Gluten-free restaurants and gluten-free dining in the San Francisco Bay Area is changing. Chefs and restaurateurs around the San Francisco Bay Area are cooking up new gluten-free dishes – handmade and/or better quality – that are actually great. After 20+ years of eating (mostly) gluten-free, I’m tasting an elevation in gluten-free pasta and pizza at Italian restaurants and elsewhere. If you live the gf life or just dabble there, I encourage you to step out and experience these dishes. While my list is not inclusive, it is indicative of a mindset shift: making a gluten-free meal to match a restaurant’s overall approach to cuisine is now a thing. And I’m here to cheer them on.
Clementina, San Francisco
A 100% gluten-free kitchen is at the heart of a family-run, neighborhood trattoria in the Inner Richmond neighborhood. Sit down and revel in the joy of not asking which dishes are gluten-free (though I did ask which could be made without dairy). Led by Gianluca Legrottaglie and Viviana Devoto and their celiac daughter, Alice, the restaurant’s menu reads like a gluten-free Italian dream. There’s four house made pasta styles to try – four! – including gnocchi, rigatoni, tagliatelle, and risotto. I chose the Tagliatelle al Sugo di Calamari with Monterey squid ragù and soffritto. I watched my fork in awe as the spoon’s pressure wound the noodles around it. What!??! Could this get better? Yes! Pop the forkful in your mouth and revel in the briny flavors of the sea against the soft chew of the noodles. It doesn’t get more coastal Italian than this.
Hint: If you’re jonesing for pizza, the house made pizza crust here is the lightest I’ve ever tried – and it folds!
La Toque, Napa
Served as part of a six-course vegetarian tasting menu in a Michelin-recommended restaurant not far from downtown Napa, the third dish began with creamy, dense noodles cooked al dente (which in GF world, is a little softer than glutenfull noodles). Chef Ken Frank tossed them with a gentle olive oil sugo, sliced morel mushrooms, and onions which were at once crisp and chewy. The textures of the dish were enough to set my brain a-fizz. Bite after bite thrilled anew with deep, rich flavor and the thunderclap of umami. It was a dish with so much soul and spirit, I committed to eating the entire plate. Never mind the three dishes after it – this pasta stole the show. And don’t worry, if veg-forward tasting menu is not your thing, flip over the menu to find a meaty version.
Servino, Tiburon
The second generation of the Servino family leans into seasonal and local Italian cuisine at their restaurant on Ark Row. On a recent visit, I asked Natale Servino which gluten-free pasta I should try – house made Tagliatelle with fava bean, nepitella, and green garlic or Nero al Ricci di Mare with Fort Bragg uni, squid ink, and a nori chip. He brought me small portions of each, a treat for this food writer. Where the uni was rich and creamy (even without cream), with added briny notes from the seaweed and squid ink, the fava bean preparation was elemental spring – bright, zingy, with a hint of floral. The supporting character? The house made tagliatelle, olive oil’s softness adding glide to each noodle as it swirled around my fork. The noodles had big character. I’d be happy to eat a bowl alone with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. The flavors of sea and earth? That takes each preparation to eleven.
Cultivar, Sausalito
While the restaurant does not make their own pizza crust, I had to try a North Bay pizza so I could experience the rice-based crust. Layered with prosciutto, fig jam, goat cheese, and topped with a duck egg (it’s big), the pizza was stacked with flavor and enough toppings to crush a less agile crust. Jersey Girl that I am, consuming a slice requires a fold and I was delighted to see this one exceed my expectations. Light in texture with a nice chew AND it folds? Chef Matt told me it took a while to find the right product. I’m here to tell you: it was worth the wait.
Should you need a few other suggestions of gluten-free restaurants, Eater’s list is a decent one.