Whether you’re allergic or in search of an alternative to gluten and dairy, there are plenty of restaurants in Cleveland that are producing gluten-free and dairy-free meals.
Café Avalaun (GF/DF)
4640 Richmond Rd., Warrensville Heights
Café Avalaun is the only 100% gluten-free facility in Cleveland. They also have options for vegans, dairy-free sweets, and nut-free offerings as well. This small shop in Warrensville Heights serves one of the best cups of coffee in Cleveland and produces crepes that rival the glutinous ones.
Flip Side (GF)
19071 Old Detroit Rd., Rocky River | 44 N. Main St., Chagrin Falls | 49 Village Way, Hudson
With a few locations around Northeast Ohio, you can get your burger fix at Flip Side any time. Gluten-free buns are available upon request! And the Rocky River location is confirmed to have a dedicated gluten-free fryer.
Arepas are delicious, corn-based tortillas stuffed with different fillings.
Barroco (GF/DF)
12906 Madison Ave., Lakewood | 12718 Larchmere Blvd., Cleveland | 287 Crocker Park Blvd., Westlake
Barroco’s menu is allergy-friendly, indicating when something is not gluten-free rather than the typical “GF” mark you might find on other menus. They can turn many of their menu items into vegetarian options, and while few things on the menu are marked as vegan, you can customize items to be vegan. Their specialty is arepas, which are white hominy corn tortillas stuffed with any number of fillings…there aren’t any bad choices!
Siam Cafe (GF/DF)
3951 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland
While nothing on the menu is marked “gluten-free,” Siam Cafe has tons of dishes that fall into the category. They have many rice noodle-based dishes, and you can tweak some dishes to ensure a gluten-free meal. (Rice noodles are typically gluten-free, but always double-check with your server!) Siam also has a vegetarian section that includes vegan options.
Anatolia Café (GF/DF)
2270 Lee Rd., Cleveland Heights
Close to the Executive Arrangements office, we have Anatolia Café. This is another restaurant that doesn’t have a specific gluten-free menu, but there are a variety of items that fall into that category. Watch out for the rice, which has orzo mixed in! Otherwise, double check with your server, but there should be both gluten-free and dairy-free dishes for you to enjoy.
Bar Cento (GF/DF)
1948 W. 25th St., Ohio City
If you’re out in Ohio City, check out Bar Cento for an inclusive menu. Everything is clearly labeled when it’s gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan. They also can switch out pasta dishes for gluten-free noodles.
Our visit to Little Italy during out Connect to CLE event
Mia Bella (GF)
12200 Mayfield Rd, Little Italy
If you’re craving pizza, Mia Bella has gluten-free crusts. They also serve gluten-free pasta upon request. You can’t get much better than Little Italy as a backdrop for your night on the town!
There are far too many amazing restaurants around Cleveland to list that are accommodating to food allergies, but here are a few more: Nemo Grille, L’Albatros, Gigi’s on Fairmount, and Taki’s Greek Kitchen. A huge thank you to our very own Lynne Brenner for sending us her recommendations!
Do you have a favorite gluten-free or dairy-free restaurant? Comment below!