Ponsonby, the hippest neighbourhood of Auckland, has multiple gluten free restaurants for coeliacs to dine. Here are our favourites (tried, tested, and never made us ill):
Gluten free fast food in Ponsonby
As a coeliac traveller, it’s important to know how to get food when you’re tight on time. Our fast food section has places you’ll be able to get a meal within ten minutes.
Ha Poke
Poke, the Hawaiian bowl of fish, salad and rice, is gaining popularity in Auckland. Ha Poke make poke bowls safe for coeliacs. We like the Aloha bowl!
The national chains
There’s also St Pierre’s, BurgerFuel, Hell Pizza, Tank and PitaPit along Ponsonby Road. Check our tips for those national chain fast food restaurants here.
Gluten free sweet treats in Ponsonby
Duck Island
Duck Island arrived in Auckland in 2019, and offer many gluten free ice cream flavours and also gluten free ice cream cones! This is the only place in Auckland (that we’re aware of) that offer gluten free cones, so this was exciting for the coeliac community. They can cater for vegans and those with dairy intolerances. It’s the perfect spot for an ice cream dessert. There’s also a Duck Island in Newmarket.
Gluten free cafés/casual restaurants in Ponsonby
Little Bird Unbakery
Little Bird was founded by Megan May in Ponsonby several years ago, at the start of the raw food craze in Auckland. The menu has changed over the years, from everything-raw to a more normal cafe-style menu, with international flavour influences. Little Bird is the best spot for a worry-free vegan and gluten free brunch or lunch and is the place to get drinks from super-healthy smoothies to a turmeric shot to a beetroot latte. The food is excellent, and the location is particularly cute, tucked away just off Ponsonby Road on Summer Street with just a little birdhouse to signal its location. They have a small store inside that sells cookbooks, nice eco-friendly gifts and their packaged foods (gluten free macaroons, gluten free muesli “grawnola” and gluten free crackers).
Burger Burger – inside Ponsonby Central
Burger Burger makes really delicious burgers. It’s not exclusively gluten free, so prepare to talk to your server to confirm you need them to take gluten free precautions. You can opt for a vegan and gluten free burger bun, or a “bunnuce”. The bunnuce is a lettuce wrap, arriving looking like a kebab, which is significantly easier to eat than the traditional lettuce bun many restaurants offer. There’s also a Burger Burger in Takapuna.
Olas Arepas – inside Ponsonby Central
These arepas are 100% gluten free and very scrumptious. If you haven’t had an arepa before, it’s like a filled and toasted pita, except the bread is made from corn.
Food Truck Garage – inside Ponsonby Central
A sister store to the City Works Depot restaurant, serving the same delish menu. The Food Truck Garage takes a healthy twist on burgers, salads and wraps. It’s not fast food, it takes a little while for the food to come out but it’s worth it when it comes. We recommend the Beefroot Burger, the Aztec Chicken Burger Bowl and a side of thick salty fries (more like wedges). Remember to tell your server you need a gluten free meal.
Gluten free restaurants in Ponsonby
Augustus Bistro
Photo: Augustus Bistro
Owned by the same couple that owns and runs Mudbrick vineyard on Waiheke, Augustus Bistro has a vintage French vibe, excellent servers and tasty food. Gluten free food is easy and delightful here.
Le Vietnamese Kitchen
This restaurant is one of our favourites in Auckland, it’s so good and so reasonably priced. The Vietnamese flavours are vibrant and fresh. There’s lots of choices for gluten free diners: summer rolls, satay skewers, papaya salads and big sharing dishes. Order a fresh green drinking coconut to go with your meal.
Prego
The ultimate Italian in Auckland. Prego has been around since before Ponsonby was a trendy neighbourhood. Prego is a very relaxed restaurant, breezy in the summer and cosy in the winter. It’s the ideal spot for a long lunch, with a wide choice of gluten free plates (pastas, pizzas, salads and meats).
SPQR
SPQR is famous in Auckland as being a bit glam and the spot to people-watch. The food is good, and the ambience is moody, so it’s also a nice date night choice. Pizza and pasta is not an option for coeliacs (head to Prego for that) but almost everything else on the menu is fair game.
Mekong Baby
Exciting spices and flavours abound at Mekong Baby. Have a gluten free feast with your dining companions- the plates are designed for sharing and most can be adapted to be gluten free. We definitely recommend the cocktails here!
Janken
Janken offers gluten free home-style Japanese cuisine. With a focus on health, Janken offers many vegan and gluten free dishes, from hot pots to rice bowls. It’s around the corner from Ponsonby and technically in Herne Bay but we thought it was worth a mention.
Gluten free restaurants in nearby locations
General tips for coeliac safe gluten free eating in Auckland
Gluten free in Auckland City Centre/CBD
Auckland Central is a five-minute taxi from Ponsonby, so an easy place to go for a meal. Check out guide to our favourite Auckland Central restaurants.
Gluten free restaurants in Herne Bay, Auckland
Other restaurants in Herne Bay that are worth a visit:
- Paris Butter
- Andiamo
- Jervois Steak House
Gluten free on the North Shore, Auckland
Heading further afield? Our North Shore guide for gluten free cafes and restaurants covers Takapuna, Birkenhead and Devonport suburbs.
Comments
Please share with us! Do you have a favourite Ponsonby spot for gluten free feasting? Do you have any questions about eating gluten free in Ponsonby?
