The Best Gluten-Free Places To Eat In The Peak District In 2026
- Jen Bell I Editor I Good Life List Peak District
- 3 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Finding somewhere to eat gluten free should feel exciting, not frustrating or exhausting. Yet if you're coeliac or avoiding gluten, you'll know the familiar routine all too well. You arrive full of optimism (or not, if you've been burned a few times), only to discover the menu has one rather sad-looking option tucked away at the bottom or staff aren't sure what gluten free actually means. Even worse, they start looking a bit panicked and scuttle off to check with the chef. You start to feel like an inconvenience rather than a customer.
Thankfully, the Peak District has come a long way. Across the national park you'll now find restaurants, cafés and pubs where gluten-free diners are treated with exactly the same care as everyone else. Some have dedicated gluten-free menus, others are Coeliac UK accredited, while many have built loyal followings simply because they understand cross-contamination and take allergens seriously.
These are the places we recommend to our gluten-free friends and family (editor's note: including my lovely mum). We've visited many of them ourselves, others have earned glowing reputations within the coeliac community, but all are well worth knowing about before your next Peak District adventure.
Know somewhere we should add? We're always looking for brilliant gluten-free finds across the Peak District, so let us know your favourites at hello@thegoodlifelist.co.uk.
The Maynard
Main Road, Grindleford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, S32 2HE
If you're coeliac and only have time to visit one restaurant in the Peak District, get yourself to The Maynard. Believed to be the only hotel and restaurant in the national park to hold Coeliac UK Gluten Free Accreditation, gluten-free dining never feels like an afterthought. Managing Director Rob Hattersley is coeliac himself, so there's a genuine understanding of the importance of safe food preparation, knowledgeable staff and avoiding cross-contamination. Almost everything on the menu is either naturally gluten free or can be adapted, giving diners the freedom to choose what they really want to eat.
The menu changes with the seasons but always offers plenty of choice. Their current summer menu features everything from grilled sardines with chimichurri and Derbyshire beef fillet to salt-brined cod, colourful summer salads and indulgent desserts including chocolate brownie and pistachio crème brûlée. There's also a superb gluten-free afternoon tea, generous breakfasts and Sunday lunches, making it one of the few places where you could very easily eat every meal of the day. Add panoramic Hope Valley views and 19 beautiful bedrooms, and we'd be very tempted to turn lunch into an overnight stay.
The Woodyard
Rutland Mill, Coombs Rd, Bakewell DE45 1AQ
If you've ever looked longingly at someone else's pizza or burger while begrudgingly making do with the one gluten-free option on the menu, The Woodyard is about to become a firm favourite. Housed inside a former marble mill and woodyard overlooking the River Wye, it has one of the most extensive gluten-free menus we've come across in the Peak District. There are separate gluten-free fryers, dedicated kitchen space and a team who understand coeliac disease. We'd still recommend mentioning any allergies when you order, but it is reassuring to find somewhere that takes gluten-free dining so seriously.
The biggest challenge here isn't finding something you can eat – it's deciding what to choose. Fancy pizza? There are gluten-free versions topped with everything from hot honey halloumi to BBQ meat feast and prosciutto with fig. More tempted by a burger? Every burger comes in a gluten-free bun with skinny fries and gluten-free onion rings. Elsewhere on the menu you'll find dishes including Moroccan lamb tagine, Marry Me Chicken, parmesan-crusted salmon, sirloin steak and a fresh stir-fried rice bowl with sesame brown rice, quinoa, shiitake mushrooms and seasonal vegetables, which can be topped with everything from steak and salmon to chipotle chicken or halloumi. Leave room for dessert if you can, book ahead if you're visiting at the weekend and try to grab a table in the riverside beer garden when the sun is shining. Bliss.
Sacro Lounge
22-23 Springs Shopping Centre Buxton SK17 6DF
Sometimes you just want somewhere everyone will be happy, and that's exactly where Sacro Lounge comes into its own. Sitting opposite Buxton's Spring Gardens, this colourful café-bar serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, with an absolutely enormous gluten-free menus. Coeliacs consistently praise the team's knowledge, separate gluten-free menu and the care taken when taking orders, with food clearly flagged and dedicated fryers helping to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Gluten-free diners can order with confidence while everyone else enjoys exactly the same experience.
We didn't think it was possible to find a gluten-free menu larger than the one at The Woodyard but Sacro proved us wrong. It is huge. You could start the day with a full gluten-free breakfast or shakshuka, stop by for a brisket birria toastie or hot honey chicken burger, or tuck into dishes including Panang curry, nasi goreng, Mediterranean grill or one of the colourful mezze bowls. There's also a tempting tapas menu, gluten-free brownies, chocolate and raspberry torte, plus plenty of cakes if you're only calling in for coffee. Whether you're grabbing breakfast before a walk or refuelling after a day exploring Buxton, Sacro Lounge is one of those dependable, great quality places you'll find yourself coming back to time and time again.
The Ashford Arms
1 Church St, Ashford in the Water, Bakewell DE45 1QB
If you fancy a walk around one of the Peak District's prettiest villages, a meal at The Ashford Arms is worth penciling in. Run by Longbow Venues (the same team behind The Maynard), the beautifully restored historic pub has become something of a destination for gluten-free diners, with around 90 per cent of the menu either naturally gluten free or available with adaptations. Better still, the team is currently working towards official Coeliac UK accreditation. Like many of the others on this list, it has a dedicated fryer, knowledgeable staff and a very careful approach to cross-contamination.
