Wheat's End Cafe & Bakery Reviews

We love going here every time we’re in Chicago! It’s the perfect place for someone with celiac disease and a diary allergy. The entire restaurant is gluten free and they have so many allergy friendly options. So thankful for places like this! I love the chocolate chip waffles! And we always get frozen doughnuts to take home with us, which are delicious! This is a must regardless if you’re gluten free or not!

The food is really good. It is a gluten-free person's dream. I always have the bagel and lox, fruit side. The muffins and sweet rolls are excellent too. Have had the pancakes and waffles - yummy too. The service has improved greatly!

I'm celiac, and finding a truly gluten free establishment is hard! Finding one that's GOOD as well, is even harder! Love this place. Love that they make everything on site. The staff is great. The ordering system the staff uses is super efficient. Costs are low. Turn around is quick. Definitely stop by, whether you are gluten free or not!

I’m not gluten free, but my mum is and she was so excited to try this place. We both got waffles (mum got banana chocolate chip ones) and I got the spicy chicken waffles. Both were great- so light and fluffy, you wouldn’t have even known that they were gluten free. Coffee and the fresh squeezed juice were also awesome. Only thing I will say is I had to add a bit of extra hot sauce, as the sauce on the chicken wasn’t as spicy as I’d hoped. I do have a high tolerance to spice, but when I see spicy, I hope it has a bite which i just don’t think these waffles had. Service was great, such a cute little place- totally worth the drive out there!

My family brought us to this joint for brunch. Everything from the coffee to the entrees was delicious. I would definitely come back. Wish they had more of a hot sauce selection.

This is a must visit for those who have to eat gluten free as the cafe is truly a gluten free environment! I had the panini with turkey which included fresh greens in a vinaigrette dressing. Delicious! They also offer a number of baked goods. I ordered a blueberry scone to go which made a nice treat I rarely get unless I make them myself. Love this place! Would definitely go back!

I just loved this place. The food was great and even my daughter that eats gluten loved it. I only wished it was open all the time.

If you follow my reviews you know that my two teenage girls recently learned that they have celiac. Needless to say, that’s a life changing diagnosis. Fortunately, there are so many more gluten free options then even 5 years ago. But even when you go out to a “safe” restaurant you still worry about cross-contamination. Not here!! What a wonderful cafe. We went crazy - loved the cinnamon bun and the popovers. The French toast was so good - my daughter couldn’t remember her last French toast! My other daughter had the short rib and loved it. They didn’t love the bagel, to be fair. I thought the mushroom popover was a bit one-noted. So not perfect, but I would rush back with my girls anytime. All baked goods made from scratch at their offsite bakery. They also ship around the country. Btw - Broadway is an extremely charming street. We spent an hour wondering the stores going north. A great way to spend a weekend day in Chicago!

I treated by cousin to lunch here as she has gluten intolerance. I was so happy to for her sake! I had the waffle lamb burger. The waffle was made of savory mashed potato "dough." I had this open faced so I could get my fill of the tasty lamb, avocado etc, as I would've been STUFFED eating both waffles. I highly enjoyed my meal. Unfortunately, my cousin noticed a change in the menu and staff, in addition to something upsetting her stomach. Thus I'm downgrading this to an average rating. She loved, however, the bakery items and took some home for later.

Three Celiacs walked into a cafe and had a most delicious weekend brunch. We tried three different entrees, and each was terrific. Get there early on the weekend or prepare to wait. But it's definitely worth the wait! I filled a backpack with bagels and English muffins to take home. Highly recommended!

I have celiac's and we went here because it came highly recommended. I had the spicy chicken and waffles. The chicken was out of this world good. It had a nice tomato taste with a good spice and the chicken was tender. The waffle was a little dense and not really full of flavor. My wife had the grilled pesto cheese and tomato soup. She liked the grilled cheese but was obsessed with the soup. We also had a turnover which we thought would be dense. It was not. It was crunchy and fluffy and flavor-full. They gave us a honey butter which just brought it to the next level. Very good food overall.

I’m from out of state and was really excited when this place showed up in my search for vegan doughnuts, which are hard to find where I live. I got one each of the three vegan flavors available and they came warm, which was a pleasant surprise. I really can’t pick a favorite flavor no matter how hard I try. I also got a slice of the smashed avocado toast and it was literally the best I’ve ever had. Avocado toast is such a simple thing to make, but Wheat’s End adds a few little extras that elevate it just enough. I didn’t expect for there to be so much flavor in each bite of toast, but it made me wish I’d gotten the two piece plate. Kirsten took care of me and her service was perfect. She was personable, knowledgeable, and anticipated my needs. If I make it back before going home, I’ll be requesting her.

