My Gluten-Free Kitchen

Away from home, I’ve found that asking for recommendations from locals is usually the best way to approach dining out. Enquiring in a local subreddit will typically get a few recommendations – both where to dine and where to avoid!

For New Orleans earlier this year, I found that most people in the NOLA subreddit directed curious tourists (and new arrivals to the city) to the Crescent City Gluten Free Facebook page. I’m glad I stumbled upon the recommendations because this group was a brilliant, useful resource!

The group is quite strict about recommendations, meaning that if there is even a risk of cross-contamination they don’t like to recommend it, but we found plenty of brilliant options in this group, and we ate very well during the trip as a result.

There is so much great information in the Crescent City GF group that I didn’t feel the need to ask any questions. Simply searching the post history for meal ideas – for example ‘brunch’ or a location like the ‘French Quarter’ – brought up loads of great suggestions (and usually places to avoid, too!)

Overall, New Orleans was a surprisingly gluten-friendly city. Between upscale restaurants, local cuisine and casual cafes, there was always something to satisfy my gluten-free needs. 

As always, I recommend you do your own research to make sure a place suits your needs. Don’t be afraid to emphasise your dietary requirements and trust your intuition!

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Maïs Arepas (CBD)

We ate very well across the whole trip, but when we look back on our favourite meals of the honeymoon, Maïs Arepas has to be up there.

The first meal we ate here was so delicious and memorable that we chose to return on our last night in the US, to make sure we ended the trip on a high.

Almost everything on the menu at Maïs Arepas is gluten-free, which meant that I had a rarely encountered problem – I was spoilt for choice!

We shared the sampler arepas to start – skirt steak, chicken, and pork shoulder – which were all delicious and had us very excited for the main course.

Dave went for the Bandeja Paisa – a mixed grill dish with chicharrón, chorizo, steak, plantains, rice, greens, beans, avocado and egg – phew, that’s quite a list! This was our first time trying Colombian food, so I think he achieved his goal of trying as much variety as possible!

I went for the Arepas Marineras, stuffed with Gulf shrimp, citrus slaw, avocado, and salsa rosada. Every bite was packed with flavour, the sharp citrus slaw bringing out the fresh juiciness of the shrimp – it was my first time venturing into the world of Colombian cuisine, and I already knew it wouldn’t be my last!

And so, on the last evening of the trip, we decided to take our time walking back to the CBD for our final dinner of the honeymoon. We wanted to end the trip on a delicious high, and Maïs Arepas delivered once again.

This time we decided to share the empanadas, filled with steak and yellow potato stew, along with the chicken and steak brochetas. For the main course, I went for the Arepa de Cerda (pulled pork, pickled onions, and plantains) whilst Dave opted for the Chorizarepa, with chorizo, mozzarella, and avocado.

If it weren’t for the location (just a little too far from the main drag to be convenient, and it didn’t feel like the safest walk after dark) we could have easily ended up back here a third time. That’s not to say it wasn’t worth the short trip from where we were staying, but there was also the matter of there being a whole host of other places we wanted to try in NOLA.

Whether you’re gluten-free or not, Maïs Arepas should absolutely be on your New Orleans bucket list. You’ll just wish you’d made it there sooner!

Recommended for:

• Lunch
• Dinner

Bearcat (CBD)

We loved Bearcat so much we ended up grabbing brunch here three times in the week we spent in New Orleans.

It’s a busy, bustling place with staff rushing in every direction – but the chaos is organised, and when it comes to dietary requirements, this is already so built-in to their menu that the staff don’t bat an eye. Gluten-free? No problem. Vegan? They’re all over it.

On our first visit, we both went for the Bearcat breakfast. We added one side of paleo blueberry pancakes, out of curiosity, and quickly realised that we’d overreached ourselves. The food came out surprisingly quickly for how busy the Bearcat kitchen seemed to be, with huge, hearty plates of freshly-fried eggs, potatoes, and the choice of bacon or sausage. It was delicious, if on the salty side, and set us up for our morning walking tour around the Garden District.

The paleo pancakes were fluffy and light, packed with juicy blueberries, and the coffee was hot and fresh, with the attentive staff never missing a beat, topping up the cups whenever we were running low.

The next day, I decided to branch out and try the ‘Southwest Daddy’ (a bowlful of eggs, bacon, tomatillo salsa, black beans, pepper jack cheese, caramelised onions, and roasted potatoes), and Dave opted for a repeat of the Bearcat breakfast, this time with ‘regular’ pancakes (I knew I didn’t have the appetite to share any extras).

The Southwest was a nice change from the Bearcat Breakfast, with the salsa and beans balancing out the saltiness of the fried food. Once again, Dave lamented over-ordering (and over-eating), so we tried to walk off some of the food (in between dodging rain showers) before jumping on our tour bus to visit the Destrehan Plantation and Manchac Swamp.

We ventured back a third time a couple of days later, but, lesson learned, we opted for a slightly lighter breakfast of pancakes with a side of fruit. This was the perfect-sized breakfast after days of over-indulging (plus we already knew we liked the pancakes!) and cemented Bearcat as one of our favourite spots in New Orleans.

Recommended for:

• Brunch
• Lunch

Holy Crepes (French Market)

Tucked away in the French Market, Holy Crepes is easy to miss – and we did, the first time we tried to find it.

One morning towards the end of our time in New Orleans, and with the time to meet our walking-tour guide for a tour of the French Quarter rapidly approaching, I was looking for a breakfast or snack I could grab and eat quickly.

Striding through the French Market, Dave noticed the sign we’d missed on previous visits and quickly directed me to the Holy Crepes stall.

I ordered a ‘Priscilla’ crepe (peanut butter and banana) and we both ordered iced coffees – making sure to emphasise the need for gluten-free.

