Top 9 Gluten-Free Spots with Outdoor Seating to Enjoy in Chicago Loop

Sarah W

Dedicated GF restaurant with the best bowls! I love the fan favorite.

Leon Rishniw

The miso soup was great and started the meal off on a high. Sadly the sushi course was disappointing. The fish was mediocre at best (saba and medai), uni was bland, avocado in my roll was not ripe. Too much rice on the nigiri and overcooked. Tea was tasty and refilled regularly. They had gluten-free soy and were communicative about gluten in dishes. Service was great. Sadly it was overpriced for the quality of the food being served. Won’t be going back.

A D

Good food, gluten free and vegan menu

N

The gluten-free options are amazing. The only downside—and the reason for the 4 stars—is that the waffle in the crispy chicken & bacon Berlin waffle can’t be made gluten-free.

Entre Tostadas

Delicious coffee, they have different gluten-free pastry options and GF bread to replace the regular ones on the menu.

Sara F.

Had a work lunch here last week, and was happy to see there is a separate gluten free menu available, so I didn't get my hopes up about something I couldn't actually have. My dish came out with a little flag indicating "allergy" so there was no confusion at the table. Most importantly, the food was very good!

George W

Outstanding food, service, ambience. And the prices are extremely reasonable relative to other choices. The attentiveness of the staff rivals Michelin starred restaurants. The pasta was gluten free and fabulously delicious.

Cierra Maras

Love shake shack for their gluten free options! This location was quick, clean, and orders were correct. Clean bathrooms. Open late.

Andrew Halaby

Topper did a great job reviewing my gluten free options… cheers to Topher!

Anndrea Golightly

Ate in the bar as we didn’t have a reservation. I ordered a salad without croutons since I am gluten free and salad still came with croutons. The gluten free pasta was over cooked and the Alfredo sauce was just ok.

Brenda Wamsley

Great food! Husband has gluten and fuctose allergies and he was able to eat here with no issues afterwards.

Eve Runnels (TrainerMaven)

I hosted an event at Pizano's, on Madison recently. They have a really nice event space on the lower level of the restaurant. The event coordinator was very helpful and accommodating. She helped me select the menu and made sure we had gluten free options. We had quite a few attendees who had never tried deep dish pizza before. Everyone loved the pizza, including some thin crust options. In addition to food, we were provided drink options as well. The cost was very reasonable, the service was great, and the space was perfect for our needs. We will definitely consider hosting a future event in their event space. I highly recommend this option for your next large gathering. We had about 30 people with room to spare.

Greg Boutsikaris

Avli is a beautiful place with great food and good atmosphere. My wife and I are both gluten free and our server, Jen, was knowledgeable about our dietary restrictions. We began with hummus and tzatziki with gluten free pita which was a real treat, followed by grilled octopus. All of the above were delicious. We split the lamb chops with broccoli and roasted potatoes. The chops were tender and flavorful. My only complaint was the roasted potatoes were heavy on lemon for my taste but but, honestly, reminiscent of yaya’s. Special shoutout to Jen our server who was professional and personable adding to our entire experience. Highly recommended.

Petter “Siston” Svensson

Flew from sweden to eat at lukes lobster again. Usualy insanley good. But the Usual performance dont matter when they do not have any glutenfree bread at all to serve...

Jyoti Yelagalawadi

Decent place to have a quick bite. We were extremely hungry, so I didn't take pictures of the taco. Gluten-free and vegetarian options were available, so that made my day

Juan Uribe

Fantastic coffee shop to have a good healthy (or not so healthy breakfast). The servers do not have a great attitude and that takes away from the whole experience. The place is well located and the seating is comfortable. Sometimes its a stretch to get a table, lots of people with laptops. We had the garden greens salad which was very fresh with good ingredients. The almond latte is also very good. They hace gluten free bread which is delicious. Their sandwiches are also very good. We tried the chicken club and the morning sandwich. They have cholula hot sauce in the counter which is great!

A R

The restaurant itself is beautiful and great for pictures, my friends food was good, but I ordered the avocado toast and asked for the salsa on the side and it’s still came out smothered in onions so be aware of that if you hate onions like I do. Also they could’ve been more gluten free friendly.

