Eating during a festival is tough enough. Finding a restaurant or to-go joint that isn’t going to trigger your allergies in a city you don’t know can make life infinitely harder. But there are plenty of places with locations near clubs, cinemas, and convention venues that take out the guesswork about their ingredients.
The Well
Gluten-intolerant diners, rejoice, as the whole menu of this completely gluten-free sit-down restaurant is there for you. But the allergy awareness doesn’t stop there. The menu is completely free of dairy, peanuts, seed oils, soy, refined sugar, and GMOs (plus all items with nuts and allium are marked) but fear not, omnivores, because dishes like the pasture-raised chicken tinga are standouts. Definitely leave room for the avocado chocolate mousse.
440 W. Second, eatwellatx.com
Koriente Restaurant & Tea House
Like stealth wheat tortillas, it can be easy to get caught out by something as simple as soy sauce rather than tamari. Fortunately, this excellent Japanese restaurant, an easy walk from the Convention Center, has a dedicated gluten-free menu which includes most everything from the main selection. Just make sure to remind your server that you require the wheat-free sauce.
621 E. Seventh, koriente.com
Licha’s Cantina
Just because it says “corn tortilla” doesn’t mean that there’s just corn in there. Yet there’s no doubt when it comes to Licha’s house-made tortillas, all prepared with masa made from either blue corn or nixtamalized white corn. Out near all the cool clubs on the east side of I-35 and inspired by the cuisine of Mexico City, this delicious and chill diner also clearly marks all dishes containing peanuts.
1306 E. Sixth, lichascantina.com
Via 313 Pizzeria
Pizzas are the classic comfort food, but there’s not much comforting about being presented with something that looks like ketchup on a cracker. So open wide for this Austin minichain’s delicious, fluffy, and gigantic baked-to-order gluten-free Detroit-style pizzas. Why not carb-load for the Bootsy Collins show with the Funkadelic, with chicken, gorgonzola, and ranch drizzle?
600 W. Sixth, 1802 E. Sixth, 96 Rainey, via313.com
P. Terry’s
Austin’s homegrown burger chain is known for its buns, and while there’s no gluten-free bread substitute, you can go for the lettuce wrap – or look all sophisticated by having it served deconstructed in a boat. Plus, all the fries and breakfast potatoes are prepared in dedicated gluten-free fryers.
515 Congress, 404 S. Lamar, pterrys.com
Four Brothers Venezuelan Kitchen
Located downstairs in Fareground, this newest addition to the upscale food court has as its signature dish arepas – stuffed Venezuelan flat cornbread, completely gluten-free. If all that griddled deliciousness sounds a little too heavy, then there are always the salad bowls, served over fresh cabbage and sweet plantains. There are also vegan and dairy-free options (but the deep-fried cheese, like the name suggests, is not one of them).
111 Congress, faregroundaustin.com/four-brothers
Yummi Joy
Meet the sweet-toothed conjoined twin of the beloved fun-and-gamesters next door at Toy Joy. Aside from coffee drinks with plentiful non-dairy substitutes, they’ve all teamed with Gati Ice Cream to provide a selection of dairy- and gluten-free Thai-style frozen treats, all using a creamy and rich coconut milk base.
409 W. Second, toyjoy.com/service/yummi-joy
Zucchini Kill Bakery
The utterly rad, women-owned-and-operated gluten-free bakery is definitely not walking distance from Downtown, but its gluten- and soy-free vegan treats can be found all over Austin. They may just be the little energy boost you need (or maybe split one of their packs of Cream Coffins with a friend you make in the badge line).
Available at Royal Blue Groceries locations around Downtown and the Hideout Theatre, zucchinikill.com
Alamo South Lamar
Is it really a trip to Austin without catching a movie at the Drafthouse? The in-seat dining is a big attractor, especially during SXSW when time is at a premium. All sandwiches, burgers, and pizzas can be served gluten-free (for an upcharge) and can be washed down with Stone Brewing’s gluten-reduced Delicious IPA.
1120 S. Lamar, drafthouse.com/austin/theater/south-lamar
This article appears in March 8 • 2024.
