If you’re avoiding gluten or sticking to a vegetarian diet, or have friends and family who are, eating out can be a little more involved.  Dining is a great way to enjoy a destination and we don’t want anyone to miss out, so we researched all of the locally owned restaurants in Cape Girardeau to find out where those dietary needs can be accommodated – here’s what we found!

While almost any restaurant in Cape Girardeau has a handful of options, or can accommodate requests (get a full listing of Cape’s restaurants here), these are the locally owned restaurants where gluten-free and vegetarian folks will hopefully feel at ease.  

Casual Dining

• Folks with specific dietary needs are in excellent hands at Faithfully Fed, where everything is organic and GMO free, and vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options abound.  The Marinated Kale and Beet Salad, Quinoa Salad, veggies wraps, Veggie Burger and the Veggie Lasagna with Daiya Cheese give you so much to choose from.
• Clearly marked gluten free and vegetarian menu offerings at Sta make ordering around your dietary needs a piece of cake.  Gluten free is available for almost anything on the menu, and vegetarian items include the homemade Tomato Bisque and the Veggie Rice Bowl.  

Italian/Pizza

• Bella Italia can substitute gluten free pasta for most of their dishes, with the exceptional of the stuffed pastas, and many of their pastas can easily be made without meat. 
• Ciao works with any dietary need, and offers gluten free pastas and even a gluten free dessert option.  Additionally, most dishes can be made vegetarian.
• Pagliai’s offers gluten free crusts for any of their specialty pizzas you’d like.  Cape’s classic pizza joint also has vegetarian pastaoptions, like the Cheese and Spinach Tortellini and the Veggie Mostaccioli.  

Mediterranean

• Zoi’s Gyros Corner has a full vegetarian menu packed with delicious homemade Greek offerings like their Hummus, Falafel, Dolmades and Spanakopita.  

Mexican

• Burrito-Ville’s vegetarian menu has ample options, from Burritos to Quesadillas, Taco Salads and Dirty Fries, and their tacos are served on gluten free white corn tortillas.
• Muy Bueno’s Huevos Rancheros, Poblano Pepper and Cheese Tamale are meatless menu options, and corn tortillas make gluten free dining a breeze! 

Thai

• Cafe n’ Me has an abundance of dishes with rice noodles, and tofu and veggies are readily available in most entrees.  
• Substitute tofu and vegetables in most entrees at Saffron, and their Steamed Mussels, Saffron Sate, Pad Thai and some of the sushi menu are all gluten free. 

Vietnamese

• The majority of Pho 8‘s menu is gluten free with their fresh Noodle and Rice bowls and Pho.  Vegetarian options are also plentiful, with Spring rolls, Veggie Pho, Noodle and Rice bowls.  

Get a full listing of all 130+ restaurants in Cape Girardeau here, and we hope you enjoy the unique local dining in our river city, whatever your dietary needs and preferences are!