TeamTraveling while coeliac or with gluten intolerance can be a hassle. Finding out you can’t eat anything but chip packets, white rice, or fresh fruit is a great way to put a damper on a trip. Thankfully there are lots of cities with amazing food and drink that cater to gluten-free needs. Here are the top 8 cities I recommend you visit!
Seogwipo – South Korea
While Korean food generally contains soy sauce, this island of Jeju is a little different. Famous for more spicy versions of foods and the use of sea salt in the place of soy in a lot of recipes, this tiny island is one of the more gluten-free places in South Korea. With a number of bakeries that offer only rice-based treats, as long as you stay away from dumplings and wheat noodles you should be fine.
Rice noodles and even those made from sweet potato starch are common here, as is the use of bean sprouts in place of noodles. Seogwipo also has a number of specifically gluten-free cafes and traditional markets where snacks such as dried sweet potato and puffed tofu skins are widely available.
Be clear that you can’t have soy sauce if asked and carry a gluten-free card. Most seafood recipes without noodles are safe and Bibimbap, a local favorite, is safe as well as delicious.
Perth – Australia
Most of Australia has access to gluten free foods, but Perth has by far the largest number of gluten free cafes and stores. Information in several languages is generally available and cross contamination is rare.
Dunedin – New Zealand
Home to one of New Zealand’s best universities, this town offers everything you could want for an extreme vacation. Zorbing, ocean tours, and a large selection of gluten free restaurants and bakeries. High international demand from college students and researchers has created a culture where gluten free food is cheap and easily available.
Cape Town – South Africa
Described by many food bloggers as an oasis for gluten free needs, South Africa as a whole has hundreds of gluten free markets and restaurants. Cape town is a favorite among celebrities and travelers and caters to every possible diet. It’s easy to find everything from gluten free food to vegan offerings and even a few ketogenic diet restaurants as well.
Ho Chi Min City – Vietnam
Vietnam tends to eat a lot of rice based dishes, use complicated spice blends, and values fresh meats and vegetables above other food types. Even most of the street food in this beautiful country is gluten free. Soy Sauce usage is starting to spread so it pays to verify it hasn’t been used in a dish, but most local favorites are safe to eat. Pho, rice paper rolls, Bun Bo, and steamed rice cakes are all easy to find and naturally gluten free!
Portland Oregon – USA
One of the first places to start recognizing the need for gluten free food, Portland offers a huge number of international restaurants with gluten free offerings. Like many of the other places on the list they also have vegan restaurants. A number of egg free and dairy free offerings are available as well, making this one of the best cities for people with food allergies to visit. Most restaurants have gluten free options, making it easy to eat out with friends without worrying about finding a specific allergy friendly venue.
London – United Kingdom
London gets a bad reputation for food from people who have never visited, but it’s a truly international city with amazing markets and restaurants. There are even gluten-free fish and chip shops, roast restaurants that serve meat, cheese, and potatoes with no gluten in sight, and amazing vegan ethic restaurants open until all hours of the morning. London is a must-visit location for any world traveler.
Jaipur – India
India as a whole has a lot of gluten-free food. Besides different flatbreads that are sometimes served with curries or stews, most food isn’t wheat-based. Jaipur in particular is famous for fermenting food and using fresh flours to flavor drinks. Spicy food and vegan offerings abound, but wheat isn’t very popular. Try the chutney or Doda Barfi for a flavor explosion.
