Finding Friendly Food

I live in Marin County California so this post is not so much about traveling for me, but I thought it might help you if you’re visiting and are looking for gluten-free and dairy-free dining options. I love to cook and bake, plus I’m on a bit of a budget, so this post definitely won’t be exhaustive of what Marin has to offer. That being said, I’m often somewhat disappointed that the restaurants in my area, and to be honest my state, don’t do a better job of noting allergen information on their menus .

As you may know from my other posts, we hike. A lot. Not just when we travel. We spend a lot of time at the coast hiking the beautiful trails of Point Reyes National Seashore. When we find ourselves finishing up a hike around Inverness we like to stop at Inverness Park Market where they always have an option for gluten-free bread to make sandwiches with. And my current go-to for post-hike potato chips, Boulder Canyon Hickory Barbeque. They always hit the spot and satisfy me while I wait for my sandwich.

Marin Country Mart in Larkspur has our new favorite ice cream shop, Frankie & Jo’s. We first encountered this gem when we visited Seattle in January 2023. All ice cream is plant based and gluten free. Their flavors are fun and inventive. They have some that stay the same and others that rotate seasonally. I wish I could tell you what my favorite is, but it seems I find a new favorite at almost every visit. The Country Mart is located across from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, and lucky for us, on the way home for us from most of our Mt. Tamalpais hikes. If you’re starting to think I only hike so I can eat a lot of high-calorie foods, I promise it’s not the reason I do it, but it is a nice perk!

When we take a drive up the coast to Jenner or Bodega Bay, we almost always stop at Café Aquatica for coffee, lunch or a snack. They stock gluten-free breads and their sandwiches hit the spot for me. My favorite is avocado toast with poached eggs. Last time I was there they were out, though, so I tried the rainbow sandwich with beets, carrots, cabbage and avocado. It was a really good second choice for me. Tasty and pretty. Their coffee drinks are really good so even if you’re not hungry I recommend this stop along the coast. On the weekends they usually have live music and there’s always a beautiful view of the Russian River.

Novato has a bakery in its downtown devoted to gluten-free baked goods, Flour Chylde. Their cakes and cookies are perfection. Their focaccia was a mother’s day present from my son last year and wow, I’d forgotten how good bread can be. They serve sandwiches too.

Toast has been around for many years now and I hadn’t been in quite a few. My mom was here visiting and on the day I was leaving for the UK in May 2024 we went out for brunch. While their menu may not have had allergens listed, the waiter we had was top notch. He didn’t flinch at my requirements and understood them so well that he came back to the table to be sure I could eat something I said I wanted. That went a long way for me wanting to go back again and for recommending it to you.

While I’ve not yet tried their gluten-free baked goods, I have to give a shout out to Marin Coffee Roasters for their consistently good oatmilk lattes.

I know this isn’t technically in Marin County, but we found a fun restaurant with a great view of Marin in Richmond. My boyfriend planned a surprise weeknight date and took me to The Sailing Goat in an unexpected part of Richmond, where from Marin, we exit the freeway and then get back on going the other direction in order to drive to the northern most part of the area. The restaurant is all outdoors and really fun and bohemian. The night we’re there there’s a live band and amazing views of the ocean and China Camp. He’s chosen this restaurant because their menu is Jenn friendly, everything on the menu is clearly labeled with allergens and there are lots of options for me. We opt to share gluten-free fish and chips and a lentil curry. Both are wonderful. I can’t wait to come back.