Updated in 2021! Don’t let the name fool you. California Pizza Kitchen does far more than make pies. This full-service restaurant has a whole menu of pastas, salads, small plates, other mains, and of course, pizzas. There are dairy-free options in every category, but we were particularly impressed with their extensive entrée salad selection. The information below includes both menu items and custom order options for dairy-free guests.
California Pizza Kitchen Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Vegan Options
California Pizza Kitchen goes above and beyond with allergen charts, vegan and vegetarian guides, and an interactive menu. The following are options made without dairy ingredients at the time of our review.
Small Plates & Appetizers
- Asparagus + Arugula Salad (no cheese; vegan)
- White Corn Guacamole + Chips (vegan)
- Lettuce Wraps with Chinese Vegetables, Chicken, or Shrimp (no rice sticks; can be vegan)
- Sourdough Baguette and California Olive Oil with Mediterranean Herbs (vegan)
Heads Up! The Szechwan Chicken Dumplings, Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower, and Sticky Asian Cauliflower at California Pizza Kitchen surprisingly contain milk.
Soups
- Dakota Smashed Pea + Barley (vegan)
Heads Up! The Sedona Tortilla Soup at California Pizza Kitchen surprisingly contains milk.
Salads
- Roasted Veggie (can be vegan)
- Super Spinach + Quinoa
- Thai Crunch
- California Cobb (no cheese, dairy-free dressing)
- Italian Chopped (no cheese, dairy-free dressing)
- The Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad (no cheese, dairy-free dressing)
- The Mediterranean (no cheese, dairy-free dressing)
- Waldorf Chicken (no cheese, no candied walnuts)
Dairy-Free Salad Dressings: Champagne Vinaigrette, Chili Lime Vinaigrette, Dijon Balsamic Vinaigrette, Fat Free Vinaigrette, Lemon Herb Vinaigrette, Lime Cilantro / Thai Peanut Dressing, Oil & Vinegar (All of these are listed as egg-free, too, but select varieties might contain honey. Inquire if strictly vegan.)
Heads Up! Aside from the cheesy and ranch options, the Mustard Herb Vinaigrette contains dairy.
Make it a Meal: You can “add protein” to your dairy-free salad at California Pizza Kitchen. The Grilled Chicken Breast, Sautéed Salmon, and Grilled Shrimp are made without dairy ingredients.
Pizzas (cheeseless)
- The Original BBQ Chicken (no cheese)
- BBQ “Don’t Call Me Chicken” (no cheese; vegan)
- The Works (no cheese)
- Thai Chicken (no cheese)
- Wild Mushroom (no cheese; vegan)
- Hawaiian (no cheese)
- Fresh Tomato (no cheese; vegan)
- California Club (no cheese)
- California Veggie (no cheese; vegan)
- Pepperoni (no cheese)
- Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage (no cheese)
- Roasted Garlic Chicken (no cheese)
Heads Up! The Gluten-Free Cauliflower Crust is made with Cheese. But, at the time of our review, any Original Hand-Tossed or Thin Crist pizza at CPK can be dairy free if ordered without cheese except for the following:
- Carne Asada (currently has Parmesan in the Cilantro Pesto)
- Roasted Artichoke & Spinach (dairy in the Artichoke & Spinach sauc)
- Shrimp Scampi (dairy in Piccata Cream Sauce)
- Spicy Chipotle Chicken (can be dairy free if ordered without cheese and Lime Crema garnish)
- Tostada (can be dairy free if ordered without cheese and Ranch Dressing garnish)
Sandwiches
- California Club with Chicken or Turkey
Power Bowls
- Banh Mi Bowl
Heads Up! The Santa Fe Bowl at California Pizza Kitchen appears to contain dairy, even without the ranch dressing.
Pastas
- Kung Pao Spaghetti
- Tomato Basil Spaghetti (vegan)
Heads Up! Their Bolognese and meat sauces contain dairy.
Other Main Plates
- Fire-Grilled Ribeye (no blue cheese butter)
CPKids
- Fusilli Pasta with Tomato Sauce or Olive Oil (vegan)
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza (no cheese)
- Hawaiian Pizza (no cheese)
- Pepperoni Pizza (no cheese)
- Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage Pizza (no cheese)
- Baby Broccoli (vegan)
- Edamame (vegan)
- Fresh Fruit (vegan)
This Post is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, and restaurants are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure that they can accommodate your situation. This post is for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as advice.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
Where to Find California Pizza Kitchen
The chain has over 250 locations in more than 30 states and 11 countries. Their heaviest concentration of restaurants is in, you guessed it, California, and on the East Coast. See their website below for addresses, hours, allergen menus, and online ordering.
Website: www.cpk.com
Average Reader Review
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What Others Are Saying ...
I love them!
The wait staff was great with answering questions and helped pick out food for my son. The chef would take the time to personally come out to check on how my son liked the food (even asked if he wanted more) and let us know that they used fresh utensils/pots for the food. Always a good experience at our local CPK.
9 Comments
You should remove this since the links and information are no longer valid.
Or I could just update it! Only the link no longer worked, the info was still valid. Fully updated with new links and more information for you Bailey. Enjoy !
Hi!! I actually work at a CPK and our pizzas are actually possible to have!!! You can get any pizza without cheese! The best I think personally are out Cali Veggie because it is loaded with veggies of the Wild Mushroom!! Our pizza dough is vegan and out gluten free dough is completely allergen free!!! Any pizza Can be made on the GF dough as well!!! Cpk can be super accommodating to a dairy allergy!
Fantastic! Thank you so much for sharing this info on California Pizza Kitchen Ariel!
The CPK crust has whey powder in the ingredient list. That’s dairy, correct?
Yes, whey is a type of dairy protein.
My son has an anaphylactic allergy to Milk and we recently found out that the Gluten free crusts are milk free. We order that crust but leave out the cheese. We ate there for his birthday recently and per request, they made the pizza away from other ingredients to prevent cross contamination. We did add pepperoni. My son loved it!
That’s so wonderful Angie! I know how hard it can be to enjoy a fun meal out with an anaphylactic allergy!
I really like the Eating Out section. I have a handle of reading ingredient lists and cooking dairy free, but it is so hard to figure out what is dairy free when you are at a restaurant.