The Complete Bahama Breeze Gluten-Free Menu Guide 2026
Discover Bahama Breeze gluten-free menu guide: safe celiac options, cross-contact tips, and tropical flavors at this island-inspired restaurant.
For those of you who are craving a taste of the Caribbean, not many restaurants offer both authenticity and accessibility quite like Bahama Breeze, bringing a taste of the sea and the exotic sands of The Bahamas right to your doorstep! ⛱️
And, best of all, Bahama Breeze’s Caribbean-inspired menu leans more towards beans, rice, fresh produce, grilled seafood, and citrus-forward marinades. 🍚🍤🦑🦐
This also includes folks with a gluten intolerance or sensitivity, in which case, you’re able to rest easier at Bahama Breeze, whether you’re eyeing some of their salads, seaside menus, ribs, pork chop, poultry, or their sides, and more, too! 🥗
Moreover, Bahama Breeze takes this a step further by offering diners a dedicated, specialty gluten-sensitive menu, with a lineup of soups, salads, entrees, and more, all of which have been curated and modified by them to be celiac-safe. 👉🚫🌾
Nevertheless, while Bahama Breeze appears to be a haven for celiacs, there are still plenty of items that are glutenous and wheat-based, not to mention the cross-contamination risks that come from prepping items in shared kitchens. 😎
With that in mind, our Bahama Breeze gluten-free menu guide is here to help you out! We shall go through their entire menu and guide you each step of the way to find out which items are safe, and which ones you’d have to avoid! 👀
Table of Contents
Disclaimer
With that in mind, let’s wind back to what I mentioned earlier, as Bahama Breeze does not have a certified, dedicated gluten-free kitchen space, and all of their menu items (food and drinks included) are prepared in shared, common areas. 🔎⚠️
This would also entail using shared equipment, fryers, utensils, cookware, storage spaces, prep stations, and more. Therefore, cross-contamination is a major hazard that you have to be wary of, even if you’re ordering off their gluten-sensitive menu.
In other words, even if you order something from Bahama Breeze’s menu that’s technically, naturally wheat-free, there’s no guarantee that it won’t pick up traces of wheat from items that are stored, prepared, or cooked nearby via cross-contact. ❗🌾
It’s not just wheat that you have to look out for, but also other gluten components like rye, malt, barley, and/or oats, and cross-contamination with other allergens is something that Bahama Breeze itself had to clarify and disclose on their website:
The restaurant is not an allergen-free environment. Bahama Breeze makes every effort to provide complete and current content information; however, due to the handcrafted nature of our menu items and variations in vendor-supplied ingredients, we cannot make a guarantee regarding the allergen content of any menu item. Guests with a special food sensitivity or dietary need should not rely solely on this information as the basis for deciding whether to consume a particular menu item and are individually responsible for ensuring that any such menu item meets their individual dietary requirements.
On top of that, while they offer a “gluten-sensitive” menu, Bahama Breeze doesn’t test its menu items to meet the FDA’s strict <20 ppm gluten threshold to be certified and labeled as “gluten-free”, which they also further clarified on their website:
Our gluten-sensitive menu items are made without gluten-containing ingredients and have been carefully selected to minimize cross-contact with gluten… Gluten-Sensitive Menu items are prepared without gluten-containing ingredients. Our menu items are freshly prepared in our kitchens, which are not free of gluten. Cross-contact with other food items that contain gluten is possible. While we aim to accommodate the dietary needs of our guests, we cannot ensure that these items meet the definition of “gluten-free.”… At this time, Bahama Breeze does not have separate fryers.
That said, if you’re planning to dine at Bahama Breeze, it’s a good idea to let the staff know about your celiac disease and ask them to take extra precautions like wearing fresh gloves, using clean utensils, and wiping down any shared prep areas, too!
Bahama Breeze Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)
On the bright side, at least Bahama Breeze makes it super easy for you to filter through the menu to figure out what’s safe for you to order and which ones you’d have to avoid, and it starts by heading over to their website. 🔎📑
Once you’re on the official Bahama Breeze homepage, you can now scroll all the way down to the website footer and click or tap on the tiny text that says “Nutrition”, which will load up Bahama Breeze’s official nutritional information page. ✍📝
In addition to the main “Nutritional Info” tab here, you can actually click or tap the other tabs to view them, including “Gluten-Sensitive”, “Vegetarian & Vegan”, or “Food Allergies”, and in each of these, you’ll find PDF files that are worth saving:
- Nutrition Guide – This PDF file is where you’ll find a comprehensive nutritional breakdown of every single item on Bahama Breeze’s menu, such as calories, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fat, protein, fiber, sugar, and more, which might be useful if you’re conscious of your diet.
- Vegan Menu – Now, if you have a vegan diet, Bahama Breeze could cater to you, too. In this PDF file, you’ll find a modest selection of menu items, which, along with some appropriate modifications and changes made to each item, are now safely suitable for vegan diners.
