A Celiac’s Guide to the Best Gluten Free Restaurants in Sacramento
Fun fact. I was actually born in Sacramento. Since then, guess how much time I’ve spent in Sacramento? Almost none. We’re talking single digit hours. Until recently. When I went to search for “gluten free Sacramento restaurants” a couple of years ago, I wasn’t sure what I was going to find. It turns out, I was about to stumble upon some of the best 100% gluten free eats in California.
Two summers ago, we stopped in Sacramento on our way up to a camping trip in Lake Tahoe.
There was a coffee company that I wanted to stop at called Temple (I’m a huge coffee nerd). And it turns out, there was a gluten free bakery around the corner. A win-win!
What is that? There’s a natural foods co-op with some of the best gluten free beer and cider around?
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
Sacramento is a hidden gem of gluten free paradise.
Little did I know that two years later I would be planning my birthday weekend in Sacramento because of that gluten free bakery.
Literally. “Hey, I want to check out Sacramento this year. And eat seven meals at that bakery. What’s it called again?”
It’s called Pushkin’s. And it will change your life.
Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurants in Sacramento
In reality, there’s not actually THAT many dedicated gluten free restaurants in Sacramento. The quality of Pushkin’s pretty much outweighs any concerns about quantity for me.
Sacramento is a fantastic city for a long weekend of gluten free eating and cider drinking.
Pushkin’s Bakery: Sacramento’s Best 100% Gluten Free Bakery
Pushkin’s Bakery was my entry point into the world of gluten free Sacramento eats. It’s a gluten free bakery in Sacramento, and it might be the best gluten free bakery I’ve ever been to. It’s that good.
Let me walk you through the timeline.
In 2017, Alysha and I stopped at Temple Coffee in Sacramento to fuel up for the drive up to Tahoe for the 4th of July.
I mosied over to Pushkin’s, a nearby gluten free bakery, not really sure what to expect. As soon as I walked in, I knew I was in love.
Breakfast sandwiches. Regular sandwiches. Cupcakes. Coffee cake. Scones. I’m a sucker for gluten free scones. They had it all. And it was all 100% gluten free.
Then, a few months later, I went to a wedding outside of Sacramento and they had – get this – A GLUTEN FREE WEDDING CAKE. From Pushkin’s.
The legend of Pushkin’s continued to grow. The next summer on the way up to our annual camping trip we stopped again. Again, I was blown away. So this year, I decided Sacramento was the location for my long weekend birthday trip. Mainly to go to Pushkin’s. Over and over again.
Between the bakery and their sister brunch spot (more on that in a second), I ate at Pushkin’s three times in 24 hours. If you count the camping trip the very next weekend when we stopped twice more – once on the way up, and once on the way home – I ate at Pushkin’s five times in 10 days.
And I live an hour and a half away. And I don’t own a car. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.
Absolutely do not miss the donuts on Sunday morning! Get there when they open for a crazy selection of gluten free donuts in Sacramento that are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Mind. Blown. Honestly the best gluten free donuts I’ve ever had.
I love you Pushkin’s. If you’re looking for a gluten free bakery in Sacramento, Pushkin’s is the spot.
Update October 2019: There’s another dedicated gluten free bakery in Sacramento that’s called West Sac Bread Co – they don’t have a storefront, but you can order in advance and pick it up from the.
Pushkin’s Restaurant: 100% Gluten Free Brunch in Sacramento
But wait – there’s more!
Pushkin’s also has a 100% gluten free restaurant in Sacramento that is equally fantastic.
It’s called Pushkin’s Kitchen.
They’re open 8am-3pm (closed on Monday) making it the perfect spot for brunch. They have a cute patio, a limited selection of their world-famous (okay, that’s a stretch) baked goods, and gluten free beer from Glutenberg.
We ate here twice in 24 hours and were blown away both times.
The crispy chicken sandwich, the chicken salad sandwich, and the waffle were all outstanding. 10/10. Will be back.
If you’re exploring gluten free Sacramento, Pushkin’s Kitchen needs to be on your list.
Cider House Sacramento: 100% Gluten Free Kitchen
While they do, in fact, have a food menu, this place is all about the cider.
