As most of you know by now (because I’ve been talking about it for what seems like ages), I am launching a mobile app for the celiac/GF community. The app has multiple sections: Let’s Eat (restaurants), Let’s Discuss (forum), Let’s Learn (videos), Let’s Connect (chat), Let’s Drink (gf beer).
The Let’s Eat section originally was going to contain ONLY 100% Gluten-Free Restaurants (and at launch will include only these.) But I have come to several realizations in the past few months that convinced me that this is not serving the celiac community in the best manner possible. What are they? I thought you would never ask.
- The f***ing pandemic changed the game. The restaurant business has taken a shellacking in 2020. It is beyond sad and unfair and why we can’t pass a bill to help save the restaurant industry, which serves millions and employs hundreds of thousands, is beyond me. But yeah…let’s save the airlines who have been ripping us off for years and now charge an extra $25 if you don’t want your knees pressed against your face for the duration of the flight, or god forbid, bring a carry on. (Sorry…wasn’t expecting to go off on a tangent.) So…I want to help as many restaurants as humanly possible.
- There are a lot of areas that simply have no gluten-free restaurants nearby. That is the sad reality. For example, I found 1 in Iowa and 2 in Idaho. Does that mean people in Iowa with celiac disease should be limited to only eating at that one restaurant? I think not. I want/need to give the community more options.
- I eat out at non GF restaurants. Do I prefer to eat at 100% GF restaurants? Heck yeah!! Eating without fear is beyond a treat. But the fact is I don’t limit myself to just those restaurants and I know A LOT of others in the community do not as well. There are a lot of restaurants that take the extra precautions to limit our exposure as much as possible? Is there a risk involved? There is. My app will only include the restaurants that minimize that risk.
And that’s where you come in. I’d like to know what restaurants you’ve been to that are NOT 100% gluten-free but that you trust (and why you trust them.) Let me know the experiences you’ve had and what they do to keep you safe (separate fryers, separate area in kitchen to limit cross contamination, 95% of food on menu is GF, have a separate gluten free menu, knowledgeable staff/ownership, etc.)
So…in the comments below, please let me know the following:
Restaurant Name:
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine):
How many times you’ve eaten there:
What precautions they take to keep you safe:
(I’ll even go first…happy to lead by example…just the kind of guy I am…see below.)
A few caveats:
- No fast food restaurants. Between the small kitchen area and the high staff turnover, there is no way to minimize the risk enough for me to include them on the app.
- I feel kinda the same way about large chain restaurants (think Applebee’s) so I’d really need to be convinced to include any of them. But feel free to have a go at it.
And a few final thoughts/comments:
- All restaurants will be vetted by me (or someone on my team) before going on the app.
- Once these restaurants are added to the app (and added and added on a continual basis), they will be clearly delineated as NON GF so there is no confusion.
- If you are a restaurant owner, by all means chime in.
- If you have a strong opinion on why I shouldn’t be doing this,
keep it to yourself, I mean I’d love to hear from you.
Ok…let’s do this. Comment away below.
Restaurant Name: Aqua Grill
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): New York City
How many times you’ve eaten there: About 6
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Very knowledgeable staff, separate GF menu, knew about cross-contamination.
Restaurant Name: Jules Pizza
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Bucks County, PA
How many times you’ve eaten there: A LOT!
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Completely separate cooking area, do not make the pizza dough in house, owner’s daughter has celiac disease, clearly labeled menu
(I’ve got more…but I’ll start with these.)
Harry & Izzy’s
Two locations in Indianapolis Indiana
Eaten there – 20+++
Separate GF menu, manager personally confirms your order and all allergies, separate fryer and prep area. Manager serves your food separately.
Never ever gotten sick. My #1 place for no worry dining.
The Fish House
Louisville KY
Eaten here – 20+
Most options can be made GF. Separate fryer and prep area. Owners committed to doing it right. Huge GF following, check out comments on Find Me GF app.
Fish and chips, need I say more?
Just looked up Aqua Grill and found out they are permanently closed. 2020 sucks…
Really…I just looked them up too?! Ugh.
Restaurant Name: Ron’s Original Bar and Grille
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Lionville/Exton, PA
How many times you’ve eaten there: 25+
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The owner has family that is celiac so he’s very aware. They had dedicated separate fryers. They have stickers/toothpicks that designate food gluten free, so you don’t have to ask twice if your meal is gluten free. The menu has made gluten free and CAN be made gluten free options clearly labeled.
Restaurant Name: Liberty Union Bar and Grille
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Chester Springs, PA
How many times you’ve eaten there: Roughly 8
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Knowledgable staff, dedicated fryer, separate menu (that isn’t in a binder).
Samba restaurant, Montclair, NJ. I have eaten there many times. The owner, Ilson Goncalves produces the most amazing Brazilian food. It used to be that 99% of their menu was gluten free. Ilson had issues when he ate gluten, so he began the process of becoming the only certified gluten free restaurant in NJ. Just before he received his certification, he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Did I mention the churros??!
I’m from that part of NJ, thanks for the rec, may be going back for a hs reunion in 2022.
Jules thin crust pizza. I can vouch for Newtown and Doylestown,not a lot of experience with other locations. Lovebird in doylestown and newtown (owned by the same people as jules, nuff said!) Jay’s steak and hoagie joint. 1/3 kitchen dedicated to gf food. Separate fryers, prep areas, he puts all gf orders on top racks, separate bags. Super careful. Guru’s in Newtown. Indian food, they have a gf tandoori oven but not sure about their other practices.
