Where To Eat Dairy & Gluten Free in Portland

I’ll be honest: you won’t have much trouble finding places where you can eat dairy and gluten free in Portland, as this city offers amazing options to the sensitive eater. But, since I got to spend almost a week there and to enjoy some delicious free-from food, I wanted to share with you some of my favorites so that you make sure to include them in your wanderings.

Like it happens often when I write gluten free city guides, the recommendations from my readers and followers were super useful and really helped me make a first selection of places that are paleo and gluten free in Portland and that I needed to visit. But this time I was extra lucky as I had my friend Mickey Trescott, founder of Autoimmune Wellness and Portland residence, share her knowledge about the best healthy spots to hit in town!

To make it easier for you, I created a handy “Gluten Free in Portland” map that you can download on your phone and use to navigate the city! Enjoy!

432 NW 11th Ave, Portland

This is a fully gluten free, dairy free and vegan little store that sells the most delicious cashew and coconut meat puddings flavored with mesquite, lucuma and maca and other yummy toppings like berries, coconut butter and cacao, as well as delicious treats such their homemade chocolate and raw fig bar.

You can create custom bowls with cooked millet, beans, sauerkrauts and veggie or enjoy one of their premade meals like their kale salad with cashew cheese, raw sandwiches (made with see bread) and collard green wraps.

I really loved this place and I ended up going back there 3 times, as you can really tell that they care a lot about quality and they have a mission of raising awareness on healthy eating.

8233 N Denver Ave, Portland, OR 97217

If you are looking for a place that’s fully paleo and gluten free in Portland, leave the downtown area and head to The Cultured Caveman, where even guests following the Autoimmune Protocol or a Low FODMAP diet can find the most amazing food options.

All the items on the menu are labeled with clear symbols that indicate all the potential allergens. I tried a couple of their salads, as well as the AIP cauliflower mash, vegetable curry and broccoli slaw and they were really tasty!

They also have interesting desserts, such as a blueberry and almond crumble and some really good paleo cupcakes… and more than anything, I loved that I didn’t need to worry about any allergens because of how clear the menu was labelled!

525 SW Morrison St, Portland, OR 97204

The entire kitchen is fully dairy free and they have a dedicated gluten free menu with lots of gluten free options. I really enjoyed the ambiance and the stunning view over the entire city (the restaurant is located on the rooftop of The Nines Hotel which is where I stayed), but the food was way too spicy for me (both my salad dressing and vegetarian sushi roll were so hot that I was not able to eat them). Also, if you are anything like me and like to have cooked or seared fish in your sushi rolls (I got food poisoning way too many times), the kitchen cannot accommodate this request, so you better go for something different and order their whole roasted snapper for example, which is really good.

Where Departure really shines is the gluten free desserts menu: I loved their eclectic and original version of Sticky Rice, made with purple sticky rice cooked in a coconut milk and passion fruit foamy soup, and their rhubarb and strawberry tart made with a delicious gluten free coconut crust. I would definitely go back there, but only for dessert!

323 NW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97209

This Asian food spot is 100% gluten free and I love that their Vietnamese Pho is made with rice noodles and bone broth that has cooked for 48 or 72 hours. My Pho was absolutely tasty, but I would have been happier if the utensils and overall space was a little bit cleaner.

4 locations in Portland

My friend Mickey Trescott recommended this place to me as it’s fully gluten free and can accommodate dairy and nightshade sensitivities as well. They handmake their own corn tortillas and they have a “paleo bowl” on the menu, which you can order without the sauce if you have troubles with nightshades. And, since their guacamole is freshly made, you can always ask them to make it without tomatoes. Too bad I didn’t have a chance to try it!

3632 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214

This is vegetarian spot that is also dairy and gluten free. I haven’t personally tried it, but I was told it offers great bowls, soups and salads. And they have a great menu full of smoothies, juices and elixirs too!

2030 SE 7th Ave, Portland

If you like the pub scene, Groundbreaker is a fully gluten-free brewery which has an adjacent gastropub that’s fully gluten free and very attentive to their guests with food allergies. Their vegan lemon tart with walnut shortbread crust has my name on it!!

4905 S.E. Woodstock Blvd Pdx, Or 97206

This place serves local, 100% grass fed and humanly raised beef. They have a dedicated gluten free fryer and their burgers can be ordered on a lettuce wrap or on a local gluten free bun from the nearby Cascadian Bakery. They also offer vegan cheese and Coconut Bliss coconut milk ice cream for dessert!!

610 SW 12th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205

Amongst the bakeries that are fully dairy and gluten free in Portland, Petunia’s was definitely my favorite one. The ambiance is extremely charming, and the dessert display is absolutely mouthwatering. I had a chance to try their sour cherry and peach pie (which was my favorite) their zucchini and chocolate bread and their mint and chocolate brownie. While this bakery does not claim to be “healthy” (and of course, there is sugar in their treats), it’s a nice stop when you are in cheat mode and you have someone to share your treats with. 🙂

The featured photo of this article (donuts) is taken from Petunia Bakery’s Facebook

1700 SE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97214

I only tried their dairy and gluten free Challah Bread because it was so big that I didn’t have the heart to order anything else. But, if the rest if their stuff is as good as their brown rice Challah, then this bakery is a true gem! The bread was so spongy and well risen that I could not believe it was made without gluten… and the ingredient list looked pretty clean too.

If you can’t make it to the actual bakery, you can find their products at the local Whole Foods.

3 Locations in Portland

This is another fully vegan, dairy and gluten free bakery that I didn’t have a chance to try. And that’s pretty unfortunate because their menu seems absolutely amazing: dairy free ice creams, a dessert bar and a full-on bakery make this place a must to visit when you are looking to eat gluten free in Portland!