Category: Travel

Gluten Free Weekend in New York City

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This past weekend I attended my best friend’s bachelorette party in NYC. I can’t believe my bestie is getting married in a few short weeks. I had such a fun weekend celebrating the her with a great group of girls. In this blog I am going to share some of the restaurants we dined at. All of them had great gluten-free options and I am happy to report no tummy aches! If you are looking for my wedding blogs click HERE and follow me on my own wedding planning journey 🙂

The Frying Pan

The Frying Pan is a super cool spot in the city at Pier 66. It’s actually a boat docked in the Hudson River on the Pier. If you’re living in or visiting the city this summer you should definitely make it a point to stop here. It is really such a great place to enjoy the summer weather. We got a delicious pitcher of mango-blueberry sangria and a light dinner. The menu has “V” and “G” icons to identify vegetarian and gluten-free options. I was pleasantly surprised that the bartender/waitress was actually very knowledgeable of gluten-allergies and assured me that the choices labeled “G” were safe options. I had the fish tacos and a few fries. Yes, FRIES! They are fried separately, so they’re totally gluten-free.

Pardon My French

For brunch we went to Pardon My French which was the perfect spot for a bachelorette. It would also be a good option for a small bridal or baby shower. I loved the rustic, French decor. We sat upfront at the white subway tiled peninsula. They offer a classic or bottomless brunch options. Although no items are marked gluten-free the waiter was understanding of my allergy and said it would not be a problem. Their kitchen does their best to prevent contamination. I had the spinach and tomato omelet with roasted potatoes. The potatoes were actually roasted; not fried and the iced coffee was possible the best I’ve had. I enjoyed my breakfast and can happily report no tummy ahces.

El Toro Blanco

On our second night we went to El Toro Blanco; a Mexican restaurant in Downtown. The guacamole was phenomenal! All of their guacamole is made fresh at the guac bar.  Gluten-free foodies beware – the chips are NOT gluten-free. Instead, make sure you ask for a side of raw veggies. The menu is marked with * which indicate which options contain gluten. I had the roasted chicken tacos for dinner which I enjoyed, but wasn’t blown away by. Also keep in mind the servings are small and the margaritas are very strong!

Sans Bakery

We stopped at Think Coffee for a quick pick me up and I was happy to find these Sans Bakery gluten-free doughnuts and muffins. Unlike most gluten-free desserts, this doughnut was not bland and dry. It’s nice to now where you can stop to get a coffee and a treat! I believe the Think Coffee shops are located throughout the city too.

Gluten Free: Burlington, MA!

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I recently went on a business trip to Burlington, MA. As always, food is a top concern for my travels. I am happy to share two restaurants that get an A+ for their gluten-free friendliness.

The Bancroft

The Bancroft is a super nice restaurant. I would even consider it to be a bit swanky. It’s also gigantic! They offer a separate gluten free menu and the staff was very aware of gluten allergies. Gluten free bread was put on the table and all of my meals came out with an allergy stick in them. I had a beet salad for an appetizer, salmon for diner and a glass of white wine. {sorry – no pictures!}

Tavern in the Square

Tavern in the Square has a laid back, sports bar vibe. Their menu is huge and filled with gluten free options. The staff is aware of what a gluten allergy means and  my meals came out separately. The fried calamari was SO good and for dinner I had a Cuban sandwich. For some reason I have always wanted to try a Cuban sammie, but don’t usually have the option of eating a sandwich at a restaurant (sometimes NY seems like the least GF friendly state ever). I would say the Cuban was just okay. It was messy and a bit bland, but I don’t really know what it’s supposed to taste like! I did enjoy the fries though 🙂

BURLINGTON MA
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California Gluten-Free Guide: San Francisco

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The last stop on our trip was beautiful San Francisco. We spent only two days in the chilly city, so we had to cram in as many sites as we could. Shortly after arriving in San Fran (and after spending a significant amount of time looking for parking) we went to Mariposa Baking Co. for gluten-free eats. Mariposa had so many gluten-free options that I rarely get to enjoy. I decided on the ham and cheese puff pastry. I am not kidding when I say it brought tears to my eyes. It was so delicious; buttery, flaky crust with a warm ham and cheese inside. Pure heaven I tell ya!

While in San Fran we visited Lombard Street, the San Fransisco Bridge, the Embarcadero Center and did plenty of walking through the city. We were really hoping to ride a trolley, but after waiting on line for almost an hour a trolley broke down just as our turn came up. Luckily, a nice person standing next to us told us that we were holding metro passes that could be used on all public transportation. After asking several people for directions we finally found a bus to take us to the bridge.  I am so happy we got to walk across the San Fran Bridge, but we definitely could have used jackets. I definitely recommend packing layers for San Fran because the weather was much cooler than I was prepared for.

For dinner we stopped at Jamber Wine Pub which had a cool vibe and outdoor seating. Many of the menu options were gluten-free, although they were not marked on the menu. Our waitress was very helpful in pointing out which items I would be able to order. We shared spicy buffalo cauliflower as an appetizer. It was a bit too spicy for me, but I liked that it was not dipped buffalo sauce and was coated in a dry rub instead. For dinner I ordered a salad, which was on the small size, and Mike enjoyed a delicious burger.

This is the last of post of my California Gluten-Free Guide. I hope you have enjoyed my posts and picked up a few new restaurants to try.