Gluten Free Travel Blog

Restaurants are indeed hopping on the gluten-free bandwagon at a rapid clip these days, launching (or expanding) gluten-free menus at a pace that makes people with Celiac Disease -- and others following gluten-free diets -- thrilled. There are now more choices than ever before, and with increased awareness of Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance -- and the higher rate of proper diagnosis and demand for gluten-free foods that results -- the gluten-free community can continue to look forward to expanded options when it comes to dining out. Of course, the changing environment does come with its share of caveats...sometimes well-meaning restaurants may not fully understand all the intricacies of providing safe gluten-free meals, like all the steps that must be followed to avoid cross-contamination in the kitchen. So vigilance is always necessary. In contrast, there are some restaurants that are the "shining stars." I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Tony Cochones, Director of Food and Beverage at Glory Days Grill, who recently spearheaded the launch of their extensive gluten-free menu. This company is an example of setting the highest gluten-free (and general health) standards throughout their chain of casual dining restaurants, which are located in Maryland, Virginia, and... Read more →

We have a new restaurant on our Gluten Free Restaurant Menus page: BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse, with locations in 13 states! http://glutenfreetravelsite.com/restaurants/gfmenu_bjsbrewhouse.php Read more →

Don't miss this great article on gluten-free diets -- and who should and shouldn't be following one -- in today's Wall Street Journal ( http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703846604575447413874799110.html ) Read more →

Wendy's just updated their gluten-free menu. Here's a list of what's safe to eat... http://www.wendys.com/food/pdf/us/gluten_free_list.pdf Read more →

Wow! My husband took our kids to a Washington Nationals baseball game last week, and here is what he found: And apparently, he wasn't the ONLY one snapping a photo! He said there was a lot of buzz and excitement around this Gluten Free Concession Stand at Nationals Stadium, including other people taking pictures. What a sight for sore eyes! Located in Section 135, the Gluten Free Concession Stand offers gluten-free hot dogs on gluten-free buns (although curiously they do not offer hamburgers), gluten-free pizza, gluten-free mac-n-cheese, gluten-free burritos (that's a nice addition you don't typically see), chips, Cracker Jack's, and gluten-free Redbridge beer. My husband reported that there weren't any desserts offered at this particular stand but said Edy's ice cream and Gifford's ice cream were offered in other areas of the stadium. Both are gluten-free with the exception of obvious flavors containing brownie bits, cookie dough, or other "baked items" mixed in. A BIG thank you to Nationals Stadium to having one of the best gluten-free concessions at any ballpark, arena, or sporting venue. Keep up the good work...this is a fast-growing market, so you are making a wise business decision, as well as making MANY adults and... Read more →

Our family vacationed in Ocean City, Maryland last week and had the opportunity to try a relatively new restaurant (open just 3 months) called The Cafe on 26 in Ocean View, Delaware, just west of Bethany Beach. It's co-owned by chef Cathy Berzins who has Celiac Disease, and most everything they serve for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is gluten-free. I posted a review of our breakfast experience at The Cafe on 26 on our sister site for gluten-free restaurant reviews: GlutenFreeTravelSite. Well, needless to say, we liked The Cafe on 26 so much we went back a few days later, this time for dinner... Be sure to go early enough if you choose to dine there for dinner. There's some question as to what time the kitchen "closes" (I saw both 7 and 8 pm posted...call to be sure). And it probably doesn't hurt to make a reservation, since the restaurant is rather small (in the main floor of an old but beautifully restored and maintained beach cottage). There already seems to be quite a loyal gluten-free clientele as well, since word travels fast in our community...there was a customer who came in while we were dining and bought the... Read more →

When I launched GlutenFreeTravelSite over two years ago, the goal was to help give people following gluten-free diets a "vacation from worry," whether they were looking for an evening out at a local restaurant that could work around their gluten-free needs -- or searching for "safe" places to get a delicious gluten-free meal while traveling. I recently learned about a restaurant in Montreal, Canada, that perfectly embodies this philosophy...giving gluten-free diners as well as people with other dietary restrictions a true "worry free" dining experience. The restaurant is called Zero8, and the name is suggestive of their restaurant's unique positioning...they are a fine dining restaurant banning the 8 most common allergens, including gluten, from their menu. AND they have some terrific fine dining restaurant packages for tourists visiting Montreal and wanting a complete gluten-free (and other allergen-free) experience. For more about their food, ambiance, and special packages, including special wine dinners, visit their site ( http://zero8.com/vacation/index_en.php ). There 's also a review of Zero8 on GlutenFreeTravelSite ( http://glutenfreetravelsite.com/review_single.php?item_id=13&id=1211 ). Read more →

Churches with gluten-free communion wafers: The Pastor of King of Kings Lutheran Church in Oceanside, CA, recently contacted us to help him spread the word about churches that offer gluten-free communion wafers. He started the website listed below that, at this point, mainly lists Lutheran churches in the San Diego area. He hopes to expand the list on an ongoing basis to include other areas and denominations. There's an email on this site to contact him if you'd like to add another church to the list ( http://www.glutenfreechurches.com ) Read more →

Don't miss our Featured Review for August posted on GlutenFreeTravelSite ( http://www.glutenfreetravelsite.com/featured.php ) Read more →