Gluten-Free Southern Maine Travel Guide

In this gluten-free Southern Maine travel guide, I'm sharing some great spots for gluten-free food along the coast of Vacationland, including breweries, bakeries, lobster rolls, and more!

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Ah, Maine - the way life should be.

And the way gluten-free food/drink should be!

Maine's gluten-free scene and stunning natural beauty are nothing short of spectacular. And inside this guide, I'm sharing some of the spots that should definitely be on your list if you have celiac disease or eat gluten-free for other health reasons.

About this Gluten-Free Southern Maine Dining Guide

While our go-to getaway spot for many years has always been Vermont, Maine has slowly crept upon us.

And now that we've been a few more times, like visiting Portland for their children's museum, or camping in Acadia National Park it's become a favorite destination not only for the beautiful landscape but also for the awesome gluten-free food options.

Here are some of the great gluten-free Southern Maine food that awaits you!

And no, just FYI - this isn't EVERY place for gluten-free food in Southern Maine, but restaurants, bakeries, cafés, & breweries that you don't want to miss!

NOTE & DISCLAIMER

Everyone’s experience with celiac disease is different. Dedicated gluten-free facilities are usually the safest places to go, and you’ll see those listed here. For non-dedicated facilities and restaurants, I only recommend places I have visited or where clear protocols are in place for celiac diners.

My experience is not your experience. This is a guide – a list of suggestions to point you in the right direction. Restaurants can change. Use your own judgment and only eat where you feel safe doing so.

This guide was originally written and published online for Gluten-Free Living. I have updated and condensed the information here to include the most accurate and up-to-date spots for celiac travelers.

Gluten-Free Southern Maine Travel Guide

About Southern Maine

Maine is the largest state in all of New England, with over 15 million acres of land. 

Maine’s seacoast stretches for 3,478 miles - more than fifty miles longer than the state of California.

Since Maine is so huge, I'll only be focusing on the gluten-free options in Southern Maine, specifically along the seacoast, until we've ventured farther north!

How To Find Gluten-Free Food in Southern Maine

Locating gluten-free food can be tough when you're traveling - especially in a state like Maine.

Things are pretty spaced out, and it can be hard to find restaurants sometimes. This guide will give you suggestions and my personal recommendations to point you in the right direction, but you might need to explore other options.

And that's okay, because Maine is HUGE.

One of the best ways to do that while traveling in Maine is by doing your research first, on an app/website like FindMeGlutenFree.

FindMeGlutenFree can help you get an idea of what gluten-free restaurants, bakeries, and safe menus are available in Maine. And with a Premium Subscription, you can filter by most celiac-friendly, see what's open now (so you don't drive all the way to a bakery for breakfast and discover it's closed), and what's gluten-free in the direction you're headed. It's like Google Maps, but a gluten-free version. And no Ads!

I've been a FMGF user for over a decade, but I think their Premium version is much more effective. Take $5 off a Premium Subscription with the code THENOMADICFITZ to make your trip to Maine less stressful.

Dining Out In Southern Maine With Celiac Disease

As I recommend to all of my clients dining out with celiac disease, make sure to clarify what "gluten-free" means when you order food at a restaurant.

Unfortunately, due to the presence of fad dieters, gluten-friendly and gluten-sensitive menus, people with celiac disease struggle to be taken seriously when dining in restaurants.

Based on my 17+ years with celiac disease and my multiple restaurant allergen trainings, I suggest using the words severe gluten allergy when dining out and then clarifying celiac disease. Also, be sure to tell your server about how you need your food prepared to prevent cross-contact.

Gluten-Free Donuts in Kittery, Maine

Lovebird Donuts: Vegan Donut Shop With GF Options

Big thanks to my friend Emily @im.emily.bean for telling me about this place for celiac-safe donuts. They have TWO locations (One in Portsmouth, NH, which is where I went) and another in Kittery, Maine. They make vegan and gluten-free donuts - but they are safe to eat for celiacs:

From their website menu:
"Our gluten-free options are prepared separately from our wheat-based donuts and cooked in their own dedicated fryer and oil."

