If you’re visiting Windsor to see the castle, or passing through on the way to Legoland, fear not, Your friendly neighbourhood coeliac is here with a round up of your gluten free eating options. Do let me know if you have found other gluten free treats in the area, or if you are passing through and fancy a cuppa!
Central Windsor & Eton
You might like to try one of the local independent restaurants.
- Flaming Cow is a straight-up burger & rib joint. The owners have made a lot of effort to cater gluten-free with everything on the menu, and gluten free lager too – woo! (review here)
- The Eton Mess – bistro-style food including gluten free fish ‘n’ chips from the owners of Flaming Cow, with plenty of options to chose from.
- Meat at the Parish is a great steak house with a good cocktail list and a few puddings on offering. They were knowledgeable about ingredients & happy to make substitutions.
- The Windsor Grill A tad overpriced (more of on occasion restaurant) but they have great steaks, and when I booked in advance served me with delicious homemade sunflower seed bread.
- Bel & The Dragon serve classic gastro-pub fare, with good value house wine. Staff are knowledgeable about ingredients.
- Traipse over the cobbles and a little bit into Eton to find the lovely Gilbey’s Wine Bar – an excellent bistro. Sadly no gluten-free bread, but delicious food without flour in the sauce.
- The Christopher has a gluten free menu including afternoon tea.
Chain restaurants dominate in Windsor, with most clustering around the castle and the Royal shopping arcade around Windsor Central Station. Whilst perhaps not terribly inspiring, it means that coeliacs are guaranteed a wide choice of places to get a safe and satisfying meal. You will find branches of the following restaurants in Windsor. All have gluten free or allergy menus:
- Bella Italia
- Zizzi
- Pizza Express
- Nandos
- Gourmet Burger Kitchen
- La Tasca
- Bill’s
- Carluccio’s
- Wagamama
- Yo! Sushi
- Cote Brasserie
Be aware that most of these get very busy with tourists, so it can pay to book in advance if you don’t want to wait.
Coffee & Quick Bites
- The major 3 coffee shops (Starbucks, Costa, Nero) all have branches in Windsor. Pleasingly, all offer gluten free rolls or wraps and at least a brownie.
- A little on the quieter side is the Le Suquet tearoom on the top floor of Daniels’ department store where you can chomp on a gluten free biscuit with your hot chocolate whilst people-watching.
- Esquires opposite the castle has Wooden Spoon gluten free biscuits and is a great place to watch the changing of the guard.
Markets & Street Food
On the 3rd saturday of each month, street food stalls line Peascod Street. You can usually find some stalls offering gluten free foods:
- The Honest Carrot who sell vegan-friendly food such as falafels and roasts, as well as gluten free flowerpot bread and carrot cake.
- New company G.org.e who make scrumptious truffles free from gluten, wheat, dairy soya & refined sugar.
- Chiltern Natural Foods have some gluten free granola and muesli.
Windsor Farmers Market also runs on the first saturday of each month at the top of St. Leonard’s Road, near the fishmonger. Some of the above stalls can be found there too.
Do exercise caution when buying from stalls, as many products are made in a home environment, so you should satisfy yourself on cross contamination controls.
Food Shopping
There is a good free from section in Windsor’s major supermarket, Waitrose, in the town centre. Marks & Spencers food hall stocks most of their ambient ‘made without wheat’ range, a few ready meals and ready-made sandwiches.
There is also a branch of Holland & Barratt on Peascod Street, or Revital, another health food shop which sells a large range of interesting gluten free products.
In Eton, the quaint Tastes Delicatessen has a small selection of gluten free products.
For an even bigger selection, take the short hop on the train from Windsor Central to Slough where you can find a huge Tesco Extra right next to the station which incorporates a giant free-from aisle and another branch of Holland & Barratt.
The Great Park & Beyond
If you have a little longer to spend in Windsor, the vast Great Park is worth exploring on foot, by bike or in the car. There are lots of little eating spots and foodie pubs tucked around the periphery, but those I’ve found with specific gluten free offerings are:
- The Savill Gardens Visitor Centre has an allergy menu and at least one kind of gluten free cake.
- Windsor Farm Shop & Cafe is quite the poshest farm shop you’ll ever visit, selling a range of produce from the Crown Estate. You’ll also find a few gluten free treats, and a detailed allergy menu in the coffee shop if you ask. There’s usually at least soup and a cookie on offer.
