Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Traveling to Mexico and LA


doron

Recommended Posts

doron Rookie

Hello,

I'm traveling to Mexico and LA in January and I wanted to see if people can recommend me some safe gluten free places to eat, and any other tips.

I'm going to:

  1. Tulum
  2. Playa Del Carmen
  3. Cancun
  4. Isla Mujeres
  5. Los Angeles

I would really appreciate a list of safe restaurants and also if you could just let me know whether I'm in for a rough ride or whether Mexico is a pretty celiac-friendly place!

Thank you for your help! 

 


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



kenlove Rising Star
6 hours ago, doron said:

Hello,

I'm traveling to Mexico and LA in January and I wanted to see if people can recommend me some safe gluten free places to eat, and any other tips.

I'm going to:

  1. Tulum
  2. Playa Del Carmen
  3. Cancun
  4. Isla Mujeres
  5. Los Angeles

I would really appreciate a list of safe restaurants and also if you could just let me know whether I'm in for a rough ride or whether Mexico is a pretty celiac-friendly place!

Thank you for your help! 

 

in LA check out Sage which I think is on 7000 sunset Blvd.  Great place mostly  vegan and gluten free.  Been a long time since I was in mexico  but  black bean dishes and fish should be ok. Just have to amke sure the  tacos, tortilas and chips are 100% corn.  Out in the neighborhoods there are a lot of dishes with beans and rice with or without meat --  what they are  wrapped with is sometimes  questionable but most foods are based on corn. Good luck

 

ravenwoodglass Mentor

There are companies that make gluten free dining cards for various countries that may help you ask about the safety of foods if you are dining in restaurants or shopping. You might find those make it easier to inquire about the safety of foods when your traveling. Hope you enjoy your trip and don't end up glutened.

cyclinglady Grand Master

Power plant Superfood Cafe is 100% gluten free.  It is centrally located in LA.  Use the website “Find Me Gluten Free”.  Look for the reviews written by celiacs because there are a lot of people who eat gluten free and really do not have to worry as much!  

Kirari Bakeshop is in Redondo Beach on Pacific Coast Highway and they are also dedicated.  

Not sure if you are a Disney fan, but even the restaurants at downtown Disney (no charge) are really good about gluten free.  

Bring or buy some camping flatware, bowl or plate so you can eat at markets (tailgate/ picnic).  We do that a lot as it is safe and easier on the budget!  Stay at hostels where you would have access to a kitchen.  

Here is the site for cards that Raven mentioned.  We used them and they work even in markets where we can not read the labels.  Print a copy and put it in your phone.  

Open Original Shared Link

Finally, bring food with you in your carryon.  Do not count on the airline for food.  Even if you specify, in advance and repeatedly call, we have found that 50% of the time the airlines forget to order gluten-free food.  

Have fun! 

 

doron Rookie

Thank you all for your great suggestions! Will take all of it on board :)

CAFranklin Newbie

I currently live in central Mexico & used to live in Los Angeles. There are many places to eat in LA, & many grocery stores with gluten-free food.  In Mexico, there are now several grocery stores that carry gluten-free foods- bread, crackers, cookies & flour mixes. Try Soriana, Superama, and Mega Commercial. For restaurants in Mexico, ask the concierge at the hotel you stay in for recommendations. Usually the vegetarian restaurants will have some gluten-free food options.  

Good luck & have a great time traveling. 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,665
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Christa Cook
    Newest Member
    Christa Cook
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Inkie
      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
    • Scott Adams
      Welcome to the community! Generally, for a gluten challenge before celiac disease blood tests, Tylenol (acetaminophen) is considered safe and should not interfere with your antibody results. The medications you typically need to avoid are those like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) that can cause intestinal irritation, which could potentially complicate the interpretation of an endoscopy if you were to have one. However, it is absolutely crucial that you confirm this with either your gastroenterologist or your surgeon before your procedure. They know the specifics of your case and can give you the definitive green light, ensuring your surgery is comfortable and your celiac testing remains accurate. Best of luck with your surgery tomorrow
    • Xravith
      Thank you for the advice. I’ve actually never checked for nutritional deficiencies, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always taken vitamin and mineral supplements — otherwise my symptoms get worse. This week I stopped eating gluten to confirm whether my symptoms are really caused by it. Starting next week, I’ll reintroduce gluten — it’s sad to go back to how I was before — but at least I’ll be able to take the necessary tests properly. I think the diagnostic process will be long, but at least I’m happy that I finally decided to address this doubt I’ve had for years.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.