Below is a list of my favorite restaurants in Boulder, Colorado. Everyday, readers ask me to tip them off about the best restaurants in Boulder. More often than not, y’all are interested in gluten-free restaurants, and a few of the below are just that. Every restaurant that I have listed will cater to special dietary needs and work with those that follow a gluten-free diet.
Gluten-Free Restaurants in Boulder
Keep in mind, the majority of these restaurants do not have dedicated gluten-free kitchens, or even gluten-free menus. I like them because they have great, fresh, wholesome food. Well, at least those listed in the first section do. Nevertheless, all of the eateries below will take the time and make the effort to provide a gluten-free meal when it is requested.
Arcana
Arcana serves locally sourced Colorado ingredients prepared using traditional techniques of American cuisine. Celiacs can eat safely here, I often order a bunless burger sans fries with extra greens. Restaurant is expensive.
909 Walnut Street
(303) 444-3885
Blooming Beets
Blooming Beets is Boulder’s first paleo restaurant. Everything on the menu is gluten-free and those with celiac disease can eat there very safely.
3303 30th Street
303-443-3479
Frasca
Frasca serves extremely expensive fine Italian food. Winner of James Beard award, this is one of the top restaurants in the country, if not the world.
1738 Pearl Street
303-442-6966
Fresh Thymes Eatery
Fresh Thymes Eatery is a 100% gluten-free restaurant owned by a friend of mine who also has celiac disease and MS. If you are gluten-free you can safely eat at this incredible dining spot with true peace of mind and total enjoyment. Incredibly reasonably priced, with food that is ethically sourced with the utmost care.
2500 30th Street #101
303-955-7988
The Kitchen
The Kitchen has expensive seasonal food, that is primarily local, and is a nationally renowned restaurant.
1039 Pearl Street
303-544-5973
The Kitchen Next Door
The Kitchen Next Door has quick healthy food at a reasonable price and is incredibly family friendly.
1035 Pearl Street
303-542-8159
Oak
One of our favorite places to dine, Oak, has fantastic food, interesting drinks, and is expensive. The creative and exciting menu reminds me of dining at hot spots in the Napa Valley.
1400 Pearl Street
303-444-3622
Salt
Salt is Bradford Heap’s classic and pricey restaurant in downtown Boulder.
1047 Pearl Street
303-444-7258
Wonder Press
Wonder Press is an absolute must visit if you are in Boulder! It’s brimming with cold-pressed juice made fresh daily, in the best flavors you can think of. My boys go gaga for the fruit juices as well as the nut milks. I’m a fan of the Spicy Greens Juice and the Dandelion Coffee.
946 Pearl Street
970-618-7632
Zeal
If you didn’t think you could get cauliflower rice in a restaurant, you’re wrong. At Zeal you can.
1710 Pearl Street
720-708-6309
Zolo Grill
Super tasty Southwestern food with fresh local ingredients. Zolo Grill has a secret paleo menu, provided upon request.
2525 Arapahoe Avenue
303-449-0444
Child-Friendly and Gluten-Free
Noodles and Company
Noodles and Company offers some gluten-free dishes using rice noodles, be careful and make sure to ask what is currently GF as dishes can change.
1245 Alpine Ave
303-440-4340
I hope this list provides you with a general guide to gluten-free restaurants whether you live in Boulder or are just passing through town.
Please note, this list does not guarantee gluten-free service in any restaurant. Dishes can change and so can restaurants. Be kind to your servers and ask them what is easiest for the kitchen to make gluten-free. If you treat them well, they’ll partner with you in getting you the best food possible. Love your waiter staff and the hands that feed you!
Rachel says
Have you tried Shine Restaurant and Potion Bar just off Pearl St.?!
Elana says
Rachel, it recently closed that location and I’m not sure if it’s going to reopen somewhere else :-)
Steve says
Beau Jo’s Pizza on Baseline closed :(
Elana says
Thanks Steve! I’ve removed it from this list :-)
Susan says
We just returned from a wonderful trip to Vail and Boulder! Tried to get into Frasca without success but LOVED Wonder and went back 3 more times — what a cool place, complete with Dandy coffee — I bet that’s your hangout away from home! I bought both of your signed books there!
