Kanazawa
金沢
Kanazawa is one of those cities that instantly feels special — a mix of old-world charm, samurai streets, gold leaf everything, and some of the best food culture in Japan. And while it’s not the most obvious gluten-free destination at first glance, it’s actually surprisingly doable once you know where to look. With a bit of planning you can enjoy fresh seafood, gorgeous sweets, fluffy pancakes, gyoza, rice bread and even a few dedicated spots that really understand dietary needs. It’s a calm, walkable city that rewards wandering, and gluten-free travellers can absolutely enjoy the experience without feeling left out.
Love For All is a cosy, welcoming restaurant that’s genuinely mindful of dietary restrictions, and when I went - completely gluten free. They serve a mix of Japanese-inspired and Western comfort dishes either fish based or vegan, they clearly label options and are happy to guide you through the menu. It’s a great little spot if you want something wholesome and relaxed, especially when you’re craving a break from heavier sightseeing days. We ended up eating here twice, the owners and chef were just so lovely and the food was perfect.
Area: Korinbo / Katamachi
Booking required: It's recommended
Other Dietary Requirements: Vegan options available
Recommendation: Gyoza, Karaage Mushroom, Dragon Sushi
Cafe Tamon is a gorgeous modern café over the road from Utasu Shrine, and it’s surprisingly completely gluten free. They specialise in fluffy pancakes, with a variety of toppings and flavourings. They are so soft, liike eating clouds, but don't have that eggy flavour that you sometimes get with this style of pancake. You can also get them with local honeey - which I recommend! It’s the perfect brunch or lunch stop if you’re exploring the castle or Kenrokuen Garden and want something fresh, colourful, and satisfying.
Area: Higashi Chaya District
Booking required: Unsure, we had to wait but got a table in 15 mins
Other Dietary Requirements: Unsure
Recommendation: Fluffy fruit pancakes and their sausages
Wagome Bakery is a mostly gluten-free gem in Kanazawa, and it’s absolutely worth going out of your way for. Everything is made with rice flour, and the texture of their breads is unbelievably soft. They also sell a few gluten free bits & pieces that are hard to come by in Japan, like noodles, sauces, biscuits, & rice crackers. Now everything made here is gluten free but the baker did say that some of the packaged products (a couple flavours of the rice crackers) did contain barley. I'm not sure if they were still considered gluten free as there was a language barrier so I just avoided the rice crackers!
Area: 10 minute walk from Kamimoroe station
Booking required: Unsure, we had to wait but got a table in 15 mins
Other Dietary Requirements: Vegan options
Recommendation: Buns & noodles!
Shirom Crêperie serves sweet and savoury crêpes made from 100% buckwheat, which means they’re naturally gluten-free, however not all the toppings are. Thankfully the menu is well labeled and the owner understands gluten free & is happy to help. The crêpes come out thin, crispy at the edges, and filled with everything from classic sugar-butter to hearty cheese and veggie combinations. If you takeaway, you can choose from the more basic options like sugar, nutella, fruit, but if you sit if you can get some really fancy crepes. Please note: you can only sit in if everyone if ordering one.
Area: Oyama-machi
Booking required: No
Other Dietary Requirements: Vegan options
Recommendation: I only tried the sugar one which was nice, but I'd encourage you to be more adventurous!
Coil is a super stylish, concept-driven restaurant where you build your own hand-rolled sushi from beautifully arranged trays of ingredients. It's modern, fun, and very Kanazawa. While it’s not a dedicated GF restaurant, they’re used to handling gluten allergies and can put together safe ingredient sets without soy sauce or wheat-based components (including giving you plain rice instead of seasoned) It’s one of the more unique dining experiences in the city - interactive, delicious, and perfect if you want something visually stunning and allergy-aware.
Area: Central Kanazawa
Booking required: Yes
Other Dietary Requirements: Vege options
Recommendation: Get the wagyu beef as one our your fillings!
Hua Ai Aloha is a Hawaiian-Japanese chain that makes beautiful Açaí bowls. Almost all of the ingredients are gluten free apart from the granola which they can replace easily for you. Located inside Kanazawa Station, it's a great choice if you are wanting something for your next journey on the Shinkansen.
Area: Kanazawa Station
Booking required: No
Other Dietary Requirements: Vegan options
Recommendation: Any!
Places on my list but I wasn't able to try:
(please make sure to ask your question regarding safety)
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