Niche gluten free restaurant – a haven for London coeliacs!
There is nothing that a coeliac likes better than a 100% gluten free restaurant! The option to choose ANYTHING from the menu, not having to ask ANY questions and feeling completely comfortable eating the meal put in front of you, without wondering if they really did ‘change the sauce’ or cleaned the pan before cooking your meal.
London locals and visitors alike can enjoy a wide variety of meals at Niche in Islington in North London, just a short tube or bus ride from central London.
Niche is 100% gluten free and Coeliac UK certified and a must visit for gluten free Londoners or visitors. They describe themselves as “good honest British comfort food with a modern twist” and are fully licensed.
There is a daytime menu (including brunch) and a dinner menu, with vegetarian/vegan options marked up, or you can just pop in for coffee and cake. It is very close to Sadler Wells theatre, so they also offer a pre-theatre menu.
Niche had been listed on the 100% gluten free London listing in early 2015 and I was pleased to finally visit!
I had seen a lot of fanfare on social media about the parmesan doughnuts and “NFC” (Niche fried chicken, a KFC alternative!), so insisted we order those and I was not disappointed!
I particularly loved the chicken as I really quite liked KFC before I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, but the non gluten eaters also really enjoyed it. Lovely on its own or dipped in the aioli or BBQ dip provided. We divided up a spicy vegetable fritter which was very tasty and offset the other ‘naughty’ starters with its veggie goodness.
Our party had a mix of meals for lunch. I had the very healthy superfood salad which had a nice mix of flavours, accompanied by some fresh bread and butter.
My husband loves a good chicken caesar salad and didn’t mind having gluten free croutons (he normally doesn’t like gluten free bread).
The Victorian bangers and mash were also given the thumbs up. The diner who had the minute steak was probably the least enthusiastic about her meal, although I think it was more about ‘value for money’ (it was £15.50).
Overall, our food bill came to £70.25, which I thought was very reasonable at under £20 a head, particularly to have a completely safe meal. Below are some snapshots of the daytime menu in September 2015 to give you an idea of the variety of options (sorry for the poor quality pictures, but see the latest menus online). We didn’t have room for dessert, but there are some delicious sounding options!
As we were waiting to pay at the counter I noticed some tempting cakes, so Niche would be a great spot for a coffee and cake with a friend.
The restaurant has a relaxed feel, service was friendly and I would definitely visit again and think it is a must visit for people needing gluten free in London. It is fairly small, so it is a good idea to book!
If you live or work locally you can also use Deliveroo for a takeaway order, or join their lunch club for discounts.
197-199 Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TJ
Monday to Saturday 10am-late, Sunday 11am-4pm*
(*also open for dinner on Sunday night if there is a show on at Sadler Wells)Tube: Angel station on Northern line
For more ideas on eating out gluten free in London and the UK, please check the following links:
- 100% Gluten Free UK page (including London)
- Summary of chains offering gluten free options
- London restaurant reviews
- all UK restaurant reviews
- Restaurant Lists page
- Gluten free at Heathrow & Gatwick
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