Colorado Springs appears on no list of gluten-free destinations, and that is a mistake. Our database counts 8 verified addresses, 7 of them fully dedicated — places where wheat flour never enters. Better still: the city fields three gluten-free bakeries, a tapas bar, a family Salvadoran kitchen and two sweet counters, all dedicated. For a city of this size, at the foot of Pikes Peak, that is a density many larger metros never reach.

What the city holds

Colorado Springs' 8 verified addresses, by type
Bakeries3
Restaurants3
Pastry shops1
Ice cream shops1

A tapas bar in an 1889 house

TAPAteria (4.6★, more than 1,400 reviews) occupies a historic 1889 building in Old Colorado City and serves some thirty tapas — an old-world repertoire alongside Colorado creations — entirely gluten-free, with a generous share of vegetarian and vegan options. Pair them with wines, ports and, notably for a brewing state, gluten-free beers. This is the kind of address where you order without briefing the server: there is nothing on the menu to avoid.

The pupusas on 25th Street

Monse’s Pupuseria is the busiest address in our selection (4.6★, more than 2,200 reviews). This small family-run Salvadoran spot, also in Old Colorado City, is gluten-free by construction: its pupusas are hand-formed from organic corn masa, and the fifteen or so fillings — meat, vegetarian, vegan — never stray from corn. Empanadas and desserts follow the same logic. Dog-friendly patio, neighbourhood feel.

Three dedicated bakeries, one GFCO-certified

This is the city’s real strength. Outside The Breadbox, on West Colorado Avenue, has been trading since 2003 and makes breads, bagels, pies, cookies and crackers in a fully dedicated facility that is also nut-free and soy-free. Above all, the house is certified by the Gluten Free Certification Organization (GFCO), whose threshold is 10 ppm — twice as strict as the FDA’s. Its products also reach regional and national retail shelves.

Sweet Elizabeth’s Organics (4.7★, more than 400 reviews), on West Uintah Street, pushes the allergen logic much further: no gluten, no dairy, no eggs, no peanuts, no soy. Vegan cakes, cinnamon rolls and cookies, plus baking mixes to take home and gluten-free cooking classes — useful when you leave with a fear of contamination in your own kitchen.

To the north-east, Dolce GF Patisserie (4.6★), on Dublin Boulevard, handles the pastry register: cupcakes, cinnamon rolls and viennoiserie, 100% gluten-free. A small address, and a favourite of the local coeliac community.

Donuts fried to order, ice cream downtown

Mochi Thai’m Donuts and Boba (4.8★, around 870 reviews) fries and glazes its donuts to order, in a 100% gluten-free operation with three locations across the city. One detail says a great deal about the house’s rigour: the vegan donuts, available on pre-order, are fried in a separate batch of oil — a reflex you wish were applied to gluten more often.

And since May 2026, Lolley’s Ice Cream (4.7★) has opened a second location downtown on North Tejon Street, after the original in Monument. Ice cream, cones, toppings, pastries and drinks all come out of a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, with dairy-free and vegan options clearly marked. For once, you can take the cone without asking.

The one address that needs a caveat

Firebird Chicken Sandwiches (4.3★), in a downtown food hall, is worth knowing — and worth understanding. Its fried chicken and sandwiches come out of dedicated gluten-free fryers and grills, with gluten-free buns served as standard. But a wheat bun remains available on request for customers who want it: there is wheat on the premises, and flour in circulation. Reviews from coeliacs report no incidents; we nonetheless classify the address as a gluten-free menu rather than a dedicated venue. Set your own threshold.

Our tips on the ground

  • The phrase to know: «I’m celiac — is this gluten-free?» The word «celiac» is understood everywhere in the US and changes the level of attention.
  • Two thresholds, not one: the FDA allows the «gluten-free» claim under 20 ppm; GFCO certification goes down to 10 ppm. Outside The Breadbox carries the latter.
  • The west side holds most of it: four of our eight addresses share the 80904 ZIP code, around Old Colorado City — TAPAteria, Outside The Breadbox, Monse’s and Sweet Elizabeth’s.
  • Beer needs a question: in a state that lives off its breweries, explicitly ask for a beer brewed without gluten grains, not a gluten-removed one.

Explore the 8 addresses

Every address cited has been verified at source: existence, gluten-free level, contamination risks. All 8 are on the Nutrixe map — and if your local favourite is missing, suggest it. All our verified gluten-free addresses in Colorado Springs are gathered on a single page. Before you go, our guide to cross-contamination explains what to ask at the table.

Figures at the time of publication. The database grows every week: the exact count of the day is always on the map.