Gluten Free Dining at a Restaurant Chain

When traveling it can be challenging to plan where every meal will be eaten in advance. So, I usually figure out whether the place I’m going has one of the following restaurant chains. It’s a great way to make sure that you will not miss a meal or have to frantically try to figure out where you can eat at the last minute. Here are three of my trusty stand-bys:

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

P.F. Chang’s has a delicious gluten free menu. I loved the Chang’s Spicy Chicken and the Lettuce Wraps before I was diagnosed with celiac disease, and it turns out that both dishes are also featured on the gluten free menu. My family prefers to order a few dishes to share, and because the gluten free options are just as delicious as the items on their regular menu, everyone orders from the gluten free menu. In addition, the servers can mix a special gluten-free soy sauce flavored to your liking right at your table. P.F. Chang’s also has an extensive wine and cocktail list, and it’s just my all around favorite.

Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano

Biaggi’s is an Italian restaurant chain with an extensive gluten free menu. They even have a variety of gluten free pastas! I highly recommend the Tomato Mozzarella Caprese appetizer, and I also enjoyed the Capellini Di Mare pasta. They even have gluten-free crème brulee for desert. Yum! I noticed that they also have gluten-free macaroni and cheese, which sounds great, especially for kids with celiac. I highly recommend giving it a try!

Outback

Outback also has a gluten free menu. The steaks are a pretty safe bet, but for everything else, it’s often the case that you can order dip but no chips, or a hamburger but no bun. So, it will definitely be more satisfying if you plan ahead. I would recommend checking out their gluten free menu online and taking the extras (e.g., gluten free chips or a bun) with you. In addition, I’ve found that I have to be very specific with the wait staff. Otherwise, you may end up being asked repeatedly if you’d like some more bread, which is terrific from a general customer service standpoint, but not so terrific when you have to repeatedly decline.

Are there others that I’ve overlooked? If so, please let me know: post a comment below!