London: Where Gluten Free Stops Being a Search
My picks for eating safely — and actually choosing — in London
London draws from everywhere — Burmese, Vietnamese, Thai, Ukrainian — and a lot of those kitchens don't use wheat as a default. You stop hunting for the one safe option and start actually choosing.
These are my picks.
1. Lahpet
Burmese food, most of the menu naturally gluten free. I ordered two dishes.
The fish curry was spicy and tangy — the heat worked with the fish, not against it. It came with rösti and white rice. Not what I expected. Very good.
The lamb with green tea pesto was the real surprise. So tender, deeply flavourful, and the pesto — earthy, a bit like spinach but not quite — was something I had never tasted before. I would go back just for that.
Three locations: West End (21 Slingsby Place, Covent Garden), Shoreditch (58 Bethnal Green Road), Lahpet Larder in Bermondsey. Book ahead.
Not dedicated. Most of the menu naturally gluten free. Items clearly labelled.
Burmese Restaurant
2. Pho & Bun
98% of the menu is gluten free. You sit down and order. That's it.
I had the mango salad — fresh, a bit spicy, perfect for a summer day — and the brisket pho. The broth was rich and flavourful, the portion generous. Go hungry. The brisket version is spicy, so flag it if chilli is not your thing.
Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho.
Not dedicated. 98% of the menu gluten free.
Vietnamese restaurant
3. Cream Dream
100% gluten free, 100% plant-based, Ukrainian-owned patisserie in Covent Garden.
I had the scones — dense, crumbly, warm — with fresh strawberry jam and a very rich cream. With a cappuccino. It all matched perfectly. The croissant is also very good. Don't skip it.
46 Bedford Street, WC2E 9HA.
Fully dedicated.
Vegan Restaurant
Before you pack your snacks
Don't. London supermarkets have a solid gluten-free section — crackers, cookies, the essentials. Better than expected, more variety than you'd bring from home. Save the bag space for something else.
A note on safety:Lahpet and Pho & Bun are not dedicated facilities. If you are coeliac or highly sensitive, confirm when you arrive. Cream Dream is fully dedicated.
Browse all 60 places in London
The full directory — every gluten-free venue we track in the city