You Won’t Believe This Washington Cafe’s Buttery Biscuits And Gravy Come From An All Gluten-Free Kitchen

Biscuits and gravy, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and a fried chicken sandwich. Every single one comes out of a kitchen with zero gluten in it.

That’s the whole menu, not one special corner of it. The bakery case, the breakfast plates, and even the take-home mixes all follow the same rule, and the kitchen is peanut-free too.

I love that a celiac diner and a gluten-loving grandpa can share a table here without anyone feeling shortchanged. Comfort food in Washington rarely gets this inclusive.

I can’t imagine a friendlier place to rediscover the dishes you thought were gone for good.

So what happens when a kitchen refuses to compromise on flavor or safety? Fluffy biscuits, lemony pancakes, and a pastry case that might quietly wreck your plans to share.

A Spokane Cafe Where Every Crumb Is Gluten-Free

Cole’s Bakery & Cafe sits on the north side of Spokane, and it plays by one strict rule. Nothing containing gluten gets through the door.

That includes the restaurant menu, the bakery cases, and the packaged goods on the shelves. The kitchen is also peanut-free, which matters a lot to families managing more than one allergy.

Plenty of Washington restaurants offer a gluten-free bun or a separate fryer. Cole’s goes much further by removing the risk entirely.

For someone with celiac disease, that difference is huge. No quizzing the server about shared toasters, no crossing fingers about cross-contact.

The cafe describes itself as an easygoing spot serving breakfast-to-dinner eats plus gluten-free baked goods and sweets. Low-key is the right word.

This isn’t a fussy health-food temple with tiny portions and lectures.

Instead, the menu leans hard into comfort. Think biscuits and gravy, burgers, fried appetizers, pancakes, and cupcakes.

It reads like a classic American diner that simply happens to be safe for nearly everyone. Some items are also keto-friendly or dairy-free, which widens the welcome mat even more.

Honestly, it’s the kind of place you wish every town had.

The Biscuits And Gravy That Started All The Buzz

Buttery. Light.

Fluffy. Those are the words that keep showing up around the biscuits and gravy at Cole’s Bakery & Cafe.

For anyone who gave up gluten for health reasons, this dish is usually the first casualty. Gluten-free biscuits have a reputation for crumbling into sad, sandy piles.

These seem to have skipped that memo entirely.

The biscuits earn praise for their tender texture, and one diner even ranked them above both mom’s and grandma’s. That’s bold family-reunion talk.

You might want to keep that comparison to yourself at the next holiday dinner.

The gravy brings the classic creamy comfort you’d expect from a diner breakfast. Put the two together and you get a plate that tastes like a weekend morning, not a dietary workaround.

Breakfast is served all day here, alongside the rest of the menu. So if biscuits and gravy sound perfect at three in the afternoon, nobody is stopping you.

The cafe also bakes cheddar biscuits that hold their shape well enough for homemade breakfast sandwiches. Grab a few to go, and Monday morning suddenly looks a lot brighter.

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes Worth Planning A Morning Around

Ricotta pancakes might be the quiet superstar of the breakfast menu. The lemon ricotta version gets especially enthusiastic attention.

Ricotta tends to make pancakes richer and more tender, while lemon keeps them bright instead of heavy. It’s a smart combination for a gluten-free batter.

The result lands somewhere between breakfast and dessert, which is exactly where pancakes belong.

Breakfast at Cole’s Bakery & Cafe goes well beyond one stack, too. You can build your own omelette with fillings like bacon, cheddar, spinach, and grilled onions.

Scrambles come with hash browns, and there are cheesy hash browns for anyone who believes potatoes should always wear cheese.

Chicken fried steak also appears on the morning lineup. That’s a dish rarely seen in gluten-free form, since the crispy coating usually depends on wheat flour.

The toast deserves a mention, believe it or not. Gluten-free bread can taste like cardboard, but the bread here has a reputation for tasting like the regular stuff.

Mix and match with friends, and the table quickly turns into a shared breakfast buffet. Nobody has to order the boring option because of a diet.

Onion Rings, Mozzarella Sticks, And Other Fried Miracles

Fried food is where gluten-free diners usually get left behind. Breading, batter, and shared fryers make most appetizer menus a total no-go.

At Cole’s Bakery & Cafe, that whole worry disappears. Onion rings are one of the most talked-about items on the menu, and mozzarella sticks aren’t far behind.

