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How Far Will Ya Go?

Georgia-guy

By Georgia-guy
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

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Georgia-guy Enthusiast
Georgia-guy
Posted

So here's the big question of the day:

If you found out there was a 100% gluten free restaurant owned and operated by a celiac, how far would you be willing to drive to eat there?

The benefit of such a place would be obvious: you know you can eat anything on the menu without worrying about getting glutened.

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Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I have gone 30-40 minutes up the freeway for exactly that. There is a place that is half bakery, half restaurant that is amazing. I always get a sandwich and a bunch of baked goods every time I go up. A bit farther up the freeway is The Pie. They're the pizza place that while not 100% gluten free precisely, they have a separate kitchen which is completely safe. It's not just a separate area, but sectioned off to be safe from CC. So I do consider them to be gluten free for my purposes since they have a gluten free kitchen for people like us. I've gone up there a few times also. As a general rule though, I just don't have money to spend on this sort of stuff. These are always special occasion trips. It's an hour or more driving and $10-15 in gas on top of the money for the food. Most of the time I settle for just stopping in when I'm already making a trip up to the city.

GF Lover Rising Star
GF Lover
Posted

I would go to my Kitchen.

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

I love this!!!   I would have to agree with this response.  Altho I love to eat out but my kitchen is best!  

Georgia-guy Enthusiast
Georgia-guy
Posted
  • Author

Just to let it be known, I do have a reason behind this question. I'm trying to figure out how far someone is seriously willing to drive.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

I would drive an hour, or stop by when I was in that area.  For just dinner nothing else, I have driven 45 minutes, it is worth it if it is that good.  

RMJ Mentor
RMJ
Posted

I've driven 20 minutes to a gluten free cafe.

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SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

It depends.....

 

If we are making a night of it and it's a good "date" type place, we've driven an hour to do something like that.  We used to have an amazing steak place about an hour away from our old house.  We would go there a few times/year.  If it's just a lunch place and I'm going out with friends, it would probably have to be in town or within 30 miles or so, near the mall :D.

 

I would need more information to give a good answer...

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

I wouldn't do it FREQUENTLY but I would drive an hour, maybe once a month.

africanqueen99 Contributor
africanqueen99
Posted

Well, I have a dedicated gluten-free restaurant within 10 minutes of my house.  The food is good and the prices aren't crazy high (still high, though).

 

I'm in a fairly large metro area so I'd probably drive 20 minutes.  Tops.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

The closest one to me is about six hours away.  Seriously - there are very, very few gluten-free places to eat in Croatia and it is equally impossible to find gluten-free flours (other than rice flour) so am struggling.  We drive to Italy to pick up chestnut and buckwheat flours (as we did today).  Oh, and almond flour which you cannot get in Croatia.  It is strange - there is so much more "real" food grown here without GMOs, yet there is sooooo little gluten-free choice.  Thankfully, I brought about 10 kg of various flours from Canada but as I am not returning until next summer, will soon be out. 

 

So, to answer your question, I would honestly drive three or four hours.  Wait a moment - there is a place in Venice that serves gluten-free food but it is not strictly gluten-free.  Venice is about 2.5 hours away.

SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

The closest one to me is about six hours away.  Seriously - there are very, very few gluten-free places to eat in Croatia and it is equally impossible to find gluten-free flours (other than rice flour) so am struggling.  We drive to Italy to pick up chestnut and buckwheat flours (as we did today).  Oh, and almond flour which you cannot get in Croatia.  It is strange - there is so much more "real" food grown here without GMOs, yet there is sooooo little gluten-free choice.  Thankfully, I brought about 10 kg of various flours from Canada but as I am not returning until next summer, will soon be out. 

 

So, to answer your question, I would honestly drive three or four hours.  Wait a moment - there is a place in Venice that serves gluten-free food but it is not strictly gluten-free.  Venice is about 2.5 hours away.

 

Ok, I was starting to feel sorry for you until I got to "we had to drive to Italy..."  :D.  

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

The closest one to me is about six hours away.  Seriously - there are very, very few gluten-free places to eat in Croatia and it is equally impossible to find gluten-free flours (other than rice flour) so am struggling.  We drive to Italy to pick up chestnut and buckwheat flours (as we did today).  Oh, and almond flour which you cannot get in Croatia.  It is strange - there is so much more "real" food grown here without GMOs, yet there is sooooo little gluten-free choice.  Thankfully, I brought about 10 kg of various flours from Canada but as I am not returning until next summer, will soon be out. 

 

So, to answer your question, I would honestly drive three or four hours.  Wait a moment - there is a place in Venice that serves gluten-free food but it is not strictly gluten-free.  Venice is about 2.5 hours away.

 

Tragic... 2.5 hours to Venice. I'm sure we all are feeling sorry for you. :P

BlessedMommy Rising Star
BlessedMommy
Posted

I would drive about an hour out of my way for a dedicated gluten free restaurant. 

