London

[Ruth]

Just wanted to share our recent experiences in London! We had a great trip: here's where we ate:

Cote Bistro/brasserie: multiple locations throughout the city. We ate at two different locations; Kennsington & near St. Paul's Cathedral. Both have great gluten-free menus and attentive staff.

Belle Italia: also multiple locations throughout the city. We ate at the South Kennsington location. Excellent gluten-free menu. Pizza, grilled chicken salad. All excellent.

Honest Burger: Soho location. This is amazing!! Everything is gluten-free (except the regular buns, but they have a gluten-free bun) burgers, vegetarian fritters, rosemary "chips" (French fries) So good, we went there twice:) also the have homemade lemonade, gluten-free beer, ice tea, etc, YUM!

Brown's: multiple locations, we went to the Victoria Station location. Good gluten-free menu, steak, chicken, etc.

Otto: really unique Gluten free cornmeal crust pizza. Unlike anything we have had before, and really great! It is located in knotting hill, a little out of the way, but worth the trip!

We stayed in an apartment style hotel to accomodate our family of 5. Having a kitchen was good for breakfast and packing a lunch every day. We bought Genius gluten-free bread at the local Tesco market. We also went to Whole Foods in Kennsington, but is wasn't as good for gluten-free as I would have thought. We brought our own cereal, macro bars, and glutinous pretzels.

I'm happy to answer any specific questions of your are planing a trip to London!

[Saz]

London is good for gluten-free.  I've been twice. On my second trip I found a whole foods near Picciadilly- I'd read that they have good gluten-free but was dissapointed in the end.

 

The food hall at Slefridges has some good gluten-free stuff. Also there is a little Bakery in Brixton Market that only do gluten-free. I went about 10am and they literally only had one pie and and one cake available ( as in one individual pie and one individual cake). When I went back a little while later they had more options. I guess it is good in a way because what you end up with is really fresh, but if you are going to go I would plan to do a few other things in Brixton rather than just going for that.

 

I will have to try honest burgers on my next trip.  I ate at Leon a few times on my recent trip. Would be a bit weary of the Soho branch though. When I tried to clarify if a sauce was gluten-free and was told it probably was, the staff that were on seemed to be a little annoyed I wanted them to check but they did. I shouldn't judge they might just have been having a bad night.

 

Also there is a muffin shop in Covent garden that do really nice gluten-free muffins and soup. It's in one of the side streets away from the market- as you are walking toward the tesco.

[Gemini]

I have been to London many times and am going again in 6 weeks.  I ate at Cote Bistro on my last trip in 2010 and the food was amazing.  They did not have a gluten-free menu then but were more than accommodating.  The waiter was from Italy and he knew exactly what to do.  The breakfast there was also great.  I usually rent a flat and cook in but my husband wanted a full English so we went back to Cote and it was pretty easy for me to order a gluten-free breakfast there. They had no gluten-free bread but I was able to order eggs, smoked salmon, tomatoes and mushrooms. It was perfectly prepared but they are French so you can't go wrong.

 

I found the Whole Foods Market on Kensington High Street to have lots of gluten-free stuff so we shopped there exclusively.  I am surprised that your experience wasn't the same as mine but it happens. 

 

You have listed restaurants I have not been to before so thank you for that!  There are many choices in London for gluten-free but it's always good to hear of new places to try.  There is one in Leicester Square called Mermaids where you can get gluten-free fish and chips.  The portions were HUGE and excellent!  Oh, my...I am getting very excited to go and can add these places to my ever growing list.  Thanks so much!!!!!! 

[Saz]

Mermaids is now called Grill on the Square. Dinned there twice. The first time I ordered gluten-free fish and chips but I knew by looking at it that they had given me the regular one. I questioned it and they were happy to fix it for me. The second time I had no problem.  Also try La Tasca.  It a tapas chain. Lots of gluten free options and ideal in a group, just take a note of what everyone orders and don't eat the not gluten-free ones. The gluten-free dishes aren't obviously gluten-free in taste, so dinning companions (and you!) won't feel your missing anything.

 

Most Starbucks offer a gluten-free sandwich. They only seem to have one option a day, but the bread they make it on is nice.  A few times I haven't been near a supermarket or a place saying they can do gluten-free, so been greatful for the starbucks.

 

Marks and Spencer also now do gluten-free sandwiches, which I had for lunch many times. I also like that they label alot of their stuff that is gluten-free by ingredient on the pack. They seem to do this especially with a lot their desserts. It saves time and they don't jack up the price, although they are probably a bit more expensive than other places, even on the regular food.

[Gemini]

Thank you for heads up on the name change for Mermaids.  I love Leicester Square on a Saturday night!  Thank goodness they gave me the correct gluten-free fish and chips...that would have been a disaster. But you are right.....I am at the point where now I can tell just by looking at food whether it is gluten-free or not.  The food was very good there and sometimes you just want some English fish and chips!

 

As for Starbucks, it annoys me to no end that I can get food at Bucky's in Britain yet here in the States they will not do gluten-free sandwiches.  It's a liability issue here. Americans are so sue happy and the laws are different in Britain and protect businesses from frivolous lawsuits.  I wish it were the same here.  We always got the salads at Starbuck's and they were labeled gluten-free and delicious.  I really should be living there.......

 

Never tried Marks and Spencer for food but will now. This is very helpful!  I want some gluten-free Cumberland sausage and I heard Marks makes some. I love those things and haven't had any on the last 2 trips.  Oh, the possibilities.........