One of our friends we went up to Chicago with is gluten free so we decided to give this restaurant a shot. It was divine. You wouldn't have even guessed it was gluten free and was beautifully put together, as well. The atmosphere is lovely and the waiters were very friendly. Definitely recommend.

We just happened upon this quaint little cafe by accident. Having two celiacs in the family I am constantly looking for restaurants that have gluten free menus. This cafe is a dedicated gluten free restaurant and they serve the best gluten free baked goods that my family and me have ever eaten. The manager is so friendly and helpful and the service is impeccable. The prices are great as well. Wished we could have stayed over the weekend so that we could have tried the brunch. If you are a celiac or even if you are not, you will LOVE the food here.

In the last few years I've had to drop wheat, rye & oats from my diet, which I address by looking for gluten free foods. I rarely have more than one choice of baked goods at a restaurant. So Wheat's End Cafe was a glorious find. I had choices of pancakes and muffins and breads and other goodies - many choices. I really enjoyed some blueberry pancakes. Friendly, laid back atmosphere, too.

We enjoyed this spot. Good food. Unpretentious. Crowded. Obviously well regarded in the neighborhood by all ages. We went for Sunday brunch and folks were eating healthy and some were inbibing on Bloody Mary’s. Our kinda place. Friendly wait staff.

I have dined here several times in the past year and have never been disappointed. The selections do change seasonally and this is one of the few dedicated GF restaurants in Chicago. Their pancakes are enormous! Soups are savory and flavorful, and the gluten free pastries are a real treat! They easily accommodate those who are vegan or need to avoid dairy as well as the GF crowd. Service is friendly and prompt. I only wish they were also open for dinner!

Just had the best Belgian waffles ever! You would never know they’re gluten free. I go here every time I’m visiting from Virginia.

Both my kids have celiac disease. It can be difficult to find appropriate food for them to eat. We had lunch there. Everyone tried something different. Lamb burger was excellent. We would absolutely go back. Service was excellent. Keep up the good work.

The atmosphere was bright and calm. The service was generous, friendly, and attentive. The coffee was great, and they have a wonderful variety of options on their menu. It's amazing to have so much to choose from when you're gluten free and to get it in such a pleasant atmosphere is even better. Everyone working was very nice and allowed me to sit and get work done on my compute long after I finished my meal. They even came to check on me and gave me a cookie. I'll definitely be back and recommend them to anyone with any food intolerances. They're incredibly accommodating.

This was our second visit to Wheat's End and we can't say enough good things about this restaurant! We only had one opportunity to eat one meal out while in town and this was our choice. My daughter and I both have Celiac Disease so eating gluten free is a must for us. The pancakes, the entrees, the coffee, the doughnuts, the omelets!!! OMG it's all so good! Please don't think that this place is just for gluten free diners because it's much more than that. It's a fantastic cafe with great dishes and fantastic coffee. It's very well run, with super friendly servers and a really tasteful decor. Thank you Wheat's End!!

Discovered this place with a friend who is gluten free. I'm not GF but I found everything delicious with a great atmosphere and friendly service. The chive biscuits are a must. Just a note - this is a neighborhood cafe so it is fairly small and can be noisy if full. Normal for me but it can take some visitors by surprise. Highly recommended. Great for a satisfying but not overly filling brunch before exploring Lakeview or Lincoln Park.

We took my daughter to Chicago for a night of theater and then ate here for brunch the morning afterwards. She has a gluten-allergy but also nuts, soy and corn. The staff did a wonderful job helping us check dishes and she was able to choose from SO many things. We all ordered something different so we could share and she was so full by the end of the meal - a rarity for her. I think she was almost more excited about this meal than she was about the show we saw! We will definitely revisit this adorable, cozy little brunch place when we return to the area!

This place is will be both of your happy place. I went here as a “sacrifice” for my friend, and found one if the best breakfasts ever. I had the lox Benedict, even though it was on a gluten free seeded English muffin and the lox were cured in beets. It was presented beautifully and incredibly tasty. I am a popover fanatic, and could not imagine one gluten free. It was fanatic. We also had a couple of donuts. They came to our table and looked flat, so I wasn’t expecting them to be good, but once again, it blew us away. Great stop. I will be back.

