Best Gluten-Free And Vegan Bakeries in Richmond

Thanksgiving is almost here and many of us have already started stocking the pantry in preparation for the big day. Traditional Thanksgiving meals consist of classics like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, breads and rolls, and of course, a dessert table piled high with enough sweet treats to feed an army. This is a menu that most of us know and love – and especially at this time of year, finding ingredients for all of our favorite dishes is a snap. Simply head to any local market or grocery store and you’ll find displays filled with everything you need to make your Thanksgiving feast. And that’s all fine and good…unless you have guests with food allergies and/or gluten-free or vegan dietary requirements. Suddenly, the menu becomes a bit more challenging.

If you deal with food allergies or sensitivities on a regular basis, chances are you’ve got a system in place. You most likely already know how to swap out certain ingredients to make dishes suitable for everyone at the table. But if your day-to-day cooking doesn’t include gluten-free, allergy sensitive, or vegetarian/vegan options, then you might find yourself facing a bit of a dilemma. Sure, it’s easy enough to find recipes and ingredients online and in stores that allow you to make dishes to meet any special dietary requirements, but trying out new recipes and working with new ingredients in the midst of the holiday madness may not be the best idea.

Fortunately, Richmond offers a number of local shops and bakeries that offer ready-made breads, cakes, and pies that are gluten-free, with vegan options to boot. We took a look at some of these spots and have picked five of our favorites. In order to make our list, we looked for shops that offered the following:

1. A variety of options
2. An understanding of the importance of keeping ingredients separate during prep
3. A reputation for great flavors and quality products

The following five spots will not only serve up delicious additions to your Thanksgiving meal, but they’ll offer peace of mind as you come to the table on Thanksgiving day knowing that all of your guests will have options that are delicious – and right for their dietary needs.

Take a look at these awesome options and enjoy great flavors, not just at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year!

As always, if there’s an option for gluten-free and/or vegan goods that you’d like us to know about, be sure to contact us at cs@richmondmom.com.

In the meantime, have a wonderful Thanksgiving – from our Richmond Mom family to yours!

1. Anna B’s Gluten-Free Bakery

For gluten-free baked goods, Anna B’s takes the cake – or makes the cake, as it were! This local Mechanicsville bakery is absolutely 100% committed to gluten-free baking. So much in fact, that they don’t allow gluten in their kitchen in any form – ever. For people who have chosen a gluten-free diet for general health reasons, this is good to know. But for people dealing with conditions like Celiac disease or other more severe allergies, it’s essential.

Best of all, at Anna B’s you won’t have to sacrifice flavor or choices for health. With a wide variety of breads, rolls, muffins, cookies, cupcakes, cakes, pies, and more, you’ll find plenty to satisfy everyone at your table. Choose from their set menu, including a wide range of vegan options, or place special orders.

Anna B’s is open for walk-in hours every Saturday from 8am – 2pm, for a small fee, they can deliver right to your door, or find Anna B’s ready-made products at these local retailers: Ellwood Thompson’s (Richmond), Whole Foods (Glen Allen), and Libbie Market (Richmond). Of course, keep in mind that holidays are a busy time for everyone, so while they try to keep everything in stock, it’s always best to call ahead to check on availability!

Options: All items are 100% gluten and peanut free. Vegan options available.

See the full menu here.

Hours: Walk-in, Saturdays, 8am – 2pm; special orders available daily.

Location: 7426 Brandy Creek Drive Mechanicsville, VA 23111

Contact: (804) 822-0656 or annabglutenfree@gmail.com

2. Ellwood Thompson’s

If you’ve been in Richmond for awhile, you probably don’t have to think twice about where to go for the best ingredients for special diets. Ellwood Thompson’s has been a staple on the Richmond scene for years offering the best of the best in terms organic ingredients, health food items, and specialty baking/cooking supplies. So it probably comes as no surprise that they’re there for you when it comes to finding everything for your Thanksgiving dinner, no matter what your needs.

With a full bakery offering a wide variety of vegan, gluten-free ingredient (GFI) goods or raw baked goods, Ellwood Thompson’s is the perfect way to round out your Thanksgiving menu and ensure that everyone at your table is happy – and healthy.

Options: Breads, pastries, and other confections with vegan, GFI, and no-bake raw goods options.