- Vegetarian Menu – This is basically the same as the Vegan Menu from before, but it caters to vegetarian diets instead, and since it’s a lot less strict than vegan diets, you’ll now find a slightly larger selection of menu items that have been specially modified to be vegetarian.
- Gluten-Sensitive Menu – For celiacs, treasure this PDF file and perhaps save or bookmark it on your phone for easy reference, as it has a list of all the Bahama Breeze items that have been specially modified to be gluten-sensitive, like omitting tortilla strips or peanut sauce.
- Allergen Guide – Or, if you prefer filtering through Bahama Breeze’s menu manually, there’s this PDF file, which discloses the allergens that may be included in each item on their menu, so for celiacs, avoid anything marked in this table here as containing wheat and gluten.
Gluten-Sensitive – Soups, Salads, Entrees & Dessert
To keep things nice and easy, instead of fussing over the rest of Bahama Breeze’s menu, you can make it simple by ordering straight from their gluten-sensitive menu, with a modest list of hand-picked items that are safe for celiacs. 🥗🍅🥬🧀
✅ GS Cuban Black Bean Soup
✅ GS House Salad with Island Vinaigrette
✅ GS Tropical Chicken Salad
✅ GS Tropical Salad
✅ GS Ahi Tuna Tango Salad
✅ GS Cabana Crunch Chicken Salad
✅ GS Chicken Salad
✅ GS Salmon Salad
✅ GS Island Grille Steak Salad
✅ GS Jamaican Curry Pork Chop
✅ GS Grilled Chicken with Cilantro-Crema
✅ GS Baby Back Ribs
✅ GS Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter
✅ GS Tequila Sunburn Glazed Salmon
✅ GS Seafood Paella
✅ GS Island Snapper
✅ GS Jerk Mahi Mahi
✅ GS Fresh Fruit with Mango Sorbet
While these items are gluten-sensitive and pretty safe for celiacs, let’s check to make sure:
GS Cuban Black Bean Soup: Hearty black bean soup prepared without wheat ingredients, and is marked GS (gluten-sensitive) by the restaurant. Confirm the soup is served without any crisp garnishes and request fresh ladles and a clean bowl to reduce cross-contact risk.
GS House Salad with Island Vinaigrette: Mixed greens and island vinaigrette served without the Cuban crisp as specified by Bahama Breeze. Ask that staff omit the crisp, use fresh tongs, and pour the dressing from a sealed container to limit transfer from other prep areas.
GS Tropical Chicken Salad: Grilled chicken, fruit, and greens prepared without the Cuban crisp as per Bahama Breeze’s special gluten-sensitive prep. Request that the salad be plated fresh and confirm the chicken was not dredged or dusted before grilling to avoid hidden wheat in seasonings.
GS Tropical Salad: Fruit-forward salad that has been flagged as GS when served without the Cuban crisp. Verify that the staff have removed the crisp and assembled it on a clean surface. Ask for dressing on the side and confirm no croutons or tortilla strips are included.
GS Ahi Tuna Tango Salad: Seared ahi atop greens, and marked as GS (gluten-sensitive) when ordered without tortilla strips. Request no tortilla strips, separate plating, and fresh utensils. Confirm the tuna was not glazed with any soy-based sauce that may contain wheat.
GS Cabana Crunch Chicken Salad: Grilled chicken salad is designated GS when served without tortilla strips and without peanut sauce. Insist on those removals and ask that the chicken be prepared on clean cookware to minimize trace contamination.
GS Chicken Salad: Classic chicken salad is listed as GS (gluten-sensitive) in the allergen guide when served without the tostada. Request the tostada be omitted and confirm the salad dressing and any relishes contain no wheat-derived stabilizers before plating.
GS Salmon Salad: Salmon atop mixed greens, and designated as GS when prepared without the tostada. Ask staff to omit the tostada, serve salmon grilled plainly, and plate it away from fried items to reduce cross-contact.
GS Island Grille Steak Salad: Grilled steak salad that was noted as gluten-sensitive as-is. Confirm the steak uses a simple seasoning without flour or wheat-based binders, request separate grilling if possible, and ask for dressing in a sealed ramekin.
GS Jamaican Curry Pork Chop: Pork chop prepared with Jamaican curry, and it’s marked as GS as-is. Verify the curry rub and any finishing sauce contain no wheat thickeners, and request isolated prep to avoid contamination from battered or breaded items.
GS Grilled Chicken with Cilantro-Crema: Grilled chicken with cilantro crema is GS when served without the fried plantain. Ask staff to omit the fried plantain, confirm the crema contains no flour thickeners, and request separate utensils for plating.
GS Baby Back Ribs: Ribs that have been listed as GS as-is, without fries, and paired with mashed potatoes per Bahama Breeze’s gluten-sensitive prep. Confirm that the rub and glaze are wheat-free and ask that the mashed potatoes be prepared without any flour-based gravy.
GS Grilled Salmon with Lemon Butter: Simply grilled salmon finished with lemon butter, and it’s also marked as GS as-is. Confirm no dusting or tempura finish was applied, request separate plating, and verify the lemon butter has no flour thickeners.