We went here for a couple of family members who are gluten free. The brunch options are plenty. You would never know anything is gluten free. We had omelets, potatoes, bagels, muffins, donuts and fruit. We ate too much and loved every bite. Mimosa's too, what a great breakfast with delicious options for everyone.

I have a gluten sensitivity, so I was really craving bread that I have had to give up. I couldn't believe that there was actually a restaurant that I could have French toast! This restaurant is entirely gluten free. Yea for me! Everyone goes above and beyond to make their customers feel welcome. The food here is outstanding!

This place is dangerous!! You want to eat everything you see & we're not even gluten free! Fantastic breakfast/lunch, scones, pancakes, cinnamon rolls (pumpkin, regular & apple) & THE BEST cheddar chive biscuits! If you are GF, THIS IS A MUST!!!

Our teens with Celiac were delighted to find donuts, waffles, soups and paninis....all gluten free! Loved the bit of spice in the delicious lamb meatloaf and the flavorful lentil soup. Anyone who wants to eat well and have healthy options would love this restaurant. Buy some of their freezer items to go!

We stopped by for breakfastduring a recent visit to Chicago and loved it so much we made a return visit. For our teen with Celiac, the place was a dream and the rest of us had so much to choose from. Plus there is nothing like seeing your kiddos eyes light up when they can eat so many treats usually out of reach for their dietary issues. Over and over at table after table, diners with varied dietary restrictions realized they could have this or that due to the great options at Wheat's End. From sweet to savory we loved everything we had and are still nibbling on the breads and english muffins we drove home to go. Bravo

My husband and I were visiting Chicago and looking for a place where we could eat safely - a place that offers gluten-free and dairy-free food options. The Wheat's End was our jackpot! We probably could have tried the entire menu up and down, everything is made from scratch, super fresh and yummy. We tried their blueberry pancakes, English muffins, and panini. Everything was DELICIOUS! The cafe is super cute, too, and the server was very friendly. I wish we had a Wheat's End Cafe back home. .

My sister happened upon this cute little spot wandering her neighborhood in the Lakeview area. I have a gluten intolerance and that is the name of the game for this new cafe. The service was incredible, the owner is an adorable woman from Austalia that decided to open up this shop and caters primarily to the gluten free audience. However, none of my family members are gluten free, and they loved this place too! My mom, dad and sister all got different omelettes and I went for gold with the popover with sausage gravy and poached eggs. It was all incredible. We also binged on the cheddar chive biscuits which were almost like eating a hearty Red Lobster biscuit (you know the ones), so good I had to grab three to go home with me! The owner also surprised us with a delectable double chocolate donut that was apparently vegan too, but you would have never know it from the taste. I really hope folks patronize this great new breakfast/lunch spot, she is a great owner and deserves the support!

I have never gone gluten free before, so I arrived with a certain amount of bias. I liked my meal so much that I have eaten there twice and it is my favorite breakfast place. It takes me an hour to get there so I am serious when I state that their food is incredibly fantastic! I have eaten, or sampled, their blueberry pancakes, their ginger infused syrup, their pumpkin sweet roll, their chocolate donut, their pumpkin/ginger donut, their apple scone, their lox and bagels,their bacon, their french toast and their waffles. I love food and this place is the best! I still cannot beleive that it is all gluten free!

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere and the gluten-free food is very good. Excellent muffins! Have been many times and always love the food. The service is mediocre which is a pity.

I was looking for a breakfast spot to have a quick and healthy bite. I happened upon Wheat’s End and took a shot. The food is excellent. I had the popover with two poached eggs and the mushroom sauce. All great. So good that I got two popovers to go. They’re light, airy and buttery. Irresistible! Even if you eat wheat, which I do, you’ll enjoy this cute spot.

Oh. My. I could live in this totally gluten free little cafe. We had a popover, an egg sandwich on an english muffin, and a cheddar chive biscuit. We walked away with a mini-loaf of "rye" bread and a biscotti. It was delightful and we would definitely go back. The only surprise for us was the egg sandwich. We expected an over-easy egg sandwich. We got more of an omelet on an english muffin. You couldn't eat it like a sandwich--it was definitely a fork & knife deal. The popover was special, though. Honey butter and light, flaky pastry. Nom.