The food is 100% gluten free. They have paninis (made with Udi’s bread) and stuffed with a variety of delicious inclusions. I got the caprese panini, and it was basically a ball of mozzarella. Which, to be clear, is a good thing.
What’s really special about the Cider House is the 20 rotating taps of cider. They have a mix of local California ciders and ciders from around the world.
We missed it, but I was eyeing their gluten free brunch (11-3 on weekends), featuring a cider waffle.
Overall a solid option for eating gluten free in Sacramento, and also for their cider selection.
Farmer’s Kitchen Cafe (technically, in Davis)
While TECHNICALLY it’s in Davis, Farmer’s Kitchen Cafe still belongs on this list because it’s worth the trip.
The whole place is gluten free, and they have a rotating menu of sandwiches, burgers, pastas, and smoothies. It’s part store, part cafe, so you’ll find some gluten free groceries while you’re at it.
Pies. Bagels. Breads. And more. All 100% gluten free.
Open 12-7:30pm, closed Sundays.
Other Celiac-Friendly Gluten Free Sacramento Restaurants
In-n-Out Burger: Gluten Free Burgers & Fries
If you haven’t been to In-n-Out, just do it already.
It’s a burger joint that is super popular on the West Coast that makes three things, basically. Burgers. Fries. Milkshakes.
First of all, the fries and milkshakes are all 100% gluten free.
As a Celiac, there are a couple of things you need to watch out for.
- The buns: Order your burger “protein style with a gluten allergy and sauce on the side” and make sure a manager supervises the staff as they make it on a separate grill surface from the rest of the burgers. Yes, I know Celiac Disease is not an allergy, but that’s how they communicate it.
- The secret sauce: Technically, the sauce is gluten free. But they use the same container for the spoon they use to spread it on the buns, so it’s contaminated. Lucky for you, they have packets on the side. So you can totally still get it, you just need to ask for sauce packets on the side. Or, opt for ketchup.
Mikuni Sushi
This is a local sushi chain, and they have a separate gluten free menu and take allergies seriously.
It was on my list, but I ate at Pushkin’s too many times to fit it in my weekend in Sacramento.
Next time, I will make it to Mikuni.
Other places in Sacramento worth visiting
Temple Coffee & Chocolate Fish Coffee.
Two of the best coffee spots in Sacramento. Both roasters have multiple locations.
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op
Right next to Temple and Pushkin’s Bakery, they have a great selection of gluten free groceries, including some awesome gluten free cider and beer.
Jeune Natural Wine Bar
Natural wine bar that we stumbled upon on R Street downtown-ish.
Two Rivers Cider
One of my favorite cider companies in California, and they have a tasting room and production facility in Sacramento!
I was pleasantly surprised at the array of gluten free Sacramento options, and I think you will be too.
What did I miss? Shoot me a note and let me know if there are any Celiac-friendly gluten free restaurants in Sacramento that you love.
Looking for more Celiac City Guides? Here are my guides to San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland.
Traveling gluten free in Europe? I’ve got you covered with guides to Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, and Berlin.
Looking for tips for easier 100% gluten free travel? Here are some places to start.
- The List of Gear That I Never Travel Without
- My Favorite Resources for Traveling Gluten Free
- 10 Travel Tips for Adventurous Celiacs
- The Best Gluten Free Travel Snacks
Until next time!
Pushkin’s is so good! I went there once on the start of my cross-country road trip. Good stop between SF and Lake Tahoe.
I know right? This is essentially a love letter to Pushkin’s. The donuts were incredible. The brunch was fantastic. Such a hidden gem for Celiacs in Northern California. I’ve been telling everyone I can about them.
Getting ready to move to Sacramento, I’m so happy someone shared this page with me. I can’t wait to try Pushkins
I live in Sacramento and my husbands has celiac and we had never heard about the West Sac Baking Co. THANK YOU for this recommendation!!! Love your gf journey…keep up the great work. Greatly appreciate it!
Thanks for the kind words! We’re passing through Sacramento in a few days and I can’t wait for Pushkins!