If you had told me twenty years ago that Paris would be the easiest city in the world to be gluten free in, I wouldn’t have believed you. How could that be possible? How could the glutinous boulangeries and patisseries of my youth, establishments that follow me in my life story like Proust’s madeleines, full of traditional chouquettes and baguettes, now have ceded brick and mortar room on the avenue to buckwheat and rice flours?
Largely, out of necessity: Celiac and gluten intolerance are everywhere in the world, as are people subscribing to paleo and other diets that shy away from gluten.
My entire family–my husband, my two sons, and myself–are all gluten free. My husband has celiac disease, my older son has a wheat allergy, and my younger son gets wheat-induced eczema. I am gluten intolerant (which, in this case, means you do not want to sleep in a hotel room with me). As a family, we have traveled a fair amount, and when we travel by car in the U.S. or Canada, we tend to bring a lot of our own food. Traveling abroad poses different issues, but mostly we can figure it out by doing some research ahead of time to find gluten free restaurants and other helpful resources. It’s not foolproof: Italy was very difficult—there was a lot of cross contamination, and it was very hard to get gluten free food, though celiac disease is a large problem there.
However, being sans gluten (gluten free) in France (especially if you have celiac disease) is very easy. It may mean you will do best in an Airbnb where you can cook your own food and control what you eat. But of course you will also want to go out. (After all, this is Paris.) And, if you’re like me, you will want really amazing, gourmet food that’s so good you won’t even know it’s gluten free. I have you covered. This comprehensive guide to eating gluten free in Paris only includes places that are verified as uber-safe, even for people with celiac disease, along with shopping tips and ordering advice for the gluten intolerant in France.
Pro Tips for Eating “Sans Gluten” (Gluten Free) in Paris
- When you first land, if you are staying in an Airbnb, go to the nearest Monoprix and buy recyclable tinfoil, dish scrubbies, a cheap skillet that you don’t mind bringing home with you, a knife, and perhaps some wax paper. In the beginning, before everything is super clean, if you have celiac, you will want to cut your veggies on wax paper, use your own pan, and, perhaps, cook within or on your own foil. As you gradually wash a safe group of dishes, you will need these things less. For what it’s worth, we have a great collection of sharp, small, Monoprix knives from each trip, which we’ve brought home in our checked suitcase. And a pan, too! I always pack a few rags and dishcloths to use in the Airbnb when I first get there to use as a makeshift cutting board, quickly clean plates with, etc.
- You can eat gluten free just about anywhere in Paris–just tell your server you need a gluten free, “sans gluten,” meal and ask for help. Here’s what you can order and eat safely, anywhere: Meats, eggs, vegetables, fruits, cheeses, mousse au chocolat, crème brûlée, wine, and pretty much any apéritif or digestif on the menu. Even in the most gluten laden bistros in Paris, I’ve never once had a server look at me weird, and I’ve only ever received some manner of “Pas de problème…” This means, “No problem. ” At most, they may offer alternatives to your initial order, in the name of safety. Paris is a world city. And very savvy. Trust me, they have seen it all.
- Consider doing a lot of your own sourcing–You will eat beautiful food if you find the nearest Bio (organic food) store near where you are staying for lovely yogurts, crackers, fruits, you name it. And if you frequent the nearest outdoor market, you can pick up cheese, meat, vegetables, wine, and juice. The Monoprix is a boon for us GF folks, too. Pastas, sauces, shredded cheeses, fruits, crackers, chips, etc.
- Word to the wise: The 11th arrondissement will give you a huge array of sans gluten (gluten free) restaurant and bakery options if you happen to stay there. That arrondissement must have the largest population of gluten free people in Paris–this is France’s gluten free Mecca. If you can find an Airbnb or hotel there, you are all set.
- Frenchly has a great gluten free France guide with vocab you can use, a gluten free card you can purchase or download, brands to look for, how to find your own frozen gluten free pie crust, and more.
- You can get a gluten restaurant card, which will help you navigate and order, and explain your celiac disease or gluten intolerance to French servers. I have never had one, I just explain myself, but many people swear by them, especially if they aren’t super proficient in French. Here’s a good one from Celiac Travel.
- The Celiac Association of France has some other useful information, the most salient of which is just that they exist to support those eating sans gluten in Paris and elsewhere in the hexagon.
Ok, helpful tips dispensed, I will now be charging ahead with my belief that Paris is a moveable gluten free feast–you will be well fed there, I promise. I have included gluten free bakeries and gluten free restaurants in all the arrondissements, no small task, which will give you places to find gluten free food, no matter where you are based.