This is one of the best Restaurants we went to on our visit to Chicago for breakfast and lunch. Food is so flavorful and as a bonus healthy.

The place is very nice and the service is good. My friend and I like to explore breakfast places - it was quiet enough for a conversation, which we wanted. I wasn't really impressed with the food. I was surprised when the server said that we would be charged extra for butter for a bagel.

This place is fantastic! Wheat's End is my first all gluten free restaurant experience. It was really exciting to be able to order anything from a menu with no concern for cross contamination. Our table ordered eggs Benedict, Belgium waffles, pancakes, cinnamon roll, egg sandwich and bacon. We were all pleased with our meals. Even my husband who does not need to avoid gluten liked the food. I would highly recommend this place for brunch to fellow Celiacs! Well done, Wheat's End!👍

Had amazing brunch here with and great GF warm popover with honey butter. They have great selection of breakfast items and wonderful coffee! They wait on Sunday is a bit long but it is worth it!

Wheat’s End is simply a Gluten Free nirvana! The entire menu is Gluten Free and insanely delicious. Their homemade pita is a special treat has is the everything bagel and lox. I was diagnosed with Celiac 12 years ago - and the first time I ate here - I almost cried when I held this menu - because i was so overwhelmed and grateful that I could eat anything on the menu that I wanted too!

This is a wonderful cafe! I ordered the half stack of blueberry pancakes, as they are seldom available to someone who must eat gluten free like me, and they were delicious. Large portion, glad I didn't order the whole stack. Scrambled eggs completed my brunch. Took a pumpkin cinnamon roll to go; it was just okay and I wouldn't order it again.

I went to this Cafe after reading some recommendations from other celiacs. I just loved the place, the whole experience was amazing, food was really tasty and even my husband who does not have problems with Gluten loved the food. I wish i had a place like that back home :) Well done to the owners and all the staff!

This place is AWESOME. Super cute decor and ambiance and REALLY good food. All baked goods we had were great, but the cinnamon rolls, cheddar biscuits, and popovers were truly fabulous. and gravy! New favorite spot in Chicago! People avoiding gluten can't miss and it's a great option for all, whether or not you care what gluten is.

So to start, this place is totally gluten free. My wife had celiac’s so this was the first place she could have everything on the menu, that alone was worth coming here. Then their food is amazing! We ate here for brunch on both Saturday and Sunday. Chicken and waffles were some of the best I have ever had-gf or not and we are from Atlanta, so that’s saying something. Even if you’re not gf, it is still a great place to go.

This place is sure to make any Celiac feel at home. They have so many options, great breakfast (savory) items - which are rare for Celiacs - pastries, sandwiches, omelettes, burgers…! The whole place is gluten free but you could never tell. Don’t miss out on the popovers. I came back 3 times during my 3 day visit to Chicago, and got some treats for the road - it’s that good.

The is a gluten free establishment (they even ask that customers not bring in any outside food containing gluten.) The menu items are are clearly marked for vegetarian and vegan options. I had the avocado sourdough toast with a side of roasted potatoes. Both were delicious. Friendly service as well. Prices were very reasonable. Will return for breakfast on my next trip to Chicago.

Having this place within walking distance from my home is both amazing and dangerous at the same time. I love their everything bagels... and they make a great egg sandwich. Pretty big portions too! Everything is fairly priced— included brunch cocktails on the weekend. If you are GF/ Vegan, you will love this place. You can also order frozen bread / pastries to pick up in the store . Oh and the cheddar biscuits are to die for.

I was happy to find a celiac safe restaurant. We went for brunch. The food was ok. It was so heavy on the carbohydrates, which was a disappointment to me. My meal was almost all potatoes. I got the short rib. I expected it to have a sauce or au jus. It was a black, small chunk of meat sliced. My eggs had yolks that were too well cooked. On the other hand the popovers were fantastic!. I have not had one in many years, what a treat. My husband said his omelet was missing an ingredient listed on the menu. The bloody mary I had was very bland. I may try this place again for a weekday lunch. I will not go back for brunch.

