Dining out can get complicated when you have dietary restrictions. Fortunately, plenty of restaurants in Oak Park and Chicago’s near-west suburbs go that extra mile to provide a great meal and a stress-free experience for diners with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
So, when it comes to gluten-free options, we asked the locals where they go, and here are some of their favorites.
Note: Not all kitchens listed below are entirely gluten-free, so cross-contamination is still possible. It’s always a good idea to check with an employee.
Oak Park
Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza | 128 North Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
Promising “all of the flavor, none of the gluten,” Billy Bricks Wood Fired Pizza uses naturally gluten-free and milk-free raw materials in its Neapolitan and New Haven-inspired pizzas. When Bricks customers say its gluten-free pizza is the best they’ve ever had, it’s thanks to the high standards of world-renowned Le Stagioni and its special pizza flour mix.
Whether you are gluten-free because of an allergy, sensitivity, or dietary choice, you can confidently order gluten-free pizza dough and sandwich bread, as well as gluten-free deli meat, pizza toppings, and salad dressings. Billy Bricks also offers plant-based and dairy-free diners delicious pizza and sandwiches made with Selfish Cow Vegan Cheese, a tasty vegan cheese with incredible texture, meltyness, and flavor.
They also have a location in La Grange if that's closer to you!
Note: Precautions are taken to limit cross-contamination when the kitchen is preparing gluten-free items.
Courageous Bakery & Cafe | 736 Lake Street, Oak Park
Count on Courageous Bakery & Cafe, where 10% of proceeds are donated to cancer-related charities, to understand the importance of a special diet. Everything at this bakery and cafe is made from scratch using all-natural ingredients, and all packaging is recyclable, unbleached, and plant-based to reduce the cafe’s environmental impact. Gluten-free standouts on the bakery menu include the carrot cake, a spiced cake made with loads of shredded carrots, pecans, and walnuts topped with vanilla bean glaze; the decadent chocolate brownie; and a few favorite cupcake flavors, including banana cream pie, carrot, and funfetti. Enjoy one with one of the cafe's signature lattes or house-blend coffee.
Note: Although Courageous Bakery & Cafe is always careful with cross-contamination, depending upon the severity of your gluten, dairy, or nut allergy, use your judgment to determine if it is safe to consume its gluten-free specialty items.
Cucina Paradiso | 814 North Boulevard, Oak Park
Check out the pasta, bread, and pizza at Cucina Paradiso If you crave authentic Italian classics created with non-wheat alternatives. Its gluten-free crust, prepared with a combination of non-wheat carbohydrates, is buttery, delightfully chewy, and crunchy. Try it topped with gorgonzola, pears, caramelized red onions, and balsamic syrup.
All the classic pasta dishes, including the spicy Rigatoni Arrabiata and Linguine Hay Maker tossed with mushrooms, peas, Italian bacon, and asiago cream sauce, are all available with gluten-free pasta. Many appetizers, like bacon-wrapped dates, can be baked—not fried in a shared fryer—and the preparation of some entrées can be modified to meet your needs. Just ask!
Egg Harbor Cafe | 1111 South Boulevard, Oak Park
Egg Harbor Cafe is a welcome addition to South Boulevard. Tucked between Downtown Oak Park and the Pleasant District, right across from the Oak Park Metra station, the cafe features classic American breakfast options such as skillets, omelets, frittatas, pancakes, and breakfast bowls, as well as sandwiches and salads for lunch.
The extensive gluten-free menu—there are 30 gluten-free breakfast and lunch entrées here!—includes blackberry banana pancakes, breakfast scrambles, avocado toast made with bacon or loaded with veggies and topped with a drizzle of fig balsamic, habanero hash, and a spicy house-made Moroccan shakshuka. For lunch, choose from salads and sandwiches with gluten-free bread and sides like chicken tortilla soup, black bean chicken chili, or a cinnamon roll with dreamy cream cheese icing.
Broadview
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Broadview | 7550 Broadview Village Square, Broadview
Every “best” list, family feud, and vigorous debate over deep-dish pizza in Chicago includes passionate support for Lou Malnati’s. Its famous scratch-made pizza begins with hand-selected vine-ripened California tomatoes and a beloved buttery crust protected by a secret family recipe. Make your pizza gluten-free by choosing the light, crispy gluten-free crust, praised by celiac and non-celiac diners, or replace the crust with Lou's lean sausage as the base. Try “the Lou,” topped with spinach mix, mushrooms, and sliced Roma tomatoes covered with a blend of mozzarella, romano, and cheddar cheese on a buttery gluten-free crust. Housemade salad dressings are also gluten-free.
Note: Lou Malnati's gluten-free deep dish and thin-crust pizzas are tested and confirmed to be gluten-free, but they are processed in a facility that uses wheat and finished in kitchens where wheat and wheat products are present. The crust is made from rice flour, corn, potato, tapioca starches, pea fiber, and xanthan gum (may contain almond and coconut). It contains eggs.