Both arrive with the crunch you’d expect from any good diner basket.

Coconut chicken strips with fries add a tropical twist to the usual tender plate. There’s also fish and chips, a dish that brings Washington’s seafood-loving spirit right into the gluten-free kitchen.

Then there are the Dirty Fries. These come piled with cheese sauce, pulled pork, the house BBQ sauce, and green onions.

It’s a fork-required situation, and your napkins should be ready for battle.

The fries themselves are natural-cut, giving them that homemade look and texture. Chips come alongside some meals too.

Here’s a fun detail: many of these dishes are the things celiac diners miss most. Getting to order a basket of onion rings without a single follow-up question feels like a small victory.

Sometimes the simplest joys taste the best.

Burgers And Sandwiches On Bread That Actually Holds Up

Lunch at Cole’s Bakery & Cafe looks a lot like lunch anywhere else. That’s exactly the point.

The crispy chicken sandwich stands out, served on bread that earns real praise. Burgers are a popular pick too, often paired with fries.

For many gluten-free eaters, a sturdy bun that doesn’t fall apart halfway through feels almost luxurious.

The grilled cheese has its own fan club. One longtime gluten-free customer called it the best they’d ever had, with or without gluten.

That’s high praise for melted cheese between two slices of bread.

Families with mixed diets will appreciate how these plates work for everyone. A kid who eats gluten and a parent who can’t can order the same sandwich.

Nobody needs a separate meal or a sad side salad.

Vegetarian options are available as well. Pork does appear on a fair share of the menu, so non-pork eaters may want to scan carefully before ordering.

It’s comfort food built on a foundation many people assumed they’d lost forever. A good sandwich shouldn’t feel like a rare event.

Here, it’s just Tuesday.

Cupcakes, Cinnamon Rolls, And A Dangerously Good Pastry Case

Cupcakes rank among the most-mentioned treats here, and the chocolate one has drawn comparisons to a classic snack-cake favorite. Cinnamon rolls get plenty of love too.

The bakery side of Cole’s Bakery & Cafe is half its identity, so the cases stay busy. Expect carrot cake cupcakes, cheesecake, chocolate brownies, and both lemon and lime bars.

Butterscotch cashew cookies add a sweet and crunchy option.

The carrot cake skips pineapple, which is good news for anyone allergic to it. That’s a small detail, but it shows how allergy-aware this kitchen really is.

Cakes can be ordered as well. If you need something themed or decorated, give the bakery plenty of notice and spell out the details clearly.

Custom work takes time, especially for elaborate designs.

Treats are available to enjoy at the table or to take home. A small box for later is a very reasonable plan.

Fair warning: walking past the cases without stopping may require serious willpower. Most people would probably not even try.

Life is short, and gluten-free cupcakes this good aren’t found on every corner in Washington.

Huckleberry Lattes And Lavender Fog For The Sippers

Huckleberry shows up in the latte lineup, and that feels perfectly Inland Northwest. The wild berry is a regional favorite, and here it lands in your coffee cup.

Cole’s Bakery & Cafe pours a full range of espresso drinks, plus Americanos for straightforward coffee fans. The Lavender Fog, a floral spin on the classic tea latte, is another standout.

Italian sodas bring some fizz and color to the table. Hot chocolate is a strong choice too, especially on a chilly Spokane morning when the sky looks gray and grumpy.

A milky tea drink also earns compliments. It pairs nicely with a slice of that famously good gluten-free toast.

One heads-up for anyone who prefers bitter, bold coffee: some of the specialty espresso drinks lean on the sweet side. Asking for less syrup may help if that’s your style.

Drinks make an easy excuse for a quick stop, even without a full meal. Grab a latte, pick a cupcake, and suddenly an ordinary afternoon errand feels like a mini celebration.

Not a bad trade for a few minutes of your day.

A Gluten-Free Market Hiding Inside The Front Door

Shopping and dining happen under one roof here. A retail area greets you near the entrance, stocked with gluten-free goodies to take home.

Refrigerated cases hold items like donuts and ice cream. Grab-and-go options include burritos and sandwiches, perfect for a quick lunch on the road.

Shelves carry baking mixes from Simple Mills, along with soup, cake, and brownie mixes. There’s even freeze-dried candy, which is basically a crunchy science experiment kids tend to love.

Frozen items and premade treats round out the selection. Take-home goods are made without preservatives, a detail that matters to shoppers wary of heavily processed gluten-free products.