Score!

Sounds a lot like Kane's Donuts, which you can find at three locations in the Boston area.

The gluten-free donuts were kept in a separate case to avoid any cross-contact as well. Dylan and I planned on having 2, but since it was so close to closing when we arrived, they gave us one of each flavor!

It was so generous and kind of them. We really liked all of them.

I'm not usually a fan of vegan pastries as I feel they tend to be lacking, but these were actually tasty. They didn't crumble and fall apart either.

For more information about Lovebirds as well as their full menu & hours, visit their website, or follow them on Facebook/Instagram. Their menu rotates, and they come out with new donut flavors every month!

Gluten-Free Brewery in Biddeford, Maine

Lucky Pigeon: 100% Gluten-Free Brewery

This 100% gluten-free brewery opened back in 2021, and is still going strong! Their beers have become very popular in New England, especially since the 100% GF brewery in Vermont has recently closed.

Lucky Pigeon is located right in downtown Biddeford, in the historic Pepperell Mills. With lighter beers, sours, and dark beers, plus a taproom with tables and chairs, events, merch to buy, and cans to go, Lucky Pigeon is a top spot in Southern Maine for gluten-free folks.

I'm partial to the blonde ale - Eclectus, but we tried all of them when visiting here after they opened. Dylan really liked the darker ale (on the far right) - Little Brown Job.

When I stopped here for our Confident Celiac Community retreat in August 2026, their sour beer was phenomenal! I'm partial to sour beers, especially after trying them at BC Brewing in Maryland during a trip to The Inn Berlin (a 100% gluten-free bed and breakfast. More on that here!)

Lucky Pigeon's beers can be found all over New England if you can't make it in person. You can visit their website or follow them on Facebook/Instagram for more information about their hours and updates.

Heads up! Lucky Pigeon is currently only open for takeout beers on Saturdays from 4-6 PM as they renovate their taproom. According to their Instagram page, they are reopening at the end of August 2026. Please check their website or social media for more details!

For more dedicated gluten-free breweries & cideries in New England, check out this blog post!

Gluten-Free Bakery in Saco, Maine

Sweets & Co - 100% Gluten-Free Bakery & Café

If you are looking for a sweet treat while driving through Southern Maine, you have to make a point to stop at Sweets & Co in Saco - 100% gluten-free!

Just up the road from Lucky Pigeon is a corner bakery & café with the most INSANE gluten-free cinnamon rolls I've ever seen! Along with breakfast sandwiches, pastries, drinks, and a friendly staff - you don't want to miss it.

Sweets & Co's owner, Lorraine, is the founder of the gluten-free flour mix Hand + Heart Gluten-Free, which she uses throughout the bakery on a variety of baked goods.

She and her staff have created a beautiful, small space perfect to stop in for a coffee and a treat - all gluten-free.

Lorraine is also great about having the staff label the pastries as "DF" if they are dairy-free too. Everything is delicious - I especially LOVED the giant cinnamon roll, but the breakfast sandwich on homemade focaccia was excellent, and everyone in my Confident Celiac Community raved about the coffees!

HEADS UP! They sell out QUICK on the weekends. I mean within MINUTES of opening on a Saturday (It was 9:07 AM; they open at 9...) the line was already out the door!

And by the time we made it to the counter to order, the pain au chocolat were already gone. So plan accordingly!

Gluten-Free Cooking Classes at Sweets & Co!

Lorraine also offers gluten-free cooking classes at Sweets & Co in the evenings, which we took part in during our retreat, and it was amazing! Detailed, delicious, and definitely a worthwhile learning experience. We made GF pork dumplings and wonton soup with chili crisp. Everything was seriously fantastic, and we could've drank the broth of the wonton soup in gallons!

For more information about Sweets & Co, visit their website to see their rotating menu and hours, and follow them on Instagram.

