Category Archives: Washington DC

Gluten free D.C., Pt. 4

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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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Gluten free D.C. Eats, Pt. 3

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We spent a week in D.C. and half of it was near the hotel but we did venture out a few times, often just to try food in the neighboring communities. Honestly, that’s my favorite part of traveling.

While in the National Harbor we also had the pleasure of dining at McCormick and Schmick’s. This was unsurprisingly delightful. We have dined at their restaurants in other parts of the country and it is always satisfying. They take great care to prepare my meal, provide me with tasty options that don’t leave out the flavor and I actually get dessert!

 

In the same area at National Harbor we had lunch at Nando’s Peri-Peri. @nandosusa The kids had grilled chicken strips with healthy sides and dole whip for dessert, all gluten free. I tried their version of chicken salad with extra veggies in place of pita. This was a spicy mix with a flavor variation that made me glad I ordered a salad. How often does that happen?

 

The next afternoon we took a trek over to the MGM hotel for burgers at the Shake Shack @shakeshack which proved to be a great reminder that a gluten free burger can be done right. They had gluten free buns, a dedicated frier and could load everything up with bacon and cheese. Score!

 

 

Gluten free D.C. Eats, Pt. 2

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If you are headed into downtown D.C., you will quickly notice that all of the buildings house a federal office of some sort.

Interestingly, you will not see places to eat. It’s actually very bizarre. It took us a few hours touring to realize that snack shacks were owned by The Government and food trucks lined the streets because those are the only options for refreshment, outside cafeterias in respective buildings, until you get outside the boundaries of DC and move into the neighboring cities housing businesses.

In need of some really good food, we ventured out to GCDC Grilled Cheese Bar and landed on a winner! The gluten free grilled cheese were made on @risebakerygf Rise Bakery bread. They are native to the DC area, and as I quickly found, supply many of the restaurants. They also made tots in a dedicated frier and you could get them with many different gluten free toppings, including chili.

 

Immediately after, we took a visit a couple streets over to the @wickedwaffle  Wicked Waffle. I could eat there every day! The waffles were light and fluffy, cut in half and topped with pretty much anything you can think of. They cooked ours on a separate tray and called out gluten free when they served it, for that extra peace of mind. They also had gluten free bars near the register for a take away quick snack.

 

Next we popped by one of my favorite bakeries (which we also visit in Chicago) @lepainquotidien Le Pain Quotidien USA, “the daily bread.” I found the triple chocolate cookies that the kids love and picked up a lemon poppyseed muffin for myself. This proved the be the best breakfast the following morning.

 

Last, I stopped by Pret Organic Coffee and tried one of their almond matcha lattes. While they didn’t offer any gluten free baked goods, they managed to shift my thinking when it comes to almond milk in my matcha. This was a distinct improvement in the ones I have tried in the past and I would highly recommend giving it a try!

For more info, check out pt. 3!

Gluten free D.C. Eats, Pt. 1

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Where we eat depends a lot on where we stay and the purpose of our trip. 

On this trip, we are staying at the Gaylord Convention Center in Maryland. It sits on the bank of the Potomac with striking views, easy access to DC tourist attractions and has several in house restaurants.


I most cases I’m looking for ANY gluten free options to eat. I certainly don’t expect a lot of choices and I’m usually pleasantly surprised if there’s more than one. 

The marketplace store offered several varieties of prepackaged snacks that were clearly labeled gluten free as well as quinoa salad and hard boiled eggs. 

The Pastime sports bar offered several meal options on gluten free bread such as chicken, burgers, lunchmeat and grilled cheese. The fries were made in a dedicated area and they were very knowledgeable about gluten free provisions. 


The conference we are attending has some dining included but consistent markings on the buffet options are not consistent. The signs are sparatic and there are items that clearly contain allergens that are not labeled. 

In the pier area adjacent to the hotel, there are many dining options that are offered. We ate at Rosa Mexicana and were pleasantly surprised with the delightful options available. 


The chips are gluten free, fresh corn tortillas are used in cooking and they have a dedicated fryer. 

Thus far, I’ve been pleased I could eat but nothing overwhelmed me with amazing offerings. I’m hoping to get out and explore a bit more of the food options in the city as the week continues.

For more info, check out pt. 2-3

Gluten free on the road

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If life is a highway and your lead foot won’t let you drive 55 on Route 66 then you have undoubtedly been on the road enough to realize it’s tough to feed the rumble in your tummy with fast food, when you have allergies. 

We have a few staple chains that we look for when traveling to give us peace of mind and provide a nourishing meal that is safe… and quick.

Hardee’s is the fastest. Although they do make your meals fresh, it will still be a great drive through option. They make their burgers from 100% beef so no worry of wheat fillers in the patties. The fries are cooked up in dedicated friers and any sandwich can be made low carb, which is wrapped in lettuce and paper so you can hold it, eat and drive!

Chipotle is our second fav. It requires a tad more stop time but all burritos can be made as a salad or a bowl (on rice and beans). They also offer a taco pack (for adults or kids) that can be made with corn tortillas or hard corn shells. Just choose your three ingredients and build away. They change their gloves, get clean utensils and use clean trays for meal prep when you let them know you have an allergy, btw.

BW 3’s is another great option and they have plenty of locations nationwide. They have traditional wings which are fried separate from the battered boneless ones and most of their sauces are gluten free. Our favorites are honey BBQ, medium and salt/vinegar. They actually have the sauce bottles on hand, for sale, so ask to read the label if in doubt!

Hope this helps you navigate the open road to a full belly. Happy trails!