GS Tequila Sunburn Glazed Salmon: Salmon finished with a tequila sunburn glaze and designated by Bahama Breeze to be gluten-sensitive as-is. Ask to confirm the glaze’s ingredient list for wheat-derived thickeners and request that the fish be prepared away from breaded fry lines.
GS Seafood Paella: Mixed seafood and rice prepared and labeled as GS as-is. Confirm the paella received no flour-thickened broths or crusted components and ask that the serving utensils be fresh to avoid cross-contact from other warmers.
GS Island Snapper: Grilled or simply prepared snapper identified as GS as-is. Verify that any sauces or crusts are omitted and request isolated cooking and plating to reduce the chance of trace gluten from shared pans or utensils.
GS Jerk Mahi Mahi: Jerk-seasoned mahi mahi marked as GS as-is. Confirm the spice blend contains no wheat fillers and request the fish be cooked on a cleared grill to avoid transfer from breaded items or batter residues.
GS Fresh Fruit with Mango Sorbet: Fruit plate with mango sorbet listed GS as-is, so no modifications are needed. This item is naturally gluten-free, but ask that the sorbet be scooped from a dedicated container and plated with clean utensils to prevent cross-contact.
While some of these gluten-sensitive items are safe as-is, others need a few modifications, like omitting fried crisps or wheat-based tortilla strips, not to mention removing any sauces that have been thickened with wheat, among others. 🌮🍤
Appetizers, Soups & Salads
For a taste of Bahama Breeze’s starters and lighter plates, you’ll find a mixture of safe and unsafe items here, as far as celiacs are concerned, with salads that could be modified to be lower-risk, but most of them remain off-limits to celiacs. 🧀🍗🌶️
❌ Beef Empanadas
⚠️ Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip
❌ Yuca Cheese Sticks
⚠️ Chicken Tostones
❌ Whole Jamaican Jerk Wings
⚠️ Classic Chicken Wings – Spicy Habanero BBQ with Seasoned Sour Cream
⚠️ Classic Chicken Wings – Classic Buffalo with Blue Cheese Dressing
❌ Tuna Tostada Stack
❌ Crab and Three Cheese Dip
❌ Crispy Conch Fritters
❌ Coconut Shrimp
❌ Skillet-Simmered Jerk Shrimp
❌ Firecracker Shrimp
❌ Bahamian Seafood Chowder
✅ Cuban Black Bean Soup
❌ House Salad with Island Vinaigrette
✅ Ahi Tuna Tango Salad
✅ Salmon Tostada Salad
✅ Chicken Tostada Salad
✅ Island Grille Steak Salad
❌ Tropical Chicken Salad
❌ Tropical Salad
❌ Cabana Crunch Chicken Salad
Just so we know what to look out for next, let’s check what each of these is made of:
Beef Empanadas: Pastry pockets made from wheat flour and baked or fried, though the dough is a major source of gluten, and the bakery prep creates high cross-contact risk, so this item is unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.
Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip: Cheese-forward dip is often wheat-free by recipe, but it’s usually served with chips or bread and kept in warmers that contact other items. Treat as cautionary, and request sealed chips and verify no flour thickeners.
Yuca Cheese Sticks: Yuca sticks are coated and fried in wheat-based crumbs in many kitchens. The breading and shared fry lines create ingredient and cross-contact hazards, making these unsafe for celiacs.
Chicken Tostones: Plantain-based tostones are ingredient-level wheat-free, but they’re often fried in shared oil near battered items and sometimes served with seasoned toppings. It’s marked as a cautionary item, so be sure to request separate frying and sealed condiments.
Whole Jamaican Jerk Wings: These wings are flagged as unsafe at the ingredient or prep level in the official Bahama Breeze allergen guide. They may use marinades or finishes with hidden thickeners and share fry/brush stations, so avoid for strict gluten-free diets.
Classic Chicken Wings – Spicy Habanero BBQ with Seasoned Sour Cream: Bone-in wings can be lower risk by ingredient, but sauces and shared saucing/tongs create cross-contact. Be careful, however, and ask for plain wings and sauce on the side, prepared with fresh gloves.
Classic Chicken Wings – Classic Buffalo with Blue Cheese Dressing: Buffalo sauce itself is typically wheat-free, but shared fryers, tongs, and saucing stations pose cross-contact risk. Request unbreaded wings, separate saucing, and fresh utensils to lower exposure.
Tuna Tostada Stack: Tostadas use crisped tortillas and often fried shells. The toasted/fried base and shared fry lines introduce ingredient-level gluten and high cross-contact risk, so this dish is unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.
Crab and Three Cheese Dip: Warm cheese dips sometimes contain thickening agents and are served with bread or chips. The dip may be prepared in shared warmers, and the wheat-based thickeners and cross-contact make this unsafe if you’re strictly gluten-free.