Brookfield
Burger Antics | 3740 Grand Boulevard, Brookfield
Nearly all menu items at Burger Antics incorporate meat and produce from local distributors, growers, and farmers. Everything is created fresh in-house, down to the ketchup and mustard. Big steak burgers are served on a toasted gluten-free bun, upon request, and a house-brined dill pickle spear. Cooked to order, you can opt for a char-grilled chicken breast or a black bean and rice burger.
Try the Hotter than Hell burger (smoked gouda, avocado, grilled jalapeño, and house-made chipotle mayo), Black ‘N Blue (cajun spice, blue cheese crumbles, house-made blue cheese dressing, and crispy fried onion), Peanut Butter Bacon ‘N Jelly (creamy peanut butter, applewood smoked bacon, and concord grape jelly), or the burger of the week—it never disappoints! Trust us. The more unusual the combination seems, the more enjoyable the experience will be.
Mary’s Morning Mixup | 9110 Broadway Avenue, Brookfield
No matter when your day starts, Mary’s Morning Mix-Up will start it right with large portions of delicious comfort food and pastries served with a smile in a playful diner atmosphere. Breakfast is served until the restaurant closes at 3 pm, and there is a lunch menu if you’re in the mood for a sandwich or a salad. Substitute gluten-free toast with your three-egg omelet, skillet, or eggs any style, or splurge on Mary’s gluten-free French toast or gluten-free pancakes served with fresh fruit. There is also gluten-free bread for sandwiches, and baked goods from an external, gluten-free kitchen are available.
Owner Mary, who is always on-site and very knowledgeable about food preparation, says they do not have a dedicated gluten-free kitchen but are as careful as they can be about cross-contamination. She does have a dedicated fryer for potatoes only and one for bacon, which gluten-free friends will tell you is hard to find.
La Grange
Blackberry Market | 36 South La Grange Road, La Grange
A fast-casual cafe, bakery, and coffeehouse, Blackberry Market offers handmade meals in a casual, friendly space, dinners to go, and memorable baked goods, all created with non-processed and fresh ingredients. The gluten-free bakery items—brownies, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and a delightful oat-y gluten-free and vegan cookie—satisfy your sweet craving. Breakfast and lunch items pack an even greater punch. Try the Blackberry Steel Cut Oats or Breakfast Stack for a gluten-free start to the day or a Kale Caesar or a tuna salad sandwich on its bakery-fresh gluten-free bread at lunch. Tasty take-home items in the Market Case add a special touch to your homemade meals. Most options on the Market Case menu are gluten-free, from the Black Bean Quinoa, Blackberry Market Salad, to the amazing maple mustard brussels, coconut curry sweet potatoes, and the delightfully crunchy chicken salad with apples, currants, celery, almonds, and shallots.
The owner of Blackberry Cafe is celiac, and many staff members have dietary and/or allergen restrictions, so they understand the challenges of dietary needs and restrictions. They work hard to address these, and if you find something you like that doesn’t fit your requirements, just ask. They allow extensive customization on many menu items.
Mak’s Burger Bar | 46 South La Grange Road, La Grange
All the burgers (and there are so many!) at Mak’s Burger Bar, a cool suburban spot with an urban vibe, great music, and neon-colored cocktails, can be served on a tasty gluten-free bun or wrapped in lettuce.
Two of our favorites are the Burger-Burger (so good you have to say it twice!), two fresh patties with cheddar and American cheese, chopped red onion, fresh pickles, and housemade dijonnaise, and the El Chingon, a double patty with housemade habanero cream, bacon, and sliced cheddar all topped with fresh, grilled-to-order jalapeno pepper. Beyond the extensive burger menu (and yes, you can make it a Beyond Burger if you are vegan too), Mak’s famous Sammys, including the oh-so-comforting grilled cheese with tomato soup for dipping, are available with gluten-free bread.
Lucca’s Pizzeria & Ristorante | 108 West Burlington Avenue, La Grange
Family-run for over two decades, Lucca’s Pizzeria & Ristorante is a local favorite for authentic Italian dishes, craft cocktails, and pizza. Start your gluten-free dining adventure with a Caprese salad, followed by grilled chicken Vesuvio or a Lucca’s style skirt steak, a prime skirt steak with sweet Vidalia onions, red and yellow peppers, and golden potatoes.
Lucca’s menu of classic pasta dishes, including pasta puttanesca, orecchiette with Italian sausage and rapini, and spicy shrimp arrabiata are available with gluten-free pasta, and the signature pizzas can be served on a regular gluten-free or cauliflower crust. We love the Arugula & Prosciutto pizza with extra virgin olive oil, San Marzano tomato base, baby arugula, prosciutto, mozzarella, and aged parmesan cheese. End the evening with a scoop of spumoni or a vanilla crème brûlée with a tawny port or a limoncello.