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

The closest one to me is about six hours away.  Seriously - there are very, very few gluten-free places to eat in Croatia and it is equally impossible to find gluten-free flours (other than rice flour) so am struggling.  We drive to Italy to pick up chestnut and buckwheat flours (as we did today).  Oh, and almond flour which you cannot get in Croatia.  It is strange - there is so much more "real" food grown here without GMOs, yet there is sooooo little gluten-free choice.  Thankfully, I brought about 10 kg of various flours from Canada but as I am not returning until next summer, will soon be out. 

 

So, to answer your question, I would honestly drive three or four hours.  Wait a moment - there is a place in Venice that serves gluten-free food but it is not strictly gluten-free.  Venice is about 2.5 hours away.

It's love2travel.........she's back!!!!!!!!!! Missed you on here......how are things in your new country?

I drive an hour from my house to have gluten free fried clams with fries and onion rings about twice a year. It is not a dedicated place but the family which have run this business for years, have Celiac family members and do this out of love. They have a totally dedicated Celiac fryer and I have never been sick, ever, from their food. The coating is corn based and is gluten free anyway. It's the best fried food around...not greasy. I will drive an hour for well prepared gluten-free food. Although I would drive to Venice if I could........

Georgia-guy Enthusiast
Georgia-guy
Posted
  • Author

The closest one to me is about six hours away. Seriously - there are very, very few gluten-free places to eat in Croatia and it is equally impossible to find gluten-free flours (other than rice flour) so am struggling. We drive to Italy to pick up chestnut and buckwheat flours (as we did today). Oh, and almond flour which you cannot get in Croatia. It is strange - there is so much more "real" food grown here without GMOs, yet there is sooooo little gluten-free choice. Thankfully, I brought about 10 kg of various flours from Canada but as I am not returning until next summer, will soon be out.

So, to answer your question, I would honestly drive three or four hours. Wait a moment - there is a place in Venice that serves gluten-free food but it is not strictly gluten-free. Venice is about 2.5 hours away.

Next time you need to drive to Italy, just buy me a plane ticket to Croatia and I will be more than happy to be your chauffeur to and from Italy.

LauraTX Rising Star
LauraTX
Posted

Honestly, I wouldn't buy a house based on the location of one restaurant.  If you are renting that may be different.  There is an asian restaurant in Seattle, WA that makes me want to move there within delivery range, haha.  But I would say to look more for overall Celiac friendliness in a community.  Like grocery stores, doctors, hospitals, and restaurants, preferably many.

Georgia-guy Enthusiast
Georgia-guy
Posted
  • Author

Honestly, I wouldn't buy a house based on the location of one restaurant. If you are renting that may be different. There is an asian restaurant in Seattle, WA that makes me want to move there within delivery range, haha. But I would say to look more for overall Celiac friendliness in a community. Like grocery stores, doctors, hospitals, and restaurants, preferably many.

You are close, but you may be looking at the wrong end of the scenario...
SMRI Collaborator
SMRI
Posted

Well, it sounds like you are trying to open a restaurant or get the owners to open one closer to you :D.  If I lived near a gluten-free restaurant, I would go there often if the menu changed frequently or had daily specials to keep the menu fresh.  Even the draw of being a totally safe gluten-free place would get stale if the offerings were the same week after week.

 

If it were a gluten-free bakery where I could get good bread and other baked goods, I would drive an hour every couple weeks easy.

cap6 Enthusiast
cap6
Posted

Ok, Seriously...(sorry for being smarty. :D )   For a dedicated g,f, place maybe 45 minutes for like my b'day celebration or something really really special, like once a year.  Otherwise 20 minutes.  A couple of years ago it would have meant more to me but now it just isn't that important any more.  I think that after 4.5 years I am more comfortable with myself, what I can or can't eat, and just the entire diet as a whole.  Plus I enjoy cooking a g.f. meal for friends and having them amazed that they can enjoy an entire meal with no grains!   My entire mind set is very different now than a few years ago. 

Georgia-guy Enthusiast
Georgia-guy
Posted
  • Author

Well, it sounds like you are trying to open a restaurant or get the owners to open one closer to you :D. If I lived near a gluten-free restaurant, I would go there often if the menu changed frequently or had daily specials to keep the menu fresh. Even the draw of being a totally safe gluten-free place would get stale if the offerings were the same week after week.

If it were a gluten-free bakery where I could get good bread and other baked goods, I would drive an hour every couple weeks easy.

At this time, all I can say is that there is a door down the hall. Whether the door will open or not, time will tell.
linen53 Rookie
linen53
Posted

I live in a smallish town and the grocery stores are just now stocking some gluten free foods.  Each week I go in and find new stuff!!  So no, we don't have a gluten free restaurant where I live.  And I wouldn't drive out of town to a larger metropolis to