Over the years I have done a few vacations and weekends in and around San Diego. Here are the places I had pictures saved on my SoCal Instagram story highlights and more I found through research but haven’t checked out yet. There are more great options listed on Find Me Gluten free, but here are some options to get you started. Remember, mistakes happen when you deal with humans so be sure to do your own research and ask your own questions, especially if you are celiac or have an allergy!
Bay Park Fish Market Company: No gluten free menu but they were very accommodating.
Bivouac: Lovely cidery where so much of the menu is gluten free. It’s not a gluten free kitchen but I felt confident. I got a seriously amazing spicy chicken gluten free sandwich. I have to go back!
Candor By Giuseppe: I didn’t eat here but I had a drink and looked at their menu which had some gf/v labels on it. Located in La Jolla.
Casa De Reyes Restaurant: Located in Old Town San Diego, this spot has gluten free mole which I just love! Great place to walk around and shop.
Devine Pastabilities: CLOSED 🙁
El Tianguis Rolled Taquitos: A rolled taco joint where all taquitos and sides are gluten free!
El Pescador Fish Market: No gluten free menu but they were able to identify some safe items. I got the smoke salmon and roasted veggies. The smoked salmon was more like jerky style and not what I was imagining but the veggies were good. I would pick a different kind of fish.
The Gluten Free Baking Co: A 100% gluten free bakery with dairy free, vegan, and soy free options.
Himalayan Yak & Yeti: Having staff that don’t speak fluent English is really a problem with celiac or food allergies where clear communication is needed and unfortunately I wouldn’t recommend for the language barrier alone. I really hate to say it. The menu had gf labels on there but many of the meats are cooked first in shared surfaces (took a minute to figure that out). It also took a minute to get across gluten allergy to the server. They start you off with a soup that he said was gluten free when I asked when served. Good thing it was boiling hot in there so I waited a good several minutes to eat. I was about to take a bite when he came back and said it wasn’t gluten free. He messed up a few orders but said it was gluten free so we kept it. Food was good but felt like such a risk I don’t think I would go back.
In-N-Out Burger: My do I miss this place in ABQ! From what I’ve seen, buns are toasted in their own area separate from the burgers so it’s fairly safe to order lettuce wrap. The fries are naturally gluten free and the only thing going in the fryer. I love the animal style fries with chopped peppers.
La Valencia Hotel: They didn’t have very many options but were cautious of cross contamination and had a great view of the beach in La Jolla.
Mendocino Farms: A chain restaurant around California but still a good option for sandwiches, salads and sides.
Nectarine Grove Cafe & Bakehouse: A cafe that highlights paleo, gluten free and vegan dishes. 100% gluten free!
Puesto: Lots of great gluten free options in La Jolla, excellent tacos.
Rustic Root: I wish I had the experience of others on Find Me Gluten Free but they said they have a lot of shared cooking surfaces. I could do an egg plate no potatoes because they are fried or a salad. I got a salad and they cooked shrimp in its own pan. Also, there was a padres game starting and we got lucky and found arking but my friend gave up and left because only parking was trying to charge $80.
Starry Lane Bakery: A bakery featuring classic treats crafter without peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten or soy.