Gluten-Free Food in Portland, Maine

Portland is one of the biggest cities along the seacoast with a really fun gluten-free scene, including 100% gluten-free spots! 

It’s also a really neat spot and boasts live music, local festivals, art museums, and nautical history. Portland is an inclusive city that is LGBTQIA+ friendly, with lots of bars, restaurants, activities and shopping. This is the type of city you can spend a weekend in, but it's also good for a day trip as well.

These are the spots I'd definitely recommend visiting with celiac disease!

The Holy Donut: Gluten-Free Donuts

This place is quintessential Portland - freshly made potato donuts with all different flavors and a special selection of gluten-free donuts as well.

A note about Holy Donut: while they are not a dedicated gluten-free facility, they do take measures to keep the gluten-free donuts safe. AND MAKE SURE YOU GET THERE EARLY, especially on the weekends! Sometimes they sell out of all their gluten-free flavors before 9 AM, so be warned!

From their website:
**We offer gluten-free donuts, but we are not a certified gluten-free facility! We do our best to keep gf ingredients separate and we do prep and cook with separate gf designated equipment. But eat at your own risk.

These donuts are different from your traditional donuts but definitely worth trying if you feel comfortable.

Their flavors are also fantastic. I love the dark chocolate sea salt - the perfect combination of salty and sweet. Also, their guava donut (August special) and maple (fall special) are equally delicious!

They have four locations in the Portland area, and each has specific hours of operation. For more information about Holy Donut, visit their website, or follow them on Facebook/Instagram.

Maiz: 100% Gluten-Free Colombian Food

Maiz is a Colombian takeout restaurant in Portland that serves incredible arepas! They are completely gluten-free, and everything they make is so good.

The arepas are enormous (they are corn-based), and you can also get rice bowls, empanadas, pan de bono (cheese bread!), drinks, and more.

They have a small amount of seating both indoors and outdoors and it's a really fun spot. It's great to be able to get a full meal rather than just a baked good from a place you know is completely safe.

Sometimes I feel like there are more gluten-free bakeries than restaurants in the US, so when you find a place where you can get lunch or dinner, it's a WIN!

For more information about Maiz, visit their website or follow them on Facebook/Instagram.

Luke's Lobster: Gluten-Free Seafood

Luke's Lobster is right on the Portland Pier, with an unmatched view of the harbor and a gorgeous spot for sightseeing. Not to mention, everything on their menu can be made gluten-free, including all of their fried items. That means fish & chips, lobster rolls, fried clams, you name it!

The servers are very knowledgeable about the menu & celiac protocols, and there's a GF designation on the menu where you can make anything GF - just ask!

If you are a seafood fan who is missing your fish dishes since going gluten-free, this will definitely be a favorite stop in Portland.

Personally, I'm not a big seafood person - I pretty much like fish & chips or a fried fish sandwich, and that's about it. But I'll admit the fish & chips platter here was sooo flaky and tender, and I loved the crisp coating, tartar sauce, and the fries were TOP-notch!

Reservations are encouraged at Luke's, especially during the high season, but be mindful that they sometimes stop accepting reservations when it gets really busy. So I'd come early!

Luke's has multiple locations - not only in Maine, but also has one in Boston, and other locations up the East Coast. Check their website for more information, hours, and menu items.

Empire Chinese Kitchen: Gluten-Free Takeout

Finding celiac-safe Chinese food is RARE. When I found it at Lili & Loo's in New York City, I was ecstatic (read more about that here.) And when I discovered Empire in Portland has celiac protocols on their menu, including gluten-free dishes like steamed dumplings and fried rice, I just about cried.

Empire is a Chinese restaurant currently only open for takeout, but take celiac disease seriously. There is even a "celiac" option when you order online, and they give you gluten-free soy sauce packets. It was just as fantastic as I remembered takeout being pre-celiac diagnosis!

