Best Desserts in Gdańsk for Gluten-Free Travellers

If you're anything like me, you don't want to miss out on desserts just because you have to avoid gluten. Since going gluten-free a few months ago, I have been on a mission to find satisfying desserts wherever I go. It's not too hard to find savoury food that is naturally gluten-free, but all too often gluten-free desserts seem to fall in the health food category and end up also being vegan and sugar-free. That's great if that's what you're looking for, but I'm not quite ready to give up all dairy and sugar as well! 

One of the first things I noticed in Gdańsk was the inviting cafes and I was so happy that I didn't have to miss out thanks to their sublime gluten-free desserts. If you're gluten-free or travelling with someone who is, read on to find out where you can eat the best gluten-free desserts in this enchanting Polish city. 

While I am confident that all of these desserts are gluten-free, I am not coeliac, so I wouldn't necessarily know if I had eaten gluten by accident. Staff in the cafes and restaurants I list below were always happy to help and spoke excellent English. If in doubt, use the Polish "bezglutenowe" to double-check if a dish is safe to eat.

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kawiarnia retro

Kawiarnia Retro is everything a cafe should be: it's cosy, unpretentious and the dessert case is always full to the brim with tempting treats. 

The desserts on offer at Kawiarnia Retro don't just look beautiful, there is also something for everyone. There are gluten-free cakes, vegan cookies, cakes which don't contain white sugar and thick slabs of apple pie for those with no restrictions.

Our number of visits to this cafe easily reached double figures during our six weeks in Gdańsk and I tried most of the gluten-free options. My favourites were the sweet and salty tart (a brownie topped with caramel and peanuts) and the chocolate tart (a brownie with walnuts). I also tried the buckwheat chocolate cake which has no white sugar in it. As it turns out, I have too much of a sweet tooth to appreciate sugar-free cakes! 

In addition to incredible cakes, Kawiarnia Retro also serves breakfast and open-faced sandwiches. While the sandwiches were off-limits, I did try the gluten-free oatmeal for breakfast one day. There are tons of toppings to choose from and you can also opt to have it made with almond milk. The topping I chose, apple, nuts and caramel, gave the oatmeal added texture and enough sweetness to placate my sugar cravings. It was a filling breakfast that set me up perfectly for a busy day of exploring.

Let's face it, it was the desserts that drew me back to Kawiarnia Retro again and again, but the drinks selection is another reason to stop by. There is an extensive list of white, green, black, herbal and organic teas and I loved the giant moustachioed mugs they came in. Kawiarnia Retro also serves alcohol, making it a great place to go for post-dinner drinks or dessert, or both. Nothing feels more decadent than ordering a slice of cake and a cocktail late at night! 

Address: Piwna 5/6

cafe libertas

Cafe Libertas is a bit of a time capsule; the vintage tunes, art deco wallpaper and dark wood transporting you to a bygone era. Fortunately, this era also has wonderful cake.

I only saw one gluten-free offering at Cafe Libertas, a brownie with peanut butter topping, but it was good enough for a repeat visit. I was impressed by the fact that the peanut butter seemed to be homemade, but there was a bit too much of it for me. The brownie was perfect though, exactly as rich and moist as a brownie should be. 

Address: Chlebnicka 37/38

coffee perk in oliwa

If you find yourself in the suburb of Oliwa while in Gdańsk, make sure you stop off at this Friends inspired cafe. I have to admit, Friends was never my favourite TV show, but even I enjoyed looking for all the Friends-themed memorabilia that were dotted around the cafe.

There were two gluten-free cakes on offer when we went: a brownie with figs and a fruit pavlova. Seeing as my brownie quota was being met by Kawiarnia Retro and Cafe Libertas, I chose the pavlova. It was a nice change from the chocolatey desserts I'd been having almost daily and it brought a bit of summer to an autumnal day. 

Address: Opata Jacka Rybińskiego 11, opposite Oliwa park

monsieur armand

We visited Monsieur Armand so many times that I practically tried every flavour of his authentic French macarons. If I had to choose, which isn't easy as they were all délicieux, my favourite flavours were mojito, raspberry, blackcurrant and salted caramel. I would also have to give an honourable mention to the dark chocolate macaron, which was as rich and gooey as the best chocolate cake. 

On one of our many visits, Richard was sad to hear that his favourite pistachio macarons weren't ready to eat. We learnt that you have to leave macarons for 12 - 24 hours after adding the filling to allow moisture back in and to give the macarons their trademark chewy texture. Our first response to hearing this was, how do they do it on The Great British Bake Off?? Monsieur Armand thinks they must cheat somehow and I'm now inclined to agree! 

We always got macarons to take away, but there is also space to eat in with a coffee. We found that these bitesize delights made a great (and rather fancy) travel snack, taking them on a day trip to nearby Sopot and on the first leg of our overland train journey back to England. We attracted lots of envious glances on both occasions! 

Address: Świętego Ducha 115/117

literacka

This restaurant and wine bar was our only real splurge in Poland, but it was worth every złoty. 

Literacka is housed in an elegant historic building with a spiral staircase and wood-panelled ceiling. The first time we went in we only had a couple of glasses of wine, but after spying a gluten-free version of my favourite dessert, chocolate fondant, I knew we had to come back. We booked dinner for the following week and it turned out to be one of the best meals we had during our three months in Poland. 

Gluten-free travellers with a sweet tooth are spoilt for choice as ALL the desserts are gluten-free. My first gluten-free chocolate fondant experience didn't disappoint; it had a perfect oozy centre and put a huge smile on this chocolate lover's face. 

Don't miss out on the wine here either, the Polish Riesling was delicious! 

Address: Mariacka 50/52

Good to know: Reservations recommended. Cash only. 

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