Bread is a big draw too. Folks with celiac family members can stock up on loaves that actually taste like regular bread.

That makes weekly sandwiches at home far more enjoyable.

For newcomers to gluten-free living, the staff at Cole’s Bakery & Cafe is known for being knowledgeable and encouraging. That kind of help could make a confusing new diet feel a lot less lonely.

It’s a little like a pantry rescue mission. You arrive for breakfast and leave with groceries.

Two Dining Rooms With Plenty Of Elbow Room

Space isn’t a problem here. The cafe has two separate dining areas, giving groups and families room to spread out.

Tables are large and kept stocked with the basics, like sugar, salt, pepper, and ketchup. Cleanliness is a recurring theme, from the dining rooms to the restrooms.

The overall layout comes across as clean and well designed.

There’s also some outdoor seating for warmer Washington days. A sunny Spokane morning with pancakes outside sounds pretty hard to beat.

The vibe stays casual and low-key. You won’t need to dress up or whisper.

This is a come-as-you-are spot that fits a post-errand lunch or a slow Sunday breakfast equally well.

It suits a wide mix of people. Celiac diners finally get to relax, and their gluten-eating friends rarely notice anything missing.

College students can find thoughtful options as well.

Mornings can bring background music and the hum of coolers, so it isn’t library-quiet. If you’re hoping for a long heart-to-heart chat, a corner table might help.

Otherwise, settle back, sip something warm, and enjoy the easy pace.

A Little Patience Pays Off On Busy Days

Popularity comes with a side effect. Cole’s Bakery & Cafe can get busy, especially around weekend breakfast and the lunch rush.

The restaurant and the storefront share the same staff, so both sides can fill up at once. When that happens, food may take a bit longer to arrive.

Staffing has been a challenge, something the owners have openly acknowledged.

The good news? The team gets consistent credit for being kind, welcoming, and genuinely knowledgeable about gluten-free needs.

Questions about ingredients rarely stump them, which builds trust fast.

A few simple moves can make a visit smoother. Try arriving earlier in the morning or during the mid-afternoon lull.

Takeout orders may need a little extra time, so checking your bag before driving off is smart.

Planning a special cake? Order well ahead and confirm the design details.

A clear plan helps the bakers deliver exactly what you hoped for.

Think of the wait as bonus browsing time. The pastry case and market shelves sit right there, quietly tempting you.

By the time your plate shows up, you may already own a brownie mix.

Hours, Prices, And Finding The Place On Holland Avenue

Finding Cole’s Bakery & Cafe is easy. It sits at 521 E Holland Ave, Spokane, WA 99218, in the city’s north end.

Hours are generous for a bakery-cafe. Friday through Sunday, doors open at 8 AM.

Monday through Thursday, they open at 9 AM, and every day wraps up at 6 PM.

That schedule makes it a handy stop for breakfast, lunch, or an early dinner. Since breakfast runs all day, late risers still get their biscuits and gravy.

Prices land in the moderate range for a sit-down cafe. Many celiac diners find the cost reasonable for a fully safe kitchen, though a big group meal can add up.

Splitting a basket of onion rings may help stretch the budget.

Road-trippers passing through Spokane often make a point of stopping here. If you’re driving across Washington, it could make a satisfying detour off the usual fast-food route.

Check the cafe’s current hours before heading out, especially around holidays. Then plan your order on the drive.

Pancakes or biscuits? That debate could easily fill the whole trip.

Why This Kitchen Deserves A Spot On Your Weekend Plans

Comfort food tastes even better when nobody at the table has to worry. That simple idea sits at the heart of Cole’s Bakery & Cafe.

The whole kitchen is gluten-free and peanut-free, yet the menu reads like a classic American diner. Biscuits and gravy, ricotta pancakes, onion rings, burgers, and cupcakes all make the cut.

Mixed-diet families can finally order freely.

It isn’t flawless. Busy stretches can slow service, and specialty drinks may run sweet for some tastes.

Still, the warmth of the staff and the quality of the food carry real weight.

I believe places like this matter more than they seem. For someone newly diagnosed with celiac disease, one safe meal can feel like hope.

A pastry case full of options might even bring a happy tear or two.

Spokane locals have a handy weekend spot right in town. Visitors exploring Washington have a worthy reason to pull off the highway.

So grab a friend, bring your appetite for comfort, and save room for something from the bakery. The biscuits are calling.

Answering seems like the polite thing to do.