You can also call them to clarify their protocols if you aren't sure. I ordered the steamed pork dumplings (yum) and the fried rice. It was SO much food, but felt so special to have takeout Chinese again. And the gluten-free soy sauce packets made me feel normal again.

For more information about Empire, visit their website or Facebook page.

Orange Bike Brewing Co - 100% Gluten-Free Beer

Orange Bike Brewing Co. opened in the fall of 2023 and is yet ANOTHER 100% gluten-free brewery in the state of Maine! Wow!

This one is located right in downtown Portland. This is Portland's first dedicated brewery, and I have been here to visit three times since it opened.

I'm very impressed by the location, which is easy to get to and has parking available, plus an outdoor area. The beers were excellent, and the staff was so polite and friendly. We had a flight to share, and I enjoyed every sip. The Helles was my favorite, but I also loved the sours they released and the pumpkin for fall!

But one of my favorite things about Orange Bike is its commitment to being inclusive and highlighting underrepresented folks in the brewery community.

Not to mention, they hold panels and events here, and even have a partnership with a restaurant next door called Bite Into Maine!

Click here to visit their website to learn about their tasting room hours.

Bite Into Maine: Gluten-Free & Celiac-Safe Lobster Rolls

Right next door to Orange Bike is an order-at-the-counter spot where you can sit down in a booth with some of the highest-rated lobster rolls in Maine!

And here you can get celiac-safe lobster roll flights, pulled pork sandwiches, and hot dogs, made in a dedicated GF area of their kitchen. Amazing!

Since I'm not a big fan of lobster (But I admit, I did sample one of the lobster rolls from Bite Into Maine, and it's still not my thing), my husband took one for the gluten-free team and ordered a flight of their lobster rolls.

Bite Into Maine offers many flavor options for their lobster rolls, including Connecticut, Maine, Wasabi, and Curry. They also will give you Cape Cod potato chips on the side of whatever you order.

I get the pulled pork sandwich every time because I really like pulled pork, and it was so good the first time, I just ordered it again and again! They use good buns too - ones that don't fall apart and hold up well, even in the car!

For more information on Bite Into Maine, visit their website here. They also have food trucks & pop-ups in different locations around Maine. I even found a Bite Into Maine food stall at Allagash Brewing, and they were able to make me the same pulled pork sandwich with all the celiac protocols in a very small space. It's pictured above. Awesome!

The Sinful Kitchen: Gluten-Free Waffles & Brunch

Without a doubt, some of the best waffles I've ever had with celiac are from The Sinful Kitchen. The owner of this breakfast spot has celiac disease and has made a point to create an entire gluten-free area of their small restaurant to be entirely GF too. That means a separate cooktop, a separate waffle iron, separate prep space - the works. The whole menu is your oyster!

We stopped here as part of our Confident Celiac Community retreat in August 2026 and, despite the overwhelming heat, were all seriously overjoyed by the waffles and brunch items and all left in food comas! Every dish was better than the next - and the waffle special with lemon curd and raspberry sauce was unreal!

Loaded waffles, English muffins, omelettes, French toast - it's all here, and as their namesake claims, it's sinfully delicious. I especially enjoyed the home fries, the cheesy eggs, and the dedication of our server, Anya. She was lovely!

More information about The Sinful Kitchen can be found on their website. Be mindful they are small, so I'd DEFINITELY suggest reservations, and it does get busy because the food is fantastic.

More Gluten-Free Portland Recommendations

Sticky Sweet Ice Cream: 100% plant-based, vegan & gluten-free ice cream! Their scoop shop is in downtown Portland. Follow them on Instagram!

Roots Cafe, Westbrook: 100% GF: This place is still on my list to check out, but I've heard wonderful things about their from-scratch kitchen! Everything on the menu is 100% gluten-free.

Gluten-Free Bakeries in Brunswick

Wildflours Gluten-Free Bakery

I am IN LOVE with Wildflours Bakery!

We stopped here on the way to an airshow in Maine, and oh my gosh, their baked goods were out of this world good!