Hours: Open daily, 7am – 9pm (Closed Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2018)

Location: 4 N. Thompson St., Richmond VA 23221

Contact: (804) 359-7525 or info@ellwoodthompsons.com

3. WPA Bakery

This local bakery is no stranger to praise, showing up on “Best of” and “favorites” lists time and again. However, what sets them apart is not just their amazing flavors, but their ability to offer gluten-free and vegan options that taste every bit as good as the “real thing.” With pies, cakes, cupcakes, and more, your dessert table will look (and taste!) better than ever while offering options for every diet. Plus, two convenient locations on the Southside and in Church Hill make picking up items a breeze.

We have to note that they are booked for Thanksgiving special orders, but you can still stop by to see what they have on hand to finish out your Thanksgiving meal planning. And once you’ve had a taste of what they have to offer, we’re pretty sure you’ll be back for more – gluten-free, vegan, or otherwise!

Options: Biscuits, cupcakes, cookies, cake, pie, coffee cake, cheesecake, ice cream, macarons, sweet muffins, English muffins, pastries, caneles, toast with jam/cheese, sticky buns, paquets, and pinwheels. Please note that not everything is available gluten-free and/or vegan.

See the full menu here.

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7am – 7pm; Sunday, 7am – 2pm

Location(s):
Southside: 3414 Semmes Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
Church Hill: 2707 E. Marshall St, Richmond, VA 23223

Contact:
Southside: (804) 477-6449
Church Hill: (804) 716-9797

4. Carytown Cupakes

As the name implies, this sweet shop isn’t a full-service bakery. However, if it’s desserts you’re looking for, well, look no further. With an incredible selection of cupcakes in gluten free and vegan flavors that will make your mouth water, you can load up the dessert table and no one will even notice that these desserts are “missing” a thing!

At Carytown Cupcakes, you can choose from their year-round menu with options like gluten-free salted caramel cupcakes and strawberry cupcakes or vegan maple pecan flapjack cupcakes and cookies n’ cream cupcakes, or try their special fall flavors including gluten-free pumpkin caramel or vegan pumpkin chocolate chip. When it comes to choices, you really can’t go wrong.

Best of all, they now offer two great locations in both Richmond and Short Pump. But if that’s not enough to sell you, then we should probably mention that they also deliver. That’s right. Get cupcakes straight to your door (yes, please!) Monday through Friday from 9am – 6pm or other times through partners like UberEats, and Grubhub.

Options: Cupcakes with gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan options.

See the full menu here.

Hours:
Carytown: Monday-Saturday, 10am – 10pm; Sunday, 11am – 8pm
Short Pump: Monday-Saturday, 10am – 9pm, Sunday, 11am – 6pm

Location(s):
Carytown: 3111 W Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23221
Short Pump Town Center:11800 West Broad Street Ste 1160, Henrico, VA 23233

Contact: (804) 355-2253

5. Pearl’s Bake Shoppe

When it comes to sweet treats, Pearl’s has been a Richmond favorite since they opened their doors in 2010. With a recent move to a new, much larger shop in the West End, Pearl’s continues to bake up confections to please every palate, even those with special dietary needs. Offering cakes in more than 120 flavors, many of their offerings are available in gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free versions. Or choose from their ever-rotating cupcake flavors with options like gluten-free Butter Pumpkin (pumpkin cake with brown butter glaze topped with a toasted pumpkin seed) or vegan Gingerbread (brown sugar rum cake with a caramelized pear filling, topped with a brown sugar seven-minute frosting, a slice of pear and freshly grated nutmeg).

If you’re looking for last minute Thanksgiving treats, be sure to check out their Thanksgiving Pie Specials….but you’ll have to order by close of day on Monday, November 19 to make sure you get your order! Pie flavors include Pecan, Gingered Sweet Potato Cream Cheese Tart, Brown Butter Pumpkin with a maple pecan crust, Chocolate Caramel & Hazelnut, Pear Cranberry, and Apple Caramel. Be sure to ask about gluten-free and vegan options. And of course, you can always stop by Pearl’s to pick up some of their “everyday” cupcakes or rotating seasonal flavors.

Options: Cakes, cupcakes, and pies with gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free options.

See the Cupcake menu here
See the Cake menu here.

Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 7:30am – 6pm; Thursday-Saturday, 7:30am – 6pm; Breakfast served from 7:30am – 10:30am; Cupcakes served 10:30am – 5:30am.

Location: 5811 Patterson Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226

Contact: (804) 285-CAKE (2253)

For more of the best resources, activities, and venues in Richmond, be sure to check out our entire Best of Richmond series – only on Richmond Mom!