Finding a reliable gluten-free breakfast in Saigon is harder than it should be. Most cafes either do not offer anything, or they have a token rice flour muffin sitting in the corner looking sad. We get it — gluten-free is not the norm here, and the demand has only started growing in the last few years as the expat community has expanded.
At Bagel Brothers, we have offered a dedicated gluten-free bagel option since 2023, and it has become one of the most frequently requested items on our menu.
Our Gluten-Free Bagel
Our GF bagel is made with a proprietary blend of rice flour, tapioca starch, and psyllium husk. It takes about four extra minutes to prepare because the dough handles differently — it needs a gentler touch and a slightly longer bake. The result is a bagel with good density and chew that does not crumble the moment you pick it up, which is honestly the bar most GF bread fails to clear.
It costs 25,000₫ more than our regular bagels, which reflects the ingredient cost. We price at cost on this one because we think it matters that people have the option.
What You Can Order
We currently offer five gluten-free bagel sandwiches on the menu:
- GF Salmon Cream Cheese (215,000₫) — cold-smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, purple onion, tomato
- GF Pulled Pork (205,000₫) — slow-cooked BBQ pulled pork, house slaw
- GF Ham & Cheese (165,000₫) — simple and satisfying
- GF Chicken Pesto (195,000₫) — our bestseller in gluten-free form
- GF Avo Cheese Egg (155,000₫) — avocado, cheddar, scrambled egg
You can also order any regular filling on a gluten-free bagel — just ask and we will make it happen.
Cross-Contamination: An Honest Note
We need to be upfront: we are a bagel shop, not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. Our GF bagels are prepared with clean hands and separate tools, but they are baked in the same oven as our wheat bagels. If you have celiac disease, this may not be safe enough for you, and we respect that. If you have a gluten sensitivity or are reducing gluten by choice, our customers with similar situations have had no issues.
Beyond Bagels
For a fully gluten-free breakfast in the neighborhood, here are a few other options in Thao Dien: pho and bun at most Vietnamese restaurants are naturally GF (rice noodles); acai bowls at several juice bars; and eggs with rice at local com tam spots. But if you want something that feels like a proper Western breakfast without the gluten, we think our GF bagels are the best option in District 2.
