Gluten Free Charleston SC: Celiac-Safe Restaurants, Bakeries & Shrimp and Grits (2026 Map)

Charleston is one of the best food cities in the South, and most of its classics can be made gluten free if you know where to go. The city doesn’t have many fully gluten-free restaurants, but it has dedicated gluten-free bakeries and dessert shops, plus several Lowcountry restaurants that serve gluten-free shrimp and grits and take cross-contact seriously.

Here’s where to eat, which spots to treat carefully, and the one question to ask about every Southern classic.

Rainbow Row. Photo: Thomson200, public domain (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons

Table of contents

Interactive map: gluten free Charleston

Tap a place to see it on the map, or use Near me to sort by distance. Orange dots are 100% gluten-free kitchens. Gray dots are shared kitchens with gluten-free menus or protocols.

Dedicated gluten-free bakeries and dessert shops

• Mabel Mae’s Bakery (476 Meeting St). A 100% gluten-free and vegan bakery, with pastries made in a dedicated gluten-free kitchen and oven. It’s open mornings, Monday to Saturday, and listings disagree on exact hours, so call ahead (843-640-5603). There’s also a second location in North Charleston.
• Annie O’ Love’s Cookie Cafe (1901 Ashley River Rd, West Ashley). A dedicated gluten-free cookie café. Celiac reviewers say staff with celiac disease made them feel confident ordering.
• The Pineapple Hut (99 S Market St, by the City Market, and on Folly Beach). A dedicated gluten-free ice cream and dessert shop. The menu is small, but it’s an easy treat while you’re walking the market.

Restaurants with real gluten-free protocols

None of these are fully gluten-free kitchens, so always say you have celiac disease.

• Burtons Grill & Bar (Mount Pleasant Towne Centre, 1875 N Highway 17). A separate gluten-free menu with gluten-free bread service, pasta, and desserts, plus formal allergy protocols. One celiac reviewer described a separate gluten-free area in the kitchen, so ask how your meal is prepared.
• Bartaco (304 King St). Most of the menu is gluten free thanks to corn tortillas. A reviewer notes the staff are very careful about cross-contact.
• Lou Lou’s Tavern on the Tracks (1640 Meeting St, at The Refinery). A newer spot that the Post and Courier recommends for its gluten-free fryer.

Where to get gluten-free shrimp and grits

Shrimp and grits is the dish everyone wants in Charleston. Grits are made from corn, but the sauce is often thickened with flour, so even “gluten-free” versions deserve one question: how is the sauce thickened?

These restaurants in the historic district offer gluten-free shrimp and grits, according to celiac diners:

• Amen Street Fish & Raw Bar (205 East Bay St). Reviewers note strict cross-contamination practices.
• Magnolias (185 East Bay St). There’s a separate gluten-free menu, and you have to ask for it. One reviewer said staff went through each dish for gluten. Gluten-free desserts may be limited.
• Slightly North of Broad (192 East Bay St). A local favorite with a gluten-free version.
• 82 Queen (82 Queen St). Gluten-free options are marked on the menu. Many of the gluten-free dishes contain pork, if that matters to you.

What to know before you eat in Charleston

Waterfront Park, a short walk from the East Bay Street restaurants. Photo: Thomson200, public domain (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons

Ask about the fryer, especially at barbecue joints

Celiac reviewers report that the fryers at Rodney Scott’s BBQ and Poogan’s Smokehouse are shared with breaded food, even though Rodney Scott’s sauces are gluten free. Get the meat without bread and skip anything fried.

Southern sides hide flour

Gravy, fried green tomatoes, hush puppies, and biscuits almost always contain wheat. Cornbread is often made with a mix of cornmeal and wheat flour, so ask.

Plan your sweets around the bakeries

Charleston’s fully gluten-free places are mostly bakeries and dessert shops, and the bakeries keep morning hours. Hit Mabel Mae’s early, and save The Pineapple Hut for an afternoon at the City Market.

Quick Reference: Gluten Free Charleston

Heading elsewhere in the South? See our guides to New Orleans, Atlanta, Nashville, and Washington, DC.

Sources

• Where can I eat in Charleston if I’m gluten-free? (The Post and Courier)
• Charleston Celiac Travel Guide (Spokin)
• Burtons Grill & Bar, Mount Pleasant (official site)
• Mabel Mae’s Bakery (Facebook)
• Dedicated Gluten-Free Places in Charleston (Find Me Gluten Free)
• Map data: © OpenStreetMap contributors