E-News Exclusive

Restaurant Guide for the Gluten-Free Dieter

By David Yeager

Eating healthfully while dining out can be a challenge for many clients, but it’s even more difficult if they happen to be gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant. In honor of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month, Today’s Dietitian compiled a list of 25 restaurants across the country known for their wide variety of gluten-free menu items. This list is based on high consumer ratings from AllergyEats, a free website that lists more than 625,000 allergy-friendly restaurants nationwide.

Some cities, such as New York; Boston; Lake Buena Vista, Florida; and Las Vegas, had several highly rated establishments, but we chose the following restaurants not only for their diverse gluten-free offerings but for their geographic locations. Clients who are looking for gluten-free cuisine will find a little bit of everything on this list. Enjoy!

Northeast
Bistango Ristorante
415 Third Avenue at 29th Street
New York, New York
212-725-8484
www.bistangonyc.com
A certified gluten-free restaurant, Bistango offers gluten-free pastas, pizza, breads, desserts, and even beer.

Burtons Grill
94 Derby Street
Hingham, Massachusetts
781-749-1007
http://site.burtonsgrill.com
In addition to serving naturally gluten-free items, Burtons Grill will modify old favorites such as calamari dredged in corn flour and a cheeseburger on a gluten-free bun.

Chipotle Mexican Grill
10325 Cascade Crossing
Brooklyn, Ohio
216-267-8360
www.chipotle.com
Nearly everything on the menu is gluten free, so customers can satisfy their cravings for Mexican food without worry. Kitchen staff will change gloves on request.

Maggiano’s Little Italy
160 N Gulph Road, Suite 205
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
610-992-3333
www.maggianos.com
Maggiano’s offers a variety of gluten-free pastas and sauces as well as other dishes. Fried mozzarella and chicken parmesan, anyone?

Chef Geoff’s
3201 New Mexico Avenue NW
Washington, DC
202-237-7800
www.chefgeoff.com
In addition to modifying regular menu items, Chef Geoff’s has gluten-free options that include pepper-crusted steak salad and Big Shrimp and Very Gouda Grits.

Southeast
T-Rex Café
Downtown Disney Marketplace
1676 E. Buena Vista Drive
Lake Buena Vista, Florida
407-828-8739
www.trexcafe.com
This prehistoric-themed restaurant has gluten-free dishes such as Woolly Mammoth Chicken. And the staff is willing to modify menu items to meet dietary needs.

The Wild Cow
1896 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee
615-262-2717
www.thewildcow.com
A vegetarian restaurant, The Wild Cow also has a gluten-free menu with items such as The Wild Reuben; sweet potato and black bean tacos; and peanut butter, kale, and banana smoothies.

Bella Notte
3715 Nicholasville Road
Lexington, Kentucky
859-245-1789
www.bellalexington.com
In addition to its regular menu, Bella Notte has a dedicated gluten-free menu with plenty of tasty treats, such as Salmon Oregenato, Rosemary Roasted Tuscan Chicken, Panna Cotta, and a wide selection of pastas.

North Central
Pizza Luce
1183 Selby Avenue
St Paul, Minnesota
651-288-0186
www.pizzaluce.com
Along with plenty of pizza options, Pizza Luce offers gluten-free items on request, such as bruschetta, Luce’s Chicken Wings, and gluten-free stuffed shells.

Wildfire
159 W. Erie
Chicago, Illinois
312-787-9000
www.wildfirerestaurant.com
Whether you’re in the mood for spinach and artichoke fondue, shrimp and penne pasta, or a High Plains Bison Filet, it’s on Wildfire’s fairly extensive gluten-free menu.

Waldo Pizza
7433 Broadway Street
Kansas City, Missouri
816-363-5242
www.waldopizza.net
Waldo Pizza’s gluten-free crust is made locally, and you can order just about any topping you can think of. There are other options as well, including gluten-free bread sticks, Build Your Own sandwiches, and Chocolate Sin Cake.

Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
5990 University Avenue
West Des Moines, Iowa
515-221-9900
www.biaggis.com
Biaggi’s has several gluten-free pizzas, pastas, and sauces as well as entrées such as Salmon and Shrimp Milanese, Chicken Piemontese, and Smoked Hanger Steak.