Best Gluten Free Bakeries In Paris
Noglu Bakery
Founded by baker Frédérique Jules, who says she was never able to eat gluten or dairy until she started making her own baked goods, Noglu is a rising star since it opened 12 years ago among the very best of gluten free bakeries. This franchise is both super stylish and down to earth, and has outposts in the 11th, 6th and 7th arrondissements. Noglu is a bakery dedicated to gluten free pastries, breads, savory tartlets, and bagels–you name it. This gluten free bakery presents a hybrid of French baking and globally influenced treats, including energy bites, shortbread, scones, doughnuts, eclairs, cannelés, and croissants. This dedicated gluten free bakery also offers plenty of dairy free and lactose free items, as well as seasonal cakes and special treats for the holidays. Some Noglu locations are even now serving gluten free pizzas!
Noglu Bakery, 15 rue Basfroi, Paris 75011; 69 rue de Grenelle, Paris 75007; and 62 rue de Vaugirard, Paris 75006
Chambelland Bakery
Before I even went there, I had heard of the gluten free bakery, Chambelland. I mean, even David Leibowitz has given it a shout out in his blog, and he’s not even gluten free! The stylish flagship bakery is tucked into a gem of a neighborhood just a short walk east from the Oberkampf subway stop, and southwest of Place de la République (making this a great stop to hit on the way to the Atelier des Lumières right nearby). You can also catch an outpost of this bakery in the 17th, and a counter of their baked goods in a Bio grocery store in the 16th, as well as farther afield in Waterloo, Brussels, Gand, and Luxembourg. The home store bakery in the 11th has its own cafe with sandwiches, cookies, gluten free treats, tea, and coffee. But the thing you’re after is the gluten free bread. Small, rectangular, and dense, this bread will remind you of German whole rye. You can pick up a variety of breads, including, IMHO, the best, which is seeded with a mixture of poppy, sesame, and herbs on top. We happened to have a loaf of this when we went to dinner a little farther south, to an Ethiopian place called Le Negu (amazing) and we cut up the bread and used it in place of injera. It was perfect.
Boulangerie Chambelland, 14 Rue Ternaux, Paris 75011
Judy
If you happen to be ensconced in the upscale 1st or 6th arrondissements, or want filling, healthy, and chic gluten free breakfast options before hitting the Louvre, Judy is your spot. The Australian-born owner, Judy, calls her three outposts bastions for the “qualitarian,” where one can get poached eggs on gluten free toast, chia pudding, fluffy paleo pancakes, fresh squeezed juices, and “Naturopathic lattes”–no coffee in sight in those. (Though, thankfully, you can get a real espresso with your gluten free granola.) The bread Judy uses is Chambelland, but all the other recipes and ingredients are distinctly hers.
Judy, 18 Rue de Fleurus, Paris 75006
Copains
If you are up for a pastry that will blow your GF mind, look no farther than the high-end 100% gluten free bakery in the 2nd, called Copains. Copains, started by two dudes, friends, sells gluten free bread, gluten free pastries, viennoiseries, etc. You will wish you’d gotten an Airbnb next door and bought their bread for sandwiches to subsist on for the rest of your trip. After the Louvre or the Pompidou, take a walk to get some bread and pastries for the next day.
Copains, 60 Rue Tiquetonne, Paris 75002
La Guinguette d’Angèle
In the 1st arrondissement you will find this lovely bakery/sandwich/soup/clean eating establishment that will leave you full from delicious and beautiful gluten free food. Although it’s takeaway only, Paris has no shortage of beautiful benches to sit on. La Guinguette d’Angèle is open Monday through Friday, so take a packed lunch made by them and go find somewhere on our list of secret Parisian gardens to enjoy a quiet moment.
La Guinguette d’Angèle, 34 Rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris
Best Gluten Free Crêpes in Paris
Café Breizh
Ok, guys this is pretty much one of my favorite gluten free restaurants in all of Paris, and the crazy thing is that it’s a franchise, with an outstanding 12 locations in and near Paris, alone! That’s not even including Lyon, Brittany… or Japan! Breizh, FYI, is the Bretonne word for “of Brittany.” You will see that word at a lot of creperies. However, it’s only Café Breizh, sometimes just called “Breizh,” as that word has become eponymous with Café Breizh, that is THE Café Breizh, d’accord?
Here’s what you have in store for you at Café Breizh: Breizh was formed in 1995 by Bertrand Larcher, who wanted to offer the buckwheat galettes from his childhood home of Brittany in his chosen home of Japan. Through his 100% buckwheat galettes he strives to bring “Japan and Brittany together around buckwheat. This small seed with many virtues is the foundation of our inimitable galettes and can be enjoyed in many forms, from traditional galettes to sobacha.” (Sobacha is Japanese buckwheat tea.) The Japanese cafe was such a success, and Larcher became so convinced of the ecological and health benefits of growing and eating buckwheat, that he opened a shop in Paris, and then another, and another… the rest, as they say, is history.