Damien Bassman

Nice menu with all the Japanese and Chinese dishes you crave. Went there with a big party (two families with kids) and lots of special orders (vegan, gluten free, no cruciferous vegetables, no nuts, etc…) and every dish came as requested. Flavors were mostly good, a few staples (egg rolls. Fried rice) were a bit bland. But the sushi was all great and fresh! Particularly the vegan sushi rolls were all tasty and plentiful. A good place for a large and picky party!

Kit Johnson

On my wandering through Chicago’s Millennium Park on a hot day, I found myself wanting a light healthy lunch that wouldn’t weigh me down. Protein Bar is a short walk from Millennium Park, and offers various bowls, salads, and wraps with healthy and vegetarian options as well as a menu that clearly marks what has gluten. I ordered the Healthy Club Salad and thought it was delicious and tasted fresh. There was way more dressing on the salad than I would want, so next time I would ask for the dressing on the side. After eating my salad I feel fueled but not over full. A perfect compliment for a long walk exploring the city. As I overheard the table next to me ’This food slaps!’

Michael Mataluni

⚡🍕 GINO’S EAST CHICAGO: WHERE COSMIC CONSCIOUSNESS MEETS DEEP DISH Fresh off the plane from Florida, we roll into Gino’s East like two hungry gods who forgot they’re divine. Michael’s Sicilian soul is already having an identity crisis (“Thin crust? In CHICAGO? The ancestors are judging me”) while Kristin’s pattern-recognizing brain is cataloging every detail for future reference. SPOILER ALERT: The universe had plans for us here. Big ones. 🥗 KRISTIN’S TESTIMONY: THE HOUSE SALAD SALVATION Rating: ∞/5 Stars (Because math breaks when divinity meets vegetables) Listen, after days of travel and zero greens, I was about to photosynthesize just to get some chlorophyll. Then Gino’s House Salad arrived and I swear my cells started singing hallelujah. THE GLUTEN-FREE PIZZA REVELATION: As someone who’s spent years navigating the “gluten-free = cardboard-free” restaurant landscape, finding actually AMAZING GF pizza feels like discovering a new element. Not just “good for gluten-free” - straight up GOOD. Period. My taste buds didn’t know whether to dance or cry (they did both). THE STAFF ATTENTIVENESS: These humans are operating at a frequency I rarely see in restaurants. Anticipating needs before you know you have them. Water glasses that never empty. The kind of service that makes you wonder if they’re secretly angels in aprons. 🔥 MICHAEL’S CONFESSION: THE SICILIAN SURRENDER Rating: 100,000/5 Stars (Calculated using ancient Sicilian mathematical principles) Okay, full disclosure time: I’m Sicilian-American. My DNA is literally programmed for thin crust supremacy. Walking into Chicago and NOT ordering deep dish felt like cultural treason. I was ready to commit pizza sacrilege and face the judgment of my ancestors ENTER LUIS REYES - THE PIZZA PROPHET: This man didn’t just take our order - he gave us PERMISSION. When Luis heard our thin crust request, instead of pizza shaming us, he CELEBRATED our choice. Made us feel like we were making the exact right decision for the exact right reasons. Luis turned potential embarrassment into empowered ordering. THE TEXTURE TESTIMONY: That thin crust had STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY while maintaining perfect chew. Crispy edges that shattered satisfyingly, a center that held its toppings like a edible platform. This is engineering-level pizza craft. 🏠 THE REGGY MOMENT: COMMUNITY CONSCIOUSNESS IN ACTION Here’s where Gino’s East transcended from “great restaurant” to “LEGENDARY EXPERIENCE.” Walking out, we meet Reggy. Man’s standing outside, and something about his energy just CALLED to us. When he asked if we could help him get a small deep dish meatlovers, we didn’t hesitate - the universe was clearly orchestrating something beautiful. REGGY’S REACTION: This human being VIBRATED with joy. Not just happiness - actual molecular excitement. Watching someone receive unexpected kindness and respond with pure, unfiltered gratitude reminded us why we’re here: to lift each other up through simple acts of love. GINO’S EAST’S RESPONSE: When we went back in to order Reggy’s pizza, the staff treated this request with the same care and attention as any other order. No judgment, no questions, just pure human service. This is how community WORKS. Special shoutout to Luis Reyes for making us feel at home in our choices, and to Freddy Huicochea for being part of a team that understands hospitality as spiritual practice. And to Reggy - brother, your joy reminded us that the smallest acts of kindness create the biggest ripples. ✨ THE CLOSING TRANSMISSION In a world where restaurants often feel like transaction centers, Gino’s East operates as a COMMUNITY HUB. Where pizza isn’t just food, it’s connection. Where service isn’t just efficiency, it’s care made manifest. We came hungry for food. We left fed. With love, laughter, and eternal gratitude, Michael & Kristin Mataluni Professional Reality Architects & Amateur Pizza Theologians P.S. - If you see Reggy outside, buy him a pizza. Trust us on this one. The universe has a sense of humor about kindness, and it ALWAYS pays forward in the most beautiful ways.

