Destination Guide: Gluten-Free Seattle, Washington
- Alina
- Jan 2, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 13
When it comes to the U.S., Seattle is one of the easier places to find safe places to eat — including a number of 100% dedicated gluten-free restaurants. So without further ado, the following are our tips, tricks, and recommendations for a Celiac-safe vacation.
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Table of contents:
Restaurants
Recommended Eats
Safety: ★★★★★
Dedicated, 100% gluten-free restaurant and brewery.
Taste: ★★★★★
If you’re like me, something about a gluten-free diet makes you crave fried food more than ever. Ghostfish is the perfect place to get your fix, with dishes ranging from onion rings, wings, fish & chips, and burgers to mac n’ cheese, tacos and pork belly bites. They also have brunch on Sundays, several desserts, and a ton of gluten-free beers — we don’t drink ourselves, but my beer-loving and gluten-eating father really enjoyed them!
Must try: Pork belly bites
Overall Experience: ★★★★★
Ghostfish is a must-visit if you’re in Seattle! Not gonna lie, we stayed overnight in Seattle on our way to Leavenworth, WA just so we could eat here a second time.
Safety: ★★★★★
Dedicated, 100% gluten-free and vegan ice cream shop.
Taste: ★★★★☆
GLUTEN-FREE CONES! And so many unique flavors to choose from.
Overall Experience: ★★★★☆
Not my favorite ice cream in the world, but a really solid option, and really lightens the mental load to not have to worry about safety or extra precautions like requesting fresh ice cream from the back.
A Stir (previously known as Capitol Cider)
Safety: ★★★★☆
Dedicated, 100% gluten-free kitchen, but some of their beer, etc. is not gluten-free.
Taste: ★★★★★
We visited back in their “Capitol Cider” days, and their mac n’ cheese, fish & chips, and french toast were the things dreams are made of. Seriously, we still salivate at the thought of that mac n’ cheese. Unfortunately, only the fish & chips remain on their new menu, but I’m sure their new items are delicious too!
Overall Experience: ★★★★★
HIGHLY recommend a visit, and come hungry so you can try lots of dishes! It’s also a fun neighborhood to explore before/after your meal.
Note: This place is popular, so we’d recommend making a reservation!
Safety: ★★★★☆
The vast majority of their menu is gluten-free, and staff are very knowledgeable about cross contact to safely accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros
Gluten-free is the default on their menu, so any items with gluten are labeled with a “G”
Servers typically ask if the table has any allergies they should be aware of, and will mark your order accordingly
Cons
N/A
Note: They have a number of locations in the U.S. — we more regularly go to their San Ramon restaurant in the SF Bay Area and have always had a good, safe experience!
Taste: ★★★★★
Our fav gluten-free sushi spot! And if anyone in your party isn’t a big fan of raw fish, they also have a number of yummy veggie rolls and other cooked options. Their mocktails are fun, too!
Must tries:
Appetizers/Small Plates: Chicken Karaage, Tempura
Sushi: Chef’s Snack, Green Machine signature roll, Veggie + Tamago roll
Overall Experience: ★★★★★
One of our go-to’s, and the perfect spot if you have a hankering for sushi. They’re also strongly committed to sustainability (they were the world’s first sushi restaurant to be certified for it!), so you can feel good about the impact of your dining choices.
Note: This place is popular, so we’d recommend making a reservation!
Safety: ★★★★☆
Not dedicated gluten-free, but staff are very knowledgeable about cross contact and able to safely accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros:
Well-versed and kind about celiac safety, including boiling gluten-free pasta in separate water, etc. I felt very safe here!
Cons:
No dedicated kitchen
Their menu was a bit unclear on what was gluten-free (for example, it said all of the main courses were gluten-free on the pre-fix menu, yet when we asked the waitress, there were a couple items on there that actually weren’t gluten-free), so be sure to confirm with your server
Taste: ★★★★★
Delicious Italian food, including cheese that was even better than any we had during our vacation to Italy! We had the set Thanksgiving menu, including an appetizer, main course (they even had traditional turkey/ham meals), side, and dessert, and everything was great! I’d love to visit again and try more of their pasta options.
