Gluten free D.C., Pt. 4

There is so much amazing gluten free ground to cover in D.C…. I didn’t scratch the surface of what they have to offer but I still managed to find some great eats!

There are distinctly areas of town for dining gluten free that provide more than chain type express joints, Alexandria proved to be one of those for us. We popped by on our way out of town and found these gems:

At Del Ray Pizzeria @delraypizzeria  they offer all of their pizza’s gluten free at the 10″ price. The crust is made locally by The Happy Tart. They were reasonably priced, great service and in a really cute eclectic part of town with free street parking. Bonus!

Like any reasonable family, we cruised over to Alexandria Cupcakes #alexandriacupcakes afterward to pick up dessert. They offered vanilla and chocolate gluten free cupcakes in a dedicated container, separate from the other cupcakes and they also offered a gluten free, vegan cupcake that was raspberry filled for my son. The cupcakes were made of coconut flour, they were moist and the icing was perfect (not too sweet).


What goes better with a cupcake than an iced matcha? A couple doors down from the cupcakes I found Killer ESP (Espresso, Sorbet and Pie). @killeresp   Not only did they have matcha lattes but I scored a raspberry turnover that was full of flavor, held together while I ate it and, oh, did I mention it too was gluten free? Today was a good day. 

On my way to the car I stopped in Misha’s Coffee House. @mishascoffeehouse  I love the inside of coffee houses, stores and bistros. There is always such a relaxed, inviting atmosphere and it’s always on my agenda to see if they have anything  gluten free. 


They had this rack of safely wrapped, individual portions of @katebakesbars treats which are not only gluten free but vegan! (I hear they have paleo versions too 😉

I wish I could spend a week in Alexandria alone. Love the town. Love the eats! 

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The Gluten Free Pizza debacle

Being lied to is not on the top of my Christmas list. I understand the concept of proprietary information and I appreciate restaurants being cutting edge but come on, people! Do not lie to me.

When it comes to how restaurant staff answer a question about ingredients, products, prep area, contamination and the like, I expect them to take me seriously. Very seriously.

I went into Giordanos, Indianapolis location for lunch. It was the first time since the nationally recognized, Chicago pizza chain moved in and having popped in once while in chi-town, I figured it would be a pleasant experience. 

I called them to verify the brand of pizza crust to ensure it was both gluten and rice free. On the phone I was told they make it there, yet they threw away the packaging and I’d have to call Chicago if I wanted any further info. 

Uh, wait… what? If you make it there, why would there be packaging to throw away? Ok. So, I called Chicago. They too had, surprisingly, thrown away the packaging and were unable to verify the brand of crust but alas, somehow they managed to have all the ingredients available. Hmmm…

Fortunately, she was able to give me the ingredients and indeed, it was rice free as well. Oh, and side note, they are pre-made frozen crusts. I guess the other girl wasn’t there on that training day.

I was also informed they have dedicated pans for gluten free cooking but use the same prep space as their flour filled, dough flinging step brother. Great.

The kids and I emerged unscathed from this one but I have to admit, I’d love a tour and a chat with someone transparent enough to share how the process, product and prep is really handled for future visits and the health of other celiacs. 

May the sauce be with you.