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Cheesecake Factory Gluten-Free – Any Celiac-Safe Meals?

Let’s take a closer peek at the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu, and figure out just how much of their Glamburgers, salads, appetizers, and more are safe!

Dining out with celiac disease can often rightfully feel like walking a tightrope, especially when you’re ordering from a chain famous for its over-the-top portions and awesomely decadent cheesecakes.

However, you’d be pleasantly surprised that The Cheesecake Factory actually offers a decent amount of gluten-friendly and celiac-safe options, made for folks like me! 😊

They have special menus, and you could find a ton of dessert options tailored for avoiding any gluten, in addition to letting you savor their vast selection of steaks, salads, and even a unique flourless cheesecake without the worry!

Another impressive feat is The Cheesecake Factory’s partnership with registered dietitians, working closely with their culinary teams. 👩‍🍳

Thanks to this, they even label items that meet the FDA’s <20 ppm gluten standard. Of course, they use shared kitchens and utensils, so the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu isn’t 100% risk-free.

Still, it’s a huge improvement over some casual dining chains! Besides, it’s all about knowing where your safe bets are and understanding what to avoid. 🔎🥗🍰

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Disclaimer

It’s cool to see what The Cheesecake Factory gluten-free special dishes and menus are created in collaboration with actual Registered Dietitians (RDs). They make doubly sure that each dish (one promised to be celiac-safe and gluten-free) meets the FDA’s real definition of ‘gluten‑free’ (< 20 ppm). 🍔🍕🥙

However, you should bear in mind that all food is prepared in a shared kitchen, with common fryers, grills, cutting boards, and utensils. This means that even menu items marked as gluten-free have at least a slight risk of cross-contact and contamination, touching surfaces that were used for wheat-based dishes.

In fact, even The Cheesecake Factory itself can’t guarantee any menu item is completely free of gluten, and they explicitly warn that cross‑contact can occur during normal service. I’ve seen some celiacs reacting to mere parts-per-million exposures, so if you’re ultra-sensitive, it’s a good idea to be extra cautious! 😷

Thankfully, there are some tips that could help you reduce that risk even further:

• Let your server or the kitchen staff know that you have celiac disease or a severe gluten allergy. According to what I’ve read, a lot of the staff at The Cheesecake Factory are quite reactive in making sure that your dietary needs are well taken care of.
• Additionally, you could also ask for special prep, such as requesting fresh gloves, sanitized utensils, and even separate cooking areas where possible. That would help to further isolate any gluten-free dishes from gluten and wheat-filled ingredients elsewhere.
• Oh, and be sure to review The Cheesecake Factory’s official Allergen & Nutrition PDF files (a bit more on that later), and confirm what kind of allergens might be contained within each dish. A modification or two might be necessary to keep some dishes safe for celiacs like us.

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The Cheesecake Factory Allergen Policy (Gluten-Free)

Speaking of, one of the best resources that The Cheesecake Factory has provided is their new, interactive Online Allergen Guide, powered by Nutritionix.

It’s a pretty straightforward, simple web widget that you could find on their website, where you’re able to filter out allergens that you’d like to avoid. Of course, this includes not only gluten but also a separate filter for wheat. 🌾

This tool has been incredibly helpful in helping me figure out what dishes are included in the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu, and which ones I should avoid.

Pair this with the official Nutrition Guide PDF file, which The Cheesecake Factory updates regularly (typically twice each year), and you get a comprehensive look at both the allergens and nutrition of each meal.

To get a more up-to-date look, I’d suggest comparing these allergens and the nutrition data in conjunction with the official, updated The Cheesecake Factory menu online.

One of my favorite memes is just how expansive and humungous The Cheesecake Factory’s menu is, so it may take a bit of scrolling around to find what you’re looking for! 😅

So, with that challenge in mind, let’s try breaking apart their entire menu to figure out what I’d be adding to my personal Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

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Small Plates & Snacks

The Cheesecake Factory’s Small Plates & Snacks menu is perfect for sharing, or for noshing it down solo! Unfortunately, if you’re a celiac like me, your options are limited. There are only a mere handful of these dishes that even appear on the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu.

As for the rest, they either contain wheat or have significant problems with cross-contact. 🥗

✅ Grilled Asparagus
✅ Honey Roasted Carrots
✅ Charred Sugar Snap Peas
✅ Ahi Tuna & Shrimp Ceviche
❌ Asian Cucumber Salad
❌ Chicken & Jalapeño Fritters
❌ Little House Salad
❌ Street Corn
❌ Chicken Taquitos
❌ Korean Fried Cauliflower
❌ Avocado Tacos
❌ Stuffed Mushrooms
❌ Fried Zucchini
❌ Crispy Brussels Sprouts
❌ Beet and Avocado Salad
❌ Cheeseburger Spring Rolls
❌ Crispy Crab Bites
❌ Crispy Fried Cheese
❌ Crab Wontons

So, let’s break down each dish to see why most of these can’t qualify for our Cheesecake Factory gluten-free and celiac-friendly menu:

Grilled Asparagus: Tender asparagus spears char‑grilled with olive oil and seasonings. There are no gluten ingredients in the recipe, making it gluten-free and celiac-safe.

Honey Roasted Carrots: Slow‑roasted carrots glazed in a maple‑brown butter sauce. They’re gluten‑free just by the ingredients, though be careful when dealing with cross-contact.

Charred Sugar Snap Peas: Snap peas seared with fresh herbs and Chile‑lime vinaigrette. This should naturally be wheat‑free and friendly for celiacs.

Ahi Tuna & Shrimp Ceviche: Citrus‑marinated ahi tuna and shrimp with avocado and pico de gallo, with no wheat‑based sauces or ingredients, making it gluten-free.

Asian Cucumber Salad: Cucumbers tossed in soy‑sesame dressing and garlic. That soy sauce contains wheat, making it unsafe for celiacs, so avoid it if you’re sensitive to gluten.

Chicken & Jalapeño Fritters: Battered and fried in wheat flour with cheese and peppers. This not only contains enriched flour, but the frying process also shares fryers with other items.

Little House Salad: Mixed greens with croutons in vinaigrette. However, the croutons contain wheat, and the vinaigrette may be batch‑made on shared lines, so that alone is a huge risk!

Street Corn: Corn “ribs” coated in chili‑lime mayonnaise and cotija cheese. The mayo base often uses stabilizers that may include gluten, not to mention the cross-contamination.

Chicken Taquitos: Crispy corn tortillas with chicken and cheese. The tortillas might be gluten-free, but the frying oil and filling prep involve shared surfaces and gluten seasonings.

Korean Fried Cauliflower: Cauliflower florets battered in wheat flour and tossed in sweet‑spicy sauce. Sadly, as much as I’ve loved to try this, it contains gluten and is fried in shared oil.

Avocado Tacos: Jicama “tortilla” shells are used, but the fried batter and slaw include some gluten-containing ingredients, plus the cross-contamination that you have to worry about.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Fontina & Parmesan filling in a white wine sauce. While those mushroom caps themselves are gluten-free and safe for celiacs, the sauce uses flour to thicken.

Fried Zucchini: Lightly breaded and fried in wheat flour with Parmesan, which is unsafe due to the non-gluten-free batter and shared fryers.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts: Roasted and tossed in maple‑butter glaze. Unfortunately, that glaze contains flour‑based thickeners and heavily shares prep surfaces with other dishes.

Beet and Avocado Salad: Though gluten‑free by ingredients, a lot of modifications are needed to make this gluten-free and celiac-safe, which is a part of their SkinnyLicious menu.

Cheeseburger Spring Rolls: Wrapped in a wheat‑based wrapper and fried, which contains wheat and is, therefore, off‑limits for celiacs and anyone sensitive to gluten.

Crispy Crab Bites: Mini crab cakes breaded and fried with wheat flour. This makes it unsafe for gluten‑free diners and anyone suffering from celiac disease.

Crispy Fried Cheese: Mozzarella & fontina fried in batter. It contains wheat flour and shares oil with other breaded items, so there’s a major risk of contamination with non-gluten-free items.

Crab Wontons: Classic Rangoon filling in a wonton wrapper. That wrapper is wheat‑based and fried in shared oil, so once again, it’s a no-go for anyone with celiac.

