It isn't always eat to find gluten free food at UK airports so we decided to list the top 20 UK airports and let you know what was available gluten free at each of them.
Something we get asked about a lot is gluten free at airports, a lot of people travel and sitting for hours in an airport obviously means you are going to need to eat at some point. So we thought we'd go through the top 20 biggest UK airports (thank you Wikipedia) and see what you could get at them in terms of restaurants.
After the top eight things get sparse on the gluten free front, so from the ninth biggest airport, Bristol we took to writing a brief paragraph instead of listing them.
Most of the top eight do also have the likes of Boots and M&S which usually have some gluten free options, even some of the WHSmith's have been know to stock Urban Eats gluten free wraps so there is always those too, however we have only listed proper cafes/restaurants within the airports.
For the biggest ones with more than one terminal we have stated what terminal they are in, we haven't however put whether they are before or after security or in arrivals, we like to keep it a surprise! We actually couldn't find the situe in some cases so we just left it off.
Wherever you are heading, from whichever airport, don't forget to stock up on translation cards from our shop, available in over 40 languages including Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Icelandic and many more. Perfect for making sure, wherever in the world you are travelling, they can understand exactly what you can and can't eatHeathrow airportCarluccios - Gluten free menu and CUK accreditted (T4 and T5)
Caffe Nero - May have a sandwich but availabilty isn't always the best (T2, T3, T4 and T5)
Giraffe - Gluten free options (T5)
Five Tuns - Gluten free options (T5)
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap (T5)
Wagamamas - Gluten free options, speak to staff and they can usually adapt (T5)
Pret - Gluten free salads (T3, T4 and T5)
Itsu - Sushi without soy sauce is gluten free (T5)
Crown Rivers Wetherspoons - Gluten free menu (T5)
Costa - May have a sandwich and gluten free cakes (T2, T3, T4 and T5)
Prince of Wales - Gluten free menu (T4)
Three Bells - Gluten free marked on menu (T3)
Oriel - Gluten free menu (T3 T4)
Pilots - Gluten free options (T3 T5)
Yo Sushi - Gluten free options available (T2 and T3)
Wonder Tree - Healthy eating place, gluten free options (T2)
Flying Chariot Wetherspoons - Gluten free menu (T2)
La Salle - Gluten Free menu (T2)
Leon - Nearly all gluten free, loads of options (T2 and T3)
Gatwick AirportGiraffe - Gluten free options (South)
Caffe Nero - May have a sandwich but availabilty isn't always the best (South)
The Beehive Wetherspoons - Gluten free menu (South)
Wonder Tree - Healthy eating place, gluten free options (South)
Nandos - Normal chicken in marinade and many sides gluten free (South)
Pret - Gluten free salads (South)
Wagamamas - Gluten free options, speak to staff and they can usually adapt (South and North)
Flying Horse Wetherspoons - Gluten free menu (South)
Yo Sushi - Gluten free options available (North)
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap (North)
Jamies Italian - Gluten Free menu (North)
Comptoir - Few gf options available (North)
Manchester AirportGiraffe - Gluten free options (T1)
Caffe Nero - May have a sandwich but availabilty isn't always the best (T2 and T3)
Costa - May have a sandwich and gluten free cakes (T1)
Frankie and Bennys - Gluten free menu (T2)
Pret - Gluten free salads (T1)
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap (T1)
Aspire Premier Lounge - Will make fresh breakfast to avoid buffet (T1 and T2)
Trattoria Milano - Gluten free pizza and pasta, gluten free menu (T3)
Joes Kitchen - Gluten free options (T1)
London StanstedCosta - May have a sandwich and gluten free cakes
Giraffe - Gluten free options
Itsu - Gluten free options
Leon - Nearly all gluten free, loads of options
Pret - Gluten free salads
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap
The Windmill Wetherspoons - Gluten free menu
James Martin Kitchen - Will adapt meals and aware of cross contamination
London LutonCaffe Nero - May have a sandwich but availabilty isn't always the best
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap
Bella Italia - Gluten free pizza and pasta
Frankie and Bennys - Gluten free menu
Pret - Gluten free salads
Costa - May have a sandwich and gluten free cakes
Friska - Apparently do gluten free cake
EdinburghCosta - May have a sandwich and gluten free cakes
Caffe Nero - May have a sandwich but availabilty isn't always the best
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap
Yo Sushi - Gluten free options available
The Sir Walter Wetherspoon - Gluten free menu
The Turnhouse Wetherspoon - Gluten free menu
Gathering Deli - Many options are gluten free
BirminghamFrankie and Bennys - Gluten free menu
Caffe Nero - May have a sandwich but availabilty isn't always the best
Costa - May have a sandwich and gluten free cakes
Pret - Gluten free salads
Wetherspoon - Gluten Free menu
Giraffe - Gluten free options
GlasgowFrankie and Bennys - Gluten free menu
The Sanderling Wetherspoon - Gluten free menu
The Sandpiper Wetherspoon - Gluten free menu
James Martin Kitchen - Gluten free options
Starbucks - Usually have a gluten free wrap
After these 8 biggest UK airports, gluten free availabilty rapidly declines.