I’ve eaten at all these places too many times
Restaurant Name: Pizzeria Verita
Location: Burlington, VT
I’ve eaten there 10+ times.
There is a separate gluten free oven. They limit the options for gf toppings and it’s clearly labeled on the menu. They keep a set of the gf toppings separate so the kitchen staff put on fresh gloves when they make your pizza to limit cross contamination.
Fire Wok
5402 East Dr, Arbutus, MD 21227
Prob 10x
All staff know about celiac and have cc procedures
Stanford Grill
Columbia MD/Rockville MD
20x
Separate kitchen areas, allergy flags, manager knowledgable
Cypriana
105 W 39th St, Baltimore, MD 21210
Most food gf, clear labeling, owner knows ppl with celiac. Check on flatbread thing—only question I had
TLC Austin
1100 S Lamar Blvd Ste. #1150, Austin, TX 78704
2x
Manager has staff trained to look in allergy books, can modify most food, most entrees gf
The Steeping Room
4400 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756
20x
All staff knowledgeable, food carefully marked, lists of all ingredients staff regularly consult with any allergy
TacoDeli
1500 Spyglass Dr, Austin, TX 78746 (&other locations)
5x
Separate corn chip bags, staff trained on cc
Restaurant Name: Wicked Pizza
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Mashpee, MA (Cape Cod)
How many times you’ve eaten there: Too many to count!
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Very knowledgeable staff, dedicated fryer (safe fries – so good) and prep areas, fabulous food. About 90% of the menu can be made gluten free or is already GF. Nearly every server over the years has asked if GF is allergy or preference so they can let the kitchen know.
110 Grill
Multiple locations in Massachusetts (Marlborough, Hopkinson, Wayland have been personally visited)
Eaten there – on average once every 2 months (pandemic aside!)
Precautions – dedicated fryer, only manager is allowed to bring gf food (or any allergy-designated meal) to customer (this includes take out), full gf menu
Restaurant Name: El Rayo
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Scarborough and Portland, Maine
How many times you’ve eaten there: Too many to count
What precautions they take to keep you safe: All item menus are marked for what has gluten. Very careful about cross contamination. Extremely knowledgable.
Restaurant Name: S.W. Clyborne Co Provision & Spirits
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Mason, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 10+. It’s our go to for special occasions & GF Fried Chicken!
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Very knowledgeable staff, separate GF menu, knew about cross-contamination, Chef and owners children have Celiac, the manager always speaks with the guest before an order is placed.
Red Heat Tavern
Multiple locations in Massachusetts.
At least 2x per month.
Precautions: dedicated space/fryers. All items on menu can be made GF. All GF meals are plated on a red plate and manager is required to bring them out. Servers ask all guests right away about allergy restrictions.
Eddie Pappas
Pleasanton, CA
Eaten there at least 50 times
Precautions: Knowledgeable staff (owner’s family member has celiac), separate fryer
Restaurant Name: Larkin’s and Grill Marks
Greenville, South Carolina
I have eaten at both restaurants for 8 years now and have never had a problem. The owners (Larkin and Mark) take it very seriously as Larkin is celiac herself. The She Crab soup at Larkin’s is amazing and GF
I’ll second Grill Marks in Greenville, SC. I’ve eaten there at least 8 times with no problems. Staff has always been knowledgeable about celiac and cross contamination.
Name:Rustica brick oven cafe in Garden City, NY
They have a dedicated pizza oven, dedicated trays and dedicated pizza cutters that are only for GF pizza. They make their own dough, both regular and Sicilian pizza. Everyone on the staff is very knowledgeable And everything is always clearly labeled
2 for me.
Daluciano’s
River Grove, IL
If it was closer probably weekly, but most special events are there
The family has multiple kids with Celiac, when you walk in they ask if you need a GF menu, straight up.
They have a separate kitchen were GF options are prepared and they bring them out on dishes that are different shape than the regular items. They also call out the GF dishes when they are placed on the table.
Fox and Turtle
Itasca, IL
3-4 times a month.
The owners family has Celiac issues. Even though staff can rotate a lot, they are good if you note gluten free/allergy and talk to them, we’ve never had an issue. They do a great job of calling the items when bringing them to the table, and Chef Ron is always willing to give input on what is safe or what to change up.
I’m thinking if all locations will be vetted by you then international restaurants will not be included in the app? I think your decision makes a lot of sense, I know a bakery where I live in Thailand where the owner has a good friend with celiac so she makes her GF items with extra care and my celiac daughter has never gotten sick from her food. I think those who are willing to put in the effort should be rewarded with a place in the app 🙂
The app will eventually be global so yes please include them.
Any CameronMitchell.com restaurant is safe. His wife is celiac and he takes any food allergy seriously. Columbus Ohio (but they’re opening around the country). My favs and go to’s:
Cap City
Molly Woos (Asian)
The Pearl (gastopub)
I second that. Cap City (3 locations in Columbus) is my go to. Prior to pandemic, I ate there weekly for years. Newest location in Dublin even has rotating seasonal GF desserts. Easton location manager’s wife is a celiac. This restaurant knows it’s stuff, and has never failed me in 19 years as a celiac.
I would also recommend First Watch and Northstar Cafe in Columbus, OH area. Excellent GF options, safe practices, and knowledgeable staff.
