A year ago, I wrote about my experience at Uncle Maddio’s, and how much I loved it, and it’s dedication to serving safe gluten-free pizza. A few weeks ago, an Uncle Maddio’s opened right around the corner from me. I was thrilled, now I could enjoy this yummy gluten-free pizza regularly.
As luck would have it, I was invited to the opening night, and while I was super excited to be one the of the first to try their new location, I can’t deny I was also a bit nervous. I was nervous because I didn’t want to be a guinea pig for people trying to navigate and learning how to prepare a gluten-free pizza with minimal risk of cross-contamination. In addition to this, the opening night was packed. A setting I try to avoid when I want to be sure the people in the kitchen and servers are handling my order carefully. My nerves were eased when I spoke with the owner and she assured me that they have been trained and that the main person making pizzas that night was an experienced pizza maker from another Uncle Maddio’s location.
I decided to trust it, and ordered my pizza. I love how the format is “Chipotle-style”, casual and family-friendly. You can order from one of the many speciality designed pizzas, or you can go down the line and choose the toppings to make your own unique pizza. There is a huge menu board that lists the specials and toppings available. My family all ordered gluten-free pizzas, because honestly they all like the crusts better, even though they don’t have to eat gluten-free like me.
I told the pizza maker I was going to have a gluten-free pizza, and thankfully he changed his gloves without being asked, as well as, alerting the next people in the pizza line to change their gloves as well. Since I have been to an Uncle Maddio’s before, I was familiar with what toppings were safe, but as we know, ingredients always change, so I asked again. I was told that all veggies were OK, but he seemed a little fuzzy as to all that was safe after that. I ordered a pizza with red sauce, broccoli, green olives and tofu. My daughter ordered her favorite of tofu and pepperoni – such a great contradiction!
All in all, it was a great experience, even if I was a little nervous in the crowded, just-opened atmosphere. The leftovers the next day were just as delicious!
One change I would make, if I could, would be to mark the gluten-free toppings on the menu board rather than leaving us guessing. The salads are marked, so why not mark the pizza toppings?
I can’t wait to go again!
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