Now, do remember that even those (relatively) safe gluten-free items are prepared in common kitchens with shared prep areas, fryers, and utensils. It would help if you asked the server for fresh gloves, clean utensils, and separate cooking areas, just to help reduce that cross-contact risk even further. 👩‍🍳🍽🍳

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Appetizers

It’s always great to start off a nice meal at The Cheesecake Factory with one of the plethora of appetizers on their menu. Unfortunately, if you’re a celiac, all but just one of these are friendly to celiacs.

So, while The Cheesecake Factory’s Appetizers are legendary, for celiacs, essentially all of them contain wheat, use gluten‑based batters, or carry a high risk of cross‑contact. ❌

✅ Ahi Tuna & Shrimp Ceviche
⚠️ Thai Lettuce Wraps with Chicken
⚠️ Small Thai Lettuce Wraps with Chicken
⚠️ Thai Lettuce Wraps with Avocado
⚠️ Small Thai Lettuce Wraps with Avocado
❌ Roadside Sliders
❌ Chicken Pot Stickers
❌ Tex Mex Eggrolls
❌ Quesadilla
❌ Thai Chili Shrimp
❌ Avocado Eggrolls
❌ Warm Crab Dip
❌ Fried Calamari
❌ Eggroll Sampler
❌ Spicy Tuna
❌ Ahi Poke Nachos
❌ Housemade Meatballs
❌ Pretzel Bites With Cheddar Cheese Fondue
❌ Fried Macaroni and Cheese
❌ Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes
❌ Hot Spinach and Cheese Dip
❌ Buffalo Blasts
❌ Factory Nachos
❌ Buffalo Wings
❌ Buffalo Chicken Strips
❌ Soup of the Day

Now, let’s break them down bit by bit to see what they’re made of and why they haven’t made it into The Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Ahi Tuna & Shrimp Ceviche: Citrus‑marinated ahi tuna and shrimp tossed with avocado, some tomatoes, and cilantro. There are no wheat ingredients, so it’s safe for celiacs.

Thai Lettuce Wraps with Chicken: Grilled chicken, rice noodles, and vegetables served in crisp lettuce cups. There’s technically no wheat in the wrap itself, but the sauce and noodles might be prepared on shared prep lines. And, to make sure that it’s truly gluten-free, remember to ask for no soy sauce!

Small Thai Lettuce Wraps with Chicken: A smaller portion of the above, so basically the same caveats still apply around those sauces, as well as the cross‑contact and contamination risk.

Thai Lettuce Wraps with Avocado: Creamy avocado, rice noodles, and veggies in lettuce cups. This should naturally be wheat‑free ingredients, but to be extra, extra safe, you could confirm the sauces and the noodle prep, too.

Small Thai Lettuce Wraps with Avocado: Identical to the full‑size version up above, just fewer pieces, and the same modification and cross‑contact warnings still apply, so be careful!

Roadside Sliders: Mini burgers on wheat rolls. It unfortunately contains enriched flour in the buns and shares grill space with non-gluten-free items, making it unsafe for celiacs.

Chicken Pot Stickers: Wheat‑based wrappers filled with chicken. Alas, they’re fried or steamed with shared equipment and using shared utensils, making it off‑limits for celiacs.

Tex Mex Eggrolls: Flour tortillas battered and fried. As such, they contain wheat flour, and they also use shared fryers, making them unsafe for celiacs.

Quesadilla: Flour tortillas and cheese. They contain traces of gluten, and to make things worse (for celiacs, anyway), they’re also cooked on shared griddles.

Thai Chili Shrimp: Shrimp battered and fried, then tossed in chili sauce. The wheat flour used in the batter and shared fryers, once again, pose a huge risk of cross-contamination.

Avocado Eggrolls: Eggroll wrappers are made from flour. They’re always fried alongside other breaded and non-gluten-free items, so they must be avoided if you’re a celiac.

Warm Crab Dip: Creamy dip served with bread or chips. They contain flour in the base and gluten-containing dippers, making them a no-go for celiacs.

Fried Calamari: Calamari battered in wheat flour and fried, making this absolutely unsafe for gluten‑free diners.

Eggroll Sampler: Mixed fillings in wheat wrappers, all fried in shared fryers, and they also come with some gluten, so be sure to avoid this.

Spicy Tuna: Tuna mixed with spicy mayo, served in wonton cups. The wonton wrapper is wheat-based, making it off‑limits.

Ahi Poke Nachos: Tortilla chips topped with Ahi poke. While the chips are corn, Cheesecake Factory’s nachos include gluten‑based seasonings and shared prep, so best to skip them.

Housemade Meatballs: Beef and pork meatballs in marinara. The actual marinara is gluten-free by the ingredients themselves, but those meatballs use breadcrumbs, so avoid this, too.

Pretzel Bites With Cheddar Cheese Fondue: Mini pretzels made from wheat flour. As such, they contain gluten and share ovens with other baked goods.

Fried Macaroni and Cheese: Mac & cheese nuggets, breaded and fried. Worse, there’s wheat flour in the breading, and they use shared fryers, making them unsuitable for celiacs.

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes: Cornmeal cakes with a flour‑based batter. It contains gluten and is fried alongside other items, with loads of cross-contact risk.

Hot Spinach and Cheese Dip: Spinach dip thickened with flour. It’s served with bread or chips, all containing gluten, with no alternatives or substitutes available.

Buffalo Blasts: Wonton wrappers filled with chicken and cheese. These have been battered in wheat flour and fried, making them an enemy in the eyes of a fellow celiac.

Factory Nachos: Tortilla chips with nacho toppings. Again, Cheesecake Factory’s chips may be gluten-free by ingredient, but the cheese sauce and prep lines pose cross‑contact risks.

Buffalo Wings: Un-breaded wings tossed in sauce. All the ingredients here are gluten-free, but those wings share fryers with breaded items. Plus, the sauces are batch‑bottled near flour bins. You could try asking for a dedicated fryer, but for sensitive celiacs, it’s rather hard for me to safely recommend it.

Buffalo Chicken Strips: Breaded chicken strips; simple enough! However, the wheat flour in the breading makes these unsafe for celiacs.

Soup of the Day: Varies daily, of course. Alas, some of these soups are thickened with flour or contain pasta. I’d suggest that you check the official allergen tool for that day’s recipe, given that most of their soups aren’t gluten-free.

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Flatbread Pizzas

One of the smaller sub-menus at The Cheesecake Factory is their selection of Flatbread Pizzas. Nonetheless, as much as I’ve loved to give these a taste someday, The Cheesecake Factory’s Flatbread Pizzas all use a traditional wheat‑based flatbread crust.

In other words, they’re off-limits for celiacs, and you’re better off ordering something else from their menu. 🍕🙁

❌ Cheese Flatbread Pizza
❌ Margherita Flatbread Pizza
❌ Fresh Basil, Tomato, and Cheese Flatbread Pizza
❌ Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza
❌ Bee Sting Flatbread Pizza

Let’s break apart these pizzas to see why they’re not gluten-friendly:

Cheese Flatbread Pizza: Classic flatbread crust topped with tomato sauce and three cheeses. The crust itself is made from enriched wheat flour, so it’s not gluten‑free.

Margherita Flatbread Pizza: Flatbread base with fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. This might sound like a delicious pairing, but the crust contains wheat flour.

Fresh Basil, Tomato, and Cheese Flatbread Pizza: Similar to the Margherita Pizza, but with some extra cheese. Again, the crust is a standard non-gluten-free wheat flatbread.

Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza: Flatbread pizza loaded with pepperoni and cheese. The pepperoni itself is gluten‑free, but the wheat crust disqualifies the whole dish for us celiacs.

Bee Sting Flatbread Pizza: A sweet‑spicy twist with honey, chili, and bacon over flatbread crust. That honey‑chili topping is nicely gluten-free, but the crust, sadly, is not.

All in all, it’s a disappointing showing from The Cheesecake Factory and their Flatbread Pizzas, especially given that some fast-food and casual dining chains have offered gluten-free crusts. Still, there’s thankfully a ton more dishes that you could order from the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu, so let’s move on to their famous Glamburgers! 🍔

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Glamburgers

Big, bold, and built to order, The Cheesecake Factory’s Glamburgers are anything but shy. And, they are also the first signs of a bright spot in their gigantic menu for us celiacs, as 9 out of the 12 Glamburgers on their menu today can be offered as ‘gluten-free upon request’.

