This fast-casual cafe is not only a go-to spot for wholesome meals, but it's also a haven for gluten-averse diners, as most all the offerings can be prepared gluten-free. The menu keeps things relatively simple, pumping out a selection of salads and wraps as well as bowls that can be enhanced with proteins like grilled chicken, steak or salmon. Top pickings include an acai bowl filled with fruit and a wrap stuffed with buttermilk fried chicken, pepper bacon, veggies and ranch dressing. Another reason to come is that kids 12 and under can eat free after 4 p.m. every day.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Unleavened Fresh Kitchen is a great place to bring kids who have a sensitivity to gluten.
Ilene's expert tip: Receive a 10% off discount by checking in on Yelp when you go.
This upscale Asian fusion spot may not bill itself as a gluten-free restaurant, but for gluten-sensitive diners, there's lots of choices. Around 75 percent of the menu is either gluten-free or can be made sans gluten (items marked with a "G" can be made GF), which means you can graze to your heart's content on an extensive selection of Thai-inspired dishes as well as sushi and sashimi. There's even gluten-free sake here too. Also on offer are GF-friendly desserts like flourless chocolate cake, Thai coconut custard sticky rice and jasmine creme brulee.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: If you're craving GF-friendly sushi and Thai food, Asian Mint is the place to go.
Ilene's expert tip: Happy Hour runs Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and includes $6 select cocktails; $3 beers, wines, hot sake and mimosas; plus $2 off appetizers, soups and salads. Also, find half-price bottles of wine on offer Thursdays and Sundays.
All too often eating healthy translates into a meal of tasteless limp salads, but thankfully that isn't the case at Flower Child, a hip eatery specializing in delicious organic, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan dishes. The menu runs the gamut from salads and mix-n- match veggies bowls (which can be topped with proteins) to wraps filled with everything from spicy tofu to grass-fed steak. Portion sizes are good and prices are reasonable, with most entrees coming in under $20. They also serve kombucha on tap and house-made lemonade in flavors like rose. Note that the Uptown location features a full bar.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Flower Child is where to go for a healthy meal, regardless of what type of diet regimen you're following.
Ilene's expert tip: Sign up for the EBites membership on the website and score $10 off of $20 for new members as well as special discounts and free birthday treats.
Pizza and pasta are probably two of the foods that gluten-intolerant foodies yearn for the most. So it's good news that this uber-popular Italian food spot specializes in gluten-free versions of both. That means not only can you can expect to find around six varieties of risotto but also eleven types of pasta and nine different wood-fired pizzas. Other GF-friendly dishes include small plates like fritto misto (fried, garbanzo flour-coated calamari and shrimp) and main courses such as veal parmigiana. Keep an eye out for weekend brunch when things like smoked salmon eggs benedict, and brisket hash with poached eggs are on offer.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Taverna offers a massive range of GF friendly Italian specialties.
Ilene's expert tip: Enjoy $2 bellinis and mimosas during weekend brunch (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Take note that the restaurant only takes reservations for groups of six and up.
Located near Bishop Arts in Oak Cliff, this retro-style diner not only specializes in 100% vegan dishes, it boasts an all-day gluten-free menu as well. The extensive selection covers everything from tacos and nachos to sandwiches, burgers and pasta. Standouts include cashew-quinoa spinach tacos and a veggie burger topped with pickled jalapenos and guacamole on a buttered, gluten-free sesame seed bun. On the sweet side, expect to dig into GF goodies like rice crispy treats, cupcakes, chocolate pudding and shakes. Oh, and did we mention they do gluten-free pancakes during breakfast and brunch?
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: This Oak Cliff fixture serves a wide range of vegetarian fare and gluten-free options.
Ilene's expert tip: If the parking lot is full, find plenty of street parking nearby, just be aware that some streets are marked resident only parking. Spiral Diner also offers soy-free options.
