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Bertucci’s Gluten-Free Options

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It thrills me to see gluten-free options at so many restaurants these days. While there are a few restaurants that don’t get it, even though they offer a gluten-free menu, the majority seem to. Of course there is always a risk when dining out gluten-free, but the situation is much improved over the past five years.

Bertucci’s opened their first restaurant over 30 years ago in Somerville, MA. Today they have 89 restaurants from New England to Virginia. They have perfected the art of brick oven cooking.

Menu Thumbnails GlutenFree Entree Salads 0While Bertucci’s doesn’t have any gluten-free pasta or pizza options at this point in time, they do have many other gluten-free menu options ranging from starters to desserts. The gluten-free menu options have been identified with help from the Gluten Intolerance Group.

I haven’t had the opportunity to dine at Bertucci’s as there aren’t any here in Ohio. I have made a note to try them should I have the chance to do so.  Have you tried Bertucci’s gluten-free offerings? If so, please share your experience with us below.

List of Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains

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Many people who follow a gluten-free diet also have to avoid at least one other food ingredient. Dining out and avoiding gluten is hard enough; add in one or more other ingredients to avoid and dining out becomes even more challenging. AllergyEats is a free, peer-based website and smartphone app to help guide those having to avoid gluten and/or other food ingredients when dining out and just released the “2020 List of Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains”.

“Some exceptional restaurant chains who were leaders on the 2013 list are once again recognized this year, including Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (large chain), Bonefish Grill (medium chain) and Burtons Grill (small chain).  We congratulate two restaurant chains that are new to our list this year – Romano’s Macaroni Grill and Mellow Mushroom,” Antico continued.   “Statistics have shown that maintaining a more allergy-friendly restaurant leads to increased traffic, customer loyalty and, ultimately, profits.”

The Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Chains were grouped into three categories – Large (over 200 units), Medium (50-200 units), and Small (under 50 units).  Results were based on diner feedback from the AllergyEats website and app through December 31, 2013:

Allergy eats logoLarge (over 200 units):

  • Red Robin Gourmet Burgers (4.45 rating)
  • P.F. Chang’s China Bistro (4.43 rating)
  • Chipotle Mexican Grill (4.41 rating)
  • Outback Steakhouse (4.35 rating)
  • Romano’s Macaroni Grill (4.20 rating)

Medium (50-200 units):

  • Bonefish Grill (4.43 rating)
  • Ninety Nine Restaurant (4.28 rating
  • Mellow Mushroom (4.26 rating)
  • Uno Chicago Grill (4.24 rating)
  • Bertucci’s Brick Oven Restaurant (4.17 rating)

Small (under 50 units):

  • Burtons Grill (4.90 rating)
  • Maggiano’s Little Italy (4.73 rating)
  • Papa Razzi (4.68 rating)
  • Legal Sea Foods (4.67 rating)
  • Not Your Average Joe’s (4.66 rating)

Don’t forget to share your thoughts and experiences on AllergyEats so that others can benefit from your experience. Doing so helps others choose restaurants that can help them dine out as safely and as enjoyably as possible.

Review: First Watch Gluten-Free Menu

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There is nothing better after a Saturday morning long runs than a warm breakfast out with the running group. Our local running group, Marathoners in Training, meets at 8:00 AM, and after our planned mileage, we need to refuel as soon as possible. The easiest way to do that is to hit up one of the local breakfast spots, which happened to be First Watch this past week.

First Watch offers a wide variety of gluten-free menu items, though I found the menu a little confusing at first glance. Usually, when you see a gluten-free menu it lists the menu items that are gluten-free and what modifications (if any) need to be made. This menu had some of that, but also listed menu items that “contain gluten”. It seems confusing to include those items on the menu and I feel it would be easier to decipher if those items were left off of the menu. First Watch has two different quinoa bowls on the menu, but they both “contain gluten”. I asked the server what the source of gluten was in the quinoa bowl and was told the broth the quinoa is prepared in contains gluten. She went on to tell me the quinoa could be prepared in water to make it gluten-free.

I decided on the Avocado, Bacon & Tomato Hash, which is basically a bowl full of hash browns, tomato, bacon, avocado, and cheese topped with 2 eggs of your choice. As much as I love eggs, they upset my stomach, so I ordered the dish without the eggs.

IMG 1006

Boy did this hit the spot! I drizzled a little bit of 100% maple syrup (make sure to ask specifically for this, as it isn’t the syrup left on the tables) on top, as I have really been digging the sweet & salty combo of bacon and syrup lately. The side of the fruit is a nice touch and is refreshing while waiting for the hash to cool down. This was the perfect way to refuel after a run! I especially like the coffee carafes placed right on the table.