Hey Gluten Dude, Looked up Cameron Mitchell since Cheryl says they’re opening all over the country. Noticed they have several restaurant types. Found one in the Philly area, called Ocean Prime. Link below. Menu says items can be made “gluten friendly.” Maybe you can try it out sometime and let us know your experience. Thanks!
https://www.ocean-prime.com/locations-menus/philadelphia
Yogiyo (frozen yogurt)
Add: 1945 N. Campus Upland, CA
Times: countless
Precautions: Most frozen yogurt is labeled with GF circle. Pre-covid, when toppings were self-serve, employees knew my daughter by sight and, having memorized her topping preference, would pull her toppings from the back in anticipation for when she was ready to add toppings. (If they don’t know your daughter by sight, just ask to pull toppings from the back due to allergy/cross contamination and they happily do so. Currently, toppings are placed in sealed ramekins as a grab-and-go option. Even better!
Restaurant name: Lilit Cafe
Address: Bethesda, MD
Eaten there: about 6 times
Precautions: Separate food prep area, separate GF menu, owner and staff very knowledgeable and conscientious about cross contamination as they have family with celiac
Restaurant name: Not Your Average Joes
Address: Multiple locations in Eastern US (I’ve only been to Bethesda, MD location)
Eaten there: 8 times
Precautions: Separate GF menu, dedicated food prep area, different dishes for GF food, well-trained staff. It’s a small chain restaurant but they seem to have a good handle on making safety a priority.
Oh, how I miss Lilit! Never had a bad experience.
Snooze an AM Eatery
California and Texas locations
About 10 times
Separate area for prep and separate griddled for pancakes and waffles.
Food clearly labeled GF upon arrival
Almost everything on menu can be made GF so I feel like a normal human when looking at the menu. I think the only thing that can’t be made GF is eggs Benedict which is fine by me 🙂
Bonus: cocktails for breakfast? Boozy coffee drinks? Yes please.
All BareBurger restaurants in NYC (likely the National locations too.) GF clearly marked on menu, gluten doesn’t go in fryers, they’re knowledgeable and take it seriously and I’ve never had an issue.
LOVE Bareburger.
Restaurant Name: Christopher’s a Neighborhood Place
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): 108 N Wayne Ave , Wayne, PA 19087
How many times you’ve eaten there: 4-5
What precautions they take to keep you safe: staff very knowledgeable, dedicated fryer, prep food separately
Restaurant Name: Parc
Address: 227 S 18th St, Philadelphia, PA
How many times you’ve eaten there: 10+
What precautions they take to keep you safe: dedicated gf fryer, manager brings out the food
Restaurant Name: Zavino University City
Address: 3200 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
How many times you’ve eaten there: 2-3
What precautions they take to keep you safe: separate pizza oven for gf pizza
Restaurant: Alexander’s Tavern
Address: 710 S Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21231
How many times you’ve eaten there: 3
Precautions: I believe owner’s wife has celiac, huge separate gf menu, gf items come out with allergy flag, dedicated fryer
Restaurant: South House Philly
Address: 2535 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19148
How many times: 1
Precautions: dedicated fryer, dedicated kitchen space, all appetizers gf , gf buns, gf beer, gf dessert
FROM ACROSS THE POND in North Richland Hills, Texas (suburb of Fort Worth). The owner has Celiac Disease and knows all precautions. I’ve eaten there several times. There are many gluten free options on the menu.
RANCHMAN’S PONDER STEAKHOUSE in Ponder, Texas (a few miles north of Fort Worth). The owner has Celiac Disease and has a separate kitchen to cook gluten free food. They ask that if you know ahead of time that you want fresh fries or anything fried to call ahead so they can prepare their kitchen as they don’t have many gf customers in that area therefore the gf kitchen isn’t used often and they need to prepare. Ive only been there once but only because I moved from the area but I would go again if I was ever near there.
Lengthwise Pub on Calloway. In Bakersfield Ca, this is our family’s Cheers. Any one of us walks in and they yell our name lol. This restaurant/brewery has three location in town but we only frequent the one on Calloway because of how long they have been serving our Celiac family. If I forget to say no bun they know and always raise an eyebrow and say “no bun?” They do not have a GF menu, and a bunless burger with fries is about all we can get, but we can get that burger topped with bacon, pulled pork, tri tip, or all three. Drool 🤤 and the fries can be smothered in garlic and stinky cheese for amazing stinky fries. So who needs a bun with all that?
Name: Razzis Pizza
8523 Greenwood Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103
Why?
They (claim to) have separate kitchens for gluten free prep and cooking.
They maintain separate gf menus which are printed in a different color for clarity.
Everyone that walks in is asked if they want the gf menu.
The gluten free menu is the same size and has the same items on it as the regular menu, it’s not shortened.
They have a dedicated draft tap for either groundbreaker or ghostfish, depending on what’s there.
This is where groundbreaker goes in Seattle to meet or launch ideas.
This was where a local celiac group was going for a regular meetup.
Name: The Herb Farm
14590 NE 145th St, Woodinville, WA 98072
The nature of the meal here is a 9 course dinner with a single seating and the kitchen is open to watch during cooking.
Both times there, they have taken great care to confirm dietary restrictions.
Each course brought, they have reconfirmed as they sit the plate down that it is gluten free.
If they absolutely can’t make it gf, they have made from scratch at times a fully gf replacement item for that course. The kitchen has multiple spaces which are cleaned often throughout the meal since part of the experience is having the kitchen open to the whole dining room.
Name: Asiana Bistro
17875 Redmond Way #150, Redmond, WA 98052
I know this place falls into the small, takeout variety. But they have always been the only gf teriyaki location in all of Seattle.
While not specifically on their website a friend of mine said that the family has celiac which is why they offer gf.
Their menu will clearly call out which items are gf. There was only a single item with gluten on the menu which itself is prepared separately. So 99% of their menu is gf.
I offer this as uniquely the only place I have found either teriyaki or stir fry in Seattle.
