictures.
Los Mochis: Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurant in London
One restaurant that knows how to do gluten free food right, is Los Mochis. A dedicated gluten free restaurant located in Notting Hill and London City, it has merged Mexican and Japanese food into a unique blend. With a tequila and mezcal bar upstairs, and a Yoda shrine at the entrance, it promised to be a good evening.
With an eighteen-page menu of dishes to be shared, there was a lot to choose from. From ceviche to salads and sushi to tacos, we tried our best to pick the best things on the menu. We started with crab guacamole and the spicy hiramasa sushi, which was a maki roll with yellowtail hiramasa, avocado, yuzu kosho, spring onion, jalapeño and truffle chili goma. The guacamole was the best I ever tasted (the addition of crab was genius), and the roll had great umami flavors without being too tangy or present.
For our main course we chose two types of tacos (which came per two): the pork carnitas with pulled pork, kimchi, green apple, ginger-garlic soy, and jalapeño, and the yakiniku with grass-fed sesame-soy steak, chilli-ginger honey, coriander, cabbage, radish, toasted sesame and mint cress. Both were delicious, but especially the second one was quite special. As a dessert I opted for the miso chocolate brownie, which was equally delicious!
The food was amazing, but we were a little taken aback by the tempo they put into it. Barely five minutes after ordering we already got our first course, which was way too fast. I also think the customer service could have benefited from a bigger personal touch: the haste with which the food was put on the table left little room for banter and smiles. However, one cannot argue with the quality of the food, and I will come back one day to try one of their special spicy margaritas. Los Mochis definitely puts the cherry on top of this gluten free London guide.
Want to make your romantic night at Los Mochis complete? I would recommend you stay in Notting Hill for this one as well, as nothing says romance more than taking an evening stroll through its classic, colorful streets. Consider the Portobello Hotel for some extra fanciness (just look at these rooms with their draped curtains and Bridgerton-esque wallpaper), or pick any hotel in Notting Hill to make your night complete.
Final thoughts on Gluten Free London
Although we were able to try as much as possible, there is still so much left to discover, as the gluten free restaurants in London are endless. I am already planning my next trip so I can try the tasting menu at Los Mochis.
Next time I will try my first fish and chips at Wicked fish in Spitalfields, eat at Ottolenghi’s other cafés and restaurants, explore more gluten free bakeries, go to Ugly Dumpling to stuff my face with steamed delights, revel in sweet pastries at Cream Dream, dream of Latin-America at Paladar and finally get some Indian food in London at Dishoom. London is also known for her many hidden bars, which are at the top of my bucket list!
One last tip before I go and make myself some dinner: make reservations for your brunches, lunches and dinners at restaurants! You will be severely disappointed if you do not, as London is a big and crowded city with everyone wanting a piece of the gluten free London pie. Want to know what to do in London? Check out this blog on the best activities in the city, or this one on the most beautiful neighborhoods to visit. Curious about future travels to London? Then stay up-to-date with all of my travel blogs by following me on Instagram or signing up to my newsletter. The latter will get you a gluten-free world map, for free!