Note: At Lucca’s Pizzeria & Ristorante, gluten-free items are prepared in a common kitchen, risking gluten exposure, and are not guaranteed to be 100% gluten-free. Guests with gluten sensitivities should exercise judgment when consuming these items.
Kama Bistro | 9 South La Grange Road, La Grange
One of Chicago's most buzzed-about restaurants, Kama Bistro is a secret La Grange locals have been keeping for years. Here, Indian family recipes are infused with Midwest culinary skill in fresh, bold, scratch-made dishes and tailored to your spice preference to create an unforgettable dining experience—and more than 90 percent of the menu is gluten-free!
Go ahead and savor the Lamb Chop Masala (charcoal-grilled lamb chops, cashews, and creamed tomatoes) or Lobster Molly (Canadian cold water lobster, coconut milk sauce, mustard seeds, turmeric, and lemongrass) and traditional curries. Tandoor Grill favorites, including the mixed lamb grill, Tandoori lamb chops, and seafood grill, are warm and satisfying with freshly baked kulcha naan.
Prasino | 93 South La Grange Road, La Grange
Prasino means “green” in Greek, and this eco-friendly restaurant's commitment to the planet is evident, from the dining space made of recycled and reclaimed materials to the menu of American fare created with carefully selected ingredients. Meat and poultry are vegetarian-fed, antibiotic and hormone-free, and livestock are humanely raised on sustainable, environmentally sound land. Like the meat, the organic ingredients and produce are sourced and grown locally.
Prasino offers a long list of gluten-free menu items, from avocado toasts served on gluten-free bread to pancakes and chicken chilaquiles for breakfast, fresh-made salads or a Prasino Burger served on a gluten-free bun for lunch, and dinner entrées like Thai yellow curry, grilled branzino, or braised short ribs, which are divine in tacos for an appetizer. Best of all, most of the dessert menu is gluten-free! Gooey butter cake with vanilla gelato and spiced roasted apples? Yes, please!
La Grange Park
Ino’s Tacos | 710 East 31st Street, La Grange Park
No one can relate to the challenges of eating out more than parents whose child has gluten, dairy, and shellfish intolerances. That’s why the owners of Ino’s Tacos made the decision to be a 100% gluten-free (and shellfish-free) restaurant. Yes, the whole menu is gluten-free! That means regardless of diet, everyone can enjoy south-of-the-border staples like chilaquiles, nachos, crispy tacos, tamales, and enchiladas without a care in the world. Of course, it is family-friendly! Ino’s Tacos also serves gluten-free hot dogs, sloppy joes, burgers, and chicken tenders served with fries, as well as gluten-free flan and gluten and dairy-free rice crispy treats.
Note: Keep in mind that Ino’s Tacos does carry dairy products. Although the grill and fryer are free of dairy products, dairy is present at the prep stations. Peanuts and tree nuts are present in the kitchen.
Mattone Restaurant and Bar | 9 East 31st Street, La Grange Park
Mattone Restaurant serves simple, traditional Italian cuisine in a casual, sophisticated atmosphere. Tall ceilings, rustic chandeliers, and brick adorn the bar and the dining room, where a large brick wood-fired oven is the center of attention. The extensive menu includes flavorful Italian entrées, seafood, steak, toasty sandwiches, and wood-fired pizzas that can be made with a gluten-free crust.
Try the Beef & Hot G, a twist on the Chicago classic Italian beef sandwich, it’s topped with house-made Italian beef, hot giardiniera, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. Many pasta dishes are available with gluten-free pasta. Just ask!
North Riverside
Yia Yia’s Pancake House & Restaurant | 2250 South Harlem Avenue, North Riverside
Yia Yia's Pancake House & Restaurant specializes in hearty breakfasts, so hearty you’ll enjoy the leftovers for lunch, and possibly dinner. This popular go-to spot for brunch offers a variety of omelettes, benedicts, and savory skillets, as well as waffles and homemade pancakes. The gluten-free pancakes topped with fruit, syrup, or powdered sugar are unforgettable.
Riverside
La Barra | 2 East Burlington Street, Riverside
You better believe that La Barra cares deeply about accommodating gluten-free customers! The restaurant's gluten-free pizzas come with a cauliflower crust and many of the restaurant's pasta dishes can be made with gluten-free pasta. Other menu items can be modified as well.
If you're in the mood for pizza, try La Barra’s classic margherita pizza, cupping pepperoni pizza with hot honey, or create your own, choosing from a list of toppings that includes burrata cheese, prosciutto, giardiniera, artichokes, meatballs, and ham, as well as old favorites like Italian sausage, mushrooms, onions, and black olives.