There's no sense of compromise here either. The menu includes gluten-free fish and chips, burgers in gluten-free buns, steaks, hearty salads and even a gluten-free Scotch egg, which we haven't actually come across before. Save room for dessert too, with favourites including chocolate brownies sitting alongside seasonal puddings. We've had friends say it's a must visit for coeliacs, which is high praise indeed. After lunch, you're only a few steps from the famous Sheepwash Bridge and the banks of the River Wye, making this one of the Peak District's most rewarding (and delicious!) lunch stops.
Piedaniel's
Bath St, Bakewell DE45 1BX
If you're celebrating something special, Piedaniel's needs to be on your shortlist. Run by husband-and-wife chefs Eric and Christiana Piedaniel, this much-loved Bakewell restaurant has been serving classic French-inspired food for more than 30 years, earning a loyal following among locals and visitors alike. Gluten-free dishes are clearly marked throughout the menu, staff are happy to help with dietary requirements and, unlike many fine dining restaurants, you won't feel restricted when it comes to choosing your meal.
Like The Maynard, the menu changes with the seasons, but gluten-free highlights currently include roasted sweet potato and carrot soup, Scottish mussels with chorizo, roasted lamb rump with green peppercorn sauce, Gressingham duck leg confit with plum sauce and stuffed corn-fed chicken breast with wild garlic and herb mousse. If you still have room afterwards, the gluten-free Crêpes Suzette, flambéed with Cointreau and cooked in a fresh orange sauce, is well worth saving space for. It's elegant, unpretentious and one of Bakewell's best restaurants whether you're celebrating or simply want an exceptional meal.
Sal's Italian
Queen St, Tideswell, Buxton SK17 8PF
Family-run Sal's Italian proves that eating gluten free doesn't mean saying arrivederci to great pizza and pasta. Tucked away in the heart of Tideswell, this friendly village restaurant has a wonderful range of gluten-free dishes and staff who clearly understand the importance of avoiding cross-contamination. Gluten-free pasta is cooked separately in its own dedicated pot and water, and the team is both knowledge and willing when it comes to adapting dishes where needed.
The menu is packed with Italian favourites. Virtually every pasta and pizza can be made gluten free, from classic spaghetti bolognese and creamy Alfredo to margherita, pollo e funghi and Sal's Special pizza topped with spicy mince, chicken and sweetcorn. Finish with a scoop or two of gelato, bring your own bottle of wine (there's no corkage charge), and settle in for a relaxed evening. If you're in Tideswell (we recommend a visit for the 'Cathedral of the Peaks' alone) or cycling/walking nearby Monsal Trail, you won't regret making a reservation.
Honey Bun Café
1 Water St, Bakewell DE45 1EW
Just a minute or two from Bakewell's famous bridge, the gorgeous Honey Bun Café is exactly the sort of independent café every market town hopes to have. It's cosy, welcoming and extremely accommodating. Nearly every sandwich and toastie can be made using gluten-free bread, there's a dedicated gluten-free menu, and staff are always happy to explain the options available, giving visitors confidence before they even place their order.
The menu covers everything from hearty cheese and bacon toasties and chicken salad sandwiches to homemade soup served with gluten-free bread, while the cake counter is another highlight. It is stacked with brownies, cookies, cakes and other sweet treats that mean gluten-free diners don't have to watch everyone else enjoying dessert. It's also an excellent choice for dairy-free visitors, with a fantastic range of options. We suggest ordering a couple of extra slices of their beautiful cake for the drive home (remember, calories don't count when you're visiting the Peak District).
Curry Cabin
10 Castleton Rd, Hope, Hope Valley S33 6RD
Just outside Castleton in the lovely village of Hope, Curry Cabin has one of the best gluten-free menus we've ever seen at an Indian restaurant. While many offer only a handful of suitable dishes, almost everything here is clearly marked gluten free, giving coeliac diners the rare pleasure of browsing the menu without constantly asking questions. Family-run since opening in 2009, the restaurant specialises in authentic Kashmiri cooking and has earned an excellent reputation for both its warm service and carefully prepared food.
The menu is packed with gluten-free deliciousness, from charcoal-grilled lamb chops, seekh kebabs and chicken tikka to rich Hope Valley Special, monkfish curry, lamb kofta karahi, Kashmiri saag aloo and fragrant biryanis served with vegetable curry. We recently spoke to one parent who told us it was the first time their coeliac teenager felt able to choose "almost anything" from the menu. The restaurant doesn't serve alcohol either, so you're welcome to bring your own bottle while settling in for what is quite possibly one of the best Indian meals in the Peak District.
Before You Visit
Menus, suppliers and kitchen procedures can change, so we'd always recommend mentioning any allergies or coeliac requirements when booking and again when ordering. Every venue on this list has earned an excellent reputation among gluten-free diners, but it's always worth checking the latest information before your visit.
Feeling hungry? Check out:
Main Image Credit: The Good Life List / Jen Bell
