When people ask me for restaurant recommendations in Washington D.C., Busboys and Poets is usually my first suggestion because it has a perfect trifecta of great food, friendly staff, and an great line up of programs that inspire conversation and connection.
Although I have frequented Busboys and Poets several times for lunch and dinner, I have yet to visit for brunch, so I was sure to put it at the top of the list of things to do when my mom came to town to visit over the weekend. From prior visits I have been impressed by Busboys and Poets' expansive gluten-free options, so I was excited to have a "normal" brunch experience despite my dietary restrictions.
After a successful visit to Veloce, a fast casual pizza place in Farragut Square neighborhood (see my review), I knew a visit to Pizzeria Paradiso was in order to try out their original pizzeria concept.
One unique thing about Pizzeria Paradiso is that they place the emphasis on perfecting their pizza crust. As a gluten-free diner, I'm used to soggy, sad, and altogether subpar crusts, so I definitely had some raised eyebrows going in about how that mission would translate to the finicky world of gluten-free crusts.
I decided to visit their Dupont Circle location, which is located in one of my favorite neighborhoods in the District. With a lovely outdoor patio and cozy feel, I was excited to see how Pizzeria Paradiso's pizza would measure up.
This post features menus for Food For Thought. To check out my full review, click here.
When I knew I would be traveling from Washington D.C. to Norfolk, Virginia this summer, I was excited to be passing by the historic Revolutionary War-era cities of Williamsburg and Yorktown. Although I couldn't stop and explore for too long, I did seek out a restaurant to stop for lunch when passing through.
Food for Thought quickly rose to the top of restaurants I was considering due to their commitment to gluten-free diners and rave reviews I found online. When I arrived, I immediately fell at ease when I was handed a full gluten-free menu, and was greeted by the knowledgable staff.
Barbecue can be difficult to navigate for people with food allergies. With sauces, rubs, spices, and meats that are all at risk for hidden gluten (or other allergens), I have had limited luck in finding safe BBQ.
When walking around Penn Quarter, Hill Country Barbecue Market caught my eye because they always seem to be busy. I did some research, which suggested that they were pretty gluten-free friendly, so decided to check them out for lunch.
Hill Country Barbecue Market prides itself on serving Central Texas-style barbecue, complete with a full smokehouse in the restaurant. Promising succulent meats, hearty sides, and uncompromising flavor, I was eager to see if they would live up to recently earning the "Best BBQ" crown from The Washington Post.
This post features menus for Hill Country Barbecue Market. To check out my full review, click here.
This post features th Barbecue can be hit or miss for those of us with dietary restrictions. With hidden ingredients in meats and sauces, plus an emphasis on cornbread and other glutenous sides, I've had limited success in finding safe BBQ to try.
When walking up the restaurant-dense 7th St corridor in D.C. one weekend, I passed Hill Country Barbecue Market, which seemed to be bustling. A craving struck me, so I did a little preliminary research before heading back there to try them out.
Hill Country Barbecue Marketing has locations in D.C., Brooklyn, and New York City, and from quick research, I assessed that they seemed to be gluten-free friendly. Focused on serving up hearty Texas-style BBQ, I was excited to see just how safe they would be.
Although I live a pretty healthy lifestyle, there are times when I don't always eat as many nutrient-rich foods as I could. That's why I am a big fan of smoothie/acai bowls, which pack nutrition into every spoonful.
Jrink is a juice shop here in Washington D.C. that has several locations around the city. I've passed by their locations before but for one reason or another did not stop in to order.
On a sleepy Saturday morning, I decided to finally check out their fare after a particularly hot week left me feeling me out of whack. With a menu full of cold pressed juices designed to boost your health, I was eager to see if I could find a beverage to meet my needs.
For a city with such a rich and diverse array of culinary options, there's are surprisingly few dedicated gluten-free bakeries here in Washington D.C.
I know several popular bakeries around town offer gluten-free options, but cross contamination concerns and finding gluten and dairy-free options has made me steer clear of those popular places.
While enjoying brunch on the busy 7th St restaurant-dense corridor last weekend though, I decided to pop into Red Velvet Cupcakery on whim, wondering if they had any safe options. Knowing that I'd probably strike out, but taking the chance anyway, I was delighted to discover that they not only had gluten-free options, but every one of those was vegan as well. On the spot I bought one of every flavor and eagerly awaited my taste test of each cupcake.
Although I consider myself to be pretty adventurous food-wise, I am ashamed to admit that I have a limited experience with Korean fare. In doing research to find new foodie spots to try, I stumbled across Mandu, a homestyle Korean restaurant that promised many gluten-free options. With many positive reviews and online menus indicating gluten-free awareness, Mandu has been on my list of places to try soon.
Located in the bustling Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood, I stopped by Mandu after work and was excited to learn more and try something new.
When I think of the Washington D.C. foodie scene, there are two things I know for sure:
- Washingtonians love to go brunching on the weekends; and
- Chef Jose Andres and his menagerie of restaurants are a hometown favorite.
As a foodie with dietary restrictions, I have even more reason to love Andres' restaurants beyond their creative menus and consistently delicious food because they across the board know how to accommodate food allergies. With allergen menus, trained staff, and a working knowledge of the intricacies of accommodating allergies and restrictions.
Last weekend, I decided to check out Andres' Peruvian fusion restaurant China Chilcano after hearing rave reviews from my coworkers. I decided to venture out for brunch on a summer Sunday morning, and couldn't wait to see if the hype was truly to be believed.
This is a post featuring the allergen menus of China Chilcano. To read my full review, click here.
As a Washington D.C.-based foodie, I am a huge fan of our hometown super chef Jose Andres. His restaurants are innovative, creative, and are consistently stellar when dealing with food allergies. With restaurants ranging from fast casual to high end, there's a Jose Andres restaurant for any budget.
Recently I decided to check out China Chilcano, Andres' restaurant that celebrates the culinary traditions of Peru through Chinese and Japanese cooking techniques. As with most of his other restaurants I have tried, when I mentioned that I had dual dietary restrictions, the staff were quick to bring out their dedicated allergen menu.
This post features snapshots of that menu, which details not only gluten-free and dairy-free friendly dishes, but also other allergens that can be removed from each dish. Vegetarians and vegans too can learn what's safe through the extensive markup of the menu.
Summer is in full swing, which means that I'm trying to seek out as much fun in the sun as I can before I have to go back to school. As a fan of the performing arts, I started the summer with a list of performances and venues around the Washington D.C. area I wanted to check out and Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts topped that list.
Located in Vienna, Virginia, Wolf Trap is located on 117 acres of woodlands and hosts a wide diversity of acts ranging from musical theater to top music acts, author readings to movies with a live symphony. There's something for everyone in the summer lineup, and something going on almost daily during the summer months.
Since purchasing a high-powered smoothie blender several months ago, I have cut down on ordering smoothies when dining out. Most store-made ones have sky-high sugar levels, and I like to control what goes into my custom blends.
I have had South Block on my list of places to try for months now, and when I was in the neighborhood of Union Market, I decided to stop in and give them a try. With a menu featuring smoothies, juices, and other health-focused fare, I love that South Block's offerings are made with real ingredients that are friendly to those with special diets.
Despite being able to make my own blends, it is nice treat to break up my usual routine with an occasional stop at a smoothie or juice bar to get inspiration for new flavor combinations. Knowing that South Block's philosophy of using real food aligns with mine, I had a positive feeling about them before walking in.