Crispy Conch Fritters: Conch fritters are battered and deep-fried with wheat in the coating. Shared fryer oil and batter stations create both ingredient and very high cross-contact hazards, so make sure to avoid this if you need strict gluten-free handling.
Coconut Shrimp: Breaded or battered shrimp use wheat flour in the coating and are deep-fried. The ingredient-level gluten exposure and shared fry lines, with a high risk of cross-contamination, make this item unsafe for celiacs.
Skillet-Simmered Jerk Shrimp: Although “skillet-simmered” suggests a non-breaded prep, some locations finish shrimp in sauces that may use wheat thickeners or handle them on shared pans. This item was flagged as unsafe and should be avoided without confirmation.
Firecracker Shrimp: Typically battered and fried, then tossed in a sticky sauce. The batter contains wheat, and shared fryers create high cross-contact risk, so this dish is unsafe for strict gluten avoidance, either.
Bahamian Seafood Chowder: Creamy seafood chowders often rely on roux or thickening agents that contain wheat and may be ladled from shared containers. This is an ingredient-level gluten risk and is marked as unsafe in the official allergen guide.
Cuban Black Bean Soup: Hearty, broth-based black bean soup that is typically wheat-free by ingredient. Confirm it’s served without crisp garnishes and request a fresh ladle to minimize cross-contact from neighboring bakery or fried items.
House Salad with Island Vinaigrette: The salad itself can be wheat-free, but the standard service may include Cuban crisp or croutons and shared topping bins. This entry is flagged unsafe, so remember to omit the crisp and request sealed dressing and fresh assembly if attempting it.
Ahi Tuna Tango Salad: Seared tuna and greens are typically ingredient-level gluten-free when ordered without tortilla strips. Confirm no soy-based glazes are used, request no crunchy garnishes, and ask for separate plating to minimize cross-contact.
Salmon Tostada Salad: Salmon can be gluten-free by ingredient, but the tostada shell is a fried/wheat component. Consider ordering the salmon plated without the tostada and request clean utensils and isolated prep for safety.
Chicken Tostada Salad: The grilled chicken can be lower risk when plain, but the tostada introduces wheat. Request the salad without the tostada and verify the chicken was not dusted or coated before cooking.
Island Grille Steak Salad: Grilled steak over greens is generally lower risk by ingredient. Confirm the steak rub and any dressings contain no wheat and ask for isolated grilling and a sealed dressing portion to reduce cross-contact.
Tropical Chicken Salad: This menu entry includes sweet components and typically a Cuban crisp or toasted garnish, which is also flagged as being unsafe in the allergen guide. Avoid unless the restaurant can explicitly remove wheat components and confirm separate prep.
Tropical Salad: Fruit and greens are wheat-free by ingredient, but often served with crisp garnishes or croutons. This item is flagged unsafe in the official allergen guide, so don’t assume it’s safe without verified modifications.
Cabana Crunch Chicken Salad: The “crunch” element almost always means tortilla strips or fried crisps that contain wheat. We marked this as unsafe by default, so make sure to omit the crunchy topping only if staff can guarantee isolated prep and clean utensils.
Bear in mind that a lot of these dishes default to fried coatings, baked pastry, and crunchy garnishes that pose a major gluten and cross-contamination risk, so remember to be wary when you’re ordering these soups, salads, and appetizers. 🍲🥣🥗
Handhelds & Combos
On the other hand, you might be interested in Bahama Breeze’s lineup of handhelds, but be mindful when you’re ordering, as pretty much every item here relies on glutenous buns, tortillas, battered proteins, or wheat-based pastry! 🥙🍔🥪
❌ Blackened Mahi Tacos
❌ Coconut Shrimp Tacos
❌ Black Bean & Guac Tacos
❌ Honey Butter Crispy Chicken Sandwich
❌ Cuban Sandwich
❌ Black Bean BBQ Burger
❌ Applewood Bacon & Cheddar Burger
❌ Grilled Burger – Cheddar
❌ Grilled Burger – Swiss
❌ Grilled Burger – Pepper-Jack
❌ Grilled Burger – Goat Cheese
❌ Grilled Burger – Coconut Shrimp Combo
❌ Beef Empanada Combo
While this sounds like a clear-cut conclusion, let’s take a closer peek at them nevertheless:
Blackened Mahi Tacos: Flour or soft taco shells are the usual service, and even blackened fish can be plated on wheat tortillas. Shared grills and topping stations increase cross-contact, so treat this as unsafe without certified corn-tortilla and strict prep separation.
Coconut Shrimp Tacos: Breaded coconut shrimp use wheat flour in the coating and are fried in shared oil. The taco assembly typically uses flour tortillas. Ingredient-level gluten and fryer cross-contact make this item unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.
Black Bean & Guac Tacos: Although black beans and guacamole are inherently wheat-free, these tacos normally use flour tortillas and shared topping bins. Cross-contact risk from fryers and prep areas means this entry is unsafe without verified corn-tortilla substitutions and isolated prep.