Must try: Their burrata appetizer is to die for!
Overall Experience: ★★★★★
We were in Seattle on Thanksgiving day, so it was a HUGE relief to find a place that was both open + safe for celiacs. Highly recommend a visit! Side note: It was too cold to take advantage of during our visit, but their outdoor seating is very cute!
Note: This place is on the smaller side, so we’d recommend making a reservation!
Safety: ★★★★☆
Not dedicated gluten-free, but servers are knowledgeable and able to safely accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros:
Gluten-free items are marked on the menu, including their signature chowders!
Cons:
No dedicated kitchen
Note: We went to the South Lake Union restaurant, but there are numerous locations in the area.
Taste: ★★★★★
Delicious seafood, including but not limited to fish tacos, bacon-wrapped shrimp, and deviled eggs topped with crab. Note: I also have a shellfish intolerance, so I stuck to fish and therefore can’t personally vouch for the safety of their shellfish items. But they seemed knowledgeable about cross contact, so I wouldn’t anticipate an issue there.
Must try: Chowder sampler
Overall Experience: ★★★★★
When you’re near the coast, seafood is a must — Duke’s answers the call!
Note: This place is hopping, even during lunch, so we’d recommend making a reservation!
Safety: ★★★★☆
Not dedicated gluten-free, but staff were knowledgeable and able to safely accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros:
Gluten-free items are marked on the menu
Lots of variety to choose from
Cons:
No dedicated kitchen. Be sure to let them know it’s an allergy so they can take extra precautions, such as not mixing the salad with the dressing themselves.
Taste: ★★★★☆
I was craving a salad after a deluge of fried food on our trip, and Bounty Kitchen’s thai peanut & basil salad hit the spot!
Overall Experience: ★★★★★
Fresh, yummy food in a really cute neighborhood. If you’re into board games, walk over to Blue Highway Games a couple minutes away — you can even play many of the games before you buy them!
Others We Tried
Safety: ★★★★★
Dedicated, 100% gluten-free bakery.
Taste: ★★★☆☆
We weren’t blown away when we visited in 2021, but still a solid option to get your day started on the right foot! More recent visitors have raved about them, however, so they may have leveled up since our last visit.
Overall Experience: ★★★★☆
It’s not a gluten-free vacation without trying the local gluten-free bakery! Or in our case, EVERY gluten-free bakery. ;)
Safety: ★★★★☆
Not dedicated gluten-free, but servers are knowledgeable and can accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros:
Gluten-free items are marked on the menu (but we’d still clarify re: cross contact risk before ordering)
100% vegetarian without sacrificing on flavor, making it a great option for both vegetarians and meat-eaters
BRUNCH!
Cons:
No dedicated kitchen
Taste: ★★★★☆
Lots of variety too!
Overall Experience: ★★★★☆
We enjoyed our meal here, and it’s always great to stumble upon a (often elusive) celiac-safe breakfast! We haven’t visited since 2021, and kitchen staff may be different, so be sure to have a thorough conversation with your server about cross-contact risk before ordering.
Note: They also have a sister restaurant — Floret — located within the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. We haven’t visited this location yet, but expect it would be a good option for travel days.
Safety: ★★★★☆
Not dedicated gluten-free, but servers are knowledgeable and can accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros:
Gluten-free items are marked on the menu
A fun treat to have hot pot safely!
Cons:
Shared fryer, so don’t order any fried items — not even the ones that are marked gluten-free
Some of the meats aren’t gluten-free, likely due to marinades
Taste: ★★★☆☆
I didn’t love the flavor profile of the soup I ordered, but other broths may be better!
Overall Experience: ★★★★☆
A safe and fun hot pot experience a la Tasty Pot! Bonus points: it’s super close to a dedicated gluten-free ice cream place, Frankie & Jo’s, to end your night on a sweet note.
