Being someone who makes much of his living from home on the internet, I’ve always found that going out and working in public can be satisfying at times. In order to do this, I simply need my laptop and a wireless internet connection (WiFi).
Probably my favorite place to “work” while out in public has to be Panera Bread. They offer a very relaxing atmosphere, and they have a number of great gluten-free items on their menu, making for an affordable and productive work environment.
While researching what Panera menu items are gluten-free, I was able to confirm the following should be okay to consume (though I still recommend making sure they are aware of your dietary needs to avoid cross-contamination!):
Location Finder: Find a Panera Bread Location Near You
Below we’ve collected what foods are currently safe to eat at Panera Bread for your convenience:
Panera’s Gluten-Free Menu
**Note: Although we do our very best to meet your special requirements, we cannot rule out the possibility of cross-contact between these items and gluten-containing foods in our bakery cafe.**
**Note: Gorgonzola and bleu cheeses are commonly made with mold incubated on wheat. Some may choose to avoid these cheeses for this reason and you may substitute another cheese if you prefer. Items containing these ingredients are indicated below with (G) or (BC).**
Salads including the Salad Dressing (source of modified food starch is corn):
- Greek Salad Fandango Salad (G)
- Caesar Salad (without croutons)
- Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (without croutons)
- Mediterranean Salmon Salad
- Salmon Caesar Salad (without croutons)
- Asian Sesame Chicken Salad (without Won Ton noodles)
- Classic Cafe Salad
- Strawberry Poppyseed Salad
- Strawberry Poppyseed Salad with Chicken
- Fuji Apple Chicken Salad (G)
- California Mission Chicken Salad
- Orchard Harvest Chicken Salad (G)
- Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad (G)
- BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad
Soups:
- Low Fat Vegetarian Black Bean
- Cuban Black Bean and Lentil
- Vegetarian Roasted Red Pepper & Lentil
- Vegetarian Butternut Squash
- Creamy Tomato (without croutons)
- Low-Fat Vegetarian Southwest
- Tomato & Roasted Corn
- Turkey Chickpea Chili
- Summer Corn Chowder
- Low-Fat Chicken Tortilla Soup
Salad Dressings:
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Caesar
- Greek
- Poppyseed
- Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Asian Sesame Vinaigrette
- White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Roasted Garlic & Meyer’s Lemon Vinaigrette
- BBQ Ranch
Beverages:
- Coffee
- Juice, both apple, and orange
- Lemonade
- Milk
- Soda, fountain, and bottled
- Tea, regular, and Chai Tea
- All lattes & Frozen beverages
- Strawberry Smoothie
- Hot Chocolate
- Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Gingerbread Latte
- Panera Bread Potato Chips
As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.
For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.
Why restaurants in Bloomington In. and Ky.? seems to act like they never heard on gluten free. I get so tried of eating salads then I go out to eat with my family.
Panera mght offer g free choices but not once have I had a successful experience. Tried multiple times (popular choice for coworker lunches) be extra cautious….
Went there today and not only did I feel like I looked at like I had 6 heads but there was hair in my salad and they acted like it was no big deal. Then I had someone ask the assistant mgr why she needed to change her gloves but when she told her it was bc I had an allergy she said with attitude “what kind of allergy?!” Thoroughly unimpressed and never going back unless I have to and in that case I won’t be eating. Only ended up eating a cup of tomato soup with no croutons and have been miserably uncomfortable since!
Do any of Panera Bread’s meat products have gluten in them? If I asked for a Turkey/Bacon/Lettuce/Tomato without the bread would I be consuming gluten? Or ham sandwich – chicken sandwich – chicken salad, etc.?
Joani – here is the latest gluten-free menu info from Panera. It doesn’t look like they’re listing sandwich meats – https://www.celiac-disease.com/panera-bread-changes-menu-again/
When will you have gluten free bread for sandwiches?
Vegetarian Creamy Tomato Soup is NOT GLUTEN FREE!
I called to confirm before making this post.
Allergens
Contains Milk, Soy, Wheat.
450
Calories
32g
Total Fat
680mg
Sodium
33g
Total Carb
7g
Fiber
8g
Protein
Detailed Ingredients
Creamy tomato soup (tomatoes [tomatoes, tomato puree, salt, citric acid], water, cream [cream, milk], onions, seasoning [sugar, modified corn starch, salt, spices, mono and diglycerides], butter [cream, natural flavors], extra virgin olive oil, garlic puree [garlic, water, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate], sugar), asiago croutons (unbleached enriched wheat flour [flour, malted barley flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], water, asiago crouton mix [margarine {soybean oil, water, mono- and diglycerides, salt, whey, soy lecithin, sodium benzoate, natural and artificial flavor, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color)}, asiago cheese {pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes}, dehydrated garlic and onion, spices and salt], enriched durum wheat flour [durum flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], Asiago cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, microbial & animal enzymes], enriched semolina wheat flour [semolina, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], Parmesan cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, microbial enzymes], salt, Romano cheese [pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes], yeast, dough conditioners [ascorbic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch]).
I can go elsewhere and get the things listed on the gluten free menu. What if I want a sandwich? Do you guys not make any gluten free breads? I will continue to go to Jason’s Deli when I get the hankering for a sandwich. They do not bake their own but at least they have that option.
Your best bet is to cook your meals at home if you are a celiac. Many of theses places are not courteous of preparing foods for celiacs. Although the one in Santa Monica California went out of their way to make sure that my food was not contaminated. Greek salad was great and they have my business for life, but not all are so courteous.
I am gluten free and last week I had a bowl of chili. The girl on the register said it was gluten free. I did not feel well when I got home. Is the chili gluten free?
wondering if you use rice flour, I can’t have it?