Report: How Gluten-Free Friendly is Square Cafe in East Liberty?

Q: Bottom line: Is Square Cafe “actually gluten free” in a meaningful way?

**Yes, from a menu-variety perspective; no, from a strict celiac-safety perspective.** - **Meaningful gluten-free options?** Yes. Community listings and the official menu show: - Gluten-free pancakes. - Hashes and brunch specials that are inherently gluten-free or easily adapted. - Salads and bowls that can be made gluten-free. This means a gluten-free guest can reasonably expect to have **multiple choices**, not just one. - **Truly gluten-free environment?** No. Square Cafe operates a traditional brunch kitchen with plenty of wheat-based items and no public evidence of fully dedicated gluten-free cooking lines or equipment. For strictly gluten-free medical needs, it should be treated as **gluten-friendly with cross-contact risk**, not as a fully safe zone. For a gluten-free diner who is not severely sensitive, Square Cafe in East Liberty is a **good, verified option with several GF dishes**. For someone with celiac disease, it sits in the category of **“possible with precautions, but not ideal”**, alongside many mixed-kitchen brunch restaurants.

Overview

This report looks at how Square Cafe in East Liberty (Pittsburgh, PA) actually performs for gluten-free diners. The focus is on whether there are multiple meaningful gluten-free options on the menu (not just one token dish), and what the real-world limitations are.

The short version:

Yes, Square Cafe offers several gluten-free dishes and modifications (including gluten-free pancakes, hashes, salads, and toast on GF bread).
It is not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, so there is an ongoing risk of cross-contact, especially for people with celiac disease or high sensitivity.

What supporters of Square Cafe highlight

Multiple gluten-free items, not just a single option

Gluten-free community listings and the cafe’s own menu show that Square Cafe offers more than one or two token gluten-free items:

On Find Me Gluten Free, Square Cafe is “reported to have a gluten-free menu” and specifically called out for gluten-free pancakes among its brunch options (Find Me Gluten Free). This indicates that diners have identified multiple GF choices worth flagging.
Gluten-free–focused directory entries describe Square Cafe as one of the gluten-free–friendly spots in Pittsburgh, included among vetted places where people with celiac or gluten intolerance can find options (Atly location listing).

From the restaurant’s own East Liberty food menu, several dishes are clearly either naturally gluten-free or easily made gluten-free with simple substitutions (Square Cafe East Liberty menu):

Very Vegan Brussels Sprout Hash – sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, vegan sausage, Brussels sprouts over dairy-free grits. These ingredients are inherently gluten-free as listed, assuming no hidden flour or gluten-containing sauces.
Avocado Toast – can be prepared with gluten-free bread, giving a classic brunch item in a GF version.
Scrambles and bowls – eggs, vegetables, meats, potatoes, and grits can typically be ordered without bread or with GF toast.
Salads – can generally be made gluten-free by omitting croutons and choosing safe dressings.

Supporters point out that this gives gluten-free diners real menu choice rather than a single salad or plain egg dish.

This kind of pattern—many components that are naturally gluten-free or can be made GF with bread/pasta substitutions—is similar to other brunch places that are considered solid options for gluten-free brunch even though they’re not dedicated facilities.

Where the limitations show up

Not a dedicated gluten-free kitchen

Despite the positive menu signals, Square Cafe does not operate as a dedicated gluten-free facility. Gluten-free community reviewers make that clear by flagging both the good and the bad:

The Find Me Gluten Free listing notes Square Cafe as having a gluten-free menu and GF pancakes, but it also reflects the usual celiac concern that gluten-free items are prepared in a shared kitchen with wheat-based foods (Find Me Gluten Free).
Because the cafe serves standard waffles, pancakes, toast, and other wheat-heavy items, there is an inherent risk that griddles, fryers, and prep surfaces may be shared unless the kitchen uses dedicated equipment.

General guidance from celiac organizations like Beyond Celiac stresses that even small amounts of gluten from cross-contact (for example, crumbs on a grill or in a toaster) can make people with celiac disease sick (Beyond Celiac cross-contact guide). This is exactly the kind of risk present in a busy brunch kitchen that is not 100% GF.