Bristol airport and Belfast International basically only have Starbucks, so unless they have a wrap in, you will be hard pushed finding gluten free.
The eleventh biggest airport Newcastle has pretty much nothing, best bet is heading to Marks and Spencer for a sandwich or wrap, none of the cafes or restaurants appear to cater.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport fairs slightly better, again a Starbucks is there but there is also a Frankie and Bennys who can do gluten free.
Thirteenth largest East Midlands houses a Frankie and Bennys and a Leon whose menu is nearly all gluten free so you do have a few options there.
London City has a Pret so you can eat least get a salad other than that though there doesn't appear to be anything. However it does fair better than Leeds Bradford airport where there doesn't appear to be anything.
Scottish airport, Aberdeen, hosts a Costa where you may be able to pick up a sandwich and also a Wetherspoon who have a gluten free menu. The Kitchen also apparently offers gluten free options
Not quite as good as Aberdeen, next is Belfast City Airport, unfortunately only a Costa and Starbucks so unless your in luck and one has a sandwich or wrap you might be hard pushed to grab anything.
Southampton offers just a Costa, which fairs better than the nineteenth biggest UK airport, Jersey who don't appear to offer anything, that we could find anyway!
Final airport to be mentioned is Cardiff, the twentieth biggest UK airport, they offer a Costa if they have any gluten free sandwiches available.
After the first eight most of the airports are pretty disappointing when it comes to gluten free food, we hope some of the other restaurants improve with the amount of people who require gluten free fingers crossed other eateries will take it into account.
Don't forget your translation cards available in our shop, in over 40 languages including Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Icelandic and many more.
Your Comments
Starbucks seem to have stopped doing the GF wrap, at least in MAN T1 - either before or after duty free. GF sandwich selection at boots T1 Manchester is usually better at the one after duty free too. Escape lounge manchester T1 & T3 will do GF bread on request, but will NOT toast it due to CC in the toaster. Beware now though, the bacon etc in the escape lounge(s) are out on a buffet, so cc can't be ruled out. Yes. I fly a LOT.
Lisa Fitzpatrick - 30th November 2017Last week I flew from Bristol airport to milan. After going through customs I wanted something to eat as was lunch time. I went around all the shops asking for a gluten free sandwich. I was told in WHSmith that they only get about 2 in a week and were sold out. Everyone was directing me to Starbucks however they didn't have anything I found the staffs knowledge of gluten free products/ drinks very poor in Starbucks they were not even prepared to check what drinks I could have got told nothing was gluten free however I normally don't have this problem in Starbucks. I found the whole situation very frustrating as was very hungry. I eventually managed to find a jacket potatoe which was very nice however this was the only thing in the whole airport that I could find that was gluten free. Hope this improves soon as flying from Bristol again next year
Sian Mcshane - 1st December 2017The aspire lounge in all of the Manchester terminals will provide you with gluten free bread (they’ll make you fresh sandwiches if you ask) and gluten free cakes. Their buffet has a lot of gluten free options (salad, cold meats, cheeses, potato salad and usually the soup is gluten free). They also have soya milk for hot drinks
Natasha - 7th December 2017Submit a Comment