Eating out gluten free can be a very daunting task, especially when you are newly diagnosed. The Atlanta Metro Celiacs created their GF Restaurant Listing to aide in this task by providing a list of local restaurants that can provide a gluten free meal. This list is available on their website.
They do their best to make sure these restaurants understand how to provide a good gluten free meal, but they don’t have a formal review process in place. The restaurants on the list come to us from our members who have had a good gluten free meal at the establishment.
The Restaurant Listing denotes which restaurants have a gluten free menu verses the ones that modify dishes from their regular menu. It is highly recommended that you try to restaurants with a gluten free menu first, until you become comfortable with the ordering process. Then you can branch out and try to restaurants that modify dishes.
We offer the following guidelines when utilizing the restaurant listing:
o You are highly advised to contact any restaurant in advance of arrival to ensure you will be able to get a gluten free meal. You should also remind your server of your dietary restrictions as you are being seated. This will allow your server to check with the Chef regarding your menu options before you order.
o I would further advise that if you are going to a restaurant for the first time that you do not go during peak dining times because the restaurant is less likely to have time to work with you to fulfill your dietary needs.
o As always, request to speak to a Manager or the Chef if you feel your server doesn’t ‘grasp’ the concept of gluten free. Do not feel self conscious or embarrassed. It is always better to be safe than sorry!
o It is always a good idea to carry a Gluten Free Restaurant Card or Restaurant Guide. They can be purchased from a number of sources and they help restaurants understand what products can/do contain gluten:
• Triumph Dining (www.triumphdining.com ) – they offer a package of 10 dining cards in one language; 10 dining cards in multiple languages and the Restaurant Guide (3rd Edition in print) which lists restaurants by state that can provide a gluten free meal.
• Living Without (www.livingwithout.com ) – offers a package of 10 dining cards
• Gluten Free Passport (www.glutenfreepassport.com) – offers dining guides in multiple cuisines and languages for various prices.
o There are a number of online restaurant review websites that have a gluten free section. This is a great way to find a restaurant close to you and see what other diners had to say about their meal.
• Urbanspoon offers a section on Gluten Free Friendly Restaurants by city. They also rank these restaurants by the 'best' received reviews.
• Gluten Free Registry - only lists restaurants with gluten free menu by state. They also include local grocery stores, caterers and bakeries.
If you still have a bad experience at a restaurant on the GF Restaurant listing after following all of these guidelines, we want to know (email Jennifer Harris at jdubreeharris@bellsouth.net). Your experiences will be used to decide which restaurants remain on the restaurant listing. We will let everyone know if a restaurant is removed and what caused us to take this action.
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