Gluten-free bakeries to try out this summer

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There are so many cute local bakeries, restaurants, and cafés in Metro Vancouver. These places not only provide the perfect spot for brunch, but give its customers delicious and healthy meals to indulge in. In recent years, cafés and bakeries have been at the top of students’ lists of places to hangout with friends or study at. 

However, a lot of these bakeries and cafés sometimes do not consider customers who have food intolerances, such as people with gluten or dairy allergies. 

Gluten is a type of protein found in food like grains, wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. Often it can cause damage or inflammation to the intestines. A common way to address symptoms is to remove gluten from a diet, but this comes with the struggle of finding restaurants that make gluten-free foods. 

Luckily there are a few local places in Vancouver that offer yummy gluten-free snacks and treats. 

Heirs Pears

This is my most recommended place. Located on Nelson Street in Vancouver, central to Yaletown-Granville District, Heirs Pears opened in 2018 as a local gluten-free restaurant and coffee shop. Inclusivity, sustainability, and locally produced food is their top priority that meets each dietary needs. 

They serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, and an assortment of pastries ranging from gluten-free, vegan, keto, to vegetarian. Their sweet treats are the perfect bite after a meal as they’re not too heavy and they don’t taste like a gluten-free dish. Their lemon raspberry scone is a popular favourite, as is their cauliflower pizza. 

Innocent Ice Cream Bar

Everyone loves ice cream, and the best kind is an ice cream sandwich. It was founded in 2015 and is located on Main Street in Vancouver. A gluten-free cookie is hard to perfect, considering they tend to crumble easily. But at the Innocent Ice Cream Bar, these cookies are soft, chewy, sweet, and decadent. The perfect combination for the different unique flavours of ice cream. 

Gluten Free Epicurean

True to its name, this cute boutique is a hidden gem that sells gluten-free products in East Vancouver, with the goal to provide their customers with the highest quality gluten-free goods. After the owner struggled to find foods that accommodated people with Celiac disease, they decided to open up their own shops. Though on the pricier side, you do get the quality for your buck. With classic cakes and breads, paired with frozen foods and drinks, this boutique is where it’s at for gluten-free goodies. 

However of course, food is objective. What might be good for some people, might taste bad for others.