Santa Fe is a cultural hub of the arts, entertainment, history, politics, and fine dining. But did you know #thecitydifferent does gluten-free casual and fine dining right, too? Many establishments now offer gluten-free menus, and there are a handful of 100% dedicated facilities, which are safe for those with celiac. Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or intolerance, or have a wheat allergy, there are a number of health-conscious bakeries, cafes, and restaurants that will satiate your every culinary desire.
*Although gluten-friendly, and aware, some of these establishments do not have dedicated gluten-free environments. Please use your best judgment, and ensure that the staff is aware of the severity of your food restrictions prior to dining.
Call first or check restaurant websites to find out if they’re operating at standard business hours—or offering carryout or delivery.
Revolutionary Bakery
A 100% gluten-free and organic (non-GMO) bakery, located inside the Design Center. Aside from being completely celiac-safe, they also have many vegan options to choose from. They bake almost every type of bread (over fifteen types), as well as fourteen different signature pastries, ranging from doughnuts to pies, cinnamon rolls, and more. Anyone with celiac will leave here with enough dough to meet their culinary dreams. Don’t forget to pair your pastry or bread with one of their coffee or tea options. The owner, Dionne, also hosts pizza-making classes from time-to-time, so be sure to check out their website for dates and sign-up info.
Featured pastry: Traditional Strawberry Walnut Rugelach
Find: 418 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe
Body Cafe
Body Cafe is a 100% gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, and organic cafe inside of Body Santa Fe. The ambiance is calm and natural, which pairs perfectly with any of their light-fare dishes, such as their spring rolls, salads, and smoothies. The owner, Lori, wanted a cafe that would fit the atmosphere of her all-encompassing wellness center, which serves as a yoga studio, spa, and sustainable clothing store, and also offers childcare. They have a deli with plenty of delicious and healthy desserts, including gourmet chocolates, and food-to-go. They also host dinners each Saturday. Be sure to call to make a reservation.
Featured dish: Sweet Potato Noodles. These gluten-free sweet potato noodles, sauteed with fresh shiitake mushrooms, snap peas, carrots, broccoli, and red bell peppers, are sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a side of spicy sriracha for those who like it hot!
Find: 333 West Cordova Rd, Santa Fe
Apothecary Restaurant
Apothecary Restaurant is a 100% gluten-free, organic, farm-to-table, and refined sugar-free establishment, that offers many plant-based options as well. Located in the heart of downtown, it is a true sanctuary. Owner, Kadimah, who first started Santa Fe Oxygen Bar and Healing Bar, felt as though she could also heal people through food. The international menu is extremely nutrient-dense with plates that include staples with a unique flair, such as soups, salads, nachos, smoothies, adaptogenic lattes, and other healing elixirs, coconut key lime pie, waffles, buffalo pho, and pad thai. They are currently open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Featured dish: Om-Mani Pad Thai. This dish is made with tamarind almond sauce, mung bean noodles, pea and mung bean sprouts, cabbage, shredded carrots, red pepper, and a toasted almond garnish, served with tofu, chicken, salmon, or shrimp.
Find: 133 W San Francisco St, Santa Fe
Drift and Porter
Drift and Porter is a 100% gluten-free and vegan bakery located at the Railyard Artisan Market in the Santa Fe Farmers Market Pavillion on Sundays, from 11 AM to 4 PM. Their pastry menu has cheesecakes, cookies, pies, scones, tarts, and various other treats. These are all first come first serve, so they run out quickly! They also bake custom cakes, which you can order through their website. The owners, Matthew and John would like to tear down the stigma that one dietary choice is less or more desirable than the other. They look forward to having a storefront at some point in the future.
Featured baked good: Extended Ferment Gluten-Free & Vegan Sourdough Boulle with Smyrna Figs & Fresh Thyme. This artisan loaf of sourdough bread mimics the sensory pleasures of its wheat counterpart with a good burnished crust, a soft and controllable crumb, and a strong and pronounced sour flavor. It took them a very long time to develop a recipe at a higher altitude than would be deemed as “stellar” in the eyes of bread enthusiasts. They feel they are finally producing something that, in their opinion, far surpasses the traditional sourdough loaf, making gluten-free no longer an obligation but a conscious choice.
Find: (Santa Fe Railyard Market) 1607 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe
Sweetwater Harvest Kitchen
Sweetwater Harvest’s menu is almost entirely gluten-free, seasonal, organic, with many plant-based and paleo-friendly options. They pride themselves on using fresh, whole-food ingredients. They have six seasonal menus, which include breakfast, lunch, afternoon bites, a full-service supper, dessert, and their weekend brunch. All menus are 100% gluten-free except for their breakfast and brunch menus. Items like their buckwheat banana pancakes, kimchi fried rice, yucca root flatbread pizzas, green chile bison cheeseburger, turkey tortilla soup, and carrot cake with golden raisins and walnuts are guaranteed to leave you feeling satisfied and nourished. They also have espresso, teas, organic fresh smoothies, organic and biodynamic wines, craft brews, sake, and gluten-free baked goods.
