Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Massachusetts Question

My husband and I are planning to take a couple of trips to Massachusetts this summer. Specifically, to Cape Cod, Boston and Six Flags New England.

While between a list of safe options on the road and a car packed with goodies, we're good for trips. However, I'm looking for some really good restaurant options in those areas - it seems to be a shame to visit the shore and eat at chain restaurants. As I Google I figured I'd pose the question - does anyone recommend specific Massachusetts restaurants that not only make accommodations for the gluten free diet but are worth visiting? I'd appreciate it, thanks in advance. :-)

Six Flags New England is a little harder - I would love to find an option but so far have been unsuccessful contacting their food management staff regarding my questions. It looks like we might be forced to eat a huge breakfast and/or brown-bag a lunch at this point. :-(

10 comments:

mnms said...

Legal Seafoods does a phenomenal job on gluten free food. We were told that one of the cooks at the main restaurant developed celiac years ago and he helped set up their gluten free menu. They get new pans for the GF meal and the manager stands next to the cook to ensure that it is done correctly. Then the manager brings it to your table. I know Legal's are all over the Boston area, but am not sure about the cape. The food is incredible!

~M said...

Here are a bunch of links to get you started (check out these restaurants' websites for what's gf):

http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2008/04/23/gluten_free_dining_out/

http://myglutenfreecookbook.blogspot.com/2008/12/gluten-free-dining-in-new-england-new.html

http://www.urbanspoon.com/t/4/1/Boston/Gluten-free-friendly-restaurants

B. Good - Backbay, Brookline, Harvard Square, Newbury Street

Boloco - inspired burritos

Burton's Grill - Boston (Fenway: 1363 Boylston St.) - GF Menu: http://www.burtonsgrill.com/downloads/GFTakeOut-Web%20Boston.pdf

Chipotle - Cambridge (everything is GF except the tortillas)

The Elephant Walk - (Celiac Menu)

Legal Sea Foods - (Celiac Menu)

Henrietta's Table - Harvard Square, Cambridge - fabulous, fresh New England fare

Marco - Italian, North End
http://www.marcoboston.com/menu/1

Wagamama's - Faneuil Hall

Good luck!

Kat said...

mnms, thanks for the recommendation on Legal Seafoods -- that's great to know! I've heard good things about the restaurant as well, so look forward to checking it out! Thanks again!

Kat said...

~M, thanks for the links! This is great stuff! A lot of these restaurants are just what we were looking for!

Incidentally, we're staying at the Four Points Sheraton right now and the hotel restaurant was very good and very accommodating. My husband had an absolutely delicious rack of lamb last night, and everyone was knowledgeable about gluten.

Anonymous said...

I live in Boston (Cambridge) and since I am a recently diagnosed celiac, I am also on the lookout for GF places to eat around here. The list that ~M posted is a good start. There is a pizza place in Cambridge called Stone Hearth Pizza that is rumored to have GF pizza crust. There's another place in Cambridge called Four Burgers that has GF french fries. Kickass cupcakes in Davis Square (Cambridge/Somerville) has GF cupcakes that are fantastic.

I ate at the Harvard Square/Cambridge Chipotle grill this afternoon for the 2nd time, and while they claim to be GF, I'm not feeling so good.

I'll let you know if I think of anything else. You motivate me to post the reviews I've been meaning to finish!

Kat said...

Glutonicwoman, thanks for the input - we're going again next month and I will be sure to check some of these places out, especially gluten free cupcakes! Yum!

Lisa said...

Hi Kat...sorry for the delay in responding...I didn't see this post until today!

I have several posts on my blog from our trip last year to the Cape. Starting with this one...http://lisasblogetyblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/gluten-free-cape-cod-ma.html.

Let me know if I can help in any other way. I've been to the Cape almost every year since I was a baby and we'll be headed there in July!

Have a great time traveling!!! :)

Kat said...

Lisa, thanks for the information! It's very timely!

Did you go to any other restaurants while you were there?

Thanks! :-)

Lisa said...

Kat,

As you probably already know, the Cape is famous for it's "fried" everything. Fried fish, fried clams, french fries. After I got my celiac diagnosis, I wasn't sure how I would survive our Summer vacations! Oh, well, life goes on and I did manage to find enough to keep my tummy happy last summer. This year, we are staying at a motel on the beach that is equipped with a full kitchen, so I'm bringing some gf food of my own and planning to have at least breakfast and lunch right in the room. They also have outdoor grills, so we may take advantage of that as well!

Here are a few restaurants that we visit every year. They do not have gf menus, so I can't guarantee the safety of the food there, but I did find that almost every restaurant will give you broiled/baked seafood, without breadcrumb topping, a baked potato, veggies without seasonings or a salad. Of course, Lobster, if boiled alone in a pot, is always gf!!! Yum!

Seafood Sams - http://www.seafoodsams.com/index.html

Christophers - http://www.conciergeonline.com/christophers/Index.htm

Arnold's - http://www.arnoldsrestaurant.com/ ~ I think we went here for lunch and I got a salad. They also have decent loaded baked potatoes.


The Lobster Boat in West Yarmouth is pretty good. They have really good lobster dinners at a good price. The wait staff is mostly Russian, so sometimes its' a little hard to communicate well with them. I did ok because my husband was a Russian Linguist in the Army, so we have that covered.

There is a local bakery that supplies some of the health food stores and BZ's Mexican and Pizza Restaurant with gf baked goods. Here is a list of where to find them. http://www.goodjujubakery.com/t-wheretobuy.aspx

We didn't visit them, but there are some chain restaurants with gf menus on the Cape like Outback and Unos in Hyannis.

Hope this helps!

Unknown said...

To whom it may concern;

I am writing to inform you of our new Gluten free menu. About 4 yrs ago my sister Christine and I opened nebo restaurant at 90 N. Washington St. in Boston’s North End. Nebo is a traditional Italian restaurant offering dishes based on recipes that were passed down from our mother and grandmother. After being open for about a year, two of our closest friends were told they had Celiac disease. We then realized just how many people this disease has affected and the need for an alternative for their dining restrictions. Determined to serve our friends their favorites, we set upon making our menu available in a gluten free form. We are thrilled to say that we have now produced 90% of our menu with the same great taste as our regular menu. We don't think there has been an accomplishment that has brought us more pleasure. If you would like us to forward a copy of our Gluten free menu please send a menu request to nebofunctions@gmail.com .