A restaurant with a gluten-free menu gives diners avoiding gluten the extra piece of mind that the establishment takes food restrictions seriously. And it can be eye opening.
I can't tell you how many times I've perused a gluten-free menu to see choices I wouldn't have thought would be OK.
You'll see these on occasion at local mom-and-pop joints, but the biggest emergence is in national restaurants. Although it's claimed millennials are killing these national chains, they do serve a purpose and are an easy go-to when in a pinch, especially when traveling.
I've tried out quite a few gluten-free menus the past few years. Here are my five favorites:
- Bonefish Grill: Maybe it's growing up on the shores of Lake Erie fishing with my dad, but I'm a seafood girl. And my favorite gluten-free, fish-filled menu around is from Bonefish Grill. There's six grilled fish to try, as well as lobster, steak and chicken. My favorite part is there are four signature sauces that are gluten-free.
- Outback Steakhouse: Touting its dedication to gluten-free options for more than a decade, Outback Steakhouse has a pretty comprehensive menu. Eight steak meals, three seafood dishes, plenty of sides and starters and even a dessert make this a menu that has me coming back for more.
- P.F. Chang's: Asian food is usually an automatic no-no. Soy sauce seems to infiltrate everything. P.F. Chang's menu, though, shows that doesn't need to be the case and I love it. To top it off, there are even more notations on the gluten-free menu besides just gluten. Find out if each dish is spicy, vegetarian or a light choice.
- Carrabba's Italian Grill: Few things scream gluten like pasta. Which is why Carrabba's Italian Grill's gluten-free menu is such a must for this list. There's chicken, seafood and steak all available gluten-free but come on, we're going for the pasta. Although there's only one shape of pasta offered, the flavor and texture is quite good.
- Chick-fil-A: This one is no secret. No national list is complete without one fast dining choice and this one is clear. Chick-fil-A recently rolled out a gluten-free bun that not only tastes great but is given to customers sealed, to prevent any cross contamination. This can be used with a grilled chicken breast for a delicious gluten-free sandwich. Other gluten-free options include grilled chicken nuggets, a side salad, waffle fries and more.
Even though these gluten-free menus are a step in the right direction, always make sure you tell your server about your gluten restriction to ensure all necessary precautions are taken.