Gluten-free choices gain popularity
With our generation’s obsession with homegrown and organic foods, it’s no wonder that people are jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon.
Whether it’s an allergy or just a personal choice, it seems that every restaurant in town has come up with their own special recipes to accommodate it. While some places simply cut the bread out and give you a dry piece of chicken, others have really stepped up to the plate; some have gone as far as creating a whole separate menu for gluten-free customers.
Mellow Mushroom: We’re in college, which means we eat a lot of pizza and drink a lot of beer, and Mellow Mushroom is by far one of the best places in town to get both of those things. The best part about Mellow is that even when you are going gluten-free, you aren’t sacrificing any of the specialty pizzas options that the restaurant is known for.
All gluten-free pizzas are served on a 12-inch crust, and prices vary depending on restaurant location and topping. The specialty pizzas include, but aren’t limited to, the Kosmic Karma, the Mighty Meaty and their famous Gourmet White. Along with pizza, the restaurant has a varying selection of gluten-free draft and bottle beers.
116 Espresso and Wine Bar: Let’s talk about brunch, baby. So we all know that brunch is the classiest and most tasteful meal of the day, and come Saturday or Sunday morning, a huge three-egg omelet is exactly what the doctor called for to put a little pep back in our steps.
116 Espresso and Wine Bar is one of the best dinner and brunch spots in town and despite the deceiving name and décor, the place is actually reasonably priced. As far as gluten-free goes, some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes already come that way. Steak and eggs, a classic American breakfast staple, tops the menu as well as a roasted portabella mushroom plate smothered with grilled veggies.
M Fresh: There is a certain stigma attached to the organic and gluten-free lifestyle, but this restaurant is a shining example of what it’s like to eat healthy while still treating your taste buds. M Fresh is the perfect lunch or dinner place to grab a salad or panini. When going gluten-free, the bread on sandwiches can be substituted for a lettuce wrap. M Fresh is an all organic, no-additives local restaurant. Not only are their juices and smoothies gluten-free, but they’re also made with fruit from local farmers markets. One juice to try would be the Michelle’s Special, which is made with avocado, orange juice and microgreens. Almost all of M Fresh’s salads and dressings are gluten-free as well.
In the past, gluten-free food has been reserved for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, but recently the demographic has shifted, and more people are choosing the gluten-free path, though not necessarily for the right reasons. Many go gluten-free because they think it will be a “diet;” however, when gluten is cut out, you miss out on natural proteins found in wheat, barley and rye.