Spend time searching for safe gluten free food at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and you may come up disappointed. Luckily, this post covering gluten free food options, restaurants, and menus at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 will help any weary gluten free traveler.
When traveling, we’re often in a hurry, so internet searches are a great first place to start, rather than scurrying about the terminal from restaurant to restaurant scanning menus. However, a cursory internet search for gluten-free restaurants at Heathrow Airport will definitely leave one frustrated.
Unhelpful posts like this link (one of the top search results, no less), simply list restaurants with no information whatsoever indicating what gluten-free foods they serve, if anything, and how gluten-free safe the Heathrow restaurant actually is.
What’s Covered in this Post on Gluten Free Foods in London’s Heathrow Airport
I endeavor in this post to actually provide you with useful information so that you can make a thoughtful selection when you arrive at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 (home of British Airways and Iberia airlines). It’s the information I wish I’d had on my most recent visit to Heathrow as a gluten-free traveler in 2022.
I don’t mention all the restaurants in Terminal 5, as some have no gluten-free menu items listed at all and make no dietary or allergen claims. Not worth your time.
For the restaurants I do cover, I have added links to each so that you may easily hop to their menus, as many are updated without notice.
If at all possible – and we know that it isn’t always — I still recommend packing your own gluten-free foods, as none of these restaurants is dedicated gluten-free, and if you have additional dietary limitations, your options are severely limited.
In the U.S., TSA publishes a list of what kinds of foods are permitted on planes. Check with the country of origin for your flight if you have any questions.
Note that as with any restaurant, menus change regularly, so always re-confirm for yourself and do your own due diligence when it comes to assuring yourself that the foods you are ordering suit your particular dietary restrictions.
Gluten Free Restaurants at London Heathrow Airport
Offers a “Non Gluten-Containing Menu,” with the caveat that it’s not a gluten-free kitchen environment, although steps are taken to reduce cross-contamination.
Menu items include burgers on gluten free buns and vegan ice cream. Gluten free breakfast items include gluten free bread.
The hummus plate with gluten free bread is probably the best option for gluten free vegetarians, or loaded nachos if you can tolerate dairy.
Pret is a classic coffee shop offering loads of wraps and sandwiches as well as breakfast porridges and granolas … NONE of which are gluten free and are clearly marked as containing gluten.
So you’re pretty much relegated to salads here, but some of them look pretty enticing. The Humous & Falafel Mezze Salad or the Salmon & Mango Salad would be nice gluten-free choices.
Not all of their salads are gluten free, though. Check all the ingredients and allergen listings on their menu, even for the salads, as many do contain gluten.
Don’t. Just don’t.
They publish an extensive allergen guide (thank you very much) which lists all their menu items and what contains gluten. But what’s left are condiments, one “extra” including: “two rashes of bacon,” and a “crunchy granola bowl” which probably contains regular oats, so no thank you very much.
While I appreciate the effort that they took to print a menu with “*Gluten-Free” called out as a designation, to then not offer ANYTHING whatsoever on the menu with said GF designation is a bit disingenuous, if not odd, don’t you think? Avoid.
This comfy art deco bar in the middle of the airport — but all the way at the end of the terminal — is quite the hidden jewel! In contrast to the other end of the terminal where long queues and no available seats are the norm, here we were seated without a wait on oversized gilded barstools and almost felt transported back to the time of Gatsby.
The menu is centered on fresh foods from Fortnum’s food halls, so caviar, shellfish, charcuterie, salads and desserts are featured.
While they offer gluten free toast in place of regular bread, it is made using a shared toaster; fortunately, they had no problem with me using my own gluten-free crackers instead. BYOC (Bring Your Own Crackers!)
If you’re so inclined, be sure to try their Fortnum & Mason gin or champagne! If you love it, you can take some home with you from the adjoining store.
Travel with Your Own Gluten Free Food
When possible, bring your own gluten free food to London Heathrow and other airports. There are always going to be gluten free nut mixes, bars, chips and candy to be found in shops, of course, but they’ll be more expensive and may not be your favorites. As I mentioned, at minimum I try to always bring my own gluten free crackers — they always come in handy in the airport and on the plane!
One of my favorite homemade treats to take with me is gluten-free muffins; I bake these nearly every time I travel and they are my constant gluten-free travel food companion.
Particularly if you are traveling with others who can stop at any airport coffee shop to grab a regular muffin, there’s nothing like having your own yummy gluten-free baked goods in your carry-on. Here’s my gluten free blueberry muffin recipe if you’d like to try it!
It is perfect for breakfast or a snack, and travels so well, staying fresh for many days when made with my gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour or gfJules Muffin Mix.
This photo was taken 4 days after I’d baked, packed, flown and traveled around with these muffins! They were still soft and fresh, and I carried one with me to our hotel breakfast to enjoy with juice and fruit. (For an even easier way to make your favorite flavor gluten free muffins for travel, just use my award-winning gfJules® Gluten Free Muffin Mix!)
Check out my Top 9 Gluten Free Travel Tips for more ideas to make your next trip even easier, safer and tastier!
Also see my article on the Best Safe Gluten Free Restaurants in London!
What are your favorite carry-on gluten-free travel foods?
Have you found another safe gluten-free restaurant or menu item at London’s Heathrow airport that should be added? Please share in the comments!
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Thank you for this guide. However I would disagree with you about Wagamama. Their lunch and dinner menu gives many gluten free options and they take measures to prevent cross contamination. I’ve eaten there as a very sensitve coeliac and been fine and felt safe as well. Here is their non-gluten containing menu: https://www.datocms-assets.com/39012/1683101005-nocal_may23_airport_non_gluten_menu_140423_web.pdf
Hi Lindsay, so glad you’ve had good experiences there! Thanks for chiming in and sharing!!!
~jules
I had good luck at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant.
That’s great to hear, Julie! Thanks so much for sharing that tip!
~jules
This has saved me so much time! Thank you! (And I can’t believe some of those restaurants say they offer gluten-free but there’s really nothing on the menu!!!)