The cafe leans heavily on fresh, organic, beautiful ingredients. (Can I tell you about the tofu salad galette we had at the Marais shop one time? One of the most gorgeous things I’ve ever seen, it had watermelon turnips, tofu, avocado–and was a flavor, freshness and crunch bomb in the mouth.) Breizh promotes sustainable and organic farming local to each restaurant, from “the soil to the plate.”
Although you can get sweet crepes with regular wheat flour, if you are gluten free, just tell the server and your sweet crepe will need to be made on the dedicated buckwheat crepe iron with buckwheat mix. You are almost sure to be near a Café Breizh when visiting Paris, and could eat there for every meal (and even have a plate of oysters or cheese along with your crepes) and not have tried everything on the menu before you need to go home. Bonus: Organic and incredible Brittany ciders and wines. If you can’t make it to France or Japan (yet) to try Breizh, here’s Frenchly’s recipe for buckwheat galettes.
Café Breizh has locations in the 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, and in the Paris suburbs of Bois de Boulogne, Neuilly-sur-Seine, and Vincennes. Click here to find locations in Le Marais, Abbesses, Vincennes, Canal St-Martin, Odeon, Passy, and more.
La Cantine Bretonne
If you’re looking for more buckwheat-based gluten free options in the trendy (and beautiful) 19th arrondissement, check out La Cantine Bretonne. Also featuring gluten free sarrasin (buckwheat) crepes and creative fillings like shrimp, eggplant, or poached pears, you will feel sated and well cared for here. Bonus: they are open until 1 am, so if you’re out late and hungry, this is your place (a rare find for the GF crowd). They also carry organic ciders from Brittany.
La Cantine Bretonne, 22 bis rue de l’Ourcq, Paris 75019
Crêperie Paris Breizh
Another place to get gluten free crepes with organic buckwheat in Paris is at this traditional creperie, Crêperie Paris Breizh, not to be confused with Café Breizh, above. With locations in the 12th and the 13th, the atmosphere is lovely, and they use organic and free range meats, dairy, and eggs.
Crêperie Paris Breizh, 177 Avenue Daumesnil/allée, Rue Paul Dukas, 75012 Paris; 166 Bd Vincent Auriol, 75013 Paris
Best Gluten Free Restaurants in Paris
Wild & The Moon
Another terrific lunch spot franchise with locations in the 2nd, 3rd, 8th, 11th, 16th, 17th arrondissements is Wild & The Moon. This dedicated gluten free restaurant is planet and health friendly (no plastic anywhere), vegan, all homemade, and free of chemicals. It’s got some pretty amazing stuff, like vegan burgers on the softest rolls, grilled cheese, and chickpea harissa. Their dishes are filling, beautiful, stylish, celiac friendly, and great for dairy free and lactose free diners. You can also pick up pre-made meals to enjoy for breakfast the next morning in your Airbnb. Check out their incredible menu here.
Wild & The Moon, 23 Rue Pierre Demours, 75017 Paris; 138 Rue Amelot, 75011 Paris; 92 Av. des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris; 25 Rue des Gravilliers, 75003 Paris; 4 Rue du Helder, 75009 Paris; 19 Pl. du Marché Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris; 55 Rue Charlot, 75003 Paris
Aji Dulce
I heard through the Internet grapevine about this Venezuelan food truck with arepas (cornmeal cakes stuffed with meat and cheese) that are (reportedly) off the charts in Paris’s 9th. I have not been there myself but there are so many posts about this place, I’ll have to head there soon. The items on this menu are naturally gluten free, from the arepas to the sauces. Just avoid the yuca fries–they are breaded. Just a lot of amazingly looking food. Here’s their website.
Aji Dulce, 19 Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, 75009 Paris
Yummy and Guiltfree
One of the things I was most sad about not finding on my last trip to Paris was a gluten free Croque Monsieur for my kids. (This was the VERY FIRST French food they ever made at home, that Covid year we hunkered down. That first sandwich got them hooked on French cooking.) If you have a hankering for the famous quick Brasserie lunch of melted cheese, ham, and bechamel sauce, look no further–we have you covered. At the famous gluten free waffle house, Yummy and Guiltfree, where you can get savory or sweet waffles (a bit of French/American fusion), you can also get an old fashioned Croque Monsieur made on Sour Cream bread. A nice walk from the Picasso museum, this is great for lunch, breakfast, or early dinner.
Yummy and Guiltfree, 3 rue du Temple, Paris 75004
Apéti
As an easy walk from the Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower, and the Rodin Museum, Apéti is 100% gluten free, organic, and plant based. Here you will find beautiful food for beautiful people. Gorgeous veggie burgers, salads, cauliflower bowls, smoothies, desserts and more–this is healthy heaven. Open from noon until dinner, it’s a perfect stop to recharge after sightseeing in the 7th arrondissement.