Honey Butter Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Breaded, fried chicken and a wheat bun create direct gluten exposure. Shared fryers, toasters, and assembly counters multiply cross-contact vectors, so this sandwich is unsafe for celiac diners unless the kitchen guarantees dedicated, separate procedures.
Cuban Sandwich: A pressed sandwich built on wheat bread with ham, roast pork, pickles, and cheese. The bread is an ingredient-level source of gluten, and shared griddles and slicers further increase contamination risk. This item is unsafe for strict gluten-free diets.
Black Bean BBQ Burger: Served on a wheat bun with barbecue sauce that may include thickeners. The bun and any toasted preparation are ingredient-level gluten sources. Shared grills and condiments raise cross-contact risk, so the burger is not safe by default.
Applewood Bacon & Cheddar Burger: Standard wheat bun and shared toasting/griddle exposure create ingredient and cross-contact hazards. Even if the patty and toppings are wheat-free, the bread and shared handling make this item unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.
Grilled Burger – Cheddar: The beef patty is typically wheat-free, but the standard service includes a wheat bun and shared toasting equipment. Unless the location supplies a certified gluten-free bun and isolated prep, consider this item unsafe for celiacs.
Grilled Burger – Swiss: The same guidelines apply as the other grilled burgers here… The wheat bun and shared prep surfaces provide ingredient-level gluten and cross-contact risk. Request unbunned plating only if staff can confirm separate utensils and no contact with breaded items.
Grilled Burger – Pepper-Jack: Pepper-Jack burger uses the same wheat-bun service and shared handling as other burgers. Bun, toasting, and condiment stations create substantial risk, so this menu item is not safe without strict kitchen separation measures.
Grilled Burger – Goat Cheese: Goat cheese and patty are usually low-risk ingredients, but the wheat bun and shared prep areas introduce gluten. Without a certified gluten-free bun and confirmed separate handling, this burger remains unsafe for strict gluten-free diets.
Grilled Burger – Coconut Shrimp Combo: This combo pairs a burger on a wheat bun with breaded coconut shrimp. Multiple ingredient-level gluten sources and shared fryers make the combo unsafe due to both direct wheat content and elevated cross-contact risk.
Beef Empanada Combo: Empanadas use wheat-based pastry shells and are either baked or fried. The pastry is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared pastry or fryer equipment ensures high cross-contact risk, making this combo unsafe for celiacs.
Given that every single handheld and combo item here relies on wheat-containing buns, wheat tortillas (with no or limited options to swap to corn tortillas), breading, or pastry, in addition to the cross-contact risks, this menu is a no-go. 🌯🌮🌽
Island Pastas, Seaside & From The Mainland
For anyone here with a huge appetite, this is where you’ll find some of Bahama Breeze’s big entrees and hearty meals, be it pastas, seafood, steaks, and Caribbean island-style mains, and a lot of these dishes are even naturally wheat-free, too. 🍝🍤
❌ Jerk Chicken Pasta
❌ Jerk Shrimp Pasta
❌ Lobster and Shrimp Linguine
⚠️ Island Snapper
⚠️ Jerk Mahi Mahi
⚠️ Tequila Sunburn Glazed Salmon
⚠️ Grilled Salmon
⚠️ Classic Lemon Butter
❌ Shrimp Pineapple Bowl
⚠️ Seafood Paella
❌ Coconut Shrimp
⚠️ Jamaican Curry Pork Chop
⚠️ Baby Back Ribs
⚠️ Filet and Yuca Frites
❌ Filet Mignon and Coconut Shrimp
⚠️ Skirt Steak Churrasco
❌ Stuffed Plantain Bowl
⚠️ Black Bean Stuffed Plantain Bowl
⚠️ Grilled Chicken with Cilantro-Crema
❌ Chicken Pineapple Bowl
❌ Crispy Chicken & Johnny Cakes
⚠️ Jamaican Jerk Chicken
For context, let’s break these dishes one by one and see what each of them is made of:
Jerk Chicken Pasta: Creamy pasta tossed with jerk-seasoned chicken. The pasta contains wheat in the ingredients list, and the sauce may use flour thickeners. Avoid this if you need to avoid gluten unless the kitchen supplies gluten-free pasta and confirms separate cooking.
Jerk Shrimp Pasta: Pasta with jerk-spiced shrimp and creamy sauce. The wheat pasta and possible roux or thickener create ingredient-level gluten exposure. Shared pots and ladles increase cross-contact, so this dish is not safe when served in its default form.
Lobster and Shrimp Linguine: Wheat-based linguine with shellfish in a cream or tomato sauce. The pasta itself is an ingredient-level source of gluten, and shared pasta-cooking equipment raises cross-contact risk. Do not order unless gluten-free pasta is provided.
Island Snapper: Grilled or pan-seared snapper finished simply with citrus and herbs. The fish is usually wheat-free by ingredient. Ask that it be cooked away from breaded items and request separate utensils to reduce trace contamination.