This means that you could swap out the regular wheat buns for dedicated gluten-free substitutes. 🍔🍞

Plus, The Cheesecake Factory could also accommodate special precautions against the risks of cross-contamination with non-gluten-free menu items! So, let’s see how each of these burgers fares, and where they fit within the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

✅ Double Smash Cheeseburger
✅ Old Fashioned Burger
✅ Bistro Burger
✅ Classic Burger
✅ French Dip Cheeseburger
✅ Smokehouse B.B.Q. Burger
✅ Americana Cheeseburger
✅ Macaroni and Cheese Burger
✅ Bacon‑Bacon Cheeseburger
❌ Impossible Burger
❌ Factory Turkey Burger
❌ Veggie Burger Melt

To find out what these burgers are made of, let’s break them down one by one:

Double Smash Cheeseburger: Two smashed beef patties, melted cheese, grilled onions & special sauce, then served on a toasted gluten-free bun when requested.

Old Fashioned Burger: Thick patty seasoned simply with lettuce, tomato & onion. Just make sure you swap to the gluten-free bun and request a clean grill spot.

Bistro Burger: Topped with sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions & Swiss cheese. There’s no wheat in the toppings, so long as you also order it with the gluten-free bun.

Classic Burger: Lettuce, tomato, onion & cheese. These simple ingredients are free of gluten, but remember to swap out the wheat bun with the gluten-free roll.

French Dip Cheeseburger: Beef patty with melted cheese on a gluten-free bun, plus au jus for dipping. I’d also suggest asking for a separate dipping vessel to avoid cross‑contact, just to be safe.

Smokehouse B.B.Q. Burger: Bacon, cheddar, crispy onions & BBQ sauce atop a beef patty. That BBQ sauce is gluten-free, but make sure that you’re substituting it for the gluten-free bun.

Americana Cheeseburger: Classic cheese & pickle‑topped burger. There’s no hidden wheat, just swap out the bun for the gluten-free option, and double‑check the prep areas.

Macaroni and Cheese Burger: A burger patty sandwiched with mac & cheese. The Mac is made with gluten-free pasta, and it’s celiac-safe if you’re ordering it with the gluten-free bun.

Bacon‑Bacon Cheeseburger: Double bacon, cheese & house sauce. The ingredients are gluten-free by the recipe itself, so swapping in the gluten-free bread makes it celiac‑safe.

Impossible Burger: Plant‑based patty is inherently gluten‑free, but it’s then served on a wheat brioche bun only, with no gluten-free option made available.

Factory Turkey Burger: Lean turkey patty with standard wheat roll, with no alternative for gluten-free bread, making it unsafe for celiacs.

Veggie Burger Melt: Veggie patty & melted cheese on wheat bread. Thus, it contains gluten from both the bun and bread.

Remember, all those gluten-free Glamburgers still share grills, utensils, and prep stations with wheat items.

If you’re very sensitive, consider asking the staff if they’d be okay with using fresh gloves, sanitized tools, and—if possible—a dedicated cooking area to reduce the risk of being exposed to small traces of gluten. 👩‍🍳🍽🔎

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Sandwiches

The Cheesecake Factory’s Sandwiches lineup spans from classic deli-style builds to some truly indulgent handhelds. Sadly, I have to report that none of them make the cut for celiac-friendly dining!

Every sandwich here features wheat-based bread or breading, with no alternatives for gluten-free bread, making them another thing to avoid for celiacs. 🥪🍞🌾

❌ Chicken Shawarma
❌ Mortadella Panino
❌ Renee’s Fresh Turkey Sandwich
❌ Renee’s Chicken‑Almond Salad Sandwich
❌ Chicken Salad Sandwich
❌ Cuban Sandwich
❌ The Club
❌ Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club
❌ Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich
❌ Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

Let’s see why these sandwiches aren’t included in the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Chicken Shawarma: Pita bread filled with grilled chicken, tomato, homemade pickles, onion, garlic, and cilantro. They’re all stuffed into a wheat‑based pita pocket, which contains gluten.

Mortadella Panino: Served on toasted ciabatta with imported mortadella, melted fontina cheese, lemon ricotta, arugula and onion garlic aioli. The ciabatta bread contains wheat.

Renee’s Fresh Turkey Sandwich: Roasted turkey breast, lettuce, tomato, bacon, and mayonnaise on multi‑grain bread. That multi‑grain loaf contains wheat, making it unsafe for celiacs.

Renee’s Chicken‑Almond Salad Sandwich: Chicken salad with toasted almonds, lettuce, and mayonnaise served on toasted wheat bread. Once again, the wheat bread contains gluten.

Chicken Salad Sandwich: Housemade chicken salad with roasted almonds, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on grilled brioche bread. The brioche contains enriched wheat flour, sadly.

Cuban Sandwich: Layers of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread. The Cuban loaf is made with wheat flour and isn’t friendly to celiacs.

The Club: Turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on toasted bread. The toasted loaf contains gluten, making it another strike against celiacs.

Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club: Grilled chicken breast, avocado, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and garlic aioli on toasted bread. As with the rest here, that toasted bread contains wheat.

Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich: Breaded chicken breast tossed in spicy buffalo sauce on a toasted bun. Here, both the breading and the bun itself contain wheat and gluten.

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich: Breaded chicken breast topped with marinara and some melted cheese on a toasted sub roll. Similarly, the breading and rolls are wheat‑based.

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Salads

At first glance, The Cheesecake Factory’s salad lineup looks promising… But, it turns out that only one of these makes it onto the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu, while the rest have traces of croutons, fried toppings, or wheat‑based dressings.

In other words, if you’re a celiac, it might be worth treading very carefully with these crispy salads. 🥗⚠️

✅ Seared Tuna Tataki Salad
✅Tossed Green Salad
✅Mexicali Salad
✅Factory Chopped Salad
❌ Caesar Salad
❌ Fried Chicken Club Salad
❌ Vegan Cobb Salad
❌ Chinese Chicken Salad
❌ Thai Chicken Salad
❌ Sheila’s Chicken and Avocado Salad
❌ Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad
❌ Santa Fe Salad
❌ Cobb Salad

Let’s break down these veggie delights and see why they’re not safe for consumption if you’re a celiac:

Seared Tuna Tataki Salad: Seared Ahi tuna over mixed greens with avocado, cucumbers, and a ginger‑soy dressing. To make it safe for celiacs, you could opt for the gluten-free dressings and confirm that there are no crispy onions or wonton strips.

Tossed Green Salad: Mixed greens, assored vegetables and tomato. Exclude the croutons and ask foe gluten-free dressing.

Mexicali Salad: Fine roasted corn, avocado,jicama,onion, white beans, mixed greens, cotijia cheese, Pepitas. Minus the crisp tortillas.

Factory Chopped Salad: Lettuce, chicken breast, tomato,avocardo,corn,bacon, blue cheese and apple. Check the vinaigrette is gluten-free.

Caesar Salad: Romaine lettuce, Parmesan, croutons, and Caesar dressing. Both the croutons and the dressing contain gluten, so avoid this if you’re a celiac.

Fried Chicken Club Salad: Breaded chicken tenders over greens with bacon and cheese. As the chicken is coated in wheat flour, this makes it 100% unsafe for celiacs like me.

Vegan Cobb Salad: Mixed greens with chickpeas, vegan cheese, avocado, and tortilla strips. These strips contain wheat, so they’re definitely not gluten-free.

Chinese Chicken Salad: Chicken, noodles, wonton strips, almonds, and sesame dressing. The noodles and wontons contain wheat, plus the shared prep lines pose a contamination risk.

Thai Chicken Salad: Romaine with chicken, rice noodles, and sweet‑spicy dressing. While the ride noodles are gluten-free, the dressing often contains soy sauce (wheat), and the shared prep areas pose a significant risk, too.

Sheila’s Chicken and Avocado Salad: Greens with chicken, avocado, tomato, bacon, and tortilla strips. Those strips contain wheat, so avoid them if you’re a celiac.

Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad: Grilled chicken, bacon, cheese, and BBQ ranch dressing. The ranch and BBQ sauces often contain stabilizers with gluten, making this another no-go!

