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Orlando Dining for Celiacs
Posted on March 11th, 2010 No commentsWritten by: Patty Bensur
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My best friend suffers from celiac disease and the daily challenges of eating a gluten free diet can be very inconvenient. It is particularly hard for her when she has to travel as is the case for anybody who has this disease. Spending as much time with her as I do, I have become particularly sensitive to her diet restrictions and am always on the look-out for accommodating restaurants, shops and products. Just like me, she has visited the Orlando area many times. She was very pleased to find that the sit down restaurants throughout the Walt Disney World parks are some of the very best she’s visited in terms of meeting her needs. Disney restaurants are outstanding in that they will cater to celiacs upon request not only with gluten-free dishes, but they will also cater to those with any other special dietary needs as well (i.e. sugar free, cholesterol free, lactose free).
Finding restaurants outside of Disney in the Orlando area can be tricky. Most won’t be able to accommodate your gluten free diet even if they say they can. You have to be very careful. Unfortunately, you will find that most restaurant staff will be uninformed about proper handling of gluten free food and there is a risk with foods that are normally considered to be gluten free selections because they could be contaminated in preparation.
Of the chain restaurants, the Outback and Carrabbas Italian Grill are the preferred choices as they both offer a special gluten-free menu unlike many of the others.
The following is a list of local establishments that do offer gluten-free options:
Azteca D’oro
Ethos Vegan Kitchen
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar
Nona Sushi
Bonefish Grill
Thai Blossom Restaurant
Bonefish Grill
Tijuana Flats Burrito
Though the restaurants listed are gluten-free friendly, most celiacs find it easier to just prepare their own meals. There are gluten-free products available at the local grocery store chains, especially at Publix. My friend found Chamberlin’s Natural Foods to be a particularly good resource. They not only sell gluten-free foods (and other foods for those who suffer from food allergies or lactose intolerance) but also organic products, vitamins, beauty products and books.