Jerk Mahi Mahi: Jerk-seasoned mahi mahi grilled and served with sides. The seasoning and grill prep are typically wheat-free, but confirm no dusting or soy-based marinades with wheat. Ask for isolated grilling and fresh tongs.
Tequila Sunburn Glazed Salmon: Salmon glazed with a tequila citrus sauce. The fish itself is usually wheat-free, but check the glaze for thickeners or soy ingredients. Request the glaze on the side and separate plating to minimize cross-contact.
Grilled Salmon: Simply grilled salmon with basic seasonings. This is lower risk by ingredient when prepared plain. Confirm no flour-based dusting or finishing sauces and ask staff to use a clean pan for cooking.
Classic Lemon Butter: Butter and lemon sauce are often served with seafood or steak. The sauce is usually wheat-free, but verify the preparation does not include a roux or flour-based thickener and request it be served separately if concerned.
Shrimp Pineapple Bowl: Stir-fry style shrimp served with pineapple and sides, often finished with a glaze. If shrimp are sautéed and unbattered, it may be lower risk, but many preparations use sauces with thickeners. Confirm ingredient details before ordering.
Seafood Paella: Saffron rice with mixed seafood. Paella is rice-based and often safe by ingredient, but stocks, chorizo, or added sauces can contain wheat. Ask for the ingredient list and request a separate serving if you need strict precautions.
Coconut Shrimp: Breaded coconut shrimp are coated with wheat-based flour and fried. The breading is an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared fryer oil ensures high cross-contact risk, so avoid this item if you must be strictly gluten-free.
Jamaican Curry Pork Chop: Pork chop finished in a curry sauce. The chop itself is generally wheat-free by ingredient, but confirm the curry base contains no wheat thickeners and ask for separate plating to avoid cross-contact.
Baby Back Ribs: Slow-cooked ribs finished with island-style sauces. The meat is naturally wheat-free, but glazes and barbecue sauces sometimes include thickeners. Request the sauce on the side and confirm ingredients to reduce risk.
Filet and Yuca Frites: Grilled filet paired with yuca fries. The steak is typically low risk by ingredient. Yuca fries may be fried in shared oil, so ask about fryer practices and request isolated prep and utensils for the steak.
Filet Mignon and Coconut Shrimp: Steak paired with breaded coconut shrimp. The shrimp component contains wheat, and shared fryers increase cross-contact. This combo is unsafe as served because of the breaded seafood pairing.
Skirt Steak Churrasco: Grilled skirt steak served with chimichurri. The steak and chimichurri are usually wheat-free by ingredient. Ask that the steak be cooked away from breaded items and request fresh tongs to lower cross-contact.
Stuffed Plantain Bowl: Plantain filled with toppings and often a sauce. Many stuffed plantain preparations use batters, fillings, or warmers that include wheat. Treat this item as unsafe unless the kitchen confirms all components are wheat-free.
Black Bean Stuffed Plantain Bowl: Plantain filled with seasoned black beans and toppings. When prepared without battered components, this is lower risk by ingredient. Confirm toppings and request separate assembly to minimize cross-contact from nearby fried items.
Grilled Chicken with Cilantro-Crema: Grilled chicken finished with a cilantro-crema sauce. The grilled protein is usually wheat-free, but confirm that the crema contains no flour thickeners. Ask for the sauce on the side and isolated prep for added safety.
Chicken Pineapple Bowl: Chicken served with pineapple and sides, often finished in a glaze. Some versions use batter or sauces with wheat-based thickeners. Because of prep variability, verify ingredients and ask for plain grilled chicken if needed.
Crispy Chicken & Johnny Cakes: Breaded crispy chicken paired with Johnny Cakes. The breaded chicken and the johnny cakes typically contain wheat, and shared fryers and griddles increase contamination risk. This dish is unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.
Jamaican Jerk Chicken: Classic jerk-marinated chicken grilled and served with island sides. Properly prepared jerk chicken is often wheat-free by ingredient. Request no breaded sides and ask staff to grill it separately to reduce cross-contact.
Nonetheless, be mindful of dishes that include pasta, breaded proteins, wheat-thickened sauces, not to mention deep-fried items that share fryers or common prep stations, and opt for grilled fish, plain jerk preparations, and paella instead. 🍍🥥🎣
Kid’s Menu, Sides & Desserts
For all the young diners heading to Bahama Breeze, they have a hearty range of children’s plates, smaller portions of everyday sides, and some sweet desserts, too! However, some of the kids’ menu entrees and bakery-style desserts contain wheat. 🍗🍟
❌ Kid’s Bowtie Mac & Cheese
✅ Kid’s Grilled Chicken Breast
❌ Kid’s Crispy Chicken Fingers
❌ Kid’s Burger Sliders
✅ Yellow Rice
✅ Black Beans & Yellow Rice
✅ Mashed Potatoes
✅ Cinnamon Mashed Sweet Potatoes
✅ French Fries
✅ Yuca Frites
✅ Green Beans
✅ Broccoli
✅ Fresh Fruit with Mango Sorbet
❌ Rebecca’s Key Lime Pie
❌ Chocolate Island
❌ Flaming Pineapple Butter Cake
Just to be sure that we got this right, let’s take a closer peek at each dish in more detail:
Kid’s Bowtie Mac & Cheese: Pasta with cheese sauce made from wheat pasta and conventional roux. The noodles are an ingredient-level gluten source, and shared pots and ladles increase cross-contact risk, so avoid this for strict gluten avoidance.
