ALONG COMES MARY

Carlsbad isn’t kidding with their slogan that “It’s All Good.” The thriving city in northern San Diego County is brimming with activities for all. The best part? Carlsbad is filled with gluten-free options. I just returned from a fantastic visit to discover all things gluten-free in Carlsbad. Despite the success, there are still loads more gluten-free offerings throughout the coastal city. That being said, these are the places my girls and I left loving. So far.

Gluten-free in Carlsbad

Parakeet Cafe

With a name like Parakeet Cafe, how could it not be fun? This lively and airy cafe serves up predominantly gluten-free plates. There are also coffees, ceremonial-grade organic matcha, teas, pastries (an entire bottom row of gluten-free), smoothies, and cold-pressed juices.

I’m usually underwhelmed with gluten-free French toast. At Parakeet, the recipe is a potato flour brioche bread. I knew I was in good hands as soon as I read brioche. It’s thick, and the crispy, sweet flavors took me back to my childhood. They finish it off with fresh berries and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

They also take their coffee seriously. It’s all organic, certified mold-free, and for dairy-free milks, they have almond made in-house with three ingredients and Elmhurst oat.

Thai Style Kitchen

Thai Style Kitchen is located within the ultra fun Windmill Food Hall. The compact menu expertly offers a great number of popular Thai dishes. Even better, they’re incredibly authentic. There are noodles, rice, soups, and one curry option.

Although Thai cuisine is usually gluten-free “safe,” I love it when extra steps are taken. Menu items are clearly marked gluten-free and vegan. Most can be modified. I zeroed in on the Thai fried rice. It’s full of flavor thanks to egg, garlic, onion, and veggies. The tamari sauce was the perfect amount. I often end up adding some extra sauce in myself, but not here.  

Knockout Pizzeria

A visit to Carlsbad isn’t complete without eating in Carlsbad Village. Mabel and I decided on pizza. We had such a fun evening at Knockout Pizzeria. Its intimate space intimidated me at first. Open French doors for patio dining along the sidewalk made me hold my breath with my rowdy child and a baby stroller in tow. Luckily, I had nothing to be concerned about.

The line moved quickly and Mabel was pleased to see her go-to (cheese pizza slice). Knockout has a gluten-free crust, so I built my own veggie pie. Its busy atmosphere had a line out the door, which showed me I must be in a good place. Everything moved quickly, and we nabbed one of those patio tables. It was ideal for people watching and even better for enjoying our pizza. The crust was thin, but it’s so rare that it’s not if gluten-free. It was extra crispy, which hit the spot, and the sauce was exceptionally good. Its richness paired well with the mozzarella and veggies, which all tasted extremely fresh.

The Henry

Just down from the Parakeet Cafe is the happening Henry. The interior is modern and hip, yet I appreciated that the vibe is very welcoming for a family-friendly meal. That being said, we actually decided on takeout as it was a busy Friday night. Plus, we were all yawning from the SEA Life Aquarium.

The Henry has a wide variety of gluten-free plates and all are clearly marked on the menu. In addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner, brunch, and a coffee bar, they also serve sushi. As someone always in search of gluten-free rolls, I was delighted that the crispy tuna roll was marked GF.

I opted for the Harvest Bowl with shrimp added. Ancient grains and veggies load up this bowl with a blend of spreads like almond pesto and cashew harissa. It brought to mind the Mediterranean bowls at fast-casual favorite, Cava. Nestled between the Henry and Parakeet Cafe is McConnell’s Ice Cream, which makes for many dessert decisions.

Choice Juicery

Choice Juicery was a pleasant surprise. It reminded me once again to never judge a book by its cover. There are six locations throughout San Diego County. We stumbled upon the Gateway Center shop. It’s quite an unassuming parking lot of professional buildings on a sleeper street. Choice is all about serving the most healthful juices and foods.

I knew I’d be a fan but what won me over instantly was the hospitable staff. I was a bit overwhelmed attempting to look over the menu with a very excited Mabel and a fussy Mavis. The decor is colorful with fun swinging chairs that Mabel loved. The staff immediately took the initiative to give me the rundown and even helped me navigate a custom order for Mabel.

All of their juices are cold pressed in-house. There are smoothies, bowls, and even gluten-free toasts.  

The Goods

The best words for someone gluten-free are gluten-free donuts. The Goods is also located in the Carlsbad Village. I was immediately taken in by their bright white exterior and wide open indoors. It reminded me of bakeries along Third Street here in LA.

The donut choices are vast, with several being gluten-free. On my morning there, there were not only gluten-free but vegan in addition to more GF. What’s a gal to pick? I chose one each of the gluten-free/vegan and one non-vegan. The seasonal berry and churro quickly had my heart. Mabel devoured her chocolate and rainbow sprinkles.

If you’re looking to have as much coffee as possible in Carlsbad, the Goods also has a coffee bar. It’s beginning to seem uncommon not to have a coffee bar in Carlsbad!

GelatoLove

I have a soft spot for GelatoLove. I’ve been enjoying this gelato shop since 2019, when it was Gaia Gelato. I discovered it on the Carlsbad Food Tour. Although it has since changed hands, the gelato remains incredible and makes me feel like I’m in Italy. Whenever I’m in the area, I always make sure to pop in and spend my sweet time deciding on some scoops.

Several flavors are gluten-free and once again, are clearly marked so. I was floored to see that one of their signature flavors, Fun Fetti, is made with almond flour. I rarely get to enjoy cake-type ice cream, so you can imagine how excited I was to indulge. It was excellent with cake bites and colorful sprinkles throughout. Yet I actually left with my favorite being the cherry vanilla.

Twist New Zealand Style Ice Cream

Back over at the Windmill Food Hall is Twist New Zealand Style Ice Cream. I wasn’t familiar with how New Zealand serves up ice cream. We chose our flavor (vegan vanilla), a fruit, and a topping. I imagined the strawberry Mabel chose would be a topping, but they actually take the ice cream and blend it with the fruit. It makes for an incredibly fresh and authentic tasting ice cream. No artificial flavors. Just the real fruit.

Despite we’re not vegan, I appreciated the lengths our server went to clean out the blender. They wanted to ensure for us that it was free of any other products until I mentioned it was ok. Once again, Carlsbad takes its dietary restrictions very seriously.

A huge thank you to Visit Carlsbad for hosting us at all of these wonderful gluten-free places. Where shall we try on our next visit?