Gluten-free.
Many people have been treating it like a lifestyle choice or a fad diet, but for some, it’s a necessity. It’s more than likely that you know someone dealing with a digestive system that can’t handle gluten—and for these people, its restaurants like the ones below that make life tastier and easier.
Gluten-free.
Many people have been treating it like a lifestyle choice or a fad diet, but for some, it’s a necessity. It’s more than likely that you know someone dealing with a digestive system that can’t handle gluten—and for these people, its restaurants like the ones below that make life tastier and easier.
Mama Mia Trattoria
439 SW Second Ave.
Just off campus, Mama Mia Trattoria is home to a colorful menu filled with Italian salads, soups, pastas and pizzas. The multitude of affordable options—a full meal with soup or salad might run close to $20—suit any palate and budget. With fresh veggies, tender meats and delectable sauces, Mama Mia puts other places to shame.
It strives to accommodate all dietary restrictions, from vegan to gluten-free. Mama Mia offers gluten-free fusilli rice pasta as an alternative to the usually gluten-laden noodles and shells most Italian places rely on, albeit for an extra dollar and a total wait time of about 20 minutes. But this pasta is nearly indistinguishable from the rest of the menu, flavor-wise. It’s a little saltier, if you really concentrate, but the texture, subtlety and shape hold up well.
Price range: $8–18 per dish.
Cafe Yumm!
1806 SW Sixth Ave.
Located right on campus, Cafe Yumm! has a devoted following that sings its praises up and down Broadway. Its rice bowls, taken from Japanese and Korean dishes, catch the attention of anyone who enters the restaurant, and once the signature Yumm! sauce is added, it’s all but impossible to say you’re not hungry.
Most of it’s dishes are naturally gluten-free, but as anyone dealing with an easily offended digestive system can tell you, you can’t make assumptions about what is and is not in a dish. Luckily, Cafe Yumm! takes care of this ahead of time. Its savory Original Yumm! Sauce is vegan, low sodium and gluten-free. So step right on in and chow down at this campus gem.
Price range: $5–10 per dish
Pastini Pastaria
1426 NE Broadway
For a fine dining experience on a college budget, Pastini is certainly the way to go. With a menu containing both familiar and unusual dishes (cannelloni frutti di mare, anyone?), dining here is an experience worth having.
The wait staff definitely knows their stuff about gluten-free diets, too. If you bring it up, they’ll take you through the menu, suggesting wheat-free spaghetti noodles or brown rice penne pasta. Where other restaurants might neglect to remind customers that meatballs are held together with breadcrumbs or that some sauces have a flour base, Pastini is careful not to make this mistake. With a few exceptions—pre-made dishes like lasagna, for example—they can generally get you what you want how you need it.
Price range: $5–13 per dish
Lucky Spoon Frozen Yogurt
780 SW Jefferson St.
What better way to end your day than a tasty dessert? Lucky Spoon offers just this option. With frozen yogurt of all sorts of flavors ready to be served and smothered in toppings, the possibilities are almost limitless. As these many flavors and options are clearly labeled, it’s nearly impossible to add something you don’t want by accident.
While these options may not be vegan friendly, they’re certainly gluten-free. Anything containing gluten will be easy to recognize, and the staff is always willing to answer any questions you might have. But with everything laid out in front of you, it should be impossible to not find something you like.
Price range: $3–10 per dish, depending on weight