Kid’s Grilled Chicken Breast: Plain grilled chicken breast served with a simple side. The protein is typically wheat-free by ingredient when unbreaded. Ask staff to grill it away from breaded items and use clean tongs for plating.
Kid’s Crispy Chicken Fingers: Breaded and fried chicken tenders coated in wheat-based crumbs. The coating is an ingredient-level gluten hazard and shared fryers and baskets guarantee significant cross-contact, making this unsafe for celiac diners.
Kid’s Burger Sliders: Small burgers served on wheat buns. The bun contains wheat, and toasting or assembly on shared surfaces raises cross-contact risk, so request a safe substitution or skip this item entirely if you need strict gluten-free handling.
Yellow Rice: Fluffy yellow rice seasoned simply. Rice is ingredient-level gluten-free when prepared plainly. Confirm no added soy-based sauces or thickened broths and request a clean scoop to avoid cross-contact from warmers.
Black Beans & Yellow Rice: Classic black beans served with yellow rice. Both components are typically wheat-free by ingredient. Ask that beans be served from a clean ladle and request separate plating to reduce trace contamination.
Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are usually made from potatoes, butter, and milk. Confirm that the kitchen does not add a flour-thickened gravy. Ask for plain mashed potatoes if you need to minimize gluten risk from sauces or gravies.
Cinnamon Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Mashed sweet potatoes finished with cinnamon and butter. This side is normally gluten-free by ingredient. Request separate utensils and verify no pastry crumbs were mixed in at the pastry station.
French Fries: Cut potatoes, fried until crisp. Potatoes are wheat-free by ingredient, but many kitchens use shared fryers for battered items. Confirm fryer protocol and ask whether fries are cooked in dedicated oil to reduce cross-contact.
Yuca Frites: Fried yuca sticks served as a starchy side. Yuca itself is gluten-free by ingredient, but fry-line cross-contact is possible. Ask whether the restaurant uses shared fryer oil and request separate plating if you are highly sensitive.
Green Beans: Steamed or sautéed green beans prepared simply. This vegetable is typically wheat-free by ingredient. Ask that they be cooked in a clean pan and plated separately from battered or breaded items to lower cross-contact risk.
Broccoli: Steamed or garlic-butter broccoli served hot. Broccoli is normally gluten-free by ingredient. Confirm no flour-based sauces were added and request separate preparation and utensils to keep cross-contact to a minimum.
Fresh Fruit with Mango Sorbet: Fresh seasonal fruit served with sorbet. Fruit and sorbet are generally gluten-free by ingredient and present low cross-contact risk when served from sealed containers or freshly plated. Prefer factory-sealed sorbet if available.
Rebecca’s Key Lime Pie: Classic key lime pie features a wheat-based crust. The crust is an ingredient-level gluten source, and pastry prep areas increase cross-contact, so this dessert is unsafe for strict gluten avoidance.
Chocolate Island: A layered chocolate dessert likely built on cake or cookie components. Bakery elements contain wheat, and the pastry station introduces high cross-contact risk, making this item unsuitable for celiac diners.
Flaming Pineapple Butter Cake: Warm butter cake finished tableside. The cake uses wheat flour and is prepared on shared trays and utensils. This is an ingredient-level gluten source and carries significant cross-contact risk.
Some of the safer options here include the simple sides and fruit-based desserts, as well as the grilled chicken, steamed vegetables, rice, beans, and fresh fruit, and make sure to avoid the pasta, breaded proteins, and all bakery desserts, too. 🍚🍔🥪🥔
Beverages
As with most restaurants, Bahama Breeze’s drinks lineup is a rock-solid, reliable, safe zone for gluten-sensitive diners and celiacs, as most of their cocktails, iced teas, bottled waters, and fountain beverages contain no wheat ingredients. 🥤🧃🍺
✅ Lemon Breeze
✅ Strawberry Lemon Breeze
✅ Raspberry Lemon Breeze
✅ Fresh Brewed Iced Tea
✅ Bottled Water
✅ Fountain Drink
✅ Perrier Sparkling Water
Just to be extra safe, let’s make sure that these beverages contain no hidden gluten traces:
Lemon Breeze: A citrus-forward signature drink typically made from lemon juice, simple syrup, and water or soda. The ingredients are naturally wheat-free, and requesting them from a freshly cleaned shaker or as a bottled option reduces cross-contact risk.
