The Best Gluten Free Street Food in London
Welcome to the ultimate guide to finding celiac safe, gluten free street food in London!
I have celiac disease and recently moved to London, after spending the past 10 years visiting my British partner here. As a result, I have spent a decade exploring the best gluten free options in London’s street food scene. Finally, I felt it was time to share all those findings with you!
The guide below is very much an evolving document. Now that I live permanently in London, I visit these street food stalls regularly and keep this guide updated with my findings!
Below you will find all the best spots for gluten free street food in London, divided by food market. And definitely read all the way to the bottom, where I share two 100% gluten free street food festivals that happen in London each year!
The Best Gluten Free Street Food in London by Food Market
As I mentioned, this guide is divided by food market. There is a huge food market scene in London. Visiting one (or more!) markets really is a must-do experience as a tourist OR a local.
Naturally, some food markets in London have better gluten free options than others. For the markets with the most options, I’ve written separate, detailed guides which I’ll link to below. As for the markets with fewer gluten free options, I’ve listed the current GF-friendly stalls in this post.
Best food markets in London for gluten free food:
- Borough Market – my personal favorite
- Camden Market
- Broadway Market
- Maltby Street Market
- Spitalfields
- Brick Lane
- Southbank Centre
- Greenwich Market
- Mercato Metropolitan
- Whitecross Street Market
- Boxpark Shoreditch
A Note of Caution Before You Continue
The London street food scene is very transient, with vendors switching markets, changing hours, or closing all the time. I live in London and visit these markets regularly so this guide is kept up-to-date, however I ask that you please double check the information on the vendor’s own website or socials before planning your visit.
As for cross contact with gluten, I encourage you to ask your own questions to ensure your safety. I’ve made sure to mark the 100% gluten free spots below, but a selection of my recommendations do share their premises with gluten. Personally, I tend to message the vendors on Instagram ahead of time to help avoid disappointment.
Good luck, and enjoy my gluten free London street food guide!
Borough Market
Borough Market is the most famous food market in London, and my personal favorite!
There are a LOT of gluten free options here, so much that I actually wrote a separate gluten free Borough Market guide – check it out!
Gluten free street food in Borough Market:
- Free From Bakehouse – 100% gluten free
- Tacos Padre – 100% gluten free
- Khanom Krok – 100% gluten free
- La Pepia – 100% gluten free
- Richard Haward’s Oysters – 100% gluten free
- Horn OK Please
- Gujarati Rasoi
- The Natural Smoothie Company
RELATED | Gluten Free Borough Market Guide
Camden Market
Camden Market is another mega popular food market in London, located in the buzzy Camden Town area. Personally, I find this market to be a bit too crowded and busy for my taste – but I can’t deny it has TONS of gluten free options and most people love it.
Again, I wrote a separate gluten free Camden Market guide so check that out for all the details.
Gluten free street food in Camden Market:
- Makatcha – 100% gluten free
- Arepazo Bros – 100% gluten free
- Camden Juice – 100% gluten free
- Tapioc Wraps – 100% gluten free
- El Pollote
- Oli Baba’s
- Arepa Streat Kitchen
RELATED | Gluten Free Camden Market Guide
Broadway Market
Broadway Market is located in Hackney in north London – a bit out of the way for most tourists, but worth the trek in my opinion if you’re gluten free.
Some of the MOST DELICIOUS gluten free street food in London can be found at Broadway Market including the insta famous donuts by Floris Bakery… I haven’t yet been to Broadway Market but it’s #1 on my list to visit!
Gluten free street food in Broadway Market:
- Floris Bakery – 100% gluten free
- Eat n Mess – 100% gluten free
- Makatcha – 100% gluten free
- Gujarati Rasoi
- Calm Indian Cow
- Okko Onigiri
- + probably even more places! I will update this post once I visit.
Maltby Street Market
Maltby Street Market is a smaller market compared to others on this list. It’s literally just one street (as you might’ve guessed!) and has a nice mix of both locals and tourists.
Despite its small size, there is some great gluten free food both inside the market and nearby – check out my full gluten free Maltby Street Market guide for the details.
Gluten free street food in Maltby Street Market:
- Amen Ethiopian – 100% gluten free
- Duck Frites
RELATED | Gluten Free Maltby Street Market Guide
Spitalfields Market
Spitalfields Market is another one of the more popular food markets in London, located in East London. Actually, it is technically made up of two markets: Old Spitalfields Market, and Spitalfields E1.
For the purposes of this gluten free London street food guide, I’m grouping the two markets together since chances are if you’re visiting one, you won’t have a problem walking a few steps to the other!
Gluten free street food in Spitalfields Market:
- Wicked Fish (100% gluten free): Gluten free fish and chips, anyone?! To my knowledge, Wicked Fish is the ONLY dedicated gluten free fish and chips shop in all of London. Note that only their Spitalfields Market location is fully gluten free.
- Polka Dot Bakery (100% gluten free): A completely gluten free bakery that comes to Old Spitalfields on Saturdays and Sundays.
- Merkamo Ethiopian: A completely vegan Ethiopian food stall, with lots of gluten free options.
Brick Lane
Most visitors to London have heard of Brick Lane – a somewhat edgy but now veering toward touristy area teeming with various markets (think: vintage clothes, antique jewelry, souvenirs, and more).
