Gluten-free has come a long way in the last decade or so—and we’re happy to report that’s especially the case here in Brisbane/Meanjin. Whether you’re only intolerant or you’re a super sensitive coeliac, the sad days of crumbly bread substitutes, rubbery pizza dough, and croissants without crunch are all on the way out.
In their place? A neat collection of dedicated gluten-free cafes and bakeries that truly take the sting out of not being able to sample cult baked goods from the likes of Cinnabon, Lune, and Lode. In some cases, we'd argue these gluten-free eats outperform their wheat-based counterparts. Keep scrolling to see Urban List's pick of the best gluten-free bakeries and cafes in Brisbane.
Nodo
Various Locations
Nodo may have made a name for themselves with their baked, gluten-free donuts, but they are so much more than that. As well as baking up what is undoubtedly the best gluten-free bread in Brisbane on the daily, this gluten-free haven dishes up epic brunches, lunches and other sweet treats worth swinging by one of their seven locations across town for. The strawberry waffles on their breakfast menu are so good even gluten eaters will be blown away, and we can never go past an opportunity to suck down one of their supernatural shakes.
Flour Leopard
17 Deshon Street, Woolloongabba | 620 Moggil Road, Chapel Hill
Image credit: Flour Leopard | Instagram
For coeliacs, even a gluten-free menu may not be enough if there’s a risk of cross contamination, but that’s not the case at Flour Leopard, whose entire establishment is completely gluten-free. What this means is that you can feel totally safe ordering up a pile of berry hotcakes for brisket benny atop house made potato hash, knowing that it hasn’t potentially crossed paths with a gluten-filled version of the same on the kitchen bench. They’re kid and pup-friendly too, with even the kids menu gluten-free—so bring the whole fam.
Merak
55-56 Broadwater Terrace, Redland Bay
Redland Bay residents, we are truly jealous of your proximity to Merak, because the 100% gluten-free menu these guys are dishing up is out of this world. Open for breakfast and lunch seven days a week and dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, you’ll see why we’re green with envy after one bite of their rosti eggs benny. A lengthy list of wraps, rice bowls, burgers and loaded chips is available for lunch, and you definitely shouldn’t leave without a sweet treat from the cabinet.
Project Salubrious
143 Rowley Road, Burpengary
Image credit: Project Salubrious | Instagram
Good gluten-free fare is worth a road trip—and that’s exactly what you’ll find at this Burpengary cafe and restaurant. With a menu that is completely free of not just grains but also dairy and refined sugar, Project Salubrious is changing the game when it comes to clean eating, and doing it in the most delicious way possible. As well as popping in for brunch eats like orange and blueberry crepes or crispy sweet potato noodle-wrapped prawns with green nam jim, you can also book in for one of chef and owner Kurt Lovell’s cooking classes, or save the date for their quarterly farmers markets.
Gluten Free 4 U
1/22 Carrara Street, Mt Gravatt | 2/724 Gympie Road, Chermside
The cabinet full of sugar-laden baked goods may draw you in to this gluten-free Brisbane bakery, but Gluten Free 4 U offers so much more, from lasagnes to bake up at home to dim sims, pastas, flours and cakes. They even do home delivery if you can’t squeeze in an in person visit—though that does mean you’ll miss out on the opportunity to browse their instore goodies and go home with more than you bargained for.
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Dovetail Social
85 Overend Street, Norman Park | 49 Laura Street, Highgate Hill
Image credit: Dovetail Social | Instagram
Whilst not entirely gluten-free, Dovetail On Overend has always been committed to providing a gluten-free option for everything on their menu—and they’ll never charge you extra for the pleasure. With a heavy Filipino influence in the kitchen, ube purple yam dishes and treats are a signature, from their vibrantly purple mango French toast to their iconic pavlova and yamington donuts. Of course, you can also just tuck into a classic eggs benny or croque monsieur if that’s what you’re feeling, or pre-book for one of their gluten-free high teas.
Little Black Pug
6/1297 Logan Road, Mt Gravatt
Little Black Pug boasts a menu that is 99% gluten-free and takes coeliac-aware precautions like using only gluten-free items in their deep-fryers, so we think it is a worthy inclusion for this list of gluten-free cafes in Brisbane. Pug-themed, their brunch line up features fun plates like the Donut Think Twice, a cinnamon donut waffle topped with salted caramel, ice cream and poached apple, and the Nacho Imposter, a stack of corn fritters, sour cream, tomato relish and smashed avocado. They’ve even got grain-free treats for your doggo, how good is that?
Botanica
Various Locations
Anytime you’re getting a group together and you need some quick, lazy catering, Botanica should be your first point of call. With a cabinet full of deliciously filling (and mostly gluten-free) salads on one side and entirely gluten-free cakes and sweet treats on the other, your sides and desserts are sorted—as is a two course lunch if it’s just yourself you’re trying to feed. They even leave the croutons out of their famous kale salad until it’s ordered and in the box to be as coeliac-friendly as possible, because they’re just legends like that.
Cafes With Gluten-Friendly Menus
We had to give the following cafes around town a mention for their extensive gluten-free menus, however please be aware that some of them may be unsuitable for coeliacs due to cross-contamination.
- St Coco | 3 Cupania Street, Daisy Hill: Almost their entire menu can be made gluten-free
- Waho Cafe | 1/27 Stoneham Street, Stones Corner: All their waffles can be made gluten-free
- Peach Cafe | 97 Haig Road, Auchenflower: About 75% of their menu can be made gluten-free
- Naim | 14 Collingwood Street, Paddington: Almost their entire menu can be made gluten-free
- Smug Fig | Stones Corner: About 75% of their menu can be made gluten-free
You're also bound to find some gluten-free options in here:
Image credit: Nodo | Instagram
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