Strawberry Lemon Breeze: A fruit-enhanced variation of the Lemon Breeze using strawberry purée or syrup. Fruit syrups are usually gluten-free by ingredient. Ask staff to confirm that the syrup contains no wheat-derived stabilizers and request fresh preparation.
Raspberry Lemon Breeze: Raspberry-infused lemonade or cocktail made with raspberry purée or syrup. The base ingredients are ingredient-level gluten-free. Prefer fresh pours and sealed syrup containers when possible to minimize trace contamination.
Fresh Brewed Iced Tea: Brewed tea served chilled. Tea leaves contain no wheat. For the lowest risk possible, you should request a freshly brewed batch or confirm that the pitcher or nozzle was cleaned before pouring.
Bottled Water: Factory-sealed bottled water is the safest beverage option and presents virtually no cross-contact risk. Choose sealed bottles whenever you require maximum protection from trace contamination.
Fountain Drink: Carbonated sodas dispensed from a fountain. The syrup formulations typically do not contain wheat. When using the fountain service, ask the staff to wipe the nozzle before filling to reduce any surface contamination risk.
Perrier Sparkling Water: Sealed or bottled sparkling mineral water that contains no wheat by ingredient. Factory-sealed Perrier offers minimal handling and the lowest cross-contact risk, too.
Regardless, while these drinks might be naturally wheat-free, it’s no excuse to not be wary of cross-contact, so remember to ask the staff to clean the drinks dispensers and nozzles, or you might even prefer factory-sealed bottles and cans. 🍋🍓🧊
To Sum Up
Traditionally, I’ve known Caribbean cuisine and tropical-style dishes to be some of the most challenging to adapt to gluten-free practices and processes, and while Bahama Breeze isn’t technically “gluten-free”, they’re a lot closer than I imagined. 🥗🍲
Not only do they feature a special gluten-sensitive menu to make it easier to choose items from their vast food selection while dining out, but quite a few of their miscellaneous menu items are naturally wheat-free, too. 🐟🌶️
Lightweight soups and salads to start your meal, followed by heavier entrees and some of their bigger meals, on top of their diverse selection of sides… A pleasantly sizeable chunk of their menu can be relatively low-risk and safe for celiacs. 🍗🥩🔥
In the meantime, if you’d like to discover other restaurants with plenty of gluten-free options, make sure to stay tuned to Great Without Gluten for even more celiac-friendly and gluten-free eating-out guides!
And, while you’re here, you might also want to check out my other gluten-free menu guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes, too!
If you’re craving other fast-food or casual dining chains and gourmet meals, do check out my other celiac-friendly, gluten-free dining out guides to Zaxby’s, Rainforest Cafe, Bojangles, Smashburger, Golden Corral, Perkins, Dave and Buster’s, Buca di Beppo, Dutch Bros, White Castle, Hooters, On the Border, TGI Fridays, and more! 🍔🍟🍗
Stay safe and gluten‑aware, my celiac friends! 💖🥗
Frequently Asked Questions
While working on this Bahama Breeze gluten-free menu guide, I came across some rather interesting questions floating around social media and some foodie forums, particularly on Reddit, so I thought I’d try and answer those burning questions here:
Is Bahama Breeze gluten-free?
Not quite. Bahama Breeze isn’t a gluten-free restaurant, though they do publish a special gluten-sensitive menu, which includes special modifications to certain items to make them lower-risk and safer for celiacs, but they don’t operate a certified gluten-free kitchen space.
What are the safest Bahama Breeze menu items for someone avoiding gluten?
Some of the safest choices here are items in their gluten-sensitive (GS) menu, including the GS Cuban Black Bean Soup, GS grilled salads without crisps or tostadas, grilled proteins like GS Jerk Mahi Mahi or GS Grilled Salmon, Seafood Paella, and plenty more items besides.
Does Bahama Breeze provide a gluten-sensitive menu or allergen guide I can check?
Yes! Bahama Breeze publishes an allergen and nutrition information guide on their website, and a gluten-sensitive menu that could be saved or printed out as a PDF file. The GS menu, in particular, features a note on special modifications to make certain items celiac-safe.
How should I order at Bahama Breeze if I have celiac disease or severe gluten sensitivity?
Make sure to tell your server that you have celiac disease, and request the gluten-sensitive menu, ask for fresh gloves, clean utensils, and request separate plating. Avoid any fried (unless the kitchen confirms use of dedicated fryer oil), breaded, or flour-thickened dishes.
Can cross-contact at Bahama Breeze make gluten-sensitive items unsafe?
Yes. Shared fryers, shared prep surfaces, bakery areas, and common utensils can produce a risk of cross-contamination. Even gluten-sensitive items could be contaminated in normal kitchen operations, so it’s important to remind the kitchen staff to take extra precautions.
Photo Credit
Todd Van Hoosear, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Becky ✍️
Hi, I am Becky. I am a passionate recipe maker and having been a coeliac (celiac) for 30+ years I focus on gluten-free recipes. My blog is my online cookbook of gluten-free tasty recipes. You can follow me on X: @beckygwg
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