They had muffins, donuts, biscuits, and even mixes/pies you can take home. We grabbed some of their biscuits to try at home and made the best breakfast sandwiches with them. Highly recommend stopping here if you are driving through Brunswick.

If you can't decide what to get, definitely go for one of their muffins. I had the raspberry muffin and between the fresh fruit and coarse sugar on top, it was delightful. The pumpkin chocolate muffin was also really tasty!

Just FYI - they are closed on Sundays!

For more information about Wildflours, visit their website or follow them on Facebook/Instagram.

Gluten-Free Food in Bar Harbor

Bar Harbor is the closest town to Acadia National Park, located on Mount Desert Island. It's been a tradition of ours to camp in Acadia every summer, but we haven't had a chance to do that since COVID happened. And since I started going to Acadia before I had this website and my gluten-free coaching business, I don't even have photos of my food (can't believe there was a time I didn't take pics of my food!)

We haven't been back to Acadia since 2019, but are hopeful to come back sometime. The two places listed below are the ones we've gone to multiple times with safe meals. Please double-check and make sure their options work for you!

Geddy's

Geddy’s Restaurant in downtown Bar Harbor has an outstanding gluten-free menu with fried options that seem too good to be true!  From gluten-free nachos to gluten-free fish and chips, Geddy’s does a solid job with its dedicated fryers and foods. Here's a detailed list of how they operate their kitchen & what foods are gluten-free, where they share that 98% of their menu is already GF or can be made GF. You can pretty much get the whole menu gluten-free, and a lot of their fried food is naturally GF too!

Everything I've eaten here has been really good on multiple occasions, and that was years ago. But reviews on Find Me Gluten-Free, which are more recent, share the same - it's a fun spot where there's lots of gluten-free fried seafood & pub standard dishes.

Plus, they have fun placemats you can color on (hey, embrace your inner child!) and then trade them in for a little prize at the gift shop downstairs!

For more information about Geddy's, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

Side Street Cafe

The Side Street Cafe is another great place and one of the best stops for food in Bar Harbor. Their menu states "All menu items are gluten-free or can be made gluten-free; ask your server for more information." Heck yes!

They have been in business since 2009, and their commitment to serving gluten-free diners safely has not wavered - even through the challenges of COVID in 2020-2021.

This restaurant is off of the main drag, and their decor is funky but fun. Their macaroni and cheese is outrageously good, and you can make this a true Maine dish by adding an extra ingredient - lobster!

I remember having a GF pasta dish here in 2016 that was out-of-this-world good! And since then, reviews have still been positive for their dishes and gluten-free protocols.

For more information about Side Street, visit their website, Facebook, or Instagram pages.

Final Thoughts: Gluten-Free Southern Maine

I look forward to adding more to this list as we continue to explore more of gluten-free Southern Maine! I realize this isn't a complete list by any means, but hopefully it should give you a good starting point for your next adventure to Vacationland.

FOR MORE GLUTEN-FREE MAINE CONTENT: Mrs. Gee Free Living: My friend Kaitlin lives in the Portland area and shares her favorite gluten-free spots in Southern Maine, AND she organizes small group dinners in Maine. Check out her Instagram and website for more info about eating with celiac in Maine.

Looking for more gluten-free travel guides in New England?

Head into Boston for more gluten-free donuts at Kane's Donuts.

Check out the North Shore of Boston for the best breakfast sandwiches on homemade gluten-free herb & cheese bread at Crave.

Explore the Green Mountain State of Vermont and discover tasty gluten-free bagels at West Meadow Farm - 100% GF bakery!

Go for a hike in New Hampshire and get the juiciest GF burger and fries with a homemade sauce (dedicated fryer, too!)

Sample all of the gluten-free drink choices in New England with breweries and cideries that are 100% gluten-free.

Have you been to Maine?

What's your favorite gluten-free Southern Maine restaurant?

Let me know in the comments!