Pros Dedicated Gluten Free Great Variety Excellent Flavor and Prices Cons On Street Parking Only Can be VERY Crowded. My wife and I were in town for a short vacation. She has Celiac so we are always looking for dedicated gluten free places. Wheat's End was about 4 miles away from downtown in the Lakeshore Neighborhood, it's easy to get to by car, by foot or by bike. We put out name on the list and gave them my cell phone number so they could text us when the table was ready. They texted in no time and we had a great table in the far corner of the restaurant. We ordered an order of popovers as a throw back to the days before her diagnosis. Last year we had them at Jordon Pond House in Acadia. They were amazing there and were equally so here. They are a little expensive, but if you want that flavor they are worth every penny. My wife LOVES Chicken and Waffles and hasn't been able to get them, they had them there, and honestly, I'm sorry I didn't get them too. The flavor was amazing. The texture of the waffles was perfect. The batter on the chicken was crispy and spicy. I got the short ribs with eggs and hash browns. They were good. Tender, decently flavorful, and the hash browns were well cooked and just the right balance of crispy and soft. Our Son got the Bagel with Lox. He enjoyed it, I think he was expecting more of of a NY style bagel and while it was the right size and shape, I think the texture was just a little short of his liking. He was not a fan of the beets on the Lox. My mother got the veggie omelette. She enjoyed every bite. I will say it was good, but normal breakfast fare. I tend to like things I can't make at home when I go out. The service was great. The coffee was strong. The prices very reasonable, especially for dedicated gluten free in a major city.

Wheat’s End is completely gluten-free and they do it well. They have plenty of delicious options whether you want a pastry or a sandwich or maybe just some bagels or biscuits to take home and chef up later. There’s not any seating inside to dine in, but they’re close enough to the lake that on a nice day you can grab a gyro and soak up some sun.

My daughter is celiac so we are always looking for good GF restaurants when traveling. This place was superb! Great food, friendly and knowledgeable staff, all in a nice, clean cafe. We loved it. Try the biscuits and gravy. And don’t pass on the donuts!

Had an awesome experience with 6 of us at a busy time. Service was fantastic, food was superb, and the baked goods were the best we have ever had.Hard to believe they were gluten free. Had the breakfast menu items omelette, pancakes, potatoes were fantastic fresh and delicious. You can feel the quality of the food here. Our server was wonderful. Great smile anticipated out every need and provided speedy service during a busy time. Orange juice will knock your socks off The doughnuts were super. Enjoyed the chocolate but the pumpkin ginger were out of sight. Can't wait to get hungry again and go back here. Trust the Roaddawg

I had just gotten off a flight from Florida to Illinois and was starving. I looked for a gluten free restaurant near me and Wheat's End came up. I had never been there before, so I was taking a gamble which is always the case with gluten free food :-). I looked at the menu and they had food food (lol) not just cookies or bread. I lost my mind. I ordered waffles, a chicken sandwich (last had 10+yrs ago), a grilled cheese sandwich, pumpkin ginger doughnut, and a cinnamon roll (can't recall last time I had one). All that was just for me a 5'2" female. My guest ordered the shrimp and grits and a shrimp panini style sandwich. So, after order all this food, I was nervous that I wouldn't like it. Boy was I wrong!! I devoured the gooey grilled cheese on fresh bread in the car. I don't know what grains they used in that sandwich but wwwoooowww!!! Then drove 1hr to my hotel to eat the rest. The fried chicken sandwich I'm sure would easily beat Popeyes or Chick-fil-A. It was still crispy and fried to perfection. The chicken was juicy and fresh. The bread wasn't soggy by the time I arrived at the hotel. I tried my friend's food as well. The vegetables in the shrimp sandwich were crispy and not over sauteed. The bread was fantastic. I ate the blueberry waffles and sweets the next day and I was equally as impressed as the first day. They are closed on Mondays so I couldn't drive the hr. to get it fresh but it held up overnight. If you struggle to find gluten free restaurants with an extensive menu, you definitely have to try Wheat's End in IL!!! I give them a 10 out of 5!! I absolutely loved the food (so did my non gluten food eating friend lol) and the service!

We had lunch with a sweet, salty and spicy pannini; one with turkey and the other with prosciutto. A small cafe with good service.

I walked into this quaint cafe a non-believer and walked out singing the praises of what Gluten Free CAN be. We tried the chocolate biscotti, chocolate doughnut, english muffin and cheese/rosemary scone. Each item was buttery, crispy on the outside fluffy and yummy inside. The coffee is locally roasted and delicious. We returned the next day too! The only helpful comment is I would say they need to add some additional help at the counter. Very pleasant service though.