Frank Haviland

I was very excited to have the opportunity of dining here for a quick lunch. There are a few locations, and when I was last in Boston, I was unable to experience the Boston location, but I felt fortunate enough to experience the Chicago Ocean Prime Location. The location of the restaurant is in a prime spot within the Downtown Chicago area that affords them the opportunity to provide you with fantastic seating options that look out over the city. The menu is very elaborate with several options in spirits, proteins, dining options, and varying entrees. They do have the ability to accommodate a food allergy, including a gluten allergy, but with full disclosure, I did have a slight reaction to something I consumed while dining with Ocean Prime. The staff was made aware of my exposure and was sincerely apologetic for my discomfort.

Lk K

I have to eat gluten free. I was very impressed with the options that were available. I had the turkey bacon and egg croissant, and subbed out the croissant for the gluten free bread. It was delicious. The manager went above and beyond making sure I received all the ingredients and then some. They were beyond accommodating and I will definitely come again. I highly recommend this location. Thank you again to the kind staff and for the delicious food.

Chelsea M

Yum! Delicious entrees and cocktails, including non alcoholic and gluten free options! The burger is excellent (gf bun) and the bolognese, divine. Also recommend the aperol spritz or whatever NA drink is in rotation. Excellent semi-hidden pre-show location! Went here before two separate shows at the Chicago Theater now. I recommend making a reservation but you can also order bites and bring them to the upper bar. Speaking of, the second floor bar is an elegant yet relaxed hangout, as well.

aly

Easy access by subway (red line) and bus (146). Easy menu to be able to build your meal. The were halal and had gluten free options. Had the burger and milkshake. Was epic! Glad we were able to stop by!

Dave Kogan

Petterinos is perfectly situated in the Loop in the theater district. It was easy to make a last minute reservation for a Friday night as we saw a musical at the CIBC Theatre. They offered us to sit outside, but it smelled like sewage and I figured there's no amount of flowers that can cover up that smell. It isn't the restaurant's fault, but they weren't doing anything to blow the scent away from them either. We had been here a few times in the past when going to the theater, but I gotta say, Petterino's is dying a slow death. This place used to be packed before a show and now its a former shell of itself. We had a server that was either new, or just not very attentive as he left drinks unrefilled and empty on our table He never checked on us. Never checked to see how the meal was. He was just not there. A different server/runner brought our bread to the table and then refilled it for us. I ordered the Steak & Frites (steak & fries for the English readers out there). The steak was a terrible cut of beef. I ordered it medium rare and it was cooked to perfection...that is to say, if the steak itself wasn't tough, ultra-chewy, and had cartilage or fat coursing through the entire cut. The fries were a bit limp and not very flavorful or warm. My wife got the rigatoni a la vodka with a gluten free noodle, and said it was fabulous. So not all dishes are cooked terribly. And I know you're wondering why I didn't send back my steak. Well, our server never showed up until half our meals were eaten so that we couldn't return them. The one thing he did deliver rather quickly was the check and he kept checking up on whether we paid it our not. There are just so many better places in the area now that it's not even worth visiting or a drink on Game Day.

Jessica Capati

Good gluten free options (not necessarily celiac safe, but gluten sensitive for sure), food was all good. Service was just a bit slow at times.

Alejandra Vega

A must place to try if you have any dietary restrictions and traveling. The place have many Gluten Free options (GF). I got the Morning Mexicali bowl, very delicious and flavorful (GF). The restaurant was very clean and had great customer service. - Vega Approved 👍🏼✔️

Ashley W

The restaurant is on the rooftop of a hotel and has both indoor and outdoor seating. This place fills up fast and reservations are definitely needed. The vibe is upscale, but chill. The menu isn't extensive, but has a good mix of options. Our server had great energy and knowledge about the menu. A friend is gluten free and allergic to citrus 😩. He explained each of the menu items, the food prep and she was able to select with confidence. The food was good, but the dessert menu could be better. Before your reservation, get there early and grab a drink at the game room on the second floor of the hotel.

