We all know New Orleans as the city of incredible fried chicken, po'boys, and virtually anything fried. While that stuff is delicious, virtually none of it is nutritious or gluten-free. So, all of us gluten-free foodies must find ourselves a way to drag our friends to the few restaurants in New Orleans that cater to those with dietary restrictions.
To make the lives of restricted eaters and their friends a little easier, I've gone ahead and compiled a list of the best gluten-free friendly restaurants to eat at in New Orleans for any occasion.
1. Dinner and $0.50 Oyster Happy: Superior Seafood
Whether you're with your family, friends, or professors, Superior Seafood is most definitely the place in New Orleans for a consistently solid meal. If you go there between 4 and 6:30 pm, then you’ll even score some fifty-cent raw oysters during happy hour.
Superior Seafood is incredibly friendly for those with dietary restrictions– they label all of their gluten-free meals in order to ensure the health and safety of their customers.
2. Sunday Brunch: Satsuma
Although this may be everyone’s first place to bring an out-of-towner visiting Tulane for brunch, the cute café definitely lives up to its hype. From their always fresh gluten-free bread to their unbelievable selection of cookies (they have the world’s best vegan and gluten-free double chocolate chip cookie), there's always something to please you or your gluten-free friend.
The café also has a large selection of cold-pressed juices, kombucha, and a large variety of foods other than baked goods. Some of my favorites being the Mediterranean quinoa salad, Mexican breakfast plate (replace the tortilla with gluten-free bread), and a classic avocado toast (add lox and an over easy egg and remove the bread if you want a high protein, low-carb version).
3. The Last Minute, No-Reservations-Allowed Dinner: 1000 Figs
1000 Figs is my all time favorite NOLA restaurant to date. The small townhouse style, 10 table restaurant takes no reservations but is worth the potential 30 to 45-minute wait. Despite the restaurant’s small menu, nothing here fails to disappoint. Plus, the whole restaurant is vegetarian.
The restaurant does a fun twist on Okra for an appetizer, as well as the crispiest brussel sprouts in all of NOLA. And oh, The Feast. For a slight $32 you can get a massive plate of different salads, vegetables, falafel, and sauces to feed 3 really hungry people or 4 people with “normal” sized appetite (who’s to say what normal is anyway though). No complaints here– snaps to you 1000 Figs.
4. Brunch and Study Date: Raw Republic
Raw Republic’s aesthetic outdoes nearly every other venue in all of New Orleans– a white and ridiculously sleek modern interior, decorated with succulents galore, and a giant hanging sheet of grass. The seating upstairs and quick to-go area downstairs complement each other well– when upstairs it’s easy to fall right in line with the zen while enjoying one or more of their many satisfying yet light options.
Everything on Raw Republic's menu is most definitely above par. Some standout items on their menu include my personal favorite, kelp noodles and "cheese", as well as the number 1 ranked açai bowl in New Orleans. Plus, the granola on top of the açai bowl is even naturally gluten-free. The juice options are very broad as well– from caffeinated-chocolatey options to the classic greens selection, there's a type of juice to fit just about any mood or diet.
5. Fast Casual Dinner: Poké Loa
Since the majority of Poké Loa’s options are naturally gluten-free, it's a come-one, come-all type restaurant. This DIY-style, fast-casual sushi bowl restaurant is perfect for a night when you’re in a time crunch, but still want a good and filling bang for your buck meal.
Their menu consists of a variety of options, starting with a base of either white or brown rice with a bed of lettuce, to five different types of fish (as well as tofu for all you vegheads), to a large range of toppings such as mango, avocado, edamame, caviars, seeds, and the list goes on.
6. Quick Breakfast: HiVolt Coffee
This corner-shaped corner coffee shop is a great place to spend a weekend morning doing work, reading the news, or to pop-in for a quick meal. HiVolt has a relatively extensive menu with fresh dishes made in their kitchen, as well as a large selection of pre-made pastries and baked goods. This cute café also has tons of gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options on both the actual menu and in the pre-made goods case.
Vegans: word (from my mother) has it that the cashew cheese deluxe sandwich is out of this world. If you're feeling a little more bold, go for the curry salad with either a quinoa cake or curried chicken on top.