Santa Fe Salad: Spiced chicken, avocado, cheddar, and tortilla strips. Once again, those strips contain wheat, so you ought to avoid them if you’re a celiac.

Cobb Salad: Mixed greens, bacon, egg, avocado, cheese, and tomato. Cheesecake Factory’s Cobb still includes tortilla strips or croutons, which makes this totally not gluten-free.

It’s a good time for me to remind you once again that even for those gluten-free salads, they share prep areas, knives, and bowls with wheat dishes. So, remember to ask your server for a fresh set of gloves, some clean utensils, and if they’re okay with it, even a separate prep area just to further minimize any gluten trace exposures. 🔪👩‍🍳🥗

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Lunch Favorites

If you’re dining out at The Cheesecake Factory before 5:00 PM, you could sample some of their Lunch Favorites.

Initially, it might seem like a celiac’s dream, with their tinier portions, loads of variety, and a mix of classics and lighter fare.

Unfortunately, once you dig a bit deeper, you’ll be able to see that gluten is lurking, hiding in the shadows amongst most of these dishes. 🍕🥗🐟

This is especially so with their pastas, flatbreads, sandwiches, and sauces. Surprisingly, only a few options here are even remotely possible for folks like you and me, with our super sensitive celiacs.

And even then, these dishes need to be modified carefully, so let’s see what you should order and what you ought to avoid:

✅ Fresh Grilled Salmon
✅ Cajun Salmon
✅ Miso Salmon
⚠️ Herb Crusted Filet of Salmon
❌ Renee’s Fresh Turkey Sandwich
❌ Renee’s Chicken-Almond Salad Sandwich
❌ Soup and Salad
❌ Santa Fe Salad
❌ Chinese Chicken Salad
❌ Cobb Salad
❌ Barbeque Ranch Chicken Salad
❌ Vegan Cobb Salad
❌ Sheila’s Chicken and Avocado Salad
❌ Chicken Piccata
❌ Crusted Chicken Romano
❌ Orange Chicken
❌ Cheese Flatbread Pizza
❌ Fresh Basil, Tomato, and Cheese Flatbread Pizza
❌ Margherita Flatbread Pizza
❌ Pepperoni Flatbread Pizza
❌ Bee Sting Flatbread Pizza
❌ Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta
❌ Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic
❌ Fettuccine Alfredo
❌ Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken
❌ Fettuccini Alfredo with Shrimp
❌ Four Cheese Pasta
❌ Louisiana Chicken Pasta
❌ Pasta Carbonara
❌ Pasta Da Vinci
❌ Spicy Rigatoni Vodka
❌ Spaghetti and Meatballs
❌ Italian Sausage & Fresh Mushroom Rigatoni
❌ Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta
❌ Famous Factory Meatloaf
❌ Shepherd’s Pie
❌ Fish & Chips

Now, let’s break down this massive list of lunch dishes to explain a bit more as to why only a select few of them even qualify for the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Fresh Grilled Salmon: This is your safest bet! It’s a plain grilled salmon filet and can be served with plain steamed veg or white rice. Still, double-check to be sure that there’s no seasoning or sauce here with traces of gluten.

Cajun Salmon: Often features a spice rub. That said, remember to ask your server to confirm that there’s no wheat-based thickener or maltodextrin. If it’s safe, then it’s a great celiac-safe and gluten-free meal.

Miso Salmon: Delicious and flavorful, but it’s a bit tricky when you’re ordering one. Miso could sometimes be brewed with barley or wheat, and soy sauce often contains gluten. You can ask about the base and whether a gluten-free miso or tamari can be used.

Herb Crusted Filet of Salmon: By default, the crust contains gluten, so try asking for the filet without that gluten-filled herb crust. You have the option to request a plain grilled version, if that’s available.

Sandwiches (Renee’s Fresh Turkey / Chicken-Almond Salad): Served on wheat bread with no gluten-free bread alternative available. Plus, they’re prepared on shared surfaces, so even just eating the filling itself can be risky.

Soup and Salad: Most soups are thickened with flour or roux, and the salads usually include croutons or fried toppings. As such, cross-contamination is a major risk that you have to consider.

Salads (all of them): Yes, even the Vegan Cobb and Sheila’s! These all include croutons, tortilla strips, or dressings with wheat. Even if you remove the offending bits, the prep areas and the shared tongs make them unsuitable for anyone with celiac disease.

Chicken Piccata: Coated in flour before being sautéed. The sauce may also be thickened with gluten, so it’s definitely not celiac-safe.

Crusted Chicken Romano: The “crusted” part is a red flag. It’s breaded in flour and Parmesan, then pan-fried, basically making this off-limits if you’re gluten-free.

Orange Chicken: Deep-fried in batter, drenched in a sweet soy sauce-based glaze. Both of the components here contain gluten, so this is a hard pass for folks like you and me.

Flatbread Pizzas: All five of them come as standard with wheat-based crusts. The Cheesecake Factory doesn’t offer gluten-free crusts, so these are off the table entirely.

Pasta (all of them): None of the lunch pasta dishes here offer a gluten-free pasta swap. From Alfredo to Pasta Da Vinci, they all use traditional wheat pasta and sauces that might contain hidden gluten. So, avoid these like the plague if you’re a celiac.

Famous Factory Meatloaf: Classic comfort food, but it’s made with breadcrumbs, gravy, and mashed potatoes (which might be cross-contaminated). It’s a gluten landmine for you and me!

Shepherd’s Pie: Mashed potatoes on top, but underneath? A beef and vegetable mix thickened with flour or roux, making it very gluten-heavy.

Fish & Chips: Battered in wheat flour and fried in shared fryers, making it pretty dangerous even if you’re just taking a tiny bite of it.

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Specialties

While The Cheesecake Factory’s Specialties menu boasts a huge variety of flavorful dishes, only a select few are suitable for those avoiding gluten. Many items contain gluten-rich ingredients or are prepared in environments with a high risk of cross-contamination.​

As a result, if you’re a celiac like me, it’s worth being very careful with which Specialties you’re ordering. ✍📝

✅ Shepherd’s Pie
✅ Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
✅ Baja Chicken Tacos
✅ Grilled Steak Tacos
✅ Chicken Madeira
❌ Korean Fried Chicken
❌ Chicken Parmesan “Pizza Style”
❌ Chicken Littles
❌ Crispy Pineapple Chicken and Shrimp
❌ Famous Factory Meatloaf
❌ Fish Tacos (crispy version)
❌ Chicken Bellagio
❌ Crusted Chicken Romano
❌ Orange Chicken
❌ Truffle-Honey Chicken
❌ Parmesan-Herb Crusted Chicken
❌ Crispy Chicken Costoletta
❌ Chicken Piccata
❌ Bang-Bang Chicken and Shrimp

Now, let’s break these dishes apart to see why most of these Specialties aren’t included in the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Shepherd’s Pie: A comforting dish of ground beef, vegetables, and mushroom gravy, topped with a mashed potato-Parmesan crust. This is one of the few items explicitly listed as gluten-free on their menu.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas: Corn tortillas filled with chicken, cheese, chile, and onion, topped with salsa verde and sour cream. While those corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free, it’s important that you confirm that the salsa and the other ingredients don’t contain hidden traces of gluten.

Baja Chicken Tacos: Soft corn tortillas filled with mildly spicy chicken, cheese, onion, chipotle, and cilantro. Ensure that the chicken isn’t breaded and that the preparation area avoids cross-contamination, particularly if you’re very sensitive.

Grilled Steak Tacos: Soft corn tortillas with chargrilled steak, avocado crema, chipotle sauce, onions, and cilantro. Confirm that the sauces are properly gluten-free and that there are no risks of cross-contact during the prep.

Chicken Madeira: Sautéed chicken breast topped with fresh asparagus and melted mozzarella cheese, covered with mushroom Madeira sauce, and served with mashed potatoes. While they are traditionally gluten-free, you should always verify the sauce’s ingredients and preparation methods.

Korean Fried Chicken: Crispy chicken tossed in spicy Korean BBQ sauce, served over rice with various toppings. The chicken is breaded and fried, making it unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.

