Square pies have become their own genre within the expansive pizza universe, from chewy grandma pies, to crisp Detroit-style pies with blackened edges, to the classic Sicilian with its crackly crust and doughy center. Thankfully, the gluten-sensitive set has an ally in Prime Pizza, which opened its newest location in Santa Monica in 2022. Here, the gluten-free pies come square, sliced into fours, and topped with staples like blistered pepperoni cups, marinara, or basil pesto.

The best part of Los Angeles icon Luv2Eat’s menu, aside from its breadth and spice, would be its clearly labeled (and plentiful) gluten-free offerings. Dishes like its staple pad ka prao noodles, sour Issan sausage, and spicy-sour tom kha soup are all gluten-free-friendly and kicked up by the restaurant’s storied chile content.

A longtime vegan paradise for those hoping to indulge, chef Tal Ronnen’s Crossroads Kitchen also happens to provide many dishes that can be ordered gluten-free, like its pizzas, breakfast sandwiches, and stuffed French toast. The dietary sensitivity makes the upscale Melrose restaurant one of the more popular dinner destinations out that way, and Ronnen says 90 percent of the menu can be made gluten-free.

Sit down in Honey Hi’s bright, inviting dining room and order the pancakes, toast, and sandwiches for a revelatory (and all gluten-free) all-day experience in Los Angeles. The menu’s morning offerings solidify it as a breakfast staple: creamy, chive-flecked eggs served with buckwheat sourdough; a breakfast sandwich piled with caramelized fennel and onions, arugula, and avocado mash; and a breakfast bowl that uses a smoky sweet potato hash as its base. Dishes can be ordered with meat or modified to be vegetarian/vegan-friendly.

This small, surprising gelateria wedged on a busy stretch of West Third in Beverly Grove serves not only what may be the best gelato in Los Angeles, but what may also be the city's best vegan, gluten-free waffle cone. The shop is owned by husband-and-wife owners Alessandro Restelli and Alejandra Unger, who were trained in the craft under gelato master — yes, gelato master — Vetulio Bondi in Florence (Restelli is originally from Northern Italy, closer to Milan). The best-bet flavor is Piedmont hazelnut, its namesake a Piedmont hazelnut tree which, some say, is rumored to produce some of the best hazelnuts in the world.

My Two Cents slings Southern classics in Mid-City, including a gluten-free mac and cheese with brown rice penne and a blistered parmesan crust. If that’s not enough, the gluten-free barbecue fried chicken will do nicely, served with two sides or on its own. Other gluten-free favorites include the shrimp and sweet corn grits, fried green tomatoes, and oxtail tacos.

Husband and wife team Marlo Vinzoni and Ligurian chef Gianba Vinzoni have owned Cinque Terre West for years, and know the locals well. Gianba took ample time to develop both gluten-free pizzas and pastas for those avoiding gluten, and the results are fantastic — from the pasta with rock shrimp and zucchini blossom to the tartufo pie layered with goat cheese and shaved black truffle.

Tucked behind a solid jade-green door in the Arts District, Cha Cha Chá offers a casual but transportive rooftop experience only a story or two above ground level. On any given night, chef Paco Moran’s seafood-leaning menu might feature anything from shallot-flecked guacamole drizzled with jalapeno oil, to blue fin tuna kicked up with crispy cilantro and chile morita aioli, to an asada taco dripping in its marinade with salsa de arbol. Many of its dishes are gluten-free, served with heirloom blue-corn tortillas and house-made chips; servers are happy to guide you through the menu for need more specific avoidance of gluten ingredients.

Pikunico is very clear about its menu. While the fried chicken sandwich is not gluten-free, opt for its gluten-free fried chicken sans bun (choosing from thighs, wings, and tenders). Its gluten-free chicken tenders are also available in a family basket with accompanying sides. Owner Kuniko Yagi’s side dishes are worth a taste, especially the baked Japanese sweet potato ume with crème fraîche and pickled jalapeño.

For some of the best gluten-free bread in town, head to this sliver of a bakery on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica. At Breadblok, you’ll find tangy olive loaves, slim French baguettes, soft brioche, and croissants that are so buttered and flaky you would never miss their wheat-flour counterparts. (Full disclosure: these croissants are somewhat denser than the classic but no less delicious.) Aside from bread, the kitchen also offers breakfast and lunch options like brioche French toast, smoked salmon tartine, and a slew of baguette sandwiches.

Vegan and gluten-free ice creams wedged between thick and chewy gluten-free cookies or chocolate-chip brownies: a summer reverie made year-round reality by Madame Shugah, which pops up at Smorgasburg on Sundays in Los Angeles. Knowing visitors will kick their orders up by customizing brownie sundaes, cookie sandwiches drizzled with caramel or chocolate sauce, or piling up as many scoops as humanly possible.

Birdie G’s, a sleek indoor-outdoor restaurant near Bergamot Station in Santa Monica, is gluten-free-friendly without sacrificing creativity. Gluten-free menu items (and items that can be modified to be gluten-free) are labeled clearly and plentiful, from rice flour-battered king trumpet mushrooms to the mind-bogglingly crispy pickle fried chicken (a gluten-free, dairy-free dish that was available for pickup during the height of the pandemic and now makes appearances on the weekly menu).

Venice’s unassuming Camp Pho has more to offer than just its mellow beachwood interior and nostalgic bar games. The menu is ultra gluten-free-friendly, from the tangy brisket banh cuon to the ap chao crispy pulled pork noodles. Those looking for lighter fare can tuck into its hen of the wood mushroom spring rolls; the hungrier dinner crowd comes for its namesake soups, brimming with aromatic broth and springy rice noodles.

From the minds behind Venice’s beloved Sinners & Saints bakery, 401k Food and Wine on Lincoln is a somewhat hidden gem as an all-gluten-free restaurant (versus a restaurant that offers some gluten-free options). Celiac and gluten-intolerant diners can eat their way through a menu that features breadsticks, biscuits, and grilled baguettes, as well as comfort classics like buffalo chicken strips, mini corn dogs, and beer-battered fish and chips. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

This family-owned bakery first opened in Japan in 2011, and Kirari West launched in 2014 in Redondo Beach. The family uses rice flour as a substitute for traditional flour in this seaside bakery offering desserts, loaves of bread, breakfast sandwiches, and paninis. The breakfast melt sandwiches, particularly, stand out with fluffy rice-flour brioche, runny egg, and add-ons like avocado, bacon, cheddar, and tomato.

Taco Maria is where you go to indulge in chef Carlos Salgado’s wonderful and inspired menu. The Costa Mesa restaurant is mostly gluten-free without even trying, with aguachile, citrusy spicy blue prawns, a confit duck with mole, or marinated cactus with fermented jalpeno.