We had many great meals in both towns. But if you haven’t tried Tangerine, I highly recommend them! They offer everything gluten free or not, but it’s not exclusively GF so may not work for you. Breakfast and lunch menu and everything delicious and darn near paleo. Even though it’s not paleo, we loved Brasserie 1010 for its consistent good food, diverse French bistro menu and reasonable prices — they were very flexible on substitutions too.
We loved walking the historic districts around Pearl, including Mapleton, and we hiked Mt Sanitas and Royal Arch. Also loved 2 other shops on Pearl: Two Hands Paper and Liberty Puzzles.
Elana says
Susan, Sounds like a great trip! I’m good friends with the owner of Wonder and introduced my Dandelion Coffee to her. I’m so glad you enjoyed Colorado and bought my signed books here :-)
Angela says
We stop in Boulder a couple times a year to shop at a dancewear store. Nearby is a great restaurant with an almost exclusively GF menu. It is called Morning Glory, I think. I was thrilled to have the entire menu to choose from!
Elana says
Thanks Angela!
jill says
remember pizzaria locale (frascas)…had a great pizza there even tho i eat them seldom
Summer Pramer says
P.F.Chang’s is always reliable!
Susan says
Hey a Gluten Free Restaurant Guide sounds like a great idea!
Anita Burock Stotts says
I am recommending Elana’s cookbooks and blog to the patients in my Functional Medicine practice as well as to friends and family.
Mike says
Thanks much I am visiting Boulder from San Diego – next week!
Indian Restaurants London says
Awesome offers and it is good know about like these restaurants and well some posts are so informative that we get a feeling that we missed this information when we actually wanted it,
but this post is something i am looking for, thank you.
KMG says
In Boulder, Tonic Herban Lounge, primarily known for being an oxygen bar, has lovely raw desserts in their cooler. They are also totally gluten-free and very, very tasty. This is coming from someone who is not a raw foodist, too!
Adriane says
I LOVE Hapa Sushi in Boulder, they have a GLUTEN-FREE Menu and are very conscientious of all dietary needs.
Steve says
I second Adriane’s comment. They have always taken good care of me and it is a FUN place to eat.
Elana says
Steve, thanks so much for weighing! My son, also gluten-free, likes to eat there. I avoid sushi since I don’t eat rice or any other grains and there’s not much on the menu for me :-)
MJP says
Some other important restaurants haven’t been mentioned yet:
-Jax is very aware of gf requirements and has several on staff with celiac.
-Murphys in South Boulder has a gf menu
-The Tea House has a gf menu
marie says
Thanks Elana for the restuarants in Boulder. My writer friend and I are frequenting Coffee Shops these days for writing meetings and have found a few that have gluten free items that are yummy with coffee or tea: OZO’s on Baseline has the largest variety that I can tell, The Cup on Pearl (had a great zucchini pumpkin muffin that I’m trying to duplicate), and Pekoe on Broadway (for tea lovers). There are others I’m sure, but these have been the ones that make it really obvious that they have gluten free.
I am so excited about your success on the book. Congratulations again. Marie
Heather says
Seeing Beau Joe’s on that list reminds me of the old days, before the Beau Joe’s down here in the Springs closed. Which is a shame since I am just starting a gf diet and I know pizza is going to be my biggest issue.
Marie says
Funny! We were just in Boulder a week ago, visiting my husband’s family and would have loved this list.
We did eat at BeauJo’s and found their attentiveness to gluten free to be excellent.
Kalyn says
Hi there,
Sorry to leave a comment that’s off topic for this post, but I can’t seem to find your e-mail address! Just wanted to say that I’m very excited to be speaking on the panel with you at BlogHer Food and look forward to meeting you!
veggievixen says
wow, you are really lucky! dc is so not hip to food trends, veganism or food allergies. we have restaurants which have options but never entire restaurants dedicated to a specific food lifestyle, besides a few vegetarian only ones.
Etai Bar-on says
Udi’s just opened a new restaurant in Louisville, CO (185 south 104th street) that has an extensive gluten free salad and sandwich menu all made on our own gluten free breads. Udi’s Louisville is adjacent to our artisan bread bakery and you can see the baking action taking place next door to the dining room. However, our gluten free bread is actually baked in a separate dedicated gluten free facility in Denver (which is also open for customers).
I just wanted to also point out that two of the restaurants listed above, The Kitchen and Frasca, both serve Udi’s Artisan bread (not gluten free).