Chicken Parmesan “Pizza Style”: Breaded chicken breast covered with marinara sauce and melted cheese, topped with angel hair pasta in Alfredo cream sauce. It contains multiple gluten sources, including breadcrumbs and pasta.

Chicken Littles: Crispy fried chicken pieces served with mashed potatoes and sweet corn. The breading and frying process introduces gluten into the mix, so do remember to avoid it.

Crispy Pineapple Chicken and Shrimp: Crispy chicken and shrimp with vegetables in a sweet and spicy sauce, served with white rice. The breaded proteins are not gluten-free.

Famous Factory Meatloaf: Meatloaf served with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, grilled onions, and fresh buttered corn. It normally contains breadcrumbs, making it unsuitable for those avoiding gluten.

Fish Tacos: Soft corn tortillas filled with grilled or crispy beer-battered fish, avocado, tomato, chipotle sauce, marinated onions, and cilantro. The beer batter contains gluten, so consider opting for grilled fish and confirm preparation methods for cross-contamination.

Chicken Bellagio: Parmesan-crusted chicken served over basil pasta with some prosciutto and arugula salad. Both the breading and pasta contain gluten, so it’s a no-go for celiacs.

Crusted Chicken Romano: Chicken breast coated with a Romano-Parmesan cheese crust, served with pasta in a light tomato sauce. The crust and pasta contain gluten, too.

Orange Chicken: Deep-fried chicken pieces covered in a sweet and spicy orange sauce, served with some white rice and vegetables. The breading introduces gluten, unfortunately.

Truffle-Honey Chicken: This chicken dish contains gluten and milk allergens, making it unsuitable for those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.

Parmesan-Herb Crusted Chicken: Chicken breast coated with a Parmesan and herb crust, typically served with pasta. Both of those components contain gluten, so avoid them if you’re a celiac.

Crispy Chicken Costoletta: Chicken breast lightly breaded and sautéed, served with lemon sauce, which also contains traces of gluten and wheat in that breading.

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Pastas

If you thought The Cheesecake Factory’s menu isn’t humongous enough, then you have yet to check out their Pasta menu!

Their pasta offerings are diverse and flavorful. And, unlike some of the pastas that we’ve looked at earlier, some of these are available as gluten-free options!

It’s a bit confusing, given how many pastas The Cheesecake Factory has, so it’s worth checking with the server and that interactive allergen tool that I linked to earlier.

In fact, you’ll even find some pastas with the same name, but depending on which sub-menu you’re looking at, they’re either available as gluten-free or not gluten-free at entirely. 😵🍝😖

✅ Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta (GF)
✅ Four Cheese Pasta (GF)
✅ Four Cheese Pasta with Chicken (GF)
✅ Pasta Carbonara (GF)
✅ Pasta Carbonara with Chicken (GF)
✅ Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Garlic (GF)
✅ Shrimp with Rotini (GF)
✅ Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (GF)
✅ Tomato Basil Pasta (GF)
❌ Thai Stir-Fried Noodles
❌ Thai Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp
❌ Fettuccine Alfredo
❌ Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken
❌ Fettuccini Alfredo with Shrimp
❌ Spaghetti and Meatballs
❌ Pasta Da Vinci
❌ Louisiana Chicken Pasta
❌ Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic
❌ Spicy Rigatoni Vodka
❌ Italian Sausage & Fresh Mushroom Rigatoni
❌ Cajun Jambalaya Pasta

Now, let’s break these pastas down one by one to see why they’re safe (or not) for celiacs:

Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta (GF): A medley of penne pasta, broccoli, oven-dried tomatoes, roasted eggplant, peppers, artichoke, Kalamata olives, garlic, and pine nuts. When requested with the gluten-free pasta option, it’s a safe and hearty option for celiacs.

Four Cheese Pasta (GF) & Four Cheese Pasta with Chicken (GF): A creamy blend of mozzarella, ricotta, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses. Opting for gluten-free pasta and ensuring the sauce is prepared without cross-contamination makes this dish suitable.

Pasta Carbonara (GF) & Pasta Carbonara with Chicken (GF): Featuring smoked bacon, green peas, and a garlic-parmesan cream sauce. You can request gluten-free pasta, and confirming separate preparation can make this a delightful choice.

Pasta with Chicken and Roasted Garlic (GF): Combines sautéed chicken, roasted garlic, and herbs in a light cream sauce. Ensure that you’re ordering the gluten-free pasta and that the dish is prepared separately to avoid contamination.

Shrimp with Rotini (GF): Succulent shrimp tossed with rotini pasta in a flavorful sauce. As always, make sure you specify gluten-free pasta and ask about preparation methods.

Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (GF): A spicy blend of chicken, asparagus, peas, peppers, and onions in a chipotle-parmesan cream sauce. With the gluten-free pasta option and careful preparation, it’s a zesty option for all you celiacs out there!

Tomato Basil Pasta (GF): A simple yet flavorful combination of fresh basil, tomato, and garlic. Just make sure you’re ordering the gluten-free pasta option, and confirm that the sauce is free from gluten-containing thickeners.

Thai Stir-Fried Noodles & Thai Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp: These dishes typically contain soy sauce, which often includes wheat, and the noodles may not be gluten-free. Without specific gluten-free modifications, they pose a risk for any celiac.

Fettuccini Alfredo (and variations with Chicken or Shrimp): Traditional fettuccine noodles do contain wheat, and unless a gluten-free version is available and is prepared separately, you should ideally avoid it.

Spaghetti and Meatballs: Both the spaghetti and meatballs usually contain gluten. Even with the gluten-free pasta option, the meatballs may have breadcrumbs or other gluten-containing ingredients.

Pasta Da Vinci: This dish includes sautéed chicken, mushrooms, and onions in a Madeira wine sauce over penne pasta. The standard preparation contains gluten, and modifications may not be feasible, so it’s worth being safe here rather than sorry.

Louisiana Chicken Pasta: Features crispy fried chicken over pasta in a spicy New Orleans sauce. The breaded chicken and standard pasta make this unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.

Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic: Combines bow-tie pasta with chicken and roasted garlic. Unless gluten-free pasta is available and prepared separately, this dish is not safe for celiacs.

Spicy Rigatoni Vodka: Contains rigatoni pasta in a spicy vodka sauce. Without gluten-free pasta substitutes and the heavy risk of cross-contamination, it’s best to avoid.

Italian Sausage & Fresh Mushroom Rigatoni: Includes rigatoni pasta with Italian sausage and mushrooms. The standard preparation contains gluten, and modifications may not eliminate the risk entirely, making it a bit of a risky meal for celiacs.

Cajun Jambalaya Pasta: A mix of shrimp and chicken sautéed with onions, tomatoes, and peppers in a Cajun sauce over linguini. The standard pasta and potential sauce ingredients make this dish unsuitable, with traces of wheat and gluten.

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Fish & Seafood

​The Cheesecake Factory’s Fish & Seafood menu offers a nice variety of fishy fresh dishes. For those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, you’ll be glad to hear that at least some of the seafood dishes here are gluten-free. However, do bear in mind the cross-contamination risk! 🍤🦐🦑

✅ Fresh Grilled Salmon (GF)
✅ Miso Salmon (GF)
✅ Cajun Salmon (GF)
✅ Grilled Branzino (GF)
❌ Fish & Chips
❌ Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo
❌ Shrimp Scampi
❌ Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp
❌ Jamaican Black Pepper Chicken
❌ Jamaican Black Pepper Chicken and Shrimp

Now, let’s take a look at why most of these won’t qualify as a part of the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Fresh Grilled Salmon (GF): A simple, grilled salmon fillet served with sides like fresh corn, green beans, or sautéed spinach. This dish is naturally gluten-free when paired with gluten-free sides.

Miso Salmon (GF): Grilled salmon glazed with a miso sauce, accompanied by some rice and vegetables. The ingredients are gluten-free, but always confirm with the server to ensure no cross-contamination.

Cajun Salmon (GF): A spicy, blackened salmon fillet served with vegetables. Naturally gluten-free, but verify the preparation and cooking methods to avoid cross-contact with non-gluten-free items.

Grilled Branzino (GF): A Mediterranean sea bass, grilled and served with vegetables. This dish can be made gluten-free when prepared without any gluten-containing sauces or sides. ​So, be sure to double-check that with your server.

Fish & Chips: Battered and fried fish served with fries. The batter contains wheat flour, making it unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.

Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo: A stew that’s normally thickened with a roux made from wheat flour, rendering it unsafe for those avoiding gluten.

Shrimp Scampi: Shrimp sautéed in garlic butter and served over pasta. The standard pasta contains gluten, and substitutes may not be available for each pasta-based dish.

Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp / Chicken / Chicken and Shrimp: These dishes include sauces or marinades containing gluten, so they ought to be avoided if you’re a celiac.

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Steaks

Or, if seafood isn’t really your thing, then there’s always The Cheesecake Factory’s juicy steaks! They don’t have nearly as many steak options, but the option is there.

And, better yet, most of these steaks are friendly to celiacs and can be had gluten-free! 🔥🥩

✅ Filet Mignon
✅ Grilled Rib-Eye Steak
✅ Steak Diane
✅ Steak Frites
❌ Spicy Ginger Beef Tenderloin
⚠️ Carne Asada Steak

Let’s take a peek at why some of these steaks won’t cut it for the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Filet Mignon: A classic cut of tender beef, grilled to your preference. This dish is naturally gluten-free and is often served with sides like mashed potatoes and green beans, which are celiac-safe, too!

Grilled Rib-Eye Steak: A flavorful, marbled steak grilled to order. It’s gluten-free and typically accompanied by mashed potatoes and green beans.

Steak Diane: Medallions of steak covered with black peppercorns and a rich mushroom wine sauce, served with mashed potatoes and grilled onions. This dish is listed as gluten-free, but always confirm with the server, especially with cross-contamination risks.

Steak Frites: Charbroiled rib-eye steak with red wine sauce, grilled onions, garlic-herb butter, and Parmesan French fries. This dish is available in a gluten-free version. However, ensure that those fries are prepared in a dedicated fryer to avoid cross-contamination.

Spicy Ginger Beef Tenderloin: Tender pieces of filet mignon sautéed with shiitake mushrooms, snap peas, peppers, and onions in a spicy sesame-ginger sauce. The sauce likely contains soy sauce with wheat, making it unsuitable for a gluten-free diet, especially if you’re sensitive!

Carne Asada Steak: Steak medallions covered with sautéed peppers, onions, and cilantro, served with creamy ranchero sauce, fresh corn, and white rice. The ranchero sauce might contain traces of gluten, even though some of them can be had as gluten-free. To be safe, you’d be wise to ask the server and kitchen staff for confirmation!

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Side Dishes

Ah, but if you’re looking to complement your hearty steaks, The Cheesecake Factory has some Side Dishes that you can fit into your order. Best of all, if you’re a celiac like me, most of these can be had as gluten-free options, too!🍟🌽🍠🥔

✅ Green Beans
✅ Fresh Corn
✅ Mashed Potatoes
✅ Sautéed Spinach
✅ Broccoli
✅ Grilled Asparagus
✅ Steamed White Rice
✅ Steamed Brown Rice
❌ French Fries
❌ Sweet Potato Fries
❌ Macaroni & Cheese

Now, let’s break these down a bit further to see what’s up with them:

Green Beans: Steamed or sautéed, these are naturally gluten-free. Ensure they’re prepared without any sauces or seasonings containing gluten.​

Fresh Corn: Typically served plain, fresh corn is gluten-free. However, you should confirm that it’s not mixed with any gluten-containing ingredients.

Mashed Potatoes: Made from potatoes, butter, and cream, and these are generally gluten-free! To be extra safe, verify that no flour or gluten-containing thickeners are used.​

Sautéed Spinach: Usually prepared with garlic and olive oil, this dish is gluten-free. Just make sure that no breadcrumbs or other gluten-containing toppings are added.​

Broccoli: Steamed or sautéed, broccoli is naturally gluten-free. Confirm it has not been cooked with any sauces or seasonings containing gluten.

Grilled Asparagus: Grilled and seasoned, asparagus is gluten-free. You should also make sure that no sauces or toppings with gluten are used.

Steamed White Rice: Plain steamed rice is gluten-free. It’s a good idea to make sure that it has not been mixed with any gluten-containing ingredients or cross-contaminated.

Steamed Brown Rice: Similar to white rice, brown rice is naturally gluten-free, so long as it’s been prepared without any gluten-containing additions.

French Fries: While potatoes are gluten-free, fries are typically cooked in shared fryers with gluten-containing items, posing a severe risk of cross-contamination.​​

Sweet Potato Fries: Similar to regular fries, these are usually fried in shared fryers, leading to potentially heavy gluten exposure.

Macaroni & Cheese: Traditional macaroni is made from wheat pasta, making this dish pretty unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.

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SkinnyLicious Specialties

One of The Cheesecake Factory’s highlights is its SkinnyLicious dishes, which are supposed to be low-calorie and leaner versions of their regular menu items.

Healthy, no doubt, and some of the meals that I’ve showcased earlier could be had as SkinnyLicious versions, if you’re more health-conscious.

However, there are a few more SkinnyLicious dishes that I’ve yet to include:

✅ SkinnyLicious Grilled Branzino
✅ Grilled Steak Medallions
✅ SkinnyLicious Grilled Salmon
❌ SkinnyLicious Chicken Pasta
❌ Sesame Ginger Chicken
❌ Tuscan Chicken
❌ Lemon-Garlic Shrimp

With that out of the way, let’s break these down even further to see what makes them safe or otherwise for celiacs:

SkinnyLicious Grilled Branzino: A light and flavorful dish featuring grilled branzino served with Mediterranean salsa. This entrée is listed as gluten-free and offers a healthy protein option.

Grilled Steak Medallions: Tender steak medallions grilled to perfection, accompanied by fresh vegetables. This dish is naturally gluten-free, but always confirm with the server to ensure no gluten-containing ingredients are used during the preparation.

SkinnyLicious Grilled Salmon: A simple yet delicious option, the grilled salmon is served with assorted fresh vegetables. This entrée is naturally gluten-free, but I’d advise that you verify with the server when it comes to cross-contact risk.

SkinnyLicious Chicken Pasta: ​This dish features penne pasta with sautéed chicken, fresh tomato, marinara sauce, and fresh basil. The penne pasta is made from wheat, making it unsuitable for a gluten-free diet and all my fellow celiacs out there.

Sesame Ginger Chicken: Soy-glazed chicken breast served with quinoa, sautéed snow peas, asparagus, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. The soy glaze likely contains wheat, rendering this dish not gluten-free, either.

Tuscan Chicken: Grilled chicken breast with tomatoes, artichokes, capers, fresh basil, and balsamic vinaigrette, served over fresh vegetables and farro. Farro is a wheat grain, making this dish equally unsuitable for those of you who are avoiding gluten.

Lemon-Garlic Shrimp: Sautéed shrimp with basil, tomato, and lemon-garlic sauce, served with asparagus and angel hair pasta. The angel hair pasta contains wheat, making it another no-go for celiacs.

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Kids’ Menu

For the little ones, The Cheesecake Factory has plenty of fun, tasty meals in their Kids’ Menu! Unfortunately, if your child is a celiac, only a handful of items are naturally gluten-free, while others need at least some modifications before they can be celiac-safe. 👶🍝🍟

⚠️ Kids’ Pasta with Butter and Parmesan
⚠️ Kids’ Pasta with Marinara Sauce
⚠️ Kids’ Pasta with Alfredo Sauce
✅ Kids’ Grilled Chicken
✅ Kids’ Grilled Salmon
✅ Kids’ Scoop of Ice Cream
✅ Kids’ Mini Hot Fudge Sundae
✅ Kids’ Strawberries
❌ Kids’ Roadside Sliders
❌ Kids’ Mini Corn Dogs
❌ Kids’ Spaghetti with Meatball
❌ Kids’ Macaroni and Cheese
❌ Kids’ Fried Chicken Strips
❌ Kids’ Cheese Flatbread
❌ Kids’ Pepperoni Flatbread
❌ Kids’ Quesadilla
❌ Kids’ Chicken Quesadilla
❌ Kids’ Grilled Cheese Sandwich
❌ Kids’ Strawberry Shortcake

Here’s a deep dive into why some of these didn’t make it into the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu:

Kids’ Pasta with Butter and Parmesan: A simple combo of penne pasta tossed in butter and Parmesan. By default, these kids’ pasta dishes come with non-gluten-free pasta. However, you can request gluten-free pasta to make it safe for celiacs, though watch out for shared utensils.

