When Celiac disease enters your household, dining out completely changes. In the beginning, finding safe food feels overwhelming, and finding gluten-free food that actually tastes like the comfort meals you remember can feel almost impossible.

After plenty of testing, our family has built a lineup of incredible local spots across South Jersey (and a few across the bridge in Philly) where eating gluten-free never feels like a compromise.

Comfort Foods & Casual Bites

🍔Gouldsburger's (Haddonfield & Medford): Finding safe fried chicken is a huge challenge for Celiac families due to shared fryers and breading. Gouldsburger's is a game-changer, not only do they have the option to add a gluten-free roll to their cheesesteaks and burgers, but their fryers are completely gluten-free. That means you can safely order crispy, delicious fried chicken and fries without worrying about cross-contamination.

🥓The Bread Board Plus (Haddonfield): Breakfast sandwich lovers, rejoice! Their gluten-free options are so convincing that during one family order, we accidentally ended up with all gluten-free sandwiches and didn't even realize it until afterward. We were convinced they sent regular bread because the texture and taste were so spot-on.

🍕Barclay Pies (Cherry Hill): While their gluten-free pizza crust is fantastic, my teen’s top pick here is actually the gluten-free chicken tenders. They are juicy, breaded just right, and give you that classic comfort-food fix.

Classic Italian & Asian Staples

🍲Tre Famiglia (Haddonfield): So many restaurants limit gluten-free diners to salads. Tre Famiglia breaks the mold with a large gluten-free menu packed with rich pasta dishes and savory meat entrées.

🥢Saigon Spice (Cherry Hill): Pho is our ultimate comfort soup, and the Pho Tai (rare beef pho) here is our go-to order. Pro Tip: If you ever need gluten-free hoisin sauce to finish off your soup, pop into Huong Vuong Asian Supermarket right next door to pick up a bottle.

🥠Shangri-La (Cherry Hill): Safe, dedicated gluten-free Chinese food can be hard to come by, but Shangri-La delivers all the classic flavors without the gluten.

A World of Flavor: Indian, Mexican & Seasonal Dining

Because cuisines like Indian and Mexican naturally rely more on corn, rice, and lentils, they are fantastic staples for a Celiac family:

🍛Gagan Palace (Lindenwold) & Cross Culture (Haddonfield): Gagan Palace has long been a family favorite for authentic Indian meals. Recently, we were thrilled to discover that Cross Culture in Haddonfield serves gluten-free naan so you don't have to miss out on bread with your curry!

🥖Harvest Seasonal Grill (Moorestown Mall): While not an Indian restaurant, Harvest features an incredible farm-to-table, seasonal menu loaded with gluten-free choices—including an exceptional gluten-free flatbread/naan that blew us away.

🌵El Nopalito (Haddonfield): Our top local choice for authentic Mexican food packed with flavor and naturally gluten-free friendly options.

Gluten-Free Bakery Treats

🍰GF Sweeties (Collingswood): A 100% dedicated gluten-free bakery where you can order with complete peace of mind. Their scratch-made baked goods, from pies and muffins to cakes and cookies, are so good you’ll want to stock up every visit.

Crossing the Bridge: Safe Bites in Philadelphia

When we head over the bridge into Philly, four spots are great for our family:

😍Okie Dokie Donuts: A 100% gluten-free donut shop with some savory lunch options as well! They have also started prepackaging and freezing their items, and they even ship, making it easy to keep your freezer stocked at home.

🥪Middle Child: Perfect for incredible gluten-free sandwich builds in a fun, high-energy deli environment.

🥩Kim's Restaurant (Olney): Korean BBQ can be tricky with soy sauce marinades, but the waitstaff at Kim's is exceptionally helpful with Celiac needs (someone there has a grandson who is gluten free and is very helpful with figuring out the safe foods). They cook the gluten-free meats on the grill first to prevent cross-contamination and guide you through which side dishes (banchan) are safe.

🍟Fox & Son Fair Foods (Reading Terminal Market): A total dream for anyone missing classic fair food! Located inside Reading Terminal Market, their entire menu is 100% gluten-free. You can get hand-dipped corn dogs, crispy cheese curds, hand-cut fries, and even fresh funnel cake without any fear of cross-contamination. 

Living with Celiac disease requires extra planning, but South Jersey and Philly offer incredible options where you never have to sacrifice flavor.