There was a small team of two taking orders, making coffees, and preparing the crepes – moving quickly around each other like they were choreographed.

The coffee was strong and smooth, and the crepe was light, crisp, and delicious – the perfect fuel for a morning walking around in the blazing heat and humidity.

It was so good that we returned the next day because I’d chattered on about how good it was all day that Dave wanted to see for himself. I watched him like a helicopter parent as he munched down his crepe filled with Nutella and fresh strawberries, worried I’d talked the place up too much – he declared it delicious, joking that he needed a second crepe to be sure, so I knew it wasn’t just ‘good for gluten-free’. And the iced coffees were just as good the second time around!

Recommended for:

• Breakfast
• Snacks
• Coffee

Bon’s (French Quarter)

Bon’s was highly recommended in the ‘GF Crescent City’ Facebook group for being safe, which it was, but ultimately it was something to grab-and-go whilst dodging drunk tourists sipping on margaritas and spiked snow cones.

Arriving in New Orleans after a long day spent on the train down from Memphis, we were struggling to get our bearings and after pacing around the French Quarter for what felt like hours (it was probably only 30 minutes but the sights, sounds and smells were overwhelming), we agreed to grab tacos from Bon’s since it was close, there were seats available, and we knew they offered gluten-free options.

The tacos were fine but paled in comparison to the food on offer at Maïs Arepas. Don’t come for me, I know these are two completely different places – but given the choice, I know which one I’d choose.

We did return a few days later because I felt like I was missing out on trying beignets, and Bon’s seemed to be the only place I could find any recommendation for that sold a gluten-free version.

The rice-flour version of a beignet is a cala (so I am informed), and they were fine, but coming from my husband, who tried the real deal at Café du Monde – these pastries are not created equally. The calas were hot and fresh, they filled a gap, but were not something I’d be rushing back to try again.

Recommended for:

• Quick bite
• Snacks

Sofia (Warehouse District)

After nearly two weeks away from home, we were both in the mood for pizza – so it was great luck that Sofia was one of the few places open late on a Sunday evening when we were looking for somewhere to grab a bite after Mrs Doubtfire at the Saenger Theatre.

Walking into Sofia, we were immediately struck by the décor – an eccentric homage to the legendary Sofia Loren. With her face peering down on us from canvases, posters and a big screen, it was easy to make the connection!

The pizza was good (really good) and gluten-free, though the ‘Crescent City’ Facebook group tends to avoid recommending it due to the possibility of cross-contamination.

The menu was the most authentically Italian I’ve encountered in the USA, and my ‘Piccante’ (pepperoni, hot peppers, pecorino, ricotta and honey) was honestly one of the tastiest gluten-free pizzas I’ve eaten.

If you’re craving pizza in NOLA – Sofia is definitely worth checking out.

Recommended for:

• Dinner (open for lunch at the weekend)

The Court of the Two Sisters (French Quarter)

We booked a Friday night table at this old-timey, beautiful restaurant a few days in advance – and I’m really glad we did because even with a reservation we had to wait for our table – but we got to while away 20 minutes sipping cocktails at the bar and people-watching, and it was absolutely worth the wait.

The restaurant was hectic busy, there were a lot of graduation dinners going on, but the staff were in good spirits, flying about with trays piled with plates and drinks, and it seemed like every 15 minutes another table ordered bananas foster, flambéed table-side with a flourish.

The menu is a delicious combination of Creole and Cajun cuisine, with generous portions of comforting southern cooking. Dave went for the Louisiana crawfish and shrimp pasta (Louisiana crawfish tails, blackened shrimp, and piled with Parmesan cheese), and I opted for the gluten-free option of Blackened Gulf Fish with shrimp fried rice and a pineapple beurre blanc.

The whole meal was incredible, every bite bringing together the fresh fish, savoury rice, and sweet yet tangy pineapple sauce.

It was reassuring to find dedicated gluten-free items on the menu, so I felt comfortable relaxing and enjoying the evening. We shared a bottle of Sauvignon blanc and took our time over the meal, savouring every delicious bite.

Recommended for:

• Dinner
• Cocktails
• Special occasion

Rib Room (French Quarter)

When we first got to New Orleans and started exploring the French Quarter, we happened across the Omni Hotel and hoped they’d have a breakfast spot like Kitchen Notes in Nashville.

Realising that it was a steak restaurant, we were a little less enthused and didn’t give it much more thought until we got chatting to a couple from Birmingham, Alabama, who were really quite adamant that we should pay Rib Room a visit during our time in New Orleans. As we chatted to them over cocktails in a quiet side street bar, they insisted that Rib Room was an absolute must-visit.

We decided that, just like in Nashville, Saturday night in New Orleans could be steak night, and booked our table. We chatted with our waitress, and confirmed that both of our main courses (one queen cut and one New York cut) would be very safely gluten-free.

We had about half a bottle of Valpolicella left after finishing the steaks, so it was only right that we finish it whilst splitting a slice of the deliciously light, gluten-free almond honey stack cake – the perfect way to end our New Orleans date night.

Recommended for:

• Dinner
• Special occasion

Blue Oak BBQ (City Park)

Just a short distance from City Park, Blue Oak BBQ was the ideal lunch spot when we spent the day away from the centre of the city, visiting the botanical gardens and art museum (NOMA).

The menu is your typical barbecue fare, but I wanted to mention Blue Oak because when I asked about gluten-free side dishes, the whole team behind the cash desk checked between themselves and the kitchen to ensure that I was ordering safe, gluten-free options. Sadly the sprouts were not gluten-free, but the potato salad and ginger sesame slaw both went wonderfully with my pulled pork and brisket.

Delicious, safe, authentic BBQ? Count me in!

Recommended for:

• Lunch
• Dinner