Featured dish: Cuban Style Jackfruit Ropa Vieja. This braised jackfruit with achiote chile and tomato is served at dinner and comes with plantains, yellow rice, and black beans
Find: 1512 Pacheco Street, Santa Fe
Paper Dosa
Paper Dosa is Santa Fe’s only south Indian restaurant. Much of their menu is naturally gluten-free with the exception of a few items like their ‘uttapam’ (south Indian pancakes). Dosas are South Indian crepes made from fermented lentil and rice, which can be filled with vegetables and/or meat. Or, you can just get a dosa with masala to dip it in on the side. Other interesting dishes include their beet cumin soup, cashew calamari, their various curry options, passion fruit custard, and Puli Jeera soda (cumin-tamarind syrup, cilantro, mint and soda water). For those who just can’t choose, they also offer a tasting menu. Be sure to tell them if you’re celiac, have an intolerance/sensitivity, or are allergic to anything. And don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line, as they were featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives and are considered a local hot-spot. They are currently only open for dinner.
Featured dish: Green Chile Dosa. “Now we know there are no green Chile cheese anything in south India, but we are in New Mexico, so yes we have/want to,” states owner, Nellie Tischler. Accompanying the Dosa is Sambar (a lentil vegetable stew that has over thirty-two ingredients), tomato chutney, and coconut chutney.
Find: 551 W Cordova Rd, Santa Fe
Tia Coco Chocolates
Tia Coco Chocolates are 100% organic, gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free, soy-free, and made with fair-trade cacao. Their chocolate offerings include full chocolate bars, cashew butter cups, bars, and assorted packs. They also have a KETO sugar-free chocolate selection. You can currently purchase their chocolate from their booth at the Railyard Artisan Market in the Santa Fe Farmers Market Pavillion on Sundays, from 11 AM to 4 PM or from their retail section in Terra Verde Organic. In addition, you can purchase from them online. Tia Coco’s mission is to make New Mexico’s most delicious healthy chocolate that’s also good for the planet.
Featured chocolate: Almond Butter and Cashew Butter Cups that are filled with creamy and scrumptious nut butter and surrounded in vegan dark chocolate, then topped with sea salt.
Find: (Terra Verde Organic) 851W W San Mateo Rd, Santa Fe / (Santa Fe Railyard Market) 1607 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe
La Montañita Grocery Co-op Food Market
If you’re looking for something more cost-effective and on-the-go, then La Montañita is your spot. They have an extensive gluten-free selection of just about everything in their large grocery store. In addition, they have a kitchen in the back and serve hot meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have a salad bar, juice bar, and offer pizzas, soups, bakery items, and a full deli. Keep in mind, that although they try their best to avoid cross-contact, everything is made in the same area.
Tip: The Co-op is community-owned by families around New Mexico. However, if you’re from out-of-town and a member of another co-op, they will still provide you with a discount.
Featured item: Deli Golden Beet and Kale Salad
Find: 913 W Alameda St, Santa Fe
Izanami at Ten Thousand Waves
Located on the outskirts of Santa Fe, in the paradise that is Ten Thousand Waves. This James Beard-nominated Japanese restaurant offers gluten-free friendly lunch and dinners. If you’re already staying on the premises, you officially don’t have a reason to leave. Their lunch menu includes shabu shabu, a Japanese Hot Pot that you can fill with various meats and vegetables. At dinner, they have traditional Japanese Izakaya, small plates. Their fried menu is 100% gluten-free, and they use a dedicated fryer. They fry mouthwatering plates like shrimp, chicken, and shichimi fries made up of russet potatoes. Most of their food comes from organic and sustainable purveyors, many of which are local. Their kitchen is extremely celiac-safe, and they offer quite a few vegan options. If you’re planning to visit their spa and walk over afterward your soak, they welcome dining in robes.
Featured dish: Sake Braised Japanese Mushrooms. This mix of Japanese mushrooms is braised in tamari butter sauce, togarashi, and bean sprouts. You might see shiitake, shimeji, maitake, hiratake, or eringi depending on the season and what their suppliers have in stock. Guests have even been caught lifting the bowl to their lips and drinking it after eating every last mushroom! The restaurant suggests pouring the sauce over Koshihikari Homare rice, which is the most popular strain of japonica table rice. They source it from the Central Valley of California. If you think all rice is the same, this will blow your mind!
Find: 21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, Santa Fe
Love Yourself Café
A 100% gluten-free, organic, vegetarian, mostly soy-free, low-glycemic, and farm-to-table cafe. After eating at Love Yourself, you will leave making plans to return back and try plates from each of their seasonal menus. They serve both light and hearty dishes, from salads to vegan burgers. Aside from their plates, they also serve herbal elixirs, smoothies, espresso bars, tea, shots, and to-go items. And let me tell you, this menu will transform you. It is beautiful, nutritious, and delectable.
Featured plate: Ginger Banana Cardamom Waffles (available as a vegan option) made with vegan protein and probiotics.
Find: 199 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe (temporarily closed)
Christina Kantzavelos is a freelance writer, licensed clinical social worker, as well as the owner/editor of award-winning, gluten-free, and health-conscious travel and lifestyle blog. She enjoys writing about food, travel, health, culture and sustainable-living in San Diego, and beyond.