The markets kind of roll one into the other, but if you’re looking for food then you should head to UPMARKET Brick Lane Food Hall or the Ely’s Yard Food Trucks.
The gluten free food scene in Brick Lane is a bit hit or miss, partly because (to me, at least) the area is so overwhelming. However, there is one great option.
Gluten free street food in Brick Lane Market:
- Arepas & Cachapas (100% gluten free): A fully gluten free Venezuelan stall that is open at Brick Lane seven days a week. Come here for the cachapas (a mouth watering sweet corn pancake) – you can find arepas all over London but the cachapas are hard to come by and, in my opinion, much more delicious.
Southbank Centre Food Market
Southbank Centre Food Market is a low-key market that pops up in the courtyard behind the Southbank Centre, Fridays through Sundays. It’s a great spot for lunch or early dinner.
Gluten free street food in Southbank Centre Food Market:
- El Pabellon (100% gluten free): Absolutely delicious Venezuelan food. Come here for the tempura fried sweet potato fries or the arepa bowl.
- Horn OK Please: One of my favorites from Borough Market also has a stall at Southbank, mostly gluten free but not completely – be sure to let them know you’re celiac.
- The Curry Shack: All the curries are gluten free, but I do believe there is still some gluten on the premises.
Greenwich Market
Greenwich Market is a historic market in London that is known largely for their antiques trading.
I haven’t actually been to Greenwich Market yet so this section is a little bare; I’ll be sure to update this with my personal experience once I visit!
If you have tips for Greenwich Market, by all means leave me a comment below!
Mercato Metropolitano (Elephant & Castle)
Mercato Metropolitano is a huge, industrial street food market not far from Elephant & Castle, south of the Thames.
Note: They do have a couple other locations in London, but I can only speak to the Elephant & Castle location so far.
Gluten free street food in Mercato Metropolitano:
- Guasa (100% gluten free): Another Venezuelan one for you! Guasa is fully gluten free, and a hotspot for arepas, yucca fries, their signature corn-dough balls, and more.
Whitecross Street Market
Whitecross Street Market is a bit unusual on this list because it’s only open on weekdays during lunchtime. As such, I noticed it’s really popular among Londoners who work in central offices, as well as tourists.
I only know of one place to eat gluten free food at Whitecross Street Market, but it’s one of my favorites in all of London so definitely worth checking out. I need to go back to Whitecross soon for a bit more investigating – I’ll keep this post updated, of course!
Gluten free street food in Whitecross Street Market:
- Beijummy (100% gluten free): Ahhh, how I love Beijummy! I first ate here in 2018 and fell in love. They specialize in gluten free Brazilian tapioca wraps that are just so dang good.
Boxpark Shoreditch
Ahh, Shoreditch, the home of overpriced trendiness in East London. The Boxpark Shoreditch food market is no different – it’s very cool (all the food stalls are made out of shipping containers) but it’s quite touristy and definitely expensive.
I wouldn’t put Boxpark at the tippy top of your list of gluten free London street food spots to check out, but if you’re already in the area it’s definitely worth a peek.
Gluten free street food in Boxpark Shoreditch:
- Guasa (100% gluten free): This fully gluten free Venezuelan stall also has a spot at Boxpark Shoreditch.
- Taco Collective: I have not eaten here myself but their tacos look delicious and based on reviews it could be promising for gluten free.
But Wait… There’s More! A 100% Gluten Free Street Food Festival in London
Did you know that there are actually some COMPLETELY gluten free food festivals in London? It’s true!
When discussing where to find the best gluten free street food in London, it would be wrong not to mention the following two amazing food festivals that have annual events in London.
Free From Festival
Free From Festival is an amazing company that puts on 100% gluten free street food festivals in the UK.
After wanting to go to one of these festivals for years, I finally made it to their Bristol event in 2024, accompanied by my friend Rachel of The Sightseeing Coeliac. I hope to go to the London event later this year, too!
It is just an incredible experience to be able to completely relax in a setting where you have access to dozens of gluten free hot food vendors. I ate donuts, pizza (by the slice!!!), a sausage roll, Greek pita wrap, Sri Lankan food, brownies, and… more!
In addition to their annual London event, they also do events in Bristol and Birmingham.
Free From Festival Schedule
Next London event: Saturday, 25th May 2024 – 11am – 6.00pm at Woolwich Works.
Next Birmingham event: Saturday, 5th October 2024, The Bond.
Next Bristol event: Spring 2025.
Allergy & Free From Show
The Allergy & Free From Show is the other option for a gluten free food festival in London, but I’ll warn you that this one is much more focused on allergies in general, and as a result is not fully gluten free (ironic, I know).
Compared to the Free From Festival, this one is a much bigger event on a larger scale – think thousands of exhibitors over two days.
I have not yet been myself, nor will I be able to attend their 2024 London event, but I hope to go in the future!
Allergy & Free From Show Schedule
Next London event: 22 – 23 June 2024, Olympia London.
Final Thoughts on Gluten Free Street Food in London
Well, there you have my complete guide to finding celiac safe, gluten free street food in London. As I mentioned, I keep this guide regularly updated since I live in London and have a true food market obsession (Dan and I seem to go to at least one market a week!).
If you notice any closures or changes, please help me out by letting me know in the comments! Together, we can keep this guide useful for all gluten free folks who are visiting or living in London.
You might like these other gluten free London posts…
Borough Market Gluten Free Guide
Camden Market Gluten Free Guide