- The Rose & Olive Branch near Virginia Water has a dedicated coeliac menu.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Windsor, do let me know if you are stopping by!
The Coeliactivist 
WOW what an amazing review of Windsor. I’m impressed! Thanks for sharing. It’s been a while since I visited Windsor. Lovely town. I used to work there and just never really explored or appreciated it until I left that job.I am just about to do my review of Copenhagen with allergies. Not nearly so thorough as this review of Windsor. ;o)
Thanks for the nice comment, Ruth! Looking forwards to reading your blog. Honestly, I’ve lived in Windsor for 10 months and still haven’t tried half the places so I’m sure there must be some gems to uncover still! I don’t tend to blog my trips away as I think I’d never be able to do it justice without spending a long time there, or spending half of my holiday researching!
Great comprehensive GF guide! Are you going to the Gluten free fair in Windsor this weekend? There hasn’t been much written about it but I got some info from the organisers: http://glutenfreeinlondon.com/2014/05/07/gluten-free-events-to-put-in-your-diary/
Issi
Hi Issi! Yes I’ll be there, are you coming? The details of the event are here: https://www.coeliac.org.uk/about-us/our-organisation/annual-general-meeting/
I will indeed, will keep an eye out for you and other bloggers! I’m excited about all the potential free samples!
Issi
I wish i had read this post when i was visiting the UK this year. I am missing Planet Organic, your health food supermarket so much back here in Australia! Have you been there? I highly recommend it. The supermarket is a digestively challenged individuals paradise!
Yes! We used to have one near us in Islington before I moved to Windsor- miss it! Although I thought Australia was pretty good for those with special diets?
It is very accommodating, especially Sydney! I just really liked the gluten free, dairy free baked goods at Planet Organic. I was particularly excited to just be in a city that recognised GF and DF after travelling through quite a few countries that were not too accommodating at all. I found Paris particularly difficult, those baguettes were soo tempting hah.
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I normally stick to the well known chains when in Windsor, I like Honest Carrot they have good Vegan pasties and I had a disappointing meal at The Green Olive but you can’t win them all
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Hi I make gluten free and dairy free cakes and I am trying to get my business off the ground so I can supply in and around Windsor. Check me out here https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1412150927/not-so-naughty I would happily deliver samples in Windsor/ Berkshire areas.
Hi there!
After 8 years of false starts we are finally opening – on a trial basis – Windsor Cake Company on Friday June 10 2016 1 – 5 pm at St Agnes, St Leonards Rd, Windsor.
We have won top price in two different cake contest on presentation and taste – and the judges didn’t know the cakes were low allergen, all other entries were ‘normal’ cakes!
EVERYTHING served is made without gluten, dairy, egg, sugar, nut, peanut, soy, celery, tomato, aspartame or artificial sweeteners, aditives or preservatives. As a consequence everything is vegan!
As far as possible it is all made from locally soursed, fair trade, organic produce.
You’ll be able to create your own freshly made juices or smoothies, choose from a selection of scrumcious cakes and treats, enjoy a quiet coffee or tea and even try out our Matcha bar.
See you June 10th at 1pm.
WELCOME!
This sounds great, will come along…just got to work out whereabouts St Agnes is.
Just seen on Google maps that you are round the corner from me! Will you be open 1-5 seven days a week? X
Hi this is a great window on gluten-free Windsor. I have some to add to your list, Olivia’s, cafe just before you get to Eton bridge, serves many cakes which are gluten-free, dairy free etc. Also, 2 independent restaurants, Viva L’Italia and Italian Steakhouse have some gluten free pasta and lasagne and the most amazing service.
Good to know, Thankyou! I left Olivia’s off because I didn’t find them very good and it’s a little dingy, not somewhere I’d recommend.
Do you know if LEGOLAND do GF options for eating and not just cake please?
Not a great deal I’m afraid. I gather the rotisserie place is the best, but generally I take a packed lunch.
Thanks!
Hello. I know that the post is two years old, but do you have any information about the Legoland GF food options. I plan a few days vacation with my son and reviews are quite disappointing.
Thank you!
Hello! It’s not too bad – you can get gluten free options in most of the restaurants although they are a bit junky & very overpriced. Apparently the rotisserie restaurant is best for options and the pizza place offers GF bases. We usually opt to take a picnic when we go. Have fun! X