Here are a few places where we ate good gluten free food in Whitby and the surrounding areas. As fish and chips is the speciality here there are a lot of these place, all pretty goodquality. We didn’t visit all of these, this was the list I made before I went and we will definitely be returning to try out the ones we missed. We stayed in the main town area so all of these places were no more than a ten minute walk away for us.
Harry’s Lounge Bar
We ate here on two occasions and it was busy both times – I was glad that we had booked a table as on the second visit I don’t think we would have got in. Really lovely atmosphere and decor. My husband had one of the hanging kebabs (seafood) with fries and I had the chicken which came with new potatoes and broccoli and was incredibly tasty. On our second visit (which was on our last evening) we both had the gluten free scampi with fries and peas. I really wanted scampi but was a little fed up with all the chip shop chips by that point in the week so when I saw that this version came with fries I was sold. Good portion sizes, just enough but not too much.
Dolphin Hotel
Extremely limited choices but full allergen information available online. We ended up in here while we waited to check into our apartment on the first day and as they had a gluten free Peroni I had hoped for a little more choice food wise. I opted for a chilli with rice and tortilla chips which was very nice. I think my other option was gammon. They ask about allergies at the bar when you order. They do a Sunday lunch in here (not GF) which was absolutely full up to the point they ran out of gravy!
Quayside
We didn’t visit this one but we walked by (its next to Harry’s) and they advertise in the window that they do gluten free on request – this is not marked in the menu so this could easily be missed if you didn’t know. Has a restaurant and a takeaway and both were always busy.
Trenchers
This was absolutely packed every time we walked past, both the restaurant and takeaway queueing out the door most evenings. We hadn’t booked and didn’t hold out much hope of getting a table but to our surprise we were seated right away, in a comfy booth. Our server was amazing, she advised my husband about getting a half portion of chips as he cant eat a large portion these days. He had the fish with gluten free batter which he said was light and crispy, not too heavy. I had fish pie with garden peas. The pie had white fish, prawns, salmon and smoked haddock and was a very generous portion. They even brought over gluten free vinegar for us. Probably the best service we had all week, lovely people.
Cosa Nostra, Italian
Does gluten free pizza bases for an additional £1.50 and also does gluten free penne pasta but this isn’t advertised on the menu, we were told this when asking about the pizza. Their allergen chart was a little confusing, but the staff couldn’t have been more helpful and lovely. They confirmed that all their sauces were gluten free. The confusing part was that all the pizzas showed as containing gluten but this was due to the base and they didn’t list all the separate components. As I wanted the Carni (meat) pizza, I wanted to see if I could eat the sausage as this is often a no-go. The server went and asked the chef and then came back to tell me exactly how it was made, which was reassuring. The rest of the service was inconsistent though, we asked twice for a jug of water that never materialised and we also asked for the remaining pizza to be put in to-go boxes which we had to ask again for as they weren’t brought back to us. That aside, it was hands down the best gluten free pizza I’ve ever had, if a little in the expensive side at £21.50 (including the base). There was a decent choice of mains too that I could have opted for if I hadn’t fancied the pizza. Limoncello Spritz 10/10.
Ivy By The Sea (Scarborough)
The menu was so big here that it took about half an hour to decide what to have. There were sandwiches and toasties (all with gf options available) as well as jacket potatoes, soups and other light meals. They also served alcohol inducing a couple of gluten free beer options. I opted for the jacket potato with cheese and beans which came with a salad.My husband went for the ham and tomato sandwich with crips which looked amazing and made me miss regular bread if only for a second.
Moors Coffee Shop (Goathland)
Another tea room, another jacket potato. I always seem to have a craving for one of these on a cold day and it was very cold and windy on our visit to Goathland (set of the ITV drama Heartbeat). The advert in the window said jacket potatoes and pasties to take away so we had initially intended to eat in the car before going back to Whitby. When we asked at the till we were pleasantly surprised to be told there was a small tea room in the back where we could eat in. They did breakfasts, pasties, cakes and all sorts which all looked amazing. MY jacket potato was huge and the salad was mainly cucumber, peppers and balsamic vinegar wihich made a nice change from the usual wilted lettuce I am used to in theme parks!
The Edge
This is just around the corner from Cosa Nostra. A little pricey and we were going to go here for out last night before deciding we wanted the Scampi at Harry’s. Fully marked menu for lunch or dinner with plenty of GF options including a couple of sandwich choices. The menu does state that the GF marked options are on request so make sure you specify at the time of ordering. There was a nice looking stroganoff and a selection of steaks available.
Pescado Lounge
The lounges chains are a well known life saver in the world of gluten free food and this one was no exception. GF menus are on the tables as standard here so no need to ask for one, although they do ask you to make sure you order at the till and not on the app so they can double check everything for you. I had the lounge burger with cheese on my first visit and the penang curry with sweet potato and chickpea on my second visit. Great value as always.
Magpie Cafe
This is primarily a fish & chip restaurant and another one that has people queuing out the door due to its excellent reputation. The menu is huge here with the biggest selection of fish I have seen. There are also a number of meat and vegetarian dishes. The classic fish and chips can be made gluten free on request. Although the rest of the menu is not marked with allergy information it does state that most of the dishes can be made gluten free on request so plenty to choose from.
Rusty Shears
Charming little cafe/bistro tucked away on Silver Street. We walked past this most days. There are a variety of small plates with plenty of gluten free options available. Choice of indoor and outdoor seating. There are also gluten free pizzas on offer at very reasonable prices. They are only open later (for evening meals) on a Friday and Saturday when there is often live music as well. We didn’t manage to fit this one in unfortunately but it will be top of the list next time as its right by our accommodation.
Sanders Yard Bistro
This is one for brunch or lunch as it closes at 4pm on weekdays and 4.30pm on weekends. This is subject to change during the low season. Located right in the heart of the town, it gets really busy so booking is recommended. They have a huge selection of breakfast options, hot and cold sandwiches, burgers, sharing platters and small plates. There is gluten free bread available and they are very knowledgable about allergies. There is also a great selection of home made cakes. Excellent place for a quick bite or a larger meal when exploring the town.
Duke of York
This is a pub, located just across from the bottom of the famous 199 steps to Whitby Abbey. We first ducked in here to get out of the rain but ended up returning a few times for drinks. Comfy booth seating as well as a couple of high tables facing out towards the water. There is a small non-gluten containing ingredients menu on the tables and on the website (it’s part of the Heritage Pubs chain) which currently includes lamb shank, cod loin, and a chicken and bacon salad. There is also a gluten free cheesecake for desert. We didn’t eat here but will be giving it a try next time.
compass and coaster 