Gluten-free-friendly grilled chicken$$east-sideLunch and dinner, line forms early
Pollos Asados Los Norteños grills whole chickens over mesquite with naturally gluten-free sides of charro beans, grilled onions, and corn tortillas.
Order: Mesquite-grilled chicken with corn tortillas and charro beans
Tip: The grilled chicken, charro beans, and corn tortillas are naturally gluten-free. Skip the flour tortillas and you are set.
Halal Mediterranean and Middle Eastern$$north-sideDaily 11am-10pm, later weekends
Pasha Mediterranean Grill on Wurzbach Road is a long-running halal Mediterranean kitchen, serving gyro, shawarma, and Arabic dishes to the local Muslim community.
Order: Chicken shawarma, gyro and hummus
Tip: A dependable halal Mediterranean option listed on Zabihah. The shawarma and gyro are the staples; the lunch portions are generous.
Halal Indian and Mediterranean$$downtownDaily 11am-9pm
Zaffran Delight is one of the few halal kitchens right downtown, handy from the River Walk, where chicken biryani and butter chicken with naan are the orders.
Order: Chicken biryani, butter chicken and naan
Tip: One of the few halal kitchens right downtown, handy from the River Walk. The biryani and butter chicken are the orders.
Halal Mediterranean street food$north-sideDaily 10am-2am
Abu Omar Halal near UTSA is open until 2am, a rare late-night halal option on the north side where the chicken shawarma wrap is the cheap, reliable order.
Order: Chicken shawarma wrap and falafel
Tip: Open until 2am, so a rare late-night halal option near UTSA. The chicken shawarma wrap is the cheap, reliable order.
Kosher Israeli$$north-sideHours vary, closed Shabbat
Yummy 770 at the Israeli Chabad Center is San Antonio's kosher Israeli restaurant, a meat (fleishig) kitchen certified by the Vaad HaKashrut of San Antonio.
Order: Falafel, shawarma and Israeli salads
Tip: Certified kosher by the local Vaad and closed for Shabbat; confirm hours before going. The falafel and shawarma are the staples.
Vegan and gluten-free Tex-Mex$$south-sideWed-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 11am-5pm, closed Mon-Tue
Viva Vegeria on Nogalitos serves all-vegan, gluten-free Tex-Mex, with tacos al pastor, chicken-style flautas and tamales that need no meat to satisfy.
Order: Tacos al pastor, chicken-style flautas, vegan tamales
Tip: Everything is both vegan and gluten-free, a rare combination. The vegan Tex-Mex is the reason to come, not a compromise.