I’ve been many times to all of these places.
I’m leaving off the places I know in Seattle that ARE 100% gf for now. Hoping those will be there.
Thanks!
J.P.
I second all of these!
HUCK’S CATFISH in Denison, TX. They don’t advertise they are gluten free but they have a separate fryer for when you order catfish and French fries. When I asked questions, all staff was knowledgeable and the wait staff writes down your order with a different colored pen to delineate to the kitchen staff they are to cook your food gluten free. I’ve been there one time and ordered fried catfish, fries. They have more on their menu but I didn’t ask about other food because I wanted the catfish. I felt totally safe. The breading on my fish was different than my husband’s so I can tell they put in in a different fryer and that they prepared it differently.
Different colored ink! What a fantastic idea!
Jersey Mikes
Coppell, Texas
They change gloves, verify order and fix the sandwiches of the usually line.
During school and sport season we pick up a lot of sandwiches!
Thanks Lauri…but I won’t include Jersey Mikes. Too much inconsistencies from location to location.
Palio’s Pizza
Coppell, Texas
We order gluten free crust and they repeat the order back to us to confirm. They change gloves and have separate trays for the gluten free pizzas to bake on.
We have made sure during the pandemic we have helped local restaurants to stay in business.
Also in Midland, TX. The location here refused to even serve GF pizza until they had a crew they were certain could handle it.
Michael’s Grill and Salad Bar
1879 2nd St
Highland Park IL
Eaten here over 10 times since diagnosed.
They have separate fryers and are very cross contamination conscious. GF buns kept separate. Salad bar is safe too! They mark your order with what your particular “allergy” might be. So in addition to GF if you can’t eat dairy etc. quite safe!
Duke’s Seafood & Chowder
Tacoma,Wa
Separate prep and cooking area. Extremely cautious and knowledgeable staff. The chef or a manager has come to talk to me every single time. Wait staff takes care to keep gluten containing plates and items away from me on the table. I feel like they have always taken celiac disease seriously. The menu mentions the owner of the Dukes chain, daughter has celiac disease. It’s evident the staff is well trained and kind.
Restaurant Name: The Pie
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Several locations throughout the Salt Lake valley, Utah
How many times you’ve eaten there: too many to count
What precautions they take to keep you safe: separate kitchen for gluten free pizza, knowledgeable staff, won’t even open the pizza box in the restaurant if you are ordering take out.
Jeremy’s Farm to Table
Chehalis, Wa
Separate area in kitchen. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great food. Head chef’s wife is diagnosed celiac disease and takes it very seriously. The kitchen and staff is well trained, kind, and knowledgeable to answer all questions relating to prepping and serving for celiac disease. I have been told by their staff to not order the gluten free pizza with it being medical. (I don’t know why, but there are so many amazing choices that I don’t care if I can’t have the pizza and appreciate their honesty and knowing the difference.)
Bareburger, more than one, but most often in Hartsdale, NY. Have eaten here >10 times. Separate fryer, informed servers, a company priority. Great option for my GF kid. Also: Yeomiji, Scarsdale, NY., >5 times. Multiple safe options, good labeling. Hudson Grille, White Plains, NY, >5 times. Separate fryer, multiple well labeled items, informed servers and kitchen staff.
Restaurant Name: Lilli and Loo
Restaurant Address: 792 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065
How many times you’ve eaten there: so, so many
What precautions they take to keep you safe: separate GF menu
This is a pan-Asian restaurant but they have an amazing GF, DF blueberry cake on their dessert menu. Their website currently says “Starting Sept 21st we will be temporarily closed until January.” argh
Burtons Grill & Bar
North Andover, MA (but several locations in MA, NH, CT, VA, NC, SC and FL)
Eaten there 20+ times
Owner’s family member (wife I think) has celiac, they always ask if anyone in party has allergies when they seat you, separate gluten free menu, separate prep area, fryer is dedicated, staff is well trained re: celiac/allergies, manager serves GF meals on plates with different shape (square), every year in May they run a special promotion on GF meals for Celiac Awareness Month, voted #1 Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant in 2019 by AllergyEats
Red Heat Tavern
Wilmington, MA (with a few other locations in MA & CT)
Eaten there 10+ times
Same owner as Burtons Grill (with celiac family member), always ask if anyone in party has any allergies, everything on the menu already is GF or can be made GF, dedicated fryer, manager serves GF food, use red plates to designate GF/allergy meals, manager once explained to us that owner had specifically sourced ingredients like sauces to be GF so that the entire menu could be GF without having to make major modifications (other than type of bun on burgers, etc) and everything fried is GF.
I second Burton’s!
Burton’s in Boba Raton, FL ticks all the gf boxes as well. Dedicated fryer, knowledgable staff, server always asks about allergies and food issues, etc.
And they have the BEST fried calamari (always gf) anywhere!
Restaurant Name: The Bistro at Gervasi Vineyard
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Canton, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 4
What precautions they take to keep you safe: While the food is prepared in a shared kitchen, the owner’s wife I believe has celiac so they are knowledgeable.
