Gluten-Free: Casual in Boston

Dec 11, 2019

heading to boston?
Traveling to a new city is full of excitement, but it can be daunting - especially if you have a dietary restriction like celiac disease. It’s always good to do research, and have a list of places you want to try that you know are reliable and safe.

The worst thing in the world is when you’re somewhere unfamiliar and don’t know where to eat! Find Me Gluten Free can provide you with good ideas, but it’s always better to know before you head somewhere new.

Here’s my list of gluten-free casual places to eat in Boston. Perfect stops for lunch during your busy day of sightseeing (or meetings… if you’re here on business)! 

Look out for my Boston gluten-free guide on the more local dinner restaurants, coming soon!! Sign up for my newsletter to be the first to hear about it - AND receive a free gluten-free dining card when you sign up!

NOTE: These are not dedicated gluten-free facilities. The staff takes care to ensure you’re safe and everything is clean, but keep in mind there’s always a chance of cross contamination when eating in non-dedicated facilities.


gluten-free boston

honeygrow
I hadn’t tried Honeygrow until the beginning of this summer, and I’m so disappointed I hadn’t! Honeygrow serves fun, healthy salads and stir fries, and their whole menu is labeled with gluten-free GF labels, (and V for vegan!). You order and pay on kiosks, which cuts down on miscommunication about dietary needs and menu modifications. Then they serve your bowl either on a tray to sit down, or to go! The environment is bright and clean, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Try one of their salads, you won’t be disappointed!

My Favorite? Cobb salad with feta instead of blue cheese!

LOCATIONS:
1282 BOYLSTON ST (FENWAY)
100 Northern Ave (Seaport)
125 Summer St

cava
Cava has locations around Massachusetts (and the United States), and was introduced to it last summer when a location opened near my house. They consider themselves a “growing Mediterranean culinary brand with a flavorful and healthy fast-casual restaurant experience,” and they serve salads, grain bowls, and (not gluten-free) pitas. Most of their options are gluten-free, with the exception of their pita bread, falafel, and potentially a couple other options. Similar to Chipotle, you walk down the line and choose what you want. Bases like greens or rice, spreads like hummus and harissa, protein like chicken, then toppings and dressing. From my experience, they are extremely educated on allergies (and knowledgeable on celiac disease), and have always been willing to help me and understanding the severity of celiac disease. The food tastes good, and I’m confident that it’s safe and relatively healthy! They even offer flyers with all allergens listed out in all their products. Super helpful to refer to while ordering!

My Favorite? Romaine, brown rice, hummus, harissa, chicken, quinoa, banana peppers, cucumbers and greek dressing!

LOCATIONS:
669 Boylston Street (Back Bay)
1346 Boylston Street (Fenway)
82 Ames Street, Cambridge, MA02142 (Kendall Square)

sweetgreen
Keeping with the healthy theme, Sweetgreen is a great option if you’re looking for a salad. They offer a seasonally rotating menu, and their menu is very clearly marked gluten-free. The staff is educated on celiac disease and allergies, and have always been willing to help meet my needs. Not to mention, the salads are amazing! Sweetgreen is a must-try, but the lines can get very long so if you’re in a rush - order ahead online!

LOCATIONS:
372 Congress St, 47 Northern Ave
354 Harrison Ave, 225 Franklin St
87 Summer St, 13 School St
60 State St, 659 Boylston St
132 Brookline Ave (Fenway) & the Prudential Center

dig inn
Another build-your-own style restaurant, Dig Inn serves bowls with seasonally rotating ingredients. Not everything is gluten-free, but the gluten-containing items are extremely limited and the staff knows exactly what contains gluten. Choose a base, sides, and dressing! The food is fresh, tastes good, and there’s always something different on the menu.

LOCATIONS:
277 Washington St
557 Boylston St
800 Boylston St

by chloe.
By Chloe is a completely plant based restaurant. While they have options with gluten, many of their menu items are also available gluten-free (including vegan mac and cheese!). They have several gluten-free salads, to-go items, fries and even desserts. This is perfect for anyone who wants to stay strictly dairy free along with being gluten-free!

LOCATIONS:
132 Brookline Ave
100 Van Ness St (Fenway)
399 Boylston St

blaze
Moving away from the theme of healthy stuff, Blaze. You may have seen me talk about Blaze on Instagram, because it’s one of my favorite spots for pizza. You can build your own (again, just like Chipotle!), or choose from one of their menu pizzas. The pizzas are cooked in the same oven, but on special mats - and the staff is always very good about changing their gloves and taking toppings from fresh containers. Plus - they have TWO gluten-free crust options. One is gluten-free and dairy free, and the other is keto (containing dairy). You have tons of options, and the pizza is great! My favorite part? The glazes. Choose something to go on top of your pizza after it’s cooked - my favorite is balsamic!

My Favorite? Gluten-free crust, spicy red sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni or grilled chicken, banana peppers and balsamic after it’s cooked!

LOCATIONS:
123 Stuart St
1282 Boylston St (Fenway)
961 Commonwealth Avenue

oath
Similar idea to Blaze, Oath has a build-your-own pizza approach, with plenty of gluten-free options (including crust). You can do a full or a half pizza, and they cook it on its own surface to avoid cross contamination. They have a few more options than Blaze, but you can build your own pizza or choose from one of their menu items. They’re fast, their entire menu is labeled gluten-free with “GF” and vegan “V!” so you never have to wonder. They have garnishes at the end, similar to Blaze’s glazes. They’re all gluten-free! Great finishing touch.

LOCATIONS: 
1348 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215 (right next to Fenway!)
700 Atlantic Ave, Boston, MA 02110 (in South Station)
181 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139
210 Boylston St, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
280 Elm St, Somerville, MA 02144
276 Harvard St, Brookline, MA

fomu
Finally, dessert! Fomu is a small chain in Massachusetts, serving completely plant-based ice cream. It’s so good, you will never know its dairy free. Not all of their ice creams are gluten-free, but their menu is very clearly labeled and the staff is very educated on the menu. They’ll change their gloves, and use a clean ice cream scoop. Enjoy!

My Favorite? George Howell Cold Brew!

LOCATIONS:
655 Tremont St
481 Cambridge St
140 Brookline Ave (Fenway)
617 Centre St
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