Gluten free food in Silicon Valley

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Are you looking for a place where you can get a nice gluten free sit down meal in Silicon Valley? Or maybe you are looking for a spot to grab a quick gluten free meal on the go? Well either way, you are in the right place! In this article, we discuss all of our favorite gluten free restaurants in Silicon Valley. In particular, we focus on restaurants that are safe for those with celiac disease and those who are sensitive to cross contamination.

For each restaurant we discuss in this article, we will provide information on a set of characteristics to help you determine whether that restaurant suits your tastes and preferences. We start this article out by laying out those characteristics. After that, we discuss some of our favorite sit down restaurants in Silicon Valley that offer safe gluten free restaurants. Then we discuss some of our favorite fast casual restaurants in Silicon Valley that offer gluten free options.

Note. If you are looking for even more restaurants in the Bay Area, check out this article on the best gluten free restaurants in San Francisco.

Characteristics of gluten free restaurants in Silicon Valley

For each gluten free restaurant in Silicon Valley, we will provide information on the following characteristics to help you determine which restaurant best suits your preferences.

Gluten free status. First, we will discuss the gluten free status of each restaurant. We will discuss whether the restaurant is dedicated to gluten free food or whether they make items that contain gluten on the premises. If a restaurant is not dedicated to gluten free food, we will also provide information to help assess the risk of cross contamination.
Other dietary restrictions. After that, we will discuss other dietary restrictions that each restaurant caters to. Some of these restaurants specifically cater to gluten free foodies, whereas others can accommodate a range of food allergies and dietary restrictions.
Cuisine. Next, we will discuss the food that is served at each restaurant. This will include information on the main type of cuisine that the menu takes inspiration from. It will also include information on any specialties that each restaurant focuses on.
Atmosphere. After that, we will discuss the atmosphere at each restaurant. This will include information on the decor and ambiance of each restaurant. It will also include information on things like the energy level and the level of formality of each restaurant.
Location. Next, we will discuss the location of each restaurant.
Seating. Finally, we will discuss the seating options that are available. This will include information on whether indoor or outdoor seating is available. It will also include information on whether reservations are recommended.

Gluten free sit down restaurants in Silicon Valley

Now that we have laid out the characteristics that we will use to provide more information on each gluten free restaurant in Silicon Valley, we will discuss some of our favorite restaurants that offer gluten free options in Silicon Valley. We will start by discussing our favorite sit down restaurants that offer gluten free options in Silicon Valley. Note that these restaurants are listed roughly in order of preference, with our favorite restaurants appearing towards the top of the list.

Polenteria

Polenteria is a cozy little spot that is located right in the heart of downtown Los Gatos. It is an upscale Italian restaurant that serves some of the best Italian food we have had in Northern California. Not only is the food delicious, but it is also entirely gluten free! You’re heard that right – all of their breads, pastas, and even their breaded fried items, are entirely gluten free. This is our number one recommendation if you are looking for excellent gluten free Italian food in the Bay Area.

Gluten free status. Polenteria is a dedicated gluten free facility. All of the food that they cook in their kitchen is entirely gluten free.
Other dietary restrictions. Polenteria also has plenty of vegetarian options available. Vegetarian options are not labeled on the menu, but they are generally easy to spot.
Cuisine. Polenteria is an Italian restaurant that serves upscale Italian dishes. As the name suggests, the restaurant specializes in polenta and has a large selection of flavorful polenta dishes available. They also have a large range of bruschetta options and provide the option to craft your own bruschetta flight by choosing three of their many bruschetta flavors.
Atmosphere. Polenteria is a small restaurant that has a very cozy atmosphere. The staff are welcoming and the restaurant is nicely decorated with accents that play up the cozy atmosphere. That means that this place feels very warm and inviting.
Location. Polenteria is located in downtown Los Gatos, right across the street from the town plaza. That means that there is an ample amount of parking available nearby. There are some public transportation lines that drop off nearby, but the options are limited.
Seating. Polenteria is a very small restaurant that does not have room for many tables. That means that reservations are highly recommended. We generally plan to make reservations at least a few days before we eat at Polenteria. All of the seating at Polenteria is located indoors.

Bruschetta from Polenteria on Los Gatos, California

Polenta from Polenteria on Los Gatos, California

Arepas Latin Cuisine

Arepas Latin Cuisine is a trendy Venezuelan restaurant that is located in a popular downton area of San Jose. Specifically, it is located in southwest San Jose in the Willow Glen area. This is a modern spot with a lively atmosphere that is the perfect place to grab a meal with friends. They have a fairly large menu that consists of Venezuelan classics like arepas, cachapas, and pabellon rice bowls that come with a variety of flavorful sauces. This is a great spot for anyone who likes bold latin flavors.

Gluten free status. Arepas Latin Cuisine is not a dedicated gluten free restaurant. That being said, the vast majority of the items on their menu are naturally gluten free. There are only a few ingredients they use in their kitchen that contain gluten, so the chances of cross contamination are relatively low. The staff are also fairly vigilant about cross contamination and understand what measures should be taken to prevent cross contamination.
Other dietary restrictions. Arepas Latin Cuisine also has vegan and vegetarian options. Many of the vegetarian options contain cheese, so there are more vegetarian options available than vegan options. That being said, they are able to accommodate vegan diners.
Cuisine. Arepas Latin Cuisine is a Venezuelan restaurant that specializes in Venezuelan food. In particular they specialize in arepas. They have a variety of grilled and fried arepas available.
Atmosphere. Arepas Latin Cuisine is a trendy spot with sleek, modern decor. They have a relatively laid back atmosphere, so this is a great place to stop by if you are looking for a place to destress after a long day of work.
Location. Arepas Latin Cuisine is located in the city of San Jose. Specifically, it is located in the Willow Glen area on a street that is lined with other shops and restaurants.
Seating. Arepas Latin Cuisine has a mixture of indoor and outdoor seating available. They have a decent amount of seating, so it is generally possible to get a table without waiting.