Restaurant Name: Boss Chick’n Beer
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Berea, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 1
What precautions they take to keep you safe: They have a separate fryer
Restaurant Name: Altieri’s Pizza and Chicken
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Stow, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 6
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Separate fryer for GF chicken and potatoes
Restaurant Name: Samantha’s
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): North Canton, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 6
What precautions they take to keep you safe: GF menu
Restaurant Name: Mustard Seed Market & Cafe
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Akron, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 20+
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Separate fryer, part of a health food store so very knowledgeable
Restaurant Name: BOMBA Tacos + Bar
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Copley, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 6
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Separate GF menu, staff is knowledgeable
Restaurant Name: Thai Spice
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Westlake, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 2
What precautions they take to keep you safe: separate GF menu
Restaurant Name: Bobby O’s Slices and Pies
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): 1502 E 11th St, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74120
How many times you’ve eaten there: 10
What precautions they take to keep you safe: completely separate gluten free kitchen
Restaurant Name: Big Baby Rolls and Donuts
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): 3739 East 11th Street
Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74112
How many times you’ve eaten there: 5
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The steps we currently take for our GF products are to prepare our GF dough and proof said dough in the kitchen before anything else is prepared, clean and sanintize between doughs and use of dedicated servers, a dedicated fryer and dedicated oven.
Restaurant: Christopher’s Neighborhood Place
City: Wayne, PA (Philly western suburbs)
Eaten there: 75+ times… we know the owners as I taught their kids. Trust is huge to them.
What to watch for: make very clear you have celiac. They’ll handle the rest and will tell you what they can prepare safely
Foods: chicken fingers and FRIES dedicated fryer- yes this place is kid friendly. Pizza cauliflower crust , GF rolls, and more. Did I mention a dedicated fryer?!?
Bar side for adults – excellent bar tender to make you a safe drink too.
Restaurant Name: Plan B
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Multiple locations in CT
How many times you’ve eaten there: 20+
What precautions they take to keep you safe: All of their fryers are dedicated gluten free! That means they have got tater tots, onion rings, fries, chicken tenders — all gluten free! They have a flourless gluten free dessert (literally my favorite chocolate cake), and every single server is well knowledge and asks a lot of questions when you mention you are celiac! I have had servers triple check menu items if I was ordering something questionable, and I have had the cook bring my food out explicitly if ordering with a larger group where not everyone was GF. They are my favorite place to eat and I’ve never gotten sick there.
Restaurant Name: Thirsty Koala
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Astoria, NY
How many times you’ve eaten there: 100
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Gluten Free items marked, dedicated fryer, listed as Gluten Free on Seamless, etc. Advertise as GF, staff is well versed in GF needs.
Restaurant Name: Ninos AQ
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Astoria NY
How many times you’ve eaten there: 10
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Gluten Free items marked, Gluten Free substitutions, staff are knowledgeable
Restaurant Name: Papazzio
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Bayside, NY
How many times you’ve eaten there: 5
What precautions they take to keep you safe: owner has Celiac, GF menu, separate fryer.
Restaurant Name: Dhee Thai
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Astoria, NY
How many times you’ve eaten there: 20
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Seperate GF menu
Restaurant Name: Sans Bakery
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Astoria, NY
How many times you’ve eaten there: 2
What precautions they take to keep you safe: dedicated GF bakery
I have been to Papazzio numerous times with no problems. Owner’s daughter has celiac.
My only reservation about this restaurant (no pun intended) is that the owner keeps insisting Omission is gluten free
LOVE Lilli and Loo! I was nearby the other day and was sad they were closed. I hope they reopen.
Restaurant Name: Sweet Alchemy
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Essex, VT
How many times you’ve eaten there: 10-15 on-site, but I eat their amazing baked goods (which are also vegan) pretty much daily
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Gluten Free items clearly marked, staff very knowledgeable and conscious, about 85% or more of menu is gf. Almost everything.
Restaurant Name: Pingala Cafe
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Winooski, VT
How many times you’ve eaten there: only a handful, but if I lived closer it would be every day!
What precautions they take to keep you safe: all non-gf items stated up front, staff very knowledgeable and conscious, all but 3 or 4 things on menu can be done gf
You folks are amazing. Keep em coming. Thanks.
Restaurant:
Bubba Q’s
Address: Ottumwa IA
How many times: 10+
Precautions: Owner has Celiac, menu clearly marked, well trained staff, grills only used for meats. I only get grilled items with no condiments just to be sure no cross contamination. Still need to be smart in any restaurant.
Restaurant:
Waterfront Seafood
Address: Ankeny and Des Moines IA
Number of times: 10+
Precautions:
Grills used only for meats. Well educated staff on food allergies.
Just do not get fried food, those would not be safe.
Earls in Banff, Alberta, Canada. They have a dedicated gf fryer. The staff are well trained. I have eaten there maybe ten times in pre-Covid times.
Restaurant: In ‘n’ Out
Location: all over the west coast plus Arizona
Number of Times: 20+
Precautions: Order your burger “Protein Style with Gluten Allergy.” I know celiac is not a gluten allergy but this is how they need to hear your order. The burger is cooked on a separate grill and wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun. The fries are cooked in oil that is only used for fries so they are safe. They peel the potatoes on site so it’s very fresh. The milkshakes are actual real milkshakes so if you can have dairy, they are also safe.
Via 313
Austin, Texas
GF pizza. Dedicated prep space. Have eaten there a few times but my celiac son ate there almost weekly when he interned in Austin.
Astor Farm to Table
Katy, Texas
Many GF options. At current location, super aware of prepping gf foods for my kids. The owner is building out a new restaurant where there will be a dedicated prep space. Eat there all the time.
Ruggles Black
Houston, Texas
Many GF options. Dedicated workspace. Eat here at least 1x a month.
Bella Green
Houston and Sugar Land, Texas
Many GF options (the empanadas….oh my gravy….). Dedicated workspace. Eat here at least 1x a month.
Shiraz Grille, a Persian restaurant in Grand Rapids MI. Most of the menu is GF and staff is very knowledgeable and careful. It’s my go-to for special occasions.
