GlutenFreeTravelSite Awards Washington, DC Area the Title of "World's Most Celiac-Friendly Destination"

GlutenFreeTravelSite, our sister website, today announced that the Washington, DC area, which includes its Maryland and Virginia suburbs, is this year's winner of our “World’s Most Celiac-Friendly Destination” contest. Now in its third year, this contest recognizes locations that offer a wide range of dining choices for people following gluten-free diets. New York was the winner the first year, and Florida was the winning destination last year, due in large part to how accommodating Disney World and the surrounding Orlando area are to gluten-free guests.

Each year, the results are determined by tallying the number of user-submitted dining and travel reviews received throughout the year for each location on GlutenFreeTravelSite. The Washington DC metro area had a particularly impressive showing over the past year.

GlutenFreeTravelSite benefits from a close relationship with the DC Celiacs support group, and many of its members have contributed to the site by providing personal, detailed feedback on DC-area restaurants, bakeries and grocery stores. Reviews of many independent restaurants as well as chain restaurants offering gluten-free menus give residents of and visitors to the D.C. area a wide a range of “safe” choices.

“Many cities in the DC area, like Bethesda and McLean, offer numerous gluten-free dining options,” said DC Celiacs member Sandra Robins, who is also the DC Gluten-Free Examiner and Gluten Free Optimist Blogger. “In Bethesda, Maryland, diners can enjoy delicious gluten-free crab cakes at both Lilit Cafe and Chef Tony's. New gluten-free menus are being discovered regularly, providing diners with significantly more choices than four years ago, when I was initially diagnosed with Celiac Disease."

I think those that live here would agree: The DC area is a great place to be if you’re on a gluten-free diet . No matter what type of food is desired -- haute cuisine or casual family dining, Italian or Ethiopian -- you can always find plenty of places offering great gluten-free options. How to find those places? Well begin with a search of area dining reviews on GlutenFreeTravelSite, of course!