First Watch has over 100 locations in 13 different states. Click here to find the location closest to you.

California Pizza Kitchen Gluten-Free Menu

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Earlier this month I shared the great news that California Pizza Kitchen re-released their gluten-free pizza, but this time, the right way, with the guidance and blessing of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). When I had to go to the mall over the weekend to pick up a book at Barnes & Noble for a book report, I planned a stop at CPK since it is located at the other end of the same mall.  Since this was going to be the first time ordering the new gluten-free pizza, I wanted to do so in person to get a feel for how well the restaurant employees were trained.

Official Website Menu Information: California Pizza Kitchen Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a California Pizza Kitchen Location Near You

This is the sign placed right out in front of the restaurant to lure people inside. I was thrilled to see this! To me it was definitely a good sign, pun intended, that the staff had been educated about the gluten-free pizza and procedures. I made my way over to the “To-Go” order counter and saw another good sign.

photo 2The tabletop sign talked about the strict procedures approved by the GIG and listed the four varieties of gluten-free pizzas offered:

  • Margherita
  • The Original BBQ Chicken Pizza
  • Mushroom Pepperoni Sausage
  • Pepperoni

I ordered the Margherita for me and the Pepperoni for my son. The pizzas only took 15 minutes to prepare and were presented to us like this:

Another indication that CPK got it right this time.  Only one question remains…how does it taste?  The gentleman that was working the “To-Go” counter said he liked the new version better than the old.  He went on to tell me the base ingredients, which really impressed me!

The pizza was a little overcooked at the edges but didn’t taste burnt, so it didn’t bother me at all.  The texture of the crust and the overall taste of the pizza were outstanding, so much so that I forgot about the edges until I looked at the pictures before sharing them here with you guys. The pizzas are roughly 10 inches in diameter. I stretched mine out into 2 meals by adding an arugula salad when I got home.

If you haven’t figured it out already, I am beyond ecstatic with the new gluten-free pizza at CPK.  I definitely see it being added to our “safe” list of restaurants in the Columbus area. To see where the closest CPK restaurant to you is, visit the website store locator.

Well done California Pizza Kitchen, well done.

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.

Buca di Beppo Gluten-Free Menu

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Eating out should be fun and enjoyable, not intimidating and stressful, right?  Whenever I have plans to go to a new-to-me gluten-free restaurant, I always get nervous. One would think that after 7+ years on the gluten-free diet that I would be an old pro by now.  No matter how much experience I have eating gluten-free, there are variables I can’t control when eating out.  A restaurant that has a gluten-free menu and a staff well-trained on that menu makes all the difference in the world.

Sunday night we went to Buca di Beppo to celebrate some belated family birthdays.  I just love the ambiance of this restaurant!  The red and white checkered tablecloths, family-like photos on the wall and a lively atmosphere all make for a unique experience.  I was immediately impressed by the number of options on the gluten-free menu.  Plenty of options to choose from – something for everyone. Traditionally Buca di Beppo serves their dishes “family style”, encouraging family and friends to share.  More about Buca:

Buca di Beppo® is a collection of neighborhood restaurants with a lively atmosphere and authentic Italian menu for all to enjoy. In the spirit of Italian culture, our dishes are meant to be shared and served family-style, perfect for passing around the table.

We encourage our guests to dine with family and friends while enjoying the Italian traditions of food, friendship and hospitality. The first Buca di Beppo opened its doors in 1993 in the basement of a Minneapolis apartment building. We’ve since grown to over 86 locations nationwide.

IMG_6975Since Jon and I were the only ones eating gluten-free, I was concerned that we would have a lot of leftover food.  The staff was more than accommodating and willing to make a smaller version for us.  The Ceasar Salad is not on the gluten-free menu, but after checking with the chef, the only gluten is in the croutons.  We ordered a large salad to share with the table, croutons on the side.  We also ordered a smaller Mozzarella Caprese to share – it was just perfect!

Jon and I ordered the Chicken Limone (lemon butter sauce and capers) and Rosemary Potatoes to share for our main course.  All entrees have a note to ask that the dish not be dusted with flour.

 

We thoroughly enjoyed our meal – the chicken was tender and flavorful and the the potatoes were cooked perfectly!  Kudos to the staff for taking such good care of our needs!

Buca di Beppo has locations across the US and also offers banquet and catering options, though I did not ask about the ability to do them gluten-free.

Have you dined at Buca di Beppo?  How was your experience?