Arepas from Arepa Latin Cuisine in San Jose, California

Blue Line Pizza

Blue Line Pizza is a popular pizza chain that is known for making some of the best pizzas in Silicon Valley. They also just happen to have one of the best gluten free pizza crusts around. While they are not a dedicated gluten free facility and they do make pizzas with wheat flour on their premises, they generally do a good job handling food allergies and take precautions to prevent cross contamination where possible. Blue Line Pizza has multiple locations in Silicon Valley, so that means that there is always good gluten free pizza nearby.

Gluten free status. Blue Line Pizza is not a dedicated gluten free facility. That being said, most of their pizzas can be made gluten free upon request. The menu is not labeled with information on which pizzas can be made gluten free, but the servers are knowledgeable about how different items are prepared and can provide this information. Blue Line Pizza takes precautions to prevent cross contamination when making gluten free pizzas. This is especially true if you make it clear that you are eating gluten free because of an allergy rather than a preference.
Other dietary restrictions. Blue Line Pizza can accommodate a range of food allergies and dietary restrictions. In particular, they call out nut, soy, and dairy as common allergies that they are easily able to accommodate. They also have vegan options available.
Cuisine. Blue Line Pizza is a pizza restaurant. While they do have some classics, they tend to serve elevated pizzas that are made with fresh ingredients and creative topping combinations.
Atmosphere. Blue Line Pizza is a nice, but not overly fancy, sit down restaurant. It definitely has a nicer ambiance than the average pizza shop. Most of their locations are decorated with sleek, modern furniture.
Location. Blue Line Pizza has multiple locations throughout Silicon Valley. This includes locations in Los Gatos, Campbell, and Mountain View. That means that there is always great gluten free pizza nearby.
Seating. Blue Line Pizza has a few different locations and details of the seating setup varies from location to location. It is generally possible to get a seat at most of their locations without waiting a long time.

Bamboo Sushi

Bamboo Sushi is a popular sushi chain that has locations in a few different states in the western portion of the United States. This includes one location right near the heart of San Jose. Bamboo Sushi is a sustainable sushi restaurant that is an excellent choice for anyone who is conscious of the environmental impact of their choices. While they are not a dedicated gluten free facility, there are only a few items on the menu that contain gluten. That means that the chances of cross contamination are relatively low here.

Gluten free status. Bamboo Sushi is not a dedicated gluten free establishment. That being said, a large portion of their menu is or can be made gluten free. There are only a few items that contain gluten on the menu, all of which are clearly labeled. That means that the chances of cross contamination are relatively low.
Other dietary restrictions. Bamboo Sushi also has a range of vegan and vegetarian options, though there are more vegetarian options than vegan options. Vegetarian options are clearly labeled on the menu. Items that contain nuts are also clearly labeled on the menu.
Cuisine. Bamboo Sushi is a sushi restaurant that primarily serves sushi and similar items like crispy rice.
Atmosphere. Bamboo Sushi is a trendy spot with a nice ambiance. All of their restaurants are decorated with sleek, modern decor and Japanese-inspired accents.
Location. Bamboo Sushi is located in San Jose. Specifically, it is located in the Valley Fair shopping center.
Seating. Bamboo Sushi has both indoor and outdoor seating available. This is a nice spot in a popular shopping center, so we recommend making reservations if you plan to attend during a popular time. For example, it might be a good idea to make a reservation if you plan to stop by during peak weekend dinner hours. During less popular times, it is often possible to get a seat without making a reservation.

Fast casual restaurants

Now that we have discussed our favorite sit down restaurants that offer gluten free options in Silicon Valley, we will discuss some of our favorite fast casual restaurants that offer gluten free options in Silicon Valley.

Asian Box

Asian Box is a large fast casual chain that serves Asian-inspired dishes on the go. In particular, most of the items on their menu are inspired by Vietnamese cuisine. That being said, they do have some items that are inspired by other Asian cuisines. Asian Box is a dedicated gluten free facility that serves gluten free rice bowls, noodle bowls, and salad bowls. You can order a pre-created bowl or customize your bowl to your preferences.

Gluten free status. Asian Box is a dedicated gluten free restaurant.
Other dietary restrictions. Asian Box also has vegan and vegetarian options available. They provide some information on items that are vegan friendly on their menu. For example, they provide information on which of their sauces are vegan friendly.
Cuisine. Asian Box primarily serves items that are inspired by Vietnamese cuisine. That being said, they do have some items that are inspired by other asian cuisines.
Atmosphere. Asian Box is a casual spot with a laid back atmosphere.
Location. Asian Box has multiple locations scattered across different cities in Silicon Valley. This includes locations in Campbell, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and Mountain View.
Seating. The details of the seating options that are available at Asian Box may vary based on location. Most of their locations should have indoor seating options available, but some may also have outdoor seating available. Many people take their food to go, so it should be possible to get a seat without waiting at most locations.