The Smokin Toad 6541 Williamsport Pike Falling Waters, WV
I’ve eaten there more times than I can count (Over a dozen). The first time I went in and explained my concerns they got the owner and he asked me lots of questions to understand what I could and couldn’t eat. He also patiently takes the time to tell me everything that is in a particular dish. The Owner either prepares my food or supervises the preparation, he will let me know if any of the daily specials are safe for me to have as well. They carry awesome bbq sauces that are all gluten free and they have the best bbq in town! Excellent service, down home country vibe and family owned business.
Blue Moon Shepherdstown, WV Eaten there 3 times in last year.
Excellent service, locally sourced produce and meats, menu clearly marks what items are gf, waiter takes the time to answer all questions. Great atmosphere, outdoor dining available. Bonus they have delicious gf dinner rolls!
Mission BBQ Hagerstown, MD. I know it’s a chain, but we eat there quite a bit, it’s convenient (eaten there over 10 times in last year)
They have a separate gf menu and you can watch them prepare the food, they change their gloves and one person is assigned to prep your order, they completely clean the prep area before starting. Not sure how other locations are but we have an awesome one. They also won an award last year from Allertrain for safe handling, etc.
Restaurant Name: Plan B
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Springfield, MA
How many times you’ve eaten there: Before the pandemic, at least 6 times per year for the last 6 yrs. They are an hour away from my home.
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The have GF items marked on their menu and a dedicated fryolator. The manager serves my dish to me on a different shaped plate than regular diners get. I have never had celiac symptoms eating there!
This is my go to when I travel to the area! so good!
Restaurant Name: Wok in the Park
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): St. Louis Park, MN
How many times you’ve eaten there: Too many times to count. They are my go to for Asian. Just had it today for lunch actually 🙂
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The have GF items marked on their menu. They even mark the items that use a shared fryer. If you have any questions they are very knowledgeable and helpful. I have never had celiac symptoms eating there!
http://wokintheparkrestaurant.com/menu/
Restaurant Name: Pizza Luce
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Several locations in MN
How many times you’ve eaten there: Too many times to count.
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The have GF items marked on their menu as well as items that can be made GF upon request. If you have any questions they are very knowledgeable and helpful. I have never had celiac symptoms eating there!
https://pizzaluce.com/menu/
You can also order a Flying Dutchman (off the secret menu). Two patties and two slices of cheese.
Tallahassee, FL
Vertigo Burgers & Fries
Grove Market Cafe
Cypress Restaurant
Masa
Reanthai
Well, I left off the why, which is not on brand for me…
Vertigo, Grove, and Cypress have the same owner and he has gluten sensitivity. They have protocols in place to clean equipment, use fresh ingredients/cookware, and they have a dedicated fryer. Masa and Reangthai use GF soy sauce, clean area, and fresh ingredients/cookware as well. I won’t trust anywhere that makes their own bread, or bakeries, or pizza restaurants because the flour is all over the air and landing everywhere. (I used to work for a pizza restaurant and I can attest that there’s no way to keep even a separate kitchen area free of flour). Thanks for doing this!!
Restaurant Name: Twigs Tavern and Grille
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine):Rochester, MN
How many times you’ve eaten there:50+
What precautions they take to keep you safe:completely separate kitchen for GF, separate GF menu, mark all GF items with GF pick, to-go items are in yellow bags, owners wife is Celiac and it is very obvious. Much less knowledgeable about other allergies, but will call owner to ask about ingredients.
401 6th St SW, Rochester, MN 55902
I recently had surgery at Mayo Clinic and when I wasn’t in the hospital we stayed in an apartment in the hotel connected to Twigs. I ate Twigs carry out food at least 20 times over the course of the month, probably more and it was always good and safe too. My husband loved the food also and we appreciated it that the regular menu and gluten free were basically the same so we could order the same things. A couple times he said mine looked better! I was in fragile health so I could not order some of their elaborate menu items but I dream of going back!! And not having surgery.
Carmelitas Mexican Restaurant in Cicero, NY
-I have eaten in the restaurant once and had take out from the restaurant three times.
-The owner has celiac disease and the staff is very knowledgeable on gluten items. The restaurant labels it’s menu and the only items that have gluten are flour tortillas for burritos and beer. Even though almost everything is gluten free, a special note is always made by the staff on my order designating celiac disease.
-Side note: the best homemade chips for guacamole and salsa I’ve had in years!
Anything But Beer in Syracuse, NY
-I have eaten here three times.
-This restaurant opened in February just before the pandemic and could use extra support!
-Everything on the menu is gluten free and they make their own fancy alcoholic beverages that aren’t beer or wine or cocktails.
Strong Hearts Cafe in Syracuse, NY
-This is an all vegan restaurant that understands food allergies and celiac disease.
-I have eaten here four times.
-They have a new app to order takeout and delivery with special instruction selections for “gluten intolerance” and a separate selection for “celiac.”
-They do not have a dedicated fryer which is unfortunate because they offer otherwise gluten free “chicken” wings and “mozzarella” sticks but staff is very knowledgeable about what items are safe and are not and if they are unsure they always check with the kitchen staff.
-They are known for their extensive selection of vegan milkshakes and have customized my milkshake order to ensure it was gluten free by going through each ingredient.
-Offers baked goods packages separately in their cooler that are gluten free.
-Grab and go sides in the cooler are gluten free and packaged separately.
Name: Flower Child (Chain Restaurant)
Place: OKC, OK
Eaten there twice (it’s new to OK)
Reason: Mostly Gluten free. Seem very knowledgeable. The kids meals are all gluten free.
https://www.iamaflowerchild.com/locations/oklahoma-city-ok/
Name :Chin Chin
Place : Mattawan, Michigan( exit 66 off of I-94)
Eaten there too many times to count. Was a favorite even before the family was diagnosed celiac.
