The best of gluten free Albuquerque, from a celiac. Gluten free breakfast , gluten free bakeries, Gluten Free Dinner, and gluten free pizza in Albuquerque New Mexico!
updated 9/2019
If you are ever in Albuquerque, either passing through, moving, or planning a vacation, here is the best gluten free Albuquerque has to offer, from a local.
Be sure to check out the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta while you are here. It is a bucket-list worthy event.
I've been writing this post in my head for at least four years.
As someone who is very sensitive to cross contact, I'm very careful and choosy about where I eat.
I also love eating out and am a self-labeled "foodie".
It is about time I tell you...
the best places to eat gluten free in Albuquerque
Be sure to use your best judgement when eating out. These are my experiences, and just because I dined safely doesn't necessary mean that you will. Ingredients change, and employees are different. Ask questions to help avoid cross contact. I've shared only the best of the best of gluten free albuquerque in the post, and all of the places listed below I have had fabulous experiences at. I'm not liable or responsible for your experience eating out.
You might also find my post about Eating Gluten Free at the Hyatt Tamaya Resort helpful. Just a little bit outside of Albuquerque, they have great gluten free options for both those staying as guests, as well as those who just love good food.
Gluten Free Albuquerque Restaurants and Bakeries
GLUTEN FREE BAKERY- ALBUQUERQUE
Believe it or not, even Albuquerque has a few dedicated bakeries! Most of them can be found at a few of the local growers markets on the weekends, and some also have storefronts or are available at local coffee shops.
Run by a cute mother-daughter duo, Sweet Nothings is one of my favorite spots in Albuquerque!
Sweet Nothings no longer has a store front. They are at the LOS RANCHOS GROWERS MARKET every Saturday. Check the hours of the growers market online, they do change with the seasons.
You won’t find a more affordable gluten-free option anywhere in Albuquerque!
They offer gluten-free cookies, bars, bread, and quiche. Their gluten free waffles waffles at the Los Ranchos Growers Market are amazing!
They make their bread in english-muffin-style slices that are great for sandwiches, avocado toast, or as burger buns.
(I made this sandwich at home using their Green Chile Cheddar Bread, it is amazing!)I love their rolls, but you have to order them ahead of time.
MAKE SURE YOU BUY:- Green Chile Cheddar Bread (Gluten Free)
- Raspberry Crumb Bars (or whatever crumb bar they have)
- Gluten Free Gingersnaps (I also love their toffee cookies, and Dalmation shortbread. You really can’t go wrong with any of their cookies!)
PLANTY SWEET- GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN PLANT-BASED CUSTOM CAKES, GLUTEN FREE DONUTS, AND MINI BUNDTS
If you like looking at beautiful cakes, follow Planty Sweet on Instagram. I love that she only uses all natural food-based colors and still makes cakes and donuts that look like the rainbow!
Planty Sweet has a booth at the Railyard Market on Sunday (check the schedule, she isn’t there every week) but don’t worry if you miss the market. Her gluten free donuts and gluten free mini bundt cakes are available at several local coffee shops in Albuquerque. Be sure to use your best judgement as some of the shops do serve them from a shared case (most are on a dedicated shelf or plate). I always ask for my gluten free donut to be selected with fresh tongs to prevent any cross contact.
If you are planning ahead, Planty Sweet makes custom gluten free cakes that look amazing! I’ve been waiting for a special occasion to order one.
Where to find Planty Sweet’s Donuts and mini bundts:
Humble Coffee (both locations)
I got this mini bundt to go with my latte at Whispering Bean. If you haven’t stopped by yet, do it!If you are going just for the donuts and other Planty Sweet goodies, call ahead. They are popular and often sell out.
Check Planty Sweet on Instagram for updates.
Revolution Bakery is 100% gluten-free! The catch, is that they are all the way in Santa Fe, about an hours drive from Albuquerque However, if you are passing through Santa Fe, Revolution Bakery is worth the detour.
They have many amazing from-scratch gluten -free breads (the brioche is my favorite, as is the cardamom fig) and I love their golden milk cookies (so much so that I've been working on a copy cat recipe.)
For sure grab a breakfast bar, a mini gluten free loaf of bread filled with green chile, cheese, breakfast meat like bacon and an egg baked on top. It comes with a side of green chile or chipotle mayo to dip it in.
BEST GLUTEN FREE BREAKFAST- ALBUQUERQUE
If I’m in the mood for just coffee and a donut or something light and sweet, there are lots of coffee shops that serve Planty Sweet’s gluten free vegan donuts and mini bundts. (see above)
It is is Saturday morning, head to the Los Ranchos Growers Market for a gluten free waffle from Sweet Nothings. (see above)
I’ll occasionally try Flying Star, but I’ve found that their kitchen practices create lots of opportunities for cross contact and I’ve gotten an upset stomach after eating there a few times. Never violently ill, but enough that I dine cautiously and always ask lots of questions. I do enjoy their Spanish frittata and they have gluten free pancakes, be sure to ask them to cook on a clean surface to reduce the risk of cross contact. DO NOT eat their “gluten-friendly” baked goods or cakes from the case if you have celiac or are sensitive.