Sanaa’s Gourmet Restaurant
401 E. 8th Street #100
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
605-275-2516
www.sanaacooks.com/restaurant
Sanaa’s makes all its gluten-free items and breads from scratch and offers a variety of Mediterranean dishes, such as beef kibbeh, a spinach fatayer combo meal, and Chicken Mussakhan.

South Central
Kozy Kitchen
4433 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, Texas
214-219-5044
www.twigproductive.com/kozy
In addition to entrées that don’t contain gluten, Kozy Kitchen offers gluten-free bread and desserts such as chocolate chip brownies, Cookie Monster Cake, and Oh My God Cake.

Steuben’s
523 E. 17th Avenue
Denver, Colorado
303-830-1001
www.steubens.com
Steuben’s has a gluten-free menu with options, such as Habanero Honey Fried Corn, Memphis Ribs, and Trout Amandine, as well as several breadless sandwiches such as a blackened chicken club.

The Steeping Room
11410 Century Oaks Terrace, Suite 112
Austin, Texas
512-977-8337
www.thesteepingroom.com
Most of The Steeping Room’s menu items can be made gluten free and/or vegetarian, so whether you’re in the mood for a mushroom tarragon omelet, Lapsang Souchon Chicken Salad tea sandwiches, or a Croque Monsieur (French ham and cheese sandwich), there’s something here for you.

Restaurant 4580
4580 Broadway #D-1
Boulder, Colorado
303-448-1500
www.restaurant4580.com
Grilled Calamari Barcalona, grana padano risotto, blackened Ruby Red trout, gluten-free bread, and a flourless chocolate torte are among the gluten-free options at Restaurant 4580.

Northwest
Hawthorne Fish House
4343 SE Hawthorne Boulevard
Portland, Oregon
503-548-4434
www.corbettfishhouse.com
People with celiac disease don’t have to give up fish and chips if they dine here. In addition, the Hawthorne Fish House offers fish tacos, gluten-free buns for sandwiches, and gluten-free desserts such as carrot cake and Marionberry cupcakes. Its sister restaurant, Corbett Fish House, is on Corbett Avenue.

Jekyl & Hyde Deli
709 W. Orchard Place
Bellingham, Washington
360-715-9100
www.jhdeli.com
Jeckyl & Hyde Deli offers gluten-free bread for its sandwiches and gluten-free pizza.

Park City Pizza Co.
1612 Ute Boulevard #112
Park City, Utah
435-649-1591
www.parkcitypizzaco.com
The Gluten Free Institute certifies Park City Pizza, which serves a variety of gluten-free pizzas, pastas, and sandwiches. They even have gluten-free garlic bread and cheese bread.

Graces 5
8110 164th Avenue NE
Redmond, Washington
855-472-2375
www.graces5.com
Everything is gluten free, dairy free, soy free, and made with less sugar, so customers don’t have to worry if they’re fans of pasta and bread. There are also nonpasta entrées, such as Chicken Marsala and Port Tenderloin, and save room for Chocolate Quinoa Bundt Cake topped with chocolate grenache and berry coulis.

Southwest
Lazy Joe’s Fish and Chips
7835 Rainbow Road #22
Las Vegas, Nevada
702-489-6523
www.lazyjoesfishandchips.com
Lazy Joe’s uses gluten-free breading for all its fried fish dishes, so the whole belly Ipswich clams will definitely please your belly.

Picazzo’s Organic Italian Kitchen
440 W. Warner Road #101
Tempe, Arizona
480-831-5823
www.picazzos.com
All of Picazzo’s breads, pastas, and croutons are gluten free, and they use gluten-free flour that serves as the base for pizzas and desserts. Moreover, almost every item on the menu can be prepared gluten free.

Country Gourmet American Bistro
1314 Mary Avenue
Sunnyvale, California
408-733-9406
www.country-gourmet.com
The Country Gourmet has a gluten-free menu with lots of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, such as a Vegetarian Burrito Bowl and the CG Stir Fry. Top it off with a fudge brownie sundae.

P. F. Chang’s China Bistro
121 N. La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, California
310-854-6467
www.pfchangs.com
You can get gluten-free Singapore Street Noodles, spicy Dali Chicken, or a triple chocolate mousse mini, among many other options, and they’ll serve it on a special plate to ensure there’s no cross-contamination.

— David Yeager is a freelance writer and editor based in Royersford, Pennsylvania.