ALONG COMES MARY

There are 48 towns in the USA named Greenville. I was lucky enough to visit South Carolina’s and overwhelmed with how fun this city is. One of Greenville’s highlights? The friendly array of gluten-free options throughout their incredible food scene. Downtown Greenville alone has over two hundred restaurants. On my excursion, I was lucky to experience a handful of them. Gluten-free choices were abundant and I’m even dreaming of Cathead biscuits. Read on for an introduction to some of my favorites for gluten-free in Greenville, South Carolina. 

GLUTEN-FREE IN GREENVILLE

Indaco

Indaco is serving up Italian food in multiple locations including Charlotte and Atlanta. They have an impressive wine list and happy hour. Although there’s a plethora of pasta and pizza, several can be gluten-free. Bonus points: it’s not one kind of pasta for any dish if substituted. They offer multiple kinds. Not just a generic penne. 

The atmosphere felt casual with a touch of elegance. With a hearty appetizer and cocktail menu, it’s ideal for the evening or popping in before a night out. 

Up on the Roof

Many of downtown Greenville’s eateries boast gorgeous skyline views. It’s no surprise Up on the Roof has great sights from their rooftop restaurant. They source their ingredients locally which ensures everything on their menu is fresh and in-season. They had a good handful of plates marked GF. Their sandwiches are served with no bun for gluten-free orders. 

Since I’m always a seafood girl, I decided on the pan-seared Carolina trout. It didn’t disappoint and was cooked to perfection. The dish that surprised me at Up on the Roof was the Open Sesame tahini custard. Given it was the sole gluten-free treat, I decided to give it a try. I ended up devouring every bite. Tahini is often an overlooked condiment that works well in a decadent dish. 

Old Europe Desserts

There’s never any shortage of sweets in the South. Especially Greenville. Old Europe Desserts and Coffee is a cozy nook you can tell the locals love. I did, too, after I was told anything in the bakery case with a heart symbol is gluten-free. Nearly half of the offerings were GF and a good portion were also vegan. 

Although I was there for breakfast, I decided on the lemon Bavarian cake. And threw in a few macarons to go. The cake was light and not too sweet. It reminded me of a cheesecake. The cafe also serves up coffee, tea, and even wines. When in Europe. 

Juniper

At Juniper, we once again dined on the roof. This was probably my favorite restaurant for views and vibes. I’d recommend their dinner menu to those who like meat. Many items had steak or beef of some kind. Their one seafood offering was certainly a unique one; roasted loupe de mer. The dish is a whole European sea bass stuffed with head still on. I wasn’t feeling that adventurous and decided on a stuffed zucchini. It was loaded with fresh vegetables, mozzarella cheese, and celeriac crema. It was Juniper’s one vegetarian dish but most were gluten-free. 

As we dined in our igloo and snuggled under blankets, I was most impressed with the cocktails. I started with a Rossa Spritz. This bubbly libation had patron blanco, Pama, blood orange cordial, cava, and club soda. I switched it up for a second to the Her Name was Mia and am glad I did. It was easily my favorite drink of the Greenville visit. It’s made with curamia reposado tequila, acqua di cedro, kiwi cordial, black sesame syrup, and lime. 

Southern Pressed Juicery

Now, here’s a very Mary cafe. Southern Pressed Juicery is a completely vegan and gluten-free shop. They make some of the best cold-pressed juices, smoothies, and acai bowls in Greenville. This was our first stop on the Greenville Breakfast Tour with John Norris of Greenville History and Culinary Tours.

My acai bowl was delicious and I loved my juice samples. So much, so that I went back the next morning for their orange and ginger as well as a green drink. All the juices are cold-pressed and available for grab-and-go. The smoothies and bowls are made to order. 

Biscuit Head Greenville

Now, here’s Mary heaven. Biscuit Head is reason enough I want to move. I’m always on the search for gluten-free biscuits. Not only are they available at Biscuit Head, but also vegan. The owner of the Southern chain worked a while to master the recipe and I’d say they did it. The biscuit was light, fluffy, and just so satisfying. 

Their jams which range from sweet to savory are all made in-house. They have several gravies including a vegan option and even plant-based butter. Biscuit Head is masterfully merging traditional Southern comfort food with alternate diet needs. As a biscuit lover (and searcher), I’m here for it. 

Papi’s Tacos

At Papi’s, you cannot walk out unhappy. They offer authentic tacos in Greenville and such an uplifting environment. This was our final stop on the Breakfast Tour and I left feeling like family. 

Papi’s has a modest menu but does it right: tacos. They just began breakfast on the weekends from nine AM to 12. We got to try one of their breakfast tacos and it hit the spot. 

Since Mexican is a common gluten-free food, I felt very safe dining here. All of their tacos come on homemade corn tortillas. Just alert them if more caution is necessary. 

Soby’s

It felt rather legendary to dine at Soby’s. 25 years ago, downtown Greenville was not the bustling scene it is today. It was a slew of boarded-up buildings and not much to do. Let alone go out for the evening. Soby’s set out to change that and certainly succeeded. 

The menu calls their approach to cuisine New South Cuisine. The atmosphere is vibrant and busy. It’s not particularly a place for a quiet meal but a lively one. Perhaps with a group or for a celebration. They had great choices for gluten-free and some vegan items. I loved my salmon with black rice, apricot, herbs, shaved brussel sprouts, capers, and dill vierge. 

Sully’s Steamers

Have you ever heard of a steamed bagel? I had but never tried one. Although Sully’s Steamers makes it clear they cannot guarantee a gluten-free environment, I tried their millet flour bagel. Sully’s is a local favorite and for good reason. I ordered the Sister’s Sunrise (bagel, egg, and cheddar cheese) and figured I’d just take a bite to try. I ended up gobbling the entire sandwich it was that satisfying. While bagels are usually crunchy and toasted, this one was soft but warm and chewy.

They have dozens of sandwich bagels ranging from breakfast to lunch types. They’re also open late which makes it perfect for a post-drinks meal after a night out and about.