One restaurant in Albuquerque that touts gluten-free waffles is Tia B's Waffleria. Many of their waffles can be made gluten free, and they have some crazy fun toppings.
Their menu says they take measures to reduce cross contact with gluten, but be sure to ask lots of questions. I called a few years ago and they told me they didn't have a dedicated waffle iron. It sounds like that may have changed, some friends in my local Gluten Free Intolerance Support Group ate there recently and said it was delicious! I'd recommend calling first to ask questions, and double check that they have a dedicated waffle iron to use that day.
BEST DINNER GLUTEN FREE RESTAURANTS-ALBUQUERQUE
There are lots of restaurants with gluten-free options, but whether or not they are celiac friendly is an entirely different thing. These are all restaurants I eat at somewhat regularly at, and that I've had great experiences at.
If you eat gluten-free don't miss Paisanos! .Hands down Paisanos is a must visit restaurant for those who have celiac.. Paisanos is my first choice for birthday. And our Anniversary. And for date night.
Almost all of their menu is gluten-free, or can be made gluten-free. They serve every guest their gluten-free appetizers and desserts. EVERYTHING IN THEIR FRYER IS GLUTEN-FREE!
Just check out their gluten free Italian menu!
LET ME TELL YOU WHY PAISANOS IS A MUST VISIT GLUTEN FREE RESTAURANT IN ALBUQUERQUE:- The best gluten free bread I think I’ve ever had
- Homemade gluten free pasta
- Dedicated gluten free fryer
- gluten free pizza
- FRIED gluten free calamari
- ALL the desserts are gluten free (my go to is the tiramisu but you also can’t go wrong with the gluten free cannoli…or any of them. I think I’ve almost tried the entire dessert menu.)I take forever ordering whenever I go to Paisanos, it is so hard to choose! At this point, I’m used to choosing between their homemade gluten free pasta, and their gluten free pizzas. Usually we end up splitting their gluten free signature pizza of the week and then getting dessert. I’ve tried almost everything on Paisanos gluten free dessert menu, and they are all winners. Our favorites are definitely their gluten free cannoli and gluten free Tiramisu.
Brixens specializes in making gluten-free and vegan options. Most of their menu can be made gluten-free, and they have a dedicated gluten-free fryer!
Their menu, and gluten-free options are truly incredible!
When we went, we ordered the Chimi Burger (a burger, wrapped in a tortilla and fried like a chimichanga) and their salt and pepper wings, along with a few drinks. Their cocktails are affordably prices, and are creative and well balanced.
They do have some menu items that are beer battered, and made with Omission Beer. Omission is NOT safe for those with celiac, since it cannot be reliably tested to ensure it is below 5ppm. I felt safe ordering fried items that came from the gluten-free fryer, but I didn't want to risk ordering something made with Omission.
Poki Poki is one of my favorite, fast casual places to eat. Many of their poke bowl toppings are gluten-free, and many of their sauces are too. They also have a gluten-free poke sauce!
Be sure to tell them you aren't eating gluten-free for fun, and don't be afraid to ask questions. I've found that sometimes something will be labeled (GF) on the menu board, but not on the printed menus and vice versa.
Anything that they fry in house, including their tortilla chips, goes into a shared fryer and isn't safe for those with celiac due to cross contact.
All of this aside, Poki Poki is a place that I love eating, because it is easy to navigate and eat gluten-free. Plus, it is tasty!
There are 3 poki poki locations in Albuquerque, one on the West Side, as second in the NE Heights (I used to live across the street from it, and miss being walking distance from such great gluten-free food) and a third in Nob Hill.
Thai Kitchen is one of my favorite places to go for a weekday lunch. Their curries are all naturally gluten-free, and most menu items can be prepared gluten-free with a small upcharge. I always get a curry, and my husband loves their Spicy Jungle Noodles, made gluten-free.
Last I visited, they told me their miso soup is not gluten-free because of the broth that it uses.
The Peanut Sauce is NOT gluten-free. My husband keeps trying to order it, and there is not a gluten-free version.
Cafe Adanus is new, and has lots of yummy gluten-free options. Most everything on their menu except the bread is gluten free. They served us warmed corn tortillas instead of bread with our hummus.
They make their own doner, and it doesn't use breadcrumbs.
Everything I tried was delicious, and they are a family run restaurant and were happy to answer all of my many questions about their cross contact procedures.
M'tucci's is one of my favorite local restaurants. They make almost everything in house, and are always happy to go back and double check that whatever I want to eat can be made gluten-free.
I actually love their charcuterie boards. They'll serve them to me without bread, and I'll bring my own Schar Baguette or Canyon Bakehouse Focaccia with me.