Grillbird Teriyaki
Safety: ★★★☆☆
Not dedicated gluten-free, but they can accommodate patrons with celiac disease.
Pros:
Dedicated gluten-free fryer, as of 2023
Gluten-free items are marked on the menu
Cons:
I read about someone finding (gluten-full) mac & cheese in their cucumber salad once. I didn’t experience this myself, but flagging so you can proceed with caution.
I ate here safely back in 2021.
Taste: ★★★☆☆
Personally, I found the food to be mediocre, but my husband enjoyed it, and the restaurant has also been included on Kenji López-Alt’s Let’s Eat guide.
Overall Experience: ★★★☆☆
Not a restaurant I’d seek out, but a good option in the Alki Beach area, nonetheless.
Hangry Panda
Safety: ★☆☆☆☆
Not recommended for celiacs or others sensitive to cross contact.
Pros:
Separate gluten-free menu for food
Cons:
I ordered a caramel milk tea and cucumber salad, and was severely glutened. The milk tea seemed to be the culprit, but I can’t say with 100% certainty which one it was.
Taste: ★★★☆☆
Overall Experience: ★☆☆☆☆
To be fair, we haven’t visited since 2021, and there have been many favorable reviews since then by other celiacs on the FMGF app. Nonetheless, based on our experience, I can’t recommend the risk, and I wouldn’t go back myself.
Additional Researched Options
You can find our full list of researched restaurants, including some we didn’t get a chance to visit ourselves, on Find Me Gluten Free here (get $5 off FMGF Premium here).**Please note, all places on this list were well-reviewed for celiac safety at the time of our visit, but that may have changed since then and we only were able to visit the above restaurants ourselves. Be sure to read the reviews and do your own due diligence before visiting.
Food Safety Tips
Tourist Attractions and Activities
Once you’ve got the food sorted, here’s a few fun attractions and activities to consider in Seattle and the surrounding area as you’re planning your trip. We also found CityPass and their mini C3 pass to be a great deal for this city if you’re visiting for the first time!
Enjoy the View
Space Needle
Great views of Mount Rainier if you get a clear day!
Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour
Our favorite part of the trip — perfect for the summer
Seattle Great Wheel
A fun ferris wheel with water and city views at Pier 57
Kerry Park
Our favorite view of the city, and a cute neighborhood to boot!
Grey's Anatomy House
A quick jaunt from Kerry Park in the Queen Anne neighborhood, and a must for any Grey’s fans! Address here.
Ballard Locks
An impressive feat of engineering whereby the locks drop the water level by as much as 26 feet to allow boats to pass between the Puget Sound, Lake Washington, and Lake Union
Explore the Great Outdoors
Alki Beach
Beach bonfire, anyone?
Mount Rainier
Get out in nature and enjoy some hiking
Culture It Up
Chihuly Garden and Glass
We LOVE this place! If you like art or Instagram-worthy pops of color, be sure to check out this unique art museum that blends glass sculpture and nature.
Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)
Breathing fresh life into the museum concept, we especially loved the temporary Disney movie costume exhibit they had when we visited!
Boeing Future of Flight
Give your aviation nerd their wings with a tour of the Boeing plant
Get Your Shop On
Pike’s Place
Seattle’s original farmers market, home to the famous fish toss
Twice Sold Tales
Love used books? Love cats? This bookstore is your dream-come-true.
Beecher's Cheese Shop
Because who doesn’t like cheese?
The Elliot Bay Book Company
A HUGE independent bookstore
Blue Highway Games
Take a break from your Queen Anne neighborhood roaming to browse (and play!) their extensive selection of board games
Embrace Your Inner Child
Seattle Aquarium
Otters! Jellies! And many more!
Seattle Pinball Museum
Unlimited play with the price of admission, perfect for a rainy day
***Dates of travel: November 2023, January 2023, and June 2021