The Cheesecake Factory has a Well-Rounded Menu of Dairy-Free Dishes

Updated September 2022! Despite their name, The Cheesecake Factory has quite a few options for dairy-free diners. I’ve actually tried several of them, without incident, and have found the staff to be quite helpful. Many of you have also written in to share positive experiences at The Cheesecake Factory locations in North Carolina, Minnesota, Nebraska, and beyond. Sure, the cheesecakes are off limits, but all of the menu items below were recently reported as dairy free. And we’ve added a separate vegan menu!

The Cheesecake Factory Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Gluten-Free & Vegan Options

The menus at The Cheesecake Factory are HUGE. Consequently, their allergen information is a bit to work through. But we organized it into this tidy dairy-free menu guide. Be aware of special order requirements in parentheses () next to the menu items, and see the Heads Up notes to help fill in the blanks. Please note that this guide is for the U.S. locations. Options may vary in other countries.

Other Allergen & Dietary Notes: We have noted which dairy-free items contain egg, and which items are listed as gluten-free. For vegan options, see the Vegan Menu Guide at the bottom of this post.

Small Plates & Snacks

• Asian Chicken Lettuce Wrap Tacos
• Dynamite Shrimp (contains egg)
• Little House Salad
• Ahi Tartare (Hawaii only) (contains egg)
• Crispy Fish Mini Tacos (Marina Del Rey only) (contains egg)

Heads Up! Some of the Cheesecake Factory breads that you can buy at grocery stores are made without milk, but they’re a different recipe than the bread at the restaurant. At last check, all table bread at Cheesecake Factory contained milk. But check with your server, they might have an option!

Appetizers

• Ahi Poke Nachos (contains egg)
• Roadside Sliders
• Spicy Tuna (contains egg)
• Thai Lettuce Wraps with Grilled Avocado or Satay Chicken Strips
• Ahi Poke (Hawaii only) (contains egg)

Heads Up! The Pot Stickers, Wings, Chicken Strips, and all Egg Rolls at Cheesecake Factory do contain milk.

Soup

• Mexican Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Salads

• California Chopped Salad (contains egg; gluten-free)
• Chinese Chicken Salad (contains egg)
• Gluten-Free Tossed Green Salad
• Skinnylicious Asian Chicken Salad (contains egg)
• Small Green Salad (gluten-free)
• Sheila’s Chicken and Avocado Salad
• Thai Chicken Salad
• Vegan Cobb Salad
• Factory Chopped Salad (no cheese)
• Tossed Green Salad (no croutons)
• Luau Salad (Hawaii only) (contains egg)
• Seared Tuna Tataki Salad (Hawaii only)

Dairy-Free Salad Dressings: Balsamic Vinaigrette, Chinese Plum Dressing, Citrus Honey Dressing, Shallot Vinaigrette, SkinnyLicious Mustard Vinaigrette, SkinnyLicious Sesame Soy Dressing, Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette, Thai Vinaigrette, Thousand Island Dressing (contains egg)

Dairy-Free Salad Additions: Avocado, Chargrilled Steak, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Salmon, Grilled Shrimp

Burgers & Sandwiches

• Impossible Burger
• Gluten-Free Impossible Burger (contains egg)
• SkinnyLicious Impossible Burger (contains egg)
• Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Burger (contains egg)
• SkinnyLicious Hamburger (contains egg)
• The Club Sandwich (contains egg)
• Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club (no cheese) (contains egg)
• Gluten-Free B.B.Q. Kalua Pork (Hawaii only) (contains egg)

Heads  Up! The gluten-free buns are dairy-free, and some locations offer dairy-free white bread and baguette for sandwiches. Some locations also offer a vegan brioche bun and vegan cheese for the Impossible burger, as an option. Double check what bread and bun options are offered at your location, and make sure they do not use a dairy butter on toasted breads at your location.

Pasta

Heads Up! All Cheesecake Factory pastas are listed as containing milk, including the Pasta Pomodoro.