We love that their wait staff is very knowledgeable about food allergies, celiac and cross contamination. My oldest daughter is extremely sensitive to cross contamination and has never gotten sick from eating there.
The area of southeastern CT has many restaurants (not chains) who do offer gf menus’ some do a great job, others do not. I cannot judge by me (NCSG) as I am not as bothered by cross -contamination as others with CD are, so my recommendations are based on what others have told me.
The Tea Kettle
Boston Post Rd, Old Saybrook. CT
Eaten there many times; Chef/owner David Ciastko knows what he is doing. All food is organic, even the coffee, portions are generous, prices a bit high, quality is excellent. He just started a new concept- a chicken place- sandwiches and salads, order online, grab and go. . His kitchen is commercial and has plenty of room to do things properly.
Paperback Cafe:
Main St., Old Saybrook.CT. good food, reasonable prices and it has been offering a gf menu for more than 10 years. Have not heard of anyone getting sick since one time several years ago when the wrong meal was served. They are careful.
Westbrook Lobster,
Boston Post Rd, Route 1
Westbrook/Clinton town line
Chef Steve has a very serious wheat allergy and is extremely careful with gf meals. He loves to experiment and come up with surprises, does not add flour to the clam chowder (best in this area), and no one has ever gotten sick there. Last year we held a holiday party and they did a fabulous job on 30 gf meals plus a few regular meals. Sadly we cannot do it this year as they do not have a private room, and we cannot take a chance. We did find another place, a resort owned by the husband of one of our members, and the Chef is very good about gf meals.
We do have a new Thai place that has a gf menu and does really good, safe meals; and a couple of tiny Chinese places I also trust.
No one in a 5 town area does a safe gf pizza. There are several places in Mystic, Guilford and a few other towns.
Oh my. In Austin we have had many very well-informed and safe local restaurants from almost fast food (e.g. Tacodeli, Mighty Fine, Rudy’s BBQ) to high end chef-driven restaurants (e.g. Uchi/Uchiko, Wink) and everything in between. We’ve also had a number of 100% gluten free restaurants over the years. I was diagnosed in 2009 and my two younger children in 2010 so we’ve had lots of experience finding gluten free restaurants. I will say that I’ve found most of our fine dining restaurants at the higher end of the price scale are knowledgeable and safe. If you are looking for fine dining in Austin, call the restaurant and talk to them in advance. On special occasions, I’ve never had a problem here. In my comment, I’ll include some of the mid-range local restaurants we trust implicitly. These are our staples. We have eaten at them many times over the years and have never had a problem and never gotten sick at any of them. These are some of the ones we absolutely trust. All the below are in the Austin, TX metro area. So far they are all surviving the pandemic. Many of them are carryout only right now. Hopefully they will all make it.
Maudie’s Tex-Mex (family members have celiac disease) – menu clearly marked
Matt’s Famous El Rancho (family members have celiac disease) – staff knowledgeable
Fonda San Miguel – staff very knowledgeable
Ka-Prow Thai & Sushi Bistro – extremely allergen aware, not just celiac friendly. Always check to ensure they have it right. Dishes in dine-in and containers in carry-out use different colors or marked with stickers. Also outstanding sushi. Make many of their own sauces and a number are gluten free. Also sell them.
Tarka India Kitchen – Fast casual Indian food. Menu clearly marked. Staff knowledgeable.
Broth and Basil – Vietnamese. New-ish but have talked to them and eaten there around 10 times. No issues. There’s only one other Austin restaurant we trust for pho.
Pho Thaison on Anderson Ln. – https://www.phothaisonaustin.com/#/ – This is our preferred pho restaurant. We’ve gone there for years. There appear to be other restaurants in the Austin area with the same name but they are *not* connected to this one.
Salt Lick BBQ (two locations) – other than bread and desserts (things that obviously have gluten) everything is gluten free. Safe prep. Eaten there many times.
Brotherton’s Black Iron Barbecue – Knowledgeable. Fantastic BBQ. Usually get BBQ to go by the pound and nothing else.
Blue Corn Harvest – Gluten free menu and knowledgeable staff. Will check with chef if there are any questions. Great food. Eaten there more times than I can count.
Kerbey Lane Cafe – They include disclaimers that it’s not 100% gluten free but staff has always been knowledgeable and over the past decade none of us have ever gotten sick. We trust them.
Tacodeli – The only things on the entire menu with gluten now are the flour tortillas. Still always tell them it’s allergy/celiac disease so they can ensure safe prep. Before the current menu their older one marked the few things that *weren’t* gluten free instead of marking gluten free options, which I found a refreshing change.
Taste of Ethiopia – family member with celiac disease and other food issues. very knowledgeable. love the coffee service and the injera.
Those tend to be our staple local places when we eat out or get to go. (Lately just takeout.) Those are the restaurants I would not hesitate to recommend.
Dang…thanks Scott!
Restaurant name: Evan’s Seafood
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Times eaten their food: around 20
Precautions: All fryers are gluten free, staff are extremely knowledgeable about celiac and take cross-contact prevention seriously. There are separate areas in the kitchen for items with gluten. Any time I have had questions about how they keep things safe for celiacs the staff have taken me seriously and taken the time to give me thorough answers, in person and via email. The first time I ordered there post diagnosis they took care to point out the malt vinegar bottle amongst the condiments, too, in case I wasn’t aware it was unsafe for me.
