Long Beach Island
Long Beach Island is by far one of my favorite places on Earth. We have been going there since before I was born, and so I have had plenty of time to find all of the best spots for safe, GF food. And, I can confidently say that LBI has TONS of safe, delicious options for us Celiacs.
Greenhouse Cafe
Greenhouse Cafe is one of our go-to’s when we are down at LBI because of the sheer number of gluten-free options they have on their menu! At breakfast, you can get pancakes, waffles, home fries and toast, then for lunch and dinner there’s pizza, salads, sandwiches, and steak fries! The best part is that their staff truly understands the severity of Celiac Disease, and everything gluten-free is prepared separately. The cafe recently switched owners, but the staff assured us that all of their gluten-free menu items and procedures would stay – the owner knows how many people come there for their amazing GF options!
If you go, I would definitely try the pancakes or waffles for breakfast. For dinner, I highly recommend the BBQ chicken pizza – it is loaded with toppings!
Surfside Coffee House
When we are at LBI, we go to Surfside Coffee House almost every single day – it’s that good! Surfside is a little coffeeshop in Surf City, and they offer all of their breakfast and lunch sandwiches on gluten-free bagels. They do have a separate toaster, but still make sure to mention Celiac when you order to be safe. They also have a small case with prepackaged gluten-free goodies – sometimes they are Udi’s products, but other times they are locally baked doughnuts and muffins! The case is completely separate from the other baked goods and all of the products are baked off site to avoid cross contamination.
Surfside also has delicious coffee and cold brew, and tons of other items for your gluten-eating companions. I would definitely check it out if you’re looking to grab a quick breakfast on the go!
Woohoo
I only discovered Woohoo last year, and now I am OBSESSED. This little beach burger and ice cream shop handles allergies SO well, and has the most delicious food. Their menu offers various burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, milkshakes and ice cream, most of which can be made GF. Their GF burger buns are probably one of the best I’ve ever had – the first time I opened it I had to check to make sure it was gluten-free. They also have a DEDICATED FRYER for french fries, and a dedicated allergy milkshake machine! The staff is knowledgable and the food is out of this world. My favorites are the chicken bacon ranch sandwich and the woo hottie burger!
Shore Fire Grill
Shore Fire Grill is a nice option to have when we are in Surf City, but I wouldn’t say they have the most amazing options. Their menu is marked with GF items, but there aren’t many. Their steak fries are baked so they are safe, and they can do a GF bun for the burgers and a few salads gluten-free. Our food was good and the employee who took our order was very honest about what would be safe, so I would definitely go back! That being said, its not my #1 choice for gluten-free food when I’m at LBI.
Bahama Llama
Last year when we were strolling through Bay Village, my mom and I stumbled upon Bahama Llama and noticed that their menu had GF options marked. We talked to the staff about cross-contamination and we were assured that GF items were prepared separately, with a separate fryer. So, I decided to try the nachos and a chicken empanada, and everything was delicious!! The actual shop is small and doesn’t have lots of seating so we took our food to go, but it was nice to be able to pick up a quick, safe meal while shopping in Bay Village. I can’t wait to go back this year and try more of their menu!
How You Brewin’
How You Brewin’ is an adorable coffeeshop with two locations, one in Surf City and one in Barnegat Light. The Surf City location is very large, with lots of indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy your coffee and sweet treats. In addition to a wide selection of coffee flavors, How You Brewin’ offers a few pre-packaged GF treats, including a brownie, a marshmallow rice treat, an oat bar, and stroopwafels. If you’re looking for a delicious cold brew and a quick bite, How You Brewin’ is definitely the spot for you!
Dio’s Cafe
Dio’s Cafe is a new spot on LBI, but has quickly become a favorite for me! The owners’ granddaughter has Celiac Disease, so they understand the severity and know how to handle cross contamination. They have a separate fryer for french fries and a separate toaster for breakfast sandwiches! I tried a pork roll, egg and cheese on GF toast, and it was delicious. I cannot wait to go back and try the french fries!
Avalon
Avalon has always been one of my family’s favorite beaches in NJ. One year, we even spent the whole month of July down there, and it was so much fun. However, in my opinion, Avalon has fewer safe GF options that places like Long Beach Island or Cape May. However, I do have a few favorites spots that I love to hit when we go to Avalon for the day!
Circle Pizza
Circle Pizza was one of my family’s favorite spots on Avalon before I went GF, and we recently discovered that they have GF options! They have a really amazing GF pizza crust that I recommend getting with lots of toppings. They also have GF rolls for cheesesteaks and GF chicken tenders, but I am not sure if they have a separate fryer…more information to come. However, they said they use a separate pan and cutter for the pizza, and I did not get sick from eating it!! I definitely recommend checking Circle Pizza out.
Buccaneer Ice Cream
Buccaneer Ice Cream is by far my favorite ice cream shop down at the shore. If you ask their staff about allergens, they immediately bring out a laminated sheet detailing the allergens present in each flavor. In addition, they will get a fresh scooper and get your ice cream from a new container in the back. I always feel so safe eating here, and the staff is kind and accommodating. My favorite flavor is the killer caramel – it is rich and delicious!
Cape May
I have only been to Cape May once, but I was so impressed by all of the GF options! When I was there, I was staying with a friend’s family for the Fourth of July, and we did make a lot of food in the house. However, we did venture out a few times and enjoyed some delicious meals and treats!
Lucky Bones
Lucky Bones is a large, family friendly restaurant right at the edge of Cape May. We went on the Fourth of July and enjoyed a delicious meal inside the restaurant. For an appetizer, I had the bacon wrapped shrimp (amazing) and then for dinner, I had a shrimp salad sandwich. It came with a bag of potato chips because they do not have a dedicated fryer, which was slightly disappointing. The roll and the shrimp were good, but I can’t say I was blown away by my meal. Definitely a great options that is safe for people with Celiac Disease though!
Out There Coffee
When I was in Cape May, I went to Out There Coffee every day – it was that good. They have delicious coffee, but what kept me coming back was the freshly baked GF goodies. Almond cake, blueberry cake, and so much more – and all prepared separately and kept separately from the other baked goods. They were truly fresh and delicious, and such a nice treat to enjoy while my friends devoured bagels and doughnuts.
The YB
We ate the YB the very first night in Cape May, and I was very impressed by their selection. The dining room is very small and a little more upscale, but the menu was marked with GF options, including Mac & Cheese Poppers! They were fried separately and truly amazing. I would definitely recommend the YB if you are looking for a little bit of a nicer dinner spot.