Entrees / Specialties

• Korean Fried Chicken (contains egg)
• Orange Chicken
• Seared Ahi Tuna (contains egg)
• Spicy Cashew Chicken
• Island Style Ahi Poke Bowl with Kale-Cashew Salad or White Rice (Hawaii only) (contains egg)
• Sesame Crusted Fresh Hawaiian Fish – Ahi, Mahi, or Salmon (Hawaii only) (contains egg)
• Thai Glazed Salmon (Puerto Rico only)

Heads Up! The Thai Coconut Lime Chicken does contain milk.

Kids’ Menu

• Kids’ Pasta with Marinara Sauce – Regular or Gluten-Free
• Kids’ Roadside Sliders
• Kids’ French Fries
• Kids’ Fresh Fruit

Side Dishes

• Broccoli (gluten-free) (contains egg)
• French Fries (gluten-free)
• Sweet Potato Fries (gluten-free)
• Black Beans (Puerto Rico only)
• Plantains (Puerto Rico only)
• Rice and Beans (Puerto Rico only)
• Steamed White Rice (Puerto Rico only)

Heads Up! The Fresh Corn, Green Beans, Grilled Asparagus, and Sauteed Spinach are all made with dairy. You might be able to order them dairy-free with no butter and no cheese.

Breakfast / Brunch Items

• Bacon (gluten-free)
• Bagel (contains egg)
• Ham (gluten-free)
• Sliced Tomatoes (gluten-free)
• Sourdough Baguette
• Wheat Baguette
• White Toast

Heads Up! All brunch mains at The Cheesecake Factory contain dairy. They list several dairy-free omelette toppings on their allergen menu, but the omelettes themselves contain dairy. Their wheat toast and English muffins also contain milk. Some locations might source their bread products locally, so verify that the baguettes and other breads for brunch are dairy-free before ordering.

Iced & Frozen Drinks

• Frozen Iced Mango (gluten-free)
• Peach Smoothie (gluten-free)
• Strawberry Fruit Smoothie (gluten-free)
• Tropical Smoothie (gluten-free)

Vegan Menu Guide

• Little House Salad
• Thai Lettuce Wraps with Grilled Avocado (no chicken)
• Skinnylicious Asian Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Grilled Avocado (no chicken)
• Small Green Salad (gluten-free)
• Sheila’s Avocado Salad (no chicken, sub vegan dressing)
• Thai Salad (no chicken)
• Tossed Green Salad (no croutons)
• Vegan Cobb Salad
• Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Chinese Plum Dressing
• Shallot Vinaigrette
• SkinnyLicious Mustard Vinaigrette
• SkinnyLicious Sesame Soy Dressing
• Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette
• Thai Vinaigrette
• Impossible Burger
• SkinnyLicious Impossible Burger (no mayo)
• Evelyn’s Favorite Pasta (no cheese, sauce, or basil oil)
• Kids’ Pasta with Marinara Sauce
• French Fries (gluten-free)
• Sweet Potato Fries (gluten-free)
• Black Beans (Puerto Rico only)
• Plantains (Puerto Rico only)
• Rice and Beans (Puerto Rico only)
• Steamed White Rice (Puerto Rico only)
• Kids’ Fresh Fruit
• Sliced Tomatoes (gluten-free)
• Sourdough Baguette
• Wheat Baguette
• White Toast
• Frozen Iced Mango (gluten-free)
• Peach Smoothie (gluten-free)
• Strawberry Fruit Smoothie (gluten-free)
• Tropical Smoothie (gluten-free)

Heads Up! The Korean Cauliflower contains both milk and egg. They might be able to cook it without the batter for you, but this isn’t standard. Avocado Toast is no longer on the menu, but some locations might be able to accommodate, particularly at brunch.

This Post is for Informational Purposes Only

Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, food sourcing, and restaurant protocols are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure 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.

Each location of a chain restaurant has different management and staff, and some might have different owners. This means differences in processes, ingredients used, menu options, and food sourcing can occur. Always verify the safety of your order for your needs at your current location.

Where to Find The Cheesecake Factory

They operate about 300 restaurants, primarily in the U.S., but with some international locations. See the website below for addresses, hours, and contact information.

Website: www.thecheesecakefactory.com

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