• england •
A Celiac's Dream Trip to England: Gluten-Free Eats & Must-See Sights
London has always been a bucket-list destination for me, but as someone with celiac disease, traveling can be tricky. Thankfully, London is a dream for gluten-free foodies, with tons of dedicated GF spots to try! If it’s gluten-free, it’s for me—so here’s my recap of my GF trip, with all the best eats and sights for fellow celiacs. 🎡💂🏼♂️🇬🇧
✈️ Day 1: Travel & Arrival
I took off from JFK in the evening, enjoying a nice slumber on the plane ride there to get ready for a long day in London ahead in the morning!
🍽️ Day 2: Exploring Kensington & Notting Hill
After dropping off our bags at the Airbnb in Kensington, our first stop was Dendara, a dedicated gluten-free and dairy-free bakery just two minutes away. Their pastries and coffee were the INCREDIBLE! So good, we came back the next day too.
Next up: Kensington Palace and a stroll through Notting Hill. I couldn’t resist stopping at Libby’s Notting Hill, another completely gluten-free café, for a mid-day treat. Everything looked amazing, and because they were closing we were able to get some additional treats for free. The chocolate croissant and cinnamon bun were excellent. We enjoyed the tea and treats for a quick pick me up before continuing along our way.
Dinner was at Los Mochis Notting Hill, a fusion of Mexican and Japanese cuisine that’s 100% gluten-free. Yes, you read that right—GF sushi and tacos! Safe, delicious, and beyond flavorful. One of the best meals of the trip with incredible food concepts!
👑 Day 3: Royalty & Historic Landmarks
We accidentally overslept and missed watching the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace but after a quick bagel and leftover treats from Libby’s from the day before, we continued on our way of classic sightseeing: Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and the Churchill War Rooms.
Breakfast was of course Dendara again - because WOW was that good. The coffee was delicious and Ethan loved the chai - we enjoyed sipping them while we jumped on the bus to make our way to the main spots.
We walked around Westminster Abbey, explored the area to see Big Ben and catch a view of the London Eye (didn’t ride it of course as heights are NOT my thing lol). We then enjoyed another treat we took on the go from Dendara at a park nearby before heading into the Churchill War Rooms. We absolutely LOVED it - we were there for 3-4 hours oops! By the time we were done, it was time to head to meet friends for an early reservation at Brigadiers, a lively Indian restaurant with a wonderful allergen menu and excellent allergy protocols. I had the most amazing gluten free chicken tikka masala (YUM!) and enjoyed mini golf at Puttshack across the street.
🚂 Day 4: Off to the Countryside
After checking out of our Airbnb, I had a GoMacro bar and hopped over to King’s Cross Station (of course, we had to take a peek at Platform 9 ¾, but we did not wait in the long line!). Before heading out, I grabbed some coffee and got Ethan tea for our little over an hour train ride to Ely.
Our friends picked us up at Elys station and took us around to see Elys Cathedral and give us a tour of the area towards Mildenhall.
The rest of the day was spent with friends in Mildenhall touring the bases nearby. For lunch, I couldn’t find any meals I felt comfortable eating so I had a handy Rice Ramen Cup (highly recommend traveling with these on hand).
We then went to the grocery store to pick up gluten free treats and a frozen GF pizza for dinner. Ethan and our buddies ordered in, and we enjoyed this delicious dessert (Daim almond cake with chocolate and crunchy caramel) afterwards.
🐟🍟 Day 5: Cambridge Adventures
A day trip to Cambridge meant stunning architecture, historical colleges, and a stop at The Architect, a restaurant known for GF-friendly options (the wife of the couple who owns it has celiac disease, so most items on the menu were gluten free!)
We wandered through the town, shopping, and yapping along the way. I had snacks and goodies from the grocery run the night before for breakfast, but lunch was fried chicken and fried halloumi and chips which was INSANELY DELICIOUS. Cambridge is full of charm and well worth a visit, especially for a trip to The Architect, I would go back just for the halloumi! After lunch and some more walking around, we trained our way back to London, where we dropped off our stuff at our next AirBnb and headed to Pho for pho, of course. Pho has a mainly gluten free menu and is coeliac accredited - not only was it safe but it was delicious. I got the beef brisket pho and an insane pandan waffle with mango sorbet on top for dessert.
🌉 Day 6: Tower of London & More Eats
We started the day by running over to Sainbury’s for a quick GF breakfast (shoutout to Free From’s scones!) and some Costa coffee. Then we made our way over Tower Bridge to the Tower of London (hello, crown jewels!) in time for the next free tour of the grounds.
After, we explored Sky Garden, a free (you do have to book in advance) spot with an excellent view of the city. Afterwards, we stopped at Fortnum and Mason on the way to Browns Old Jewry afternoon tea. Weirdly, we booked afternoon tea at 2, but they claimed it wasn’t serving their afternoon until 3pm, so we ordered our tea early and sat and enjoyed the ambiance for an hour until 3pm.
I want to preface by saying Browns Old Jewry is coeliac accredited - the gluten free spread was delicious but I did end up getting sick. Ethan and I think it could have been the clotted cream (my bad?), but I would be a bad celiac bestie if I didn’t share the truth. The next few hours I was stuck at a nearby Whole Foods (shoutout to Ethan for being the very best and to Whole Foods for always having a bathroom), until I was able to hold it together to see Devil Wears Prada on Broadway! It was excellent, and while the night was rough (we missed the chance to try Ugly Dumpling which I was so excited for) it was a nice reminder that it doesn’t have to ruin the whole night. After the show, we went back to the AirBnb, and I had leftover from Pho from the night before.
🛫 Day 7: Heading Home
On our last morning, we had some time so we ran over to Borough Market for some gluten free goodies, starting with the Free From tent for a baked good (I forgot what it was called ah but it was amazing) and then the life changing Tacos Padre (dedicated GF!!!!) for 3 different tacos to try a few different flavors. The cauliflower taco was excellent, but they all were so yummy I highly recommend taking a stop over there for lunch on your next trip!
For any celiacs out there—don’t stress, London has you covered! From bakeries to fine dining, the city is incredibly accommodating, but still a wonderful reminder that reminding me that even in the face of too much clotted cream potentially, I can still enjoy new experiences and delicious food. I can’t wait to return and eat my way through even more gluten-free goodness. Until next time, London!
TLDR: GF england bites
Gluten-Free London: Celiac-Safe Eats
Dendara – 100% GF bakery with pastries, cakes, and coffee.
Libby’s Notting Hill – Dedicated GF café with sweet and savory treats.
Los Mochis Notting Hill – Fully GF Mexican-Japanese fusion (sushi & tacos!).
Brigadiers – Indian restaurant with a separate allergen menu. Excellent allergen protocols.
The Architect (Cambridge) – Celiac-safe pub with GF British fare. Co-owner has celiac disease!
Pho - Coeliac accredited pho with a mainly gf menu. Delicious!
Browns Old Jewry – Coeliac accredited high tea with scones, sandwiches, & pastries. ⚠️ I did get sick after, but we think from the clotted cream ⚠️
Free From tent in Borough Market – Great baked goods free from allergens.
Tacos Padres – Fully GF taqueria with authentic flavors.
Celiac-friendly and absolutely delicious—London’s GF scene does not disappoint! 🍰✨