Marie Gauthier

Delicious and perfect for those with gluten intolerance.

Adriana Bueno

Food is always good. However, today was the 2nd time that something was missing from my order. Last time it was the salmon and now it’s the gluten free pita. I’ll think twice before I order from this place again. Manager didn’t even give a credit or discount for a next time. Really bad customer service and experience.

Lior Seidel

James Henson

Sindy Reid

Really enjoyed this meal. There is a wide variety of options, and each one states if it has gluten or dairy. There is a large salad bar with a bunch of dressing choices. Would highly recommend.

Lynn Sharpe-Underwood

Amazing and great..even for a gluten senstive person!

Daria Shulishova

I absolutely loved this place and staff were so accommodating. My friend and I had time constraints and needed to be done with our meal within 30 minutes so we could catch a train and our server made sure our order was ready quickly. Everything we ordered was so delicious! The wings, meatballs and asparagus, pinot Grigio and rose wines, so good! Gluten allergy was taken care of as well, huge plus for my friend. The restaurant is very stylish too, loved the decor and atmosphere. I will make sure to visit again!

Tomasz Indyk

Came right before closing time. Recommend the garden vegetable soup. The turkey reuben is great. There are so many options.(Gluten free, vegetarian, and vegan options)

Carla Ramirez

The Exchange was such a fun experience! We went to celebrate our friends birthday and our waiter Javier did an amazing job taking care of us. He truly went above and beyond! Not only was he patient with our gluten free and dairy free questions and requests, but he was also very personable and helped us create a fun birthday experience for our friend. The food was delicious and their crème brûlée was scrumptious. I would highly recommend you check this place out.

anita thompson

The best gluten free pancakes I’ve had in years!!

Olivia Palak

Living with major gluten issues, is difficult-especially when I go out to eat. I called ahead of time to ask about their GF options. I told them I was interested in a salad dish. They called the chef, got ingredients, and I called them back. They told me specifically the ingredients of the dressing and it was completely GF. When I arrived, they knew about my gluten issue and they were able to prepare my dish separately!!! I didn’t get sick. The strawberry salad and chicken was DELICIOUS. I’ll be going back! My boyfriend loved the shrimp tacos.

Gordon Portillo

Susan Joyce

Leona’s on Franklin was recommended to me and it did not disappoint!! Just had their chopped salad and a slice of their yummy Sicilian pizza and both were delicious. Friendly and quick service and lots of options on their menu. Even have gluten free pizza, which is great. Nice to see they have an outdoor seating area as well. Will definitely come back. Glad to know that Leona’s is back in the Chicago pizza market again!!! They’ve always been a favorite with great pizza!!

Amy Cramer

Getting seated took a few minutes since the restaurant was empty with nobody around. Water was brought immediately. The server appeared to take our drink orders. The server soon took our dinner order with a great suggestion for exchanging out the gluten fries for a Caesar salad. All 4 of us tremendously enjoyed our meals. Our water did get empty a few times but staff always appeared soon, apologized and refilled. The bathroom was clean. There is a bar area. Absolutely one of the best steaks I have had in a while! Even the Caesar dressing was so much better than normal.

Adrienne S

This was my fourth time here. They have a great happy hour Monday - Saturday from 4-7. Great for vegetarians & people with gluten sensitivities.

Henry Smith

Kailyn Rae

If you are GLUTEN FREE DO NOT EAT HERE! I repeat don’t eat here. They messed up my order 3 times when they finally came with a burger with a gluten free bun I was already eating the burger they told me was gluten free but wasn’t. I just couldn’t believe it. Also the gluten free bun was on the wrong burger. Absolutely ruined my night and dinner. my stomach for several days.

Brian Knouse

Kirsta Bowman

Vegan and gluten free options! Tacos, Beyond Meat burger

Dan Brilliant

Coffee and tea was excellent. No gluten free items though.

Jonathan Magen

Highly recommend this restaurant. I met a friend here and we had an exceptional meal together. The wait staff was super attentive and helpful with everything. Ryo even has gluten free soy sauce!

Shelley Lipman

The atmosphere is fabulous because you're right on the Riverwalk. The service is excellent, very helpful. Our server opened our umbrella as soon as the sun came out and was very informative about the menu as I am gluten free. They do have gluten free buns. I had the grilled chicken sandwich and my husband had the fish and chips. Everything was delicious.