San Diego pastry shop among top gluten-free bakeries in US, according to Yelp

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KSWB) — From donuts and croissants to Danishes and scones, pastry lovers looking to indulge in all the baked goodness without the gluten have several good options in California.

What does gluten-free mean?

According to John Hopkins Medicine (JHM), a gluten-free diet excludes any foods that contain gluten — a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and several other grains.

This type of diet is usually followed by people with celiac disease, which JHM described as an autoimmune response to gluten that causes the body to attack the small intestine, causing belly pain, nausea, bloating or other discomfort.

Health professionals with JHM also explained another related condition is a non-celiac gluten sensitivity, sometimes called “gluten intolerance.” Simply put, gluten can cause some people who consume it to feel unwell after.

Top gluten-free bakeries in California

For those looking for these kinds of options, Yelp has compiled a list of the the top 20 gluten-free bakeries in the country and seven Golden State pastry shops were ranked among the best.

While creating their list, researchers with the crowd-sourced review site identified businesses in the gluten-free category on Yelp, with a large concentration of reviews mentioning “bakery.” They then ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning “bakery.”

All businesses were marked open on Yelp as of Dec. 12, 2023, and were also listed as having a passing health score.

Here are the gluten-free bakeries in California that made Yelp’s top 20 list:

— No. 19: Lilac Pâtisserie (Santa Barbara)

— No. 15. Nece’s GF in (Monterey)

— No. 13. Bless Your Heart Baking (Paso Robles)

— No. 9. Kirari West Bake Shop (Redondo Beach)

— No. 7. Twice Baked Baking Company (Long Beach)

— No. 6. Starry Lane Bakery (San Diego)

— No. 5. Sinners & Saints Desserts Venice (Venice)

Overall, Yelp ranked Pu’uwai Aloha Bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii as the top gluten-free pastry shop in the U.S. A full list of their rankings can be found here.

The delicacies are waiting — head to Hillcrest to enjoy one of the best the gluten-free bakeries around.