Gluten Free Restaurant App Reviews ; Find Me Gluten Free 

 

I found this website "Find Me Gluten Free" on a google search while looking for more gluten free options in my area. This site allows you to search by location to find gluten free restaurants of all kinds in your vicinity. After using the website and finding it extremely helpful I decided to try the app for my iPhone and see if this could help me "On the Go" and I found the app very easy to use as well.

Highlights:

• You can search by zip code, city name or general location
• The App can pinpoint your location for you (With fairly good accuracy) making it easy to find locations as you travel. 
• There are settings that determine if you want chain restaurants, restaurants with gluten free dedicated menus and more.
• Users have the ability to rate the restaurants and write reviews based on their experiences. 
• The small bio feature give you a "taste" of what kinds of gluten free items they offer.
• Ability to upload pictures of the GF food by users.
• App has a blog like feature with articles, news and recipes! 

Overall: One of the best Gluten Free restaurant applications I have ever used. In just my first search I found around a dozen new locations in my hometown that I am going to try out soon (with reviews to come). I am hopeful and interested if this will make traveling easier for me in the future, I cannot wait to try out this application on my next trip. Definitely check this one out! 

Iron Hill Brewery ; West Chester Location 

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Bio: This restaurant is a semi-upscale brewery with American style cruise. The establishment serves classics like burgers, salads, seafood and steaks. Along with an array of your typical appetizers, soups and deserts. The atmosphere is warm with a bar/brewery feel that is seen even with the beer mugs as centerpieces on the tables.

The Good: Iron Hill does off a full service gluten free menu with some appetizers, main courses, deserts and even one gluten free beer option. The menu does feature substation items like gluten free buns for burgers and sandwiches along with a flour less cake option for dearest. The food is hearty and has a better than average assortment of dinner entrees available for gluten free diners.

The Bad: I have been to Iron Hill a handful of times and every time I come back I do see improvements, however they still have a long way to go before I would consider them a "top choice" for gluten free diners. When I first ate in the establishment their gluten free menu was very short and offered few options for diners, however now it is a full two pages and has a good/fair amount of offerings. However, the waiter staff and chefs must not be fully educated on preparation, safety or protocol for the gluten free menu. My last visit I order a burger with a side salad and specifically stated to the waiter my gluten free dietary needs.  When my salad arrived it had croutons on top and I had to send it back for a new entree. These types of preparation mishaps can cause serious reactions to customers and staff need to be fully educated if they offer these types of accommodations.

Overall: Iron Hill is a nice place to grab a gluten free beer at the bar and much on a few gluten free hot wings, however I would not rate this as an all-time fan favorite. The staff needs to be more educated on menu options and the menu also lacks critical side items and really only offers the gluten free bun as a main draw. Overall, I have seen far worse but this establishment may be the worth the trip once!

Safe or Not Safe?

This enlightening and thought provoking article asks the question "Are all gluten free menus created equally"? Click Here to read the article from Bloomberg Businessweek and come to your own conclusion. I have experienced this problem first had, for example with Dominos Pizza which is featured in the article, and this is a form of deceptive advertising.

 My best advice: Always talk with your server and explain your needs and be persistent in making sure that they are preparing the "gluten free" food in a safe manner. If from talking to your server it seems that the establishment does not/cannot provide a safe eating environment, then leave. Doing research on restaurants online and calling ahead of time to talk about these food concerns can also help identify safer establishment from their hoax counterparts. 

Maggiano's Little Italy ; Philadelphia Area Locations

 

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 Bio: This upscale chain Italian restaurant serves home coked Italian inspired dishes with large family style portions. Priced on the higher side, this warm and cozy family outing will not totally break the piggy bank but isn't your everyday affair.

The Good: Luckily Maggiano's has a very gluten free friendly atmosphere (As well as kid friendly). All, and I mean ALL, of Maggiano's sauces are gluten free. From the Alfredo to my personal favorite vodka creme sauce, you can order any sauce for your gluten free pasta. I have had many of these dishes and they are delicious! Pasta is cooked to perfection, sauces are luscious but not too over filling; just beware the large portions!

The Bad: Gluten free is just a substitution option at this established, with a $2.00 extra charge to switch to GF pasta. They do not have a totally gluten free menu and can only change dishes to become gluten free friendly. Many of the appetizers and virtually all of the desert menu (besides fruit and sorbet) are not gluten free computable. The restaurant could benefit from putting together a small gluten free appetizer, main course and desert menu.

 Overall: Maggiano's is a go to gluten free dining spot for myself and my dining companions. Great atmosphere, great service, fairly priced and awesome food. Well done.