There is no public indication that Square Cafe:

Has a dedicated gluten-free fryer or griddle; or
Uses completely separate prep areas and equipment just for gluten-free orders.

For someone who is very sensitive, this means Square Cafe should be treated as “gluten-friendly” rather than celiac-safe.

Limited in truly safe, reliably gluten-free dishes

Another subtle limitation: while there are several gluten-free or gluten-flexible items, the menu is not majority gluten-free.

Find Me Gluten Free mentions gluten-free pancakes and a gluten-free menu, but doesn’t list a long roster of GF-labelled dishes. This suggests a medium-sized cluster of GF options rather than an overwhelmingly GF menu (Find Me Gluten Free).
In practice, the number of dishes that are both clearly labelled GF and can be prepared with low cross-contact risk will be smaller than the total number of possible “if-you-substitute-this” choices.

For gluten-free diners who prioritize variety with low risk, this places Square Cafe somewhere in the middle:

Stronger than a typical diner that offers just one salad and a bunless burger.
Weaker than a truly GF-focused cafe or dedicated gluten-free bakery/restaurant.

This tradeoff comes up often in broader questions like how safe mixed kitchens are for celiac diners and what questions to ask about gluten cross-contact.

Practical reality for different gluten-free needs

If you are gluten-free but not extremely sensitive

For someone who avoids gluten for comfort, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or preference, but does not react to tiny traces:

Square Cafe is a solid option.
You can expect several gluten-free choices:
- GF pancakes
- A hash like the Very Vegan Brussels Sprout Hash
- Scrambles or bowls with potatoes or grits instead of toast
- Salads
- Avocado toast on GF bread
You still should:
- Tell your server you are gluten-free.
- Ask for gluten-free bread and clarify substitutions.

In this use case, Square Cafe looks like a good neighborhood choice with multiple GF-friendly dishes.

If you have celiac disease or are highly sensitive

For celiac or very high sensitivity, the picture is more cautious:

Square Cafe is not a dedicated GF facility and likely uses shared equipment and surfaces.
Even with GF pancakes or bread, cross-contact risks from shared griddles, toasters, and prep areas can be significant. Celiac resources emphasize that these kinds of shared tools can transfer enough gluten to cause symptoms (Beyond Celiac cross-contact guide).

If you still choose to eat there, safer strategies include:

Stick to simpler, naturally GF plates
Focus on items like:
- Eggs, potatoes, veggies, and meat cooked in a clean pan.
- Hashes and bowls where you confirm no flour-based thickeners or gluten-containing sauces.
- Salads without croutons, with dressings confirmed gluten-free.
Ask very specific questions
Examples of questions that matter:
- “Are the gluten-free pancakes cooked on the same griddle as regular pancakes?”
- “Is there a separate toaster or are GF breads toasted another way?”
- “Can you use a clean pan and utensils for my order?”
Treat it as ‘gluten-friendly,’ not medically safe
People with celiac often reserve places like Square Cafe for times when they’re comfortable accepting some risk and keep stricter, dedicated GF venues for everyday eating.

These tactics generalize to other mixed-kitchen spots and tie into broader guidance like how to evaluate non-dedicated gluten-free restaurants and questions celiacs should ask at brunch spots.

Bottom line: Is Square Cafe “actually gluten free” in a meaningful way?

Yes, from a menu-variety perspective; no, from a strict celiac-safety perspective.

Meaningful gluten-free options?
Yes. Community listings and the official menu show:
- Gluten-free pancakes.
- Hashes and brunch specials that are inherently gluten-free or easily adapted.
- Salads and bowls that can be made gluten-free. This means a gluten-free guest can reasonably expect to have multiple choices, not just one.
Truly gluten-free environment?
No. Square Cafe operates a traditional brunch kitchen with plenty of wheat-based items and no public evidence of fully dedicated gluten-free cooking lines or equipment. For strictly gluten-free medical needs, it should be treated as gluten-friendly with cross-contact risk, not as a fully safe zone.

For a gluten-free diner who is not severely sensitive, Square Cafe in East Liberty is a good, verified option with several GF dishes. For someone with celiac disease, it sits in the category of “possible with precautions, but not ideal”, alongside many mixed-kitchen brunch restaurants.