HG Sply, which translates into hunter and gathering supply, was one of the first Dallas restaurants to embrace the paleo diet (also known as the caveman diet) before it became a trend. And while not exclusively paleo, you can expect to find a spread of simple, unprocessed food, all of which can be prepared both gluten and dairy-free. Highlights include build-your-own bowls with items like Mexican pulled pork and poblano cauliflower grits and a coffee crusted ribeye topped with shallot butter and a farm egg. Fresh pressed juices along with health-inspired cocktails and biodynamic wines complete the picture. Don't leave without checking out the views from the rooftop bar.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: HG Sply is a solid choice for dinner and drinks whether you're following a gluten-free diet or not.
Ilene's expert tip: The rooftop bar offers Happy Hour from 3-6 p.m. weekdays. Score half price apps plus $5 select cocktails, $6 select wine and $3 draft beer.
Dino Santonicola's popular downtown trattoria is known for having some of the best Neapolitan pizzas in the city, all of which can be prepared gluten-free without sacrificing taste and texture. To achieve this, Santonicola formulates a dough out of cornflour, rice flour, and potato starch, and then fires it up in the same wood-burning oven as his regular pizzas. Choices range from a classic margarita to a pie topped with house-made mozzarella, pancetta, shaved Brussels sprouts and chiles. Also find gluten-free pasta dishes as well as GF-friendly options like shaved to order prosciutto, salad Caprese with roasted squash and oven-roasted branzino.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Partenope serves the best rendition of gluten-free pizzas in Dallas.
Ilene's expert tip: Happy Hour is offer from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Monday - Friday, where you'll find beer and wine for $3-$4 as well as select bar bites for $5-$7. Metered street parking is free after 6 p.m.
Crowds have been flocking to this casual Greenville Avenue eatery for organic, gluten-free fare since it opened in 2011. Head here for all-day brunch or lunch where you'll find everything from paleo bowls and build-your-own pancakes to tacos, burgers and chicken fried steak. And not only does Company Cafe actively cater to gluten-adverse folks, but it also caters to all, meaning anything on the menu can be made with gluten as well. The gluten-free "monster cookie cake" (chocolate cake with cream cheese icing and a chocolate chip cookie tucked in the middle) is sinfully delicious.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Company Café is a terrific all-day brunch option for gluten-averse diners.
Ilene's expert tip: Register online for a free Company Café Rewards card and score a free non-alcoholic beverage for signing up. Note that dinner is only served on Friday and Saturday nights.
One of the pioneers of gluten-free dining on the Dallas restaurant scene, this casual Lakewood cafe is so dedicated to producing delicious scratch-made dishes, that you'd never know that virtually everything on the menu is sans gluten. Diners can tuck into everything from omelets and pancakes to sandwiches, burgers, wild-caught fish and pasta. Fan favorites include the "bowl of doom" (sweet potato hash topped with two eggs, avocado, salsa and choice of meat) and a fruit-cream cheese stuffed French toast. Don't miss dessert, the Nutella cake (soaked with espresso and filled with a Nutella cream cheese frosting) is worthy of a visit on its own.
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Kozy Kitchen is a great place for breakfast whether you're gluten-averse or not.
Ilene's expert tip: Kozy offers a children's menu and serves breakfast items all day.
Located in the Knox-Henderson neighborhood, this rustic-chic restaurant features a solid menu of contemporary American cuisine, which fortunately for gluten-sensitive diners is composed of mostly gluten-free choices. Dinner options run the gamut from brisket tacos on Siete tortillas and build-your-own hash bowls to grass-fed short rib with goat cheese infused grits. If you stop by for breakfast or brunch, expect to tuck into GF things like chicken & waffles or chilaquiles made with eggs, cheese, pork carnitas, rosemary salsa and malanga chips. For dessert, consider the gluten-free "cookie trifecta a la mode."
Recommended for Restaurants with Gluten-Free Menus because: Origin serves terrific upscale food without the upscale price tag.
Ilene's expert tip: Score $3 off cocktails, $2 off wine by the glass and $1 off beer during Happy Hour, From 5-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Look for parking in the lot behind the restaurant.