Apéti, 21bis Av. de Ségur, Paris 75007
Rice Trotters
Rice Trotters (in the 8th and the 2nd) is a cafeteria style restaurant with high raves from the gluten free and non gluten free alike. This gluten free restaurant serves “make your own” gluten free salads and rice dishes along with curries, vegetable stews, risottos, and other toppings. This is a great option for a quick healthy lunch with no worries—Rice Trotters has a very careful staff and clean food.
Rice Trotters, 22 Rue du Colisée, Paris 75008
Little Nonna
When was the last time you walked into an Italian restaurant without feeling panicked to the point where you inspected your salad leaves for flour or breadcrumbs? Well, fear not. You can now go have world class Italian pizza, pasta, desserts, bread, croutons–you name it–and it’s all gluten free at Little Nonna, an Italian restaurant in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. One of the many restaurants in the Richard Paris Restaurant Group, La Nonna features homemade gluten free pastas and gluten free pizza, and has an extensive bar for all the aperitivos, digestivos, wine, and other drinks you could desire. This is a great gluten free restaurant for a group celebration, as this is Italian food of top quality that anyone, even the gluten lover, will be happy to eat.
Little Nonna, 12 Av. Niel, 75017 Paris
Tasca
This Paris restaurant uses 100% gluten free and organic ingredients to make their tiramisu, pizza, and pasta. Tasca is just steps from the Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement, and everything here is safe to eat and delicious. If you are visiting the Eiffel Tower, make sure you make a reservation here for lunch or dinner.
Tasca, 46 Av. de Suffren, 75015 Paris
Thaïsil
If you happen to find yourself staying in or visiting the uber-chic 2nd arrondissement and get peckish for lunch or dinner, look no further than Thaïsil, a Cambodian and Thai restaurant with an incredibly flavorful gluten free menu. Specialty cocktails, hot soups, pad thai, fried rice dishes, and green papaya salads–all of the flavor, none of the gluten. Their gluten free dishes are made with the freshest ingredients, and everything is also available for take out.
Thaïsil, 3 Rue du Nil, 75002 Paris
Chez Ann Échiquier
This 10th arrondissement “Asian Urban Food” restaurant with dim sum and more (dumplings, anyone?) gets high marks for their gluten free menu bursting with flavor. Chez Ann Échiquier is the kind of “in the know” place Parisians frequent; you will not be disappointed, and you are in good hands here if you are gluten free.
Chez Ann Échiquier, 29 Rue de l’Échiquier, Paris 75010
Cococo
Japanese bento boxes, 100% gluten free and largely organic (with vegan options), can be found in this clean, healthy and conscientious restaurant in the 1st arrondissement. Beautifully arranged and perfectly executed, Cococo is a lunch-only spot–open from noon to 3 PM–but well worth it as a museum break in the middle of the day.
Cococo, 35 Rue Coquillière, Paris 75001
Restaurant Loulou Paris
At Restaurant Loulou Paris in the 5th, you can have brunch all day or dinner, and though it’s not gluten free, they have a gluten free fryolator to prevent cross contamination with gluten products. They also serve gluten free club sandwiches, gluten free caesar salads, gluten free buns for any sandwich or burger, and more. There have been no reports of gluten cross contamination, so they seem to be managing their kitchen very well!
Restaurant Loulou Paris, 90 Bd Saint-Germain, 75005 Paris
Supermarkets with Gluten Free Food in Paris
If you are looking to do some gluten free shopping in Paris, don’t worry! You’ve got plenty of options: Monoprix, the enormous French grocery store chain, and Carrefour, too, both have entire gluten free foods’ sections in their stores. And natural grocery stores like Bio c’ Bon, Naturalia, and Namo Bio all have extensive gluten free options. You can also find plenty of gluten free options at your local Parisian marché–just stick to fruits, veggies, cheeses, and meats.
FAQ’s
Is Paris Really Celiac Friendly?
Paris can be quite celiac friendly if you know where to look. It has many dedicated gluten free restaurants, cafes, and bakeries where you can find gluten free food and traditional French cuisine that accommodates your dietary restrictions.
Are Macarons Gluten Free?
Macarons, which are made from almond flour, are naturally gluten free, so when you visit Paris be sure to pick some up! Like little sweet jewels, they make great gifts for your cat sitter or grandmother stateside, too.
Best Place to get Gluten Free Crêpes in Paris
Galettes, aka crepes made with buckwheat flour, are naturally gluten free, and you can find them at pretty much every creperie and especially at gluten free creperies like Breizh Café and La Cantine Bretonne, see above.