They are extra awesome because: onion rings!!! (This point deserved its own bonus category.)
Restaurant: The Rail
Location: Dublin, OH
Times eaten there: once – just discovered it
Precautions: menu clearly labeled, knowledgeable staff
https://www.therailburger.com/dublin-ohio-menu
also wanted to add the “Not Your Average Joe’s” small chain of restaurants here in New England (and expanding south…). They have very strict allergy protocols in place and the manager oversees your meal and delivers it to your table. They also have gluten free rolls (always a nice treat). We’ve eaten at probably 5-6 locations and been impressed every time. The GF options are a little limited with the smaller menu being offered with the pandemic, but still a good list of options.
If someone insists on meeting me someplace unsafe, I just have coffee. It’s a socially accepted thing to do. If I’m starving I may hide in the bathroom for a minute and scarf a meal bar from my purse. But I trust zero restaurants other than fully gluten free ones. Every time I’ve tried that, or bent that rule I regretted it. I was seduced by Indian restaurants for a long time because I love that, but I’ve buckled down and learned to cook it.
Restaurant Name: State Burger
Restaurant Address: Bellefonte PA
How many times you’ve eaten there: ~5
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Very conscientious owners. They stock really good (individually wrapped) gf buns. Dedicated GF fryer and prep area, and use ingredients from fresh containers to eliminate cc risk. Call ahead and write “gluten free” on your order slip.
Restaurant Name: The Fat Lamb Modern Kitchen & Bar
Restaurant Address: Louisville KY
How many times you’ve eaten there: 1, and recommended by other area celiacs
What precautions they take to keep you safe: High end kitchen with knowledge of all ingredients and cross-contamination. We alerted them when we made the reservation, and the server walked us through everything on the menu that was safe or could be made safe. (About half the menu!)
Restaurant Name: The Arepa Place
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Cincinnati, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 4 (3 times were takeout)
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The food does not contain gluten ingredients (beer is served in the restaurant).
Restaurant Name: TAHONA Kitchen + Bar
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Blue Ash, OH
How many times you’ve eaten there: 4
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Knowledgable staff (some of the staff members have celiac), labeled menu
Restaurant Name: Farmhaus Burger
Restaurant Address (city and state is find): Augusta, GA
How many times you’ve eaten there: 20+
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Knowledgeable staff, cross-contamination aware, dedicated GF fryer
Restaurant Name: Loco Lizard
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): 1612 Ute Blvd. Park City, Utah
How many times you’ve eaten there: Many!
What precautions they take to keep you safe: The only thing on their menu that has gluten is the flour tortillas, which can be subbed out for corn, which is noted right there on the front page of their website: http://www.locolizardcantina.com. Celiac-knowledgeable staff.
Jack & Mike’s Brickhouse Bar & Grille
979 Cedar Bridge Ave
Brick Township, NJ 08723
I’ve eaten here often over many years. The wives of the owners are both celiacs! the crew is usually very knowledgeable. There is dedicated kitchen stuff and best of all, they have a REAL MENU!! NJ is famous for it’s diners and this place has separate, dedicated gluten free menu that is almost a standard diner menu.
Via Roma
2360 Route 9
Toms River, NJ 08755
A standard Italian place that has a nearly standard gluten free menu, a dedicated kitchen area and tools, and does their GF food very well. The owner and the kitchen are GF certified. As usual though, the pizza is on prepackaged crust so it sucks.
Wildflour Bakery/Cafe
2691 Main Street
Lawrenceville, NJ
Dedicated Bakery and Cafe with upscale and meticulously crafted foods. They are amazing!! Also, reasonably priced for super fresh, homemade foods. They have a light cafe style menu and some of the best GF baked goods I’ve ever had.
Esposito’s Pizza
233 E. Main St.
Manasquan, NJ 08736
Have eaten here four times with my celiac daughter. The owner has a celiac family member and knows how to prepare safe GF food. Dedicated fryer, GF pasta dishes available, as well as fried breaded calamari and mozzarella sticks.
Thanks Melanie. Will check them out now.
five guys
some, not all. Near goose creek sc. sorry dont have adress, dont know, dont know how to find. look for other ones in other places though.
i know u said no fast food reaestraunts, but this one doesn’t take kids, at least at the ones we’ve been to, and i see no staff turnover then about once a year maybe, can take the stuff without bun, ask to change gloves and stuff, can have milkshakes without the obvious gluten containing toppings and other items, like oreo pieces (i get the chocolet with coffe and bakon (ASK FOR COFEE SYRUP, NO GROUNDS, NOT BECAUSE GLUTEN, BUT COFFE GROUND TASTE BAD.) and sometimes bananna. eat there about once a month. is yum, but the ones we’ve been to recently changed their cheese brand to a corn containing one, and corn is scientificatly concitered a gluten, and we get sick from it, so we cant have the cheese. if u go there and cant have corn, bring own cheese slices.
Restaurant Name: Second Empire
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Raleigh, NC
How many times you’ve eaten there: 4
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Chef has Celiac and is HIGHLY aware of needs for those with Celiac and Gluten Intolerance. Local FB group for Celiac also RAVES about being able to eat safely there.
Restaurant Name: Bodega Tapas, Wine and Rum
Restaurant Address (city and state is fine): Wake Forest, NC
How many times you’ve eaten there: too many to count . .
What precautions they take to keep you safe: Personal friend of owner/chef Serge Valcoz-figne. Serge takes great care with all food prepared and when someone with Celiac or other food allergy comes to his restaurant, he personally oversees and prepares the meal to make sure they are safely well fed. When discussing food and dishes he can tell you exactly what is in each.