Kids’ Pasta with Marinara Sauce: Classic tomato sauce over gluten-free penne. Marinara is made from tomatoes, olive oil, and herbs, so there’s no hidden wheat to worry about. But, as it comes by default with non-gluten-free pasta, make sure you confirm the pasta swap.

Kids’ Pasta with Alfredo Sauce: Rich cream-and-cheese sauce over gluten-free pasta. Alfredo sauce uses butter, cream, and Parmesan, with no flour thickener, so it’s pretty safe once you swap to the gluten-free pasta. Again, be on the lookout for cross-contamination.

Kids’ Grilled Chicken: Plain grilled chicken breast seasoned simply with salt and pepper. A naturally gluten-free protein, though make sure that it doesn’t contain any marinades with soy sauce or flour, which both contain gluten.

Kids’ Grilled Salmon: Fresh salmon filet grilled with olive oil and lemon. There’s no breading or wheat-based sauces, making it a solid gluten-free and celiac-safe choice.

Kids’ Scoop of Ice Cream: Single scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream. Ice cream bases are dairy and sugar, free of gluten, but ensure that you avoid any cookie or cake mix-ins, which contain traces of gluten.

Kids’ Mini Hot Fudge Sundae: Vanilla ice cream drizzled with warm hot fudge. The fudge sauce is chocolate-based without including any flour, keeping this dessert gluten-free and friendly to any celiac.

Kids’ Strawberries: Fresh strawberries served without glaze or syrup. It’s naturally gluten-free and celiac-safe, with the added bonus of being a rather healthy side.

Kids’ Roadside Sliders: Mini burgers on wheat buns. Unfortunately, The Cheesecake Factory doesn’t offer gluten-free bread alternatives or substitutes for these kids-sized sliders.

Kids’ Mini Corn Dogs: Corn dogs are coated in a wheat and cornmeal-based batter and then fried. There’s not only gluten in the coating itself, but using a fryer shared with non-gluten-free items poses a huge cross-contamination risk.

Kids’ Spaghetti with Meatball: Traditional spaghetti noodles and meatballs made with breadcrumbs. Alas, both of them contain wheat, and thus, gluten.

Kids’ Macaroni and Cheese: Wheat-based macaroni pasta in cheese sauce. It contains gluten, and unlike some other pasta dishes that I’ve mentioned thus far, there’s no gluten-free pasta option for this one.

Kids’ Fried Chicken Strips: Chicken breast strips breaded in wheat flour. It’s absolutely unsafe for celiacs, as it contains gluten, in addition to being fried in shared oils and fryers, with too much cross-contamination to safely consume for celiacs.

Kids’ Cheese & Pepperoni Flatbreads: Flatbreads use wheat flour dough, making both the cheese and pepperoni varieties off-limits for celiacs.

Kids’ Quesadilla & Chicken Quesadilla: Tortillas are wheat flour, and the fillings may also include gluten-containing additives or traces of gluten.

Kids’ Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Classic wheat bread with melted cheese. Right now, there are no gluten-free bread alternatives or substitutes here for the kids’ menu.

Kids’ Strawberry Shortcake: Shortcake is made with wheat flour, and it also contains gluten in the cake and whipped topping, too.

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Eggs & Omelets

Alternatively, for some eggy goodness, The Cheesecake Factory has some egg dishes and nice omelets, too! As a fan of all things egg, I’m also glad to see that a lot of these are gluten-free and friendly for celiacs! 🍳🥚

✅ Farm Fresh Eggs
✅ Farm Fresh Eggs with Old Smokehouse Bacon
✅ Farm Fresh Eggs with Grilled Ham
⚠️ Factory Create an Omelette
✅ California Omelette
✅ Spinach, Mushroom, Bacon, and Cheese Omelette
✅ Grilled Steak & Eggs
❌ Brioche Breakfast Sandwich

Let’s crack open these eggs and omelets to see what makes them gluten-free:

Farm Fresh Eggs: Two eggs served with your choice of breakfast potatoes or sliced tomatoes. Opting for sliced tomatoes ensures a gluten-free meal.

Farm Fresh Eggs with Old Smokehouse Bacon: This dish combines two eggs with crispy bacon. Choosing sliced tomatoes as a side keeps it gluten-free.

Farm Fresh Eggs with Grilled Ham: Two eggs paired with grilled ham. Selecting sliced tomatoes instead of toast or other bread items maintains its gluten-free status.

Factory Create an Omelette: Customize your omelet with a variety of fillings. Stick to gluten-free ingredients like vegetables, cheeses, and meats. And, remember to avoid adding anything that might contain gluten, such as certain processed meats or sauces.

California Omelette: A flavorful combination of avocado, mushrooms, green onions, tomato, and a blend of cheeses, making this omelet gluten-free.

Spinach, Mushroom, Bacon, and Cheese Omelette: A hearty omelet is filled with spinach, some mushrooms, bacon, and cheese. That ought to also make this celiac-friendly and gluten-free.

Grilled Steak & Eggs: A satisfying meal featuring grilled steak and eggs. Ensure that sides like toast are omitted or replaced with gluten-free alternatives like sliced tomatoes.

Brioche Breakfast Sandwich: This sandwich includes eggs, cheese, and meats served on a brioche bun, which contains gluten. Thanks to that wheat bun, this is the only omelet dish here that you ought to avoid if you’re a celiac.

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Saturday & Sunday Brunch

Should you happen to be visiting The Cheesecake Factory on Saturdays and Sundays (up until 2:00 PM), then you could satiate yourself with their rare Saturday & Sunday Brunch menu.

A few of these are even gluten-free and celiac-safe, though not all of them, so be careful when you’re ordering! 🥞🧇

✅ Brunch Combo
✅ Eggs Benedict with Canadian Bacon and Hollandaise
✅ Bacon and Avocado Benedict
⚠️ Breakfast Kimchi Fried Rice & Eggs
✅ Green Chilaquiles and Eggs
✅ Jambalaya Hash & Eggs
✅ Kids’ Brunch
❌ Giant Belgian Waffle
❌ Giant Belgian Waffle with Strawberries, Pecans, and Chantilly Cream
❌ Fried Chicken & Waffles
❌ Buttermilk Pancakes
❌ Cinnamon Roll Pancakes
❌ Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
❌ Bruléed French Toast
❌ Brunch Flatbread
❌ Fried Chicken & Waffles Benedict
❌ Monte Cristo Sandwich
❌ Breakfast Burrito

Let’s break these down a bit more to see what is and isn’t celiac-friendly:

Brunch Combo: A customizable plate featuring eggs, bacon or sausage, and a choice of sides. Make sure you opt for sliced tomatoes or fruit instead of toast to keep it gluten-free.​

Eggs Benedict with Canadian Bacon and Hollandaise: Poached eggs and Canadian bacon atop a gluten-free English muffin, topped with hollandaise sauce. Ensure that the muffin is gluten-free, as some locations may offer this option.​

Bacon and Avocado Benedict: Similar to the traditional Benedict, but with crispy bacon and fresh avocado. Make sure you ask for a gluten-free muffin to make this suitable for a gluten-free diet.​

Breakfast Kimchi Fried Rice & Eggs: A flavorful dish featuring kimchi fried rice topped with eggs. Confirm with your server that the soy sauce being used is gluten-free, as traditional soy sauce contains wheat.​

Green Chilaquiles and Eggs: Corn tortilla chips simmered in green salsa and topped with eggs. Ensure that those tortilla chips are fried in a dedicated gluten-free fryer to avoid cross-contact risks.

Jambalaya Hash & Eggs: A spicy mix of meats and vegetables served with eggs, and this dish is listed as celiac-safe in the Cheesecake Factory gluten-free menu.

Kids’ Brunch: Options include scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. All you have to do is request gluten-free sides to accommodate dietary needs.​

Giant Belgian Waffle: Made with traditional wheat flour, making it unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.

Giant Belgian Waffle with Strawberries, Pecans, and Chantilly Cream: Contains wheat flour, which is not gluten-free.​

Fried Chicken & Waffles: Both the fried chicken and waffles contain gluten.

