GF in SD: Where to find gluten free options in San Diego

Dining out for most, is an escape, a break from everyday meal prep, a relaxing experience. For those who are gluten free, eating out can be a headache, and quite possibly a day full of sickness. Luckily, over the past few years, the gluten free options in restaurants have vastly expanded.

Chefs all over San Diego are educating their staff on the dangers of cross contamination and are able to accommodate even the trickiest of diets. Gone are the days of dry, tasteless gluten free food, say hello to delicious favorites that taste just like their gluten-filled counterparts.

For someone who can’t have gluten, Chinese restaurants were once unthinkable; that was until restaurants like Del Mar Rendezvous and P.F. Chang’s‎ came along. Del Mar Rendezvous is known for its gluten free menu including its heavenly carrot cake. P.F. Chang’s offers a wide range of GF options and its Mongolian beef is to die for. Both restaurants take caution in preparing your food in areas free of cross contamination.

For years, the gluten free population avoided dining at Italian restaurants at all costs. Bread, pasta, flour, flour and more flour cover those Italian kitchens. Up until recently, the closest thing to pizza was our favorite toppings placed on what seemed like cardboard, and there was no way it wasn’t contaminated with gluten. Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza & Grill, saved the gluten free pizza name with its mouthwatering pizza. Along with the pizza, you can’t miss the infamous messy sundae or flourless chocolate cake.

Burgers and fries seem to be a viable option for gluten free eaters. Throw on a gluten free bun, and top off the dish with the same fries everyone else eats and you’re in good hands, right? Wrong. Turns out finding gluten free French fries is harder than it seems. Cross contamination is real, especially when the fries your eating are fried in the same place as those battered onion rings and chicken wings. Located in Mission Valley, Stacked: Food Well Built, offers a gluten free alternative for almost every item on their menu and the French fries are some of the best in town (just make sure they use the gluten free fryer for your batch).

Eating gluten free definitely isn’t as exhausting as it used to be, and San Diego provides some of the best gluten free restaurant options. Restaurants are becoming more familiar with the dangers of cross contamination, and for the first time in a long time, gluten free eaters can feel safe dining out most of the time.

To find ratings and reviews of the gluten free options in your area, visit Find Me Gluten Free.