Of course, anything from the fryer is off-limits, but I really love M'tucci's pasta! Some of their broths and bases have gluten in them, and they always check for me when I order,
M'tucci's is one of the few places that I'll eat pasta at (other than Paisanos) because many other restaurants don't have safe procedures for preventing cross contact and use the same pasta water to reheat all of their noodles. (I'm looking at you Cheesecake Factory)
Gluten Free New Mexican Food & Tacos in Albuquerque
At all New Mexican restaurants, be sure to ask a few specific questions. A lot of New Mexican food *should* be gluten-free, but isn't because of the way it is prepared in the kitchen. There are lots of opportunities for cross contact, so be sure to ask:
Is their chile thickened with flour? (that is how chile sauce is traditionally made, though many places have either red or green chile that is gluten-free) -This is especially important if their chile is included as an ingredient in one of their braised meats.
Do their chips go in the same fryer as sopapillas, or chile rellenos?
Do they toast their rice in the fryer? (cross contact issue, if other items that have gluten are being fried)
Do they add flour to the corn tortillas?
Do they warm corn tortillas in the fryer before making into enchiladas or tacos or are they steamed?
Are their calabacitas (a yummy combo of summer squash, onions, and corn) cooked or heated in pasta water?
B2B2 is almost entirely gluten-free, with the only items that weren't safe for me to eat was one meat braised with beer, and their flour tortillas. They make their tortillas in house, and have fun corn tortilla flavors that change daily. I had saffron tortillas when I was there, and it was delicious!
They may have a dedicated fryer, so you can enjoy chips, but that wasn't the case when I visited with the Albuquerque Blogger's Club.
Be sure to ask questions, but the server/bartender and chef were really kind and answered all my questions, and it was delicious!
El Cotorro makes most of their items in house, and serves very authentic and delicious tacos, elote, and margaritas. They make their own corn tortillas, and most of the fillings are gluten-free. Because everything is made in house, they know their menu very well and were happy to answer all my questions about how they prevent cross contact.
El Cotorro has an attached ice cream bar that serves vegan sorbetto too. (They had gluten free waffle cones, but they were made in the same waffle iron so I didn't try them. )
El Pinto is a must-visit while you are in Albuquerque! It is a hacienda, turned into a restaurant, and is a stop on the itinerary of every celebrity that stops in Albuquerque. The walls of the entry way are filled with photos of presidents, actors, and rock stars who have stopped and taken a photo with the twin brothers who own the restaurant.
El Pinto has a great gluten-free menu, and can make many of their classics gluten-free. They CAN make chips in a dedicated or fresh fryer. Be sure to ask, and then ask again and verify that your chips came from a gluten-free fryer. Many chips go in the same fryer as sopapillas (fluffy clouds of fried dough, that are delicious but very much not gluten-free. )
When I was there, they told me that their sour cream was NOT gluten-free, which was the weirdest thing I'd ever heard but if someone tells me something isn't safe, I'm not going to eat it. They said they made it in-house, and it had flour in it.
GLUTEN FREE PIZZA IN ALBUQUERQUE
I want to preface this by reminding you that pizza is one of the most difficult dishes to prepare without cross contact. Lots of places offer a gluten-free crust, but don't have proper procedures in place to prevent cross contact, so while they may have started with a gluten-free pizza crust, the pizzas are definitely not gluten-free.
Always ask if they cook their gluten-free pizzas on the same surface as their regular pizzas.
There is only one restaurant that I wholly trust to do gluten-free pizza the right way, and that is Paisanos.
I do not feel comfortable eating gluten free pizza from Slice Parlor, Amore Neapolitan Pizza at Green Jeans, Pizza Nine, Papa Johns, or any other Albuquerque Pizza place. They simply aren't safe for those with celiac, there is almost a guarantee of cross contact with gluten.
I do occasionally get gluten free pizza at papa murphy's, but only when I watch them make it to ensure they are following their procedure of grabbing sauce and ingredients from fresh containers. And that is take & bake pizza, so at that point I'd almost rather buy some Sonoma Flatbreads from Costco and pop them in my oven at home.
There are lots of places that serve “gluten free” pizza, but not many that serve a pizza I would feel safe eating. Paisanos is at the very tippy top of that very short list. If you missed it, read above where I sang their praises.
I almost always order whatever their signature gluten free pizza of the day. One time it had granny smith apples, blue cheese, and prosciutto and it was amazing!
The crust is thick and crispy, with a good chew without being too bready. I order the gluten free pizza about 50% of the time I eat at Paisanos.
I also feel comfortable eating the gluten free pizza at California Pizza Kitchen . I really like their cauliflower crust, and they completely reworked their process to use rice flour to toss all their pizzas.
CPK's gluten-free pizzas are prepared using the strict procedures approved by The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG),using a certified gluten-free crust and other ingredients verified by our suppliers as gluten-free. This ONLY applies to the gluten-free pizza combos listed on their website.
I still ask a lot of questions, and only order if I feel comfortable. There are still lots of chances for cross contact, but CPK is one of the few places I'll attempt to eat.
I've been successful eating gluten free pizza at Bj's. I asked, and my chain restaurant said they used dedicated pans. There is still a high risk of cross contact, so it isn't something I do frequently.