Buttermilk Pancakes: Prepared with wheat flour, so it’s not safe for those avoiding gluten.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes: Contain wheat-based ingredients, which are not gluten-free.

Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes: Made with wheat flour, making it unsuitable for a gluten-free diet.

Bruléed French Toast: Uses traditional bread containing gluten, so it’s not celiac-safe.

Brunch Flatbread: Flatbread is made with wheat flour, so it’s not gluten-free.​​

Fried Chicken & Waffles Benedict: Both components contain gluten, making it not suitable for a gluten-free diet.

Monte Cristo Sandwich: Sandwich bread contains gluten, so it’s not safe for those with gluten sensitivity and all my fellow celiacs out there.

Breakfast Burrito: Tortilla is made with wheat flour, making it not gluten-free.​

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Cheesecakes & Specialty Desserts

Then, there’s The Cheesecake Factory’s namesake and what made them super popular in the first place – the cheesecakes!

There’s practically a limitless selection of cheesecakes and other dessert items, though most of them are, sadly, not celiac-safe and not gluten-free.

So, despite how much you’d love to give them a taste, be cautious! 🍰🎂🧀

✅ Low-Licious Cheesecake
✅ Low-Licious Cheesecake with Strawberries
✅ Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake
✅ Bowl of Fresh Strawberries
✅ Bowl of Vanilla Ice Cream
✅ Hot Fudge Sundae
❌ Original
❌ Fresh Strawberry
❌ Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake
❌ Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake
❌ Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake
❌ Coconut Cream Pie Cheesecake
❌ Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple
❌ Triple Berry Bliss
❌ Cookie Dough Lover’s Cheesecake with Pecans
❌ Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake
❌ Celebration Cheesecake
❌ Cinnabon Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake
❌ Salted Caramel Cheesecake
❌ Toasted Marshmallow S’Mores Galore
❌ Dulce De Leche Caramel Cheesecake
❌ White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle
❌ Mango Key Lime Cheesecake
❌ Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake
❌ Very Cherry Ghirardelli Chocolate Cheesecake
❌ Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake
❌ Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake
❌ Chocolate Caramelicious Cheesecake Made with Snickers
❌ Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
❌ Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
❌ Hershey’s Chocolate Bar Cheesecake
❌ Vanilla Bean Cheesecake
❌ Tiramisu Cheesecake
❌ Key Lime Cheesecake
❌ Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake
❌ Tiramisu
❌ Linda’s Fudge Cake
❌ Carrot Cake
❌ Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake
❌ Warm Apple Crisp
❌ Fresh Strawberry Shortcake

As you can see, the majority of The Cheesecake Factory’s cheesecakes and specialty desserts contain gluten, primarily due to crusts, cake layers, or other ingredients.

This includes popular options like the Original, Fresh Strawberry, Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake, and many more that I’ve included earlier. However, there are a couple here that are gluten-free:

Low-Licious Cheesecake: A low-carb, no-sugar-added, and gluten-free cheesecake option. It’s a great choice for those seeking a lighter dessert.​

Low-Licious Cheesecake with Strawberries: The same delightful cheesecake is topped with fresh strawberries, adding a fruity twist to the classic flavor. ​

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake: A decadent combination of flourless Godiva chocolate cake, Godiva chocolate cheesecake, and chocolate mousse. This superbly rich dessert is gluten-free and perfect for chocolate lovers and celiacs alike!

Bowl of Fresh Strawberries: A simple and refreshing dessert option, offering fresh strawberries without any added gluten-containing ingredients.

Bowl of Vanilla Ice Cream: Classic vanilla ice cream that’s served in a bowl, free from gluten-containing ingredients.

Hot Fudge Sundae: A traditional sundae featuring vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge. While the core ingredients are gluten-free, always confirm with the staff to ensure no gluten-containing toppings are added.

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Beverages

Last but not least, here’s a quick look at some of the beverages that you could pair with your meals at The Cheesecake Factory, which thankfully, all of them are gluten-free and friendly to celiacs!

Of course, while they might be naturally gluten-free, cross-contamination could occur in shared kitchen spaces, so make sure that you communicate this with your server! ☕🍵🍹

✅ To Go Soft Drinks
✅ To Go Flavored Lemonade
✅ To Go Arnold Palmer
✅ Paradise Punch
✅ Passion Mint Fizz
✅ Pineapple Cherry Limeade
✅ Tropical Ginger Cooler
✅ Guava Sparkler
✅ Yuzu Crush
✅ Cold Brew Coffee
✅ To Go Freshly Brewed Iced Tea
✅ To Go Freshly Brewed Coffee
✅ To Go Certified Organic Tea
✅ Fiji Natural Artesian Water
✅ San Pellegrino Water
✅ Fresh Orange Juice
✅ Apple Juice
✅ Creamy Milkshakes
✅ Oreo Milkshake
✅ Strawberry Fruit Smoothie
✅ Tropical Smoothie
✅ Peach Smoothie
✅ Frozen Iced Mango
✅ Cafe Latte
✅ Cafe Mocha
✅ Cappuccino
✅ Double Espresso
✅ Caramel Royale Macchiato
✅ Factory Hot Chocolate

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To Sum Up

All in all, The Cheesecake Factory gluten-free and celiac-safe menu, in particular those unique SkinnyLicious dishes, presents celiacs like you and me a healthy array of gluten-safe meals.

The scratch-made options, from charred veggies to ceviche and the Glamburgers, there’s even the Low‑Licious cheesecakes to add to the variety! 👏🍔🧀🍰

Now, The Cheesecake Factory presents a distinct challenge for celiacs wishing to dine there, as they have a truly gigantic menu, with tons of options and items.

Not to mention, you may even find that some dishes have a separate, gluten-free version, so diving into their menu and trying to pick apart which ones are and aren’t safe is a massive obstacle. 📝

Nevertheless, there are a few things you could do to help, such as communicating your dietary needs and celiac disease to your server. They’d be more than happy to accommodate you with fresh gloves, clean utensils, and separate prep areas.

And, remember to make good use of The Cheesecake Factory’s interactive Online Allergen Guide for an up-to-date list. 🍔💪

In the meantime, remember to stay tuned to Great Without Gluten for more celiac‑friendly dining guides! 🔥🥩

And, you might also want to check out my other eating out guides and some tasty gluten‑free recipes!

If you’re craving other fast-food or casual dining chains and gourmet meals, do check out my celiac-friendly guides to Jimmy John’s, Subway, Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald’s, Burger King, Firehouse Subs, Waffle House, Outback Steakhouse, Red Robin, Panda Express, Applebee’s, Chick-fil-A, Krispy Kreme, IHOP, Taco Bell, Buffalo Wild Wings, Olive Garden, Panera Bread, Denny’s, Popeyes, Dunkin Donuts, Texas Roadhouse, Five Guys, Chipotle, Starbucks, Jersey Mikes Subs, Jack In The Box, Cracker Barrel, Shake Shack and more! 🍔🍟

Stay safe and gluten‑aware, my celiac friends! 💖🥗

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Frequently Asked Questions

While researching The Cheesecake Factory’s gluten-free menu, I’ve found a couple of interesting questions that remain unanswered, so here’s what I have to say about them:

Does The Cheesecake Factory offer a gluten‑free bun?

Yes, upon request! The Cheesecake Factory can serve its Double Smash Cheeseburger on a dedicated gluten-free bun. However, availability varies by location, so always confirm ahead.

Are The Cheesecake Factory’s gluten-free items certified?

Items marked as gluten-free in their allergen policies all meet the FDA’s <20 ppm threshold, but The Cheesecake Factory’s kitchens are shared. So, always notify staff of your celiac disease.

Which Cheesecake Factory desserts are gluten‑free?

The Low‑Licious Cheesecake with Strawberries and plain vanilla ice cream bowl are among the few truly gluten-free desserts. Sundaes are also gluten-free by default, but they require careful handling.

How can I minimize cross‑contact while ordering?

Order during off‑peak hours, inform your server of your celiac disease, ask for fresh gloves and utensils, and avoid shared fryers and prep areas.

Where can I find The Cheesecake Factory’s official allergen and nutrition information?

You can easily find these on their website, including a nutrition guide PDF file that they update regularly, as well as an interactive Online Allergen Guide, where you can easily filter out any allergens in their menu.

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