Gary Hubiak says
I have really enjoyed “4580 “, at 4580 North Broadway and consider it the most gluten sensitive restaurant in Boulder with the most extensine menu of gluten free entrees. All items gluten free are marked on the menu, more than half the items. They are very willing to make changes to suit gluten, and in my case dairy free, requests. And they have delicious gluten free bread as an appetizer! Cant remember when I’ve had delicious warm bread while waiting for the entrees! Elana, I am really surprised you don’t mentioned “4580” in your review of restaurants.
They also have periodic special meals with themes of currently farm fresh produce and they always have gluten free options for every course.
Emily says
What a handy little list for your local readers! We haven’t been out to eat in about 2 years and sometimes we really wish we could. It’s just too hard with so many variables that could go wrong when you have so many restrictions. It’s nice to have reccommendations from someone you trust and know has safely eaten there though! I do agree that smiling and being very kind helps a lot too :)
I think you should open up Boulder’s first GF restaurant and your boys can show off their famous chef skills!!
john says
just curious – you took your GF kids to restaurants but didn’t eat there? how does that work?
Elana says
John, I either skip a meal or have one when we get home :-)
Ligea says
Carelli’s also has a fantastic gluten free menu which was very well thought out – it’s a wonderful italian restaurant on Baseline and 30th. Restaurant 4580 in North Boulder has excellent gluten free options, including a gluten free table bread from a local GF baker (their eggs benedict with GF muffin is excellent for brunch on Sunday). There’s another place I love to go, but it’s slipping my mind at the moment. I’ll post again if I think of it.
Cook 4 Seasons says
Perfect timing – we head to Boulder this Saturday and will be dining at Frasca. It will be our splurge for the entire trip!
Heather @CeliacFamily says
Oh, I wish I’d had this list when I was there last month. Next time. Thanks for posting!
Linda says
ZOLO GRILL on Arapahoe has a great gluten free menu!
Amy says
I also really enjoy Pasta Jays in Boulder, they have several gluten free pastas and sauces.
gfe-gluten free easily says
This list will be very helpful to folks in your area, Elana. It’s wonderful that there are restaurants with gluten-free menus who belong to programs, but others should be considered, too. The reality is that those restaurants can sometimes give us a false sense of security (e.g., it only takes one employee who hasn’t been trained properly or a chef who assumes he knows everything about gluten and doesn’t). More than anything it’s attitude and willingness to serve a gluten-free customer safely I think. Talking to the staff and asking questions, getting recommendations from friends and gf bloggers like yourself, etc. can also serve us well.
Shirley
John says
Have a list for Austin, Texas?
Anne says
For restaurants in Austin, go to http://www.alamoceliac.org and click on Defensive Dining. The Austin area restaurant suggestions are waiting for you there.
VeggieGirl says
Awesome list!! My mom will be heading out to Boulder in October.
Katrina (gluten free gidget) says
I traveled constantly for a year and a half maintaining a gluten free diet the entire time. No matter where you go, there is always a chance of cross contamination. W just need to remain vigilant and enter every situation with our eyes open. Thanks for the info on these restaurants. If I am ever in the Boulder area I will be sure to check them out.
Heather says
I’m so much enjoying looking through your food blog – when I have a chance I am going to park by my printer and print off several recipes! Thanks for making them available.
I have a nutrition question relating to almond flour, if you have a chance to respond.
Normally I soak my nuts to release enzyme inhibitors and increase digestibility (prepared as outlined in Nourishing Traditions). Obviously your almond flour recipes are not soaked. This must not be a concern?
(If you’re ever able to do a print feature which includes a photo, like 101cookbooks does, that would be so great!)
Kristin says
I normally soak my nuts too, but I was told that most of the phytates in almonds are in the skins. Since the almonds are blanched and skinned before they are made into flour, my thinking is that the phytates might not be as big a deal in the almond flour as they are in eating plain nuts. That’s what I have told myself anyway, and I hope it’s true. I’d love to hear Elana’s take on this too.
Stephanie says
We just ate at Tamayo in Larimer Square in Denver this past weekend. Their gluten free menu was (what I would consider) extensive. Sadly, they do not post it online but it is available at the restaurant. We had a wonderful gluten and dairy free meal. The server was very knowledgeable and the kitchen was really accommodating. Food was fresh, simply prepared and quite tasty. It also passed the test of my 2 young children :)
Lisa says
Thanks for the above – it is great to know these options are so bountiful.