7. Sticking Around Tulane: Rimon @ Hillel
When leaving Tulane seems like too much of a hassle, walk right over to Tulane Hillel for a meal at Rimon. They have a range of foods at different prices, from avocado toast (with gluten-free bread available) and egg dishes all under $10, to the slightly pricier meals such as the beets and crispy brussel sprout salad, falafel sandwich, and variety of shawarma bowls. Everything on the menu is fresh out of the kitchen, and the chefs are great at accommodating for any dietary restrictions.
Rimon also has a selection of fresh-baked cookies, cakes, and more every day (my current personal favorite is the chocolate chip pumpkin bundt cake). The restaurant always has fresh gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and a large non-gluten-free cookie selection.
8. Frosé All Day: Willa Jean
Having a giant salad before the cookies (sorry, they're not gluten free) balances out the unhealthy with the healthy, right? Add grilled shrimp or chicken to any of the salads for extra flavor and minimal calories, and sip away at your frosè while enjoying a casual meal with friends or a nice dinner with your parents. The opportunities are endless.
There's definitely a good handful of heavier dishes at Willa Jean as well– such as their BBQ shrimp toast and the flatbreads. For you gluten-free folk, stick to the salads for lunch or dinner, and go for the huevos rancheros or the grain bowl for brunch (ask for it without farro).
9. Crack Down on 5 Hours of Homework and Have Two Full Meals: French Truck Coffee
Ways to burn through $30 on breakfast foods and 5 hours of homework– plop yourself down at French Truck Coffee. This café has 3 locations in New Orleans, with my personal favorite location being their little yellow house on Dryades Street. There are indoor and outdoor seating options with a usually quiet crowd.
The food and coffee here are both great. The Oji Drip Coffee is a must, despite the somewhat pricey refills. My favorites on the menu are the strawberry ricotta quinoa bowl (I suggest replacing the regular milk with almond milk), the grilled cheese (the gluten-free bread is great), and if you’re still a little hungover and want a carb-fllled brunch–the belgian waffles (gluten-free available also).
10. The Go-To With Your Parents: Shaya
Always a hit, never a miss, everything on the Shaya menu will leave you wanting more–even when you’re grossly full after eating way more than you intended. Although a little pricey for a meal with friends, it’s a great place to go with your parents or even on a date.
From the straight out of the oven pita bread (which the restaurant is happy to replace with fresh raw vegetable crudités) with a thick bowl of hummus (my personal favorite is the curried cauliflower), to the sizzling shakshuka, and fried halloumi cheese topped with a fruity sauce and peaches (not gluten-free), you really can't go wrong. We know, John Besh is the WOAT, but hey, at least the man can develop a restaurant. Alon Shaya: you keep doin’ you, put on your hater blockers.
11. Post-Flyday Friday Dinner: Ba Chi Canteen
Well, aside from the fact that Ba Chi is BYOB, Ba Chi’s food surpasses the need-to-be-drunk-to-enjoy-it level. While the restaurant is notorious for their “Bacos” (bao buns, in a taco shape of course), the rest of the menu is great as well. There’s a large variety of vermicelli options, as well as crispy brussel sprouts. The ambiance and decor of the restaurant is mediocre at best, but the food makes up for it. Bring people you enjoy, kick back, and have a quality dinner with quality people here. You won’t regret it.
12. For Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Sister, Brother, Best Friend, Boyfriend, Girlfriend, Business Person, The Person You Met Yesterday: Bearcat Cafè
Come one, come all. Whether it’s parents weekend and you need a nice brunch with mom and dad, grandparents are in town for the weekend, or you just want a really quality brunch with legitimately anyone, Bearcat is the answer to your prayers. The restaurant is always lively during the weekends and doesn’t take reservations, so you can definitely expect to wait a little, but as long as the conversation is flowing, you’re at the right place
The menu clearly defines what is gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan, and there are options for replacements with dietary-accommodating options. The breakfast and lunch menus are interchangeable at any point throughout the day, with a variety of dishes from trumpet scallop mushrooms, to gluten-free or regular pancakes, to eggs, cauliflower with pesto, and more meaty dishes.
So, whether you're in town for a weekend, go to school here, or live here year-round, it is pretty clear that despite NOLA's reputation for being the city of fried and other gluttonous foods, there is actually a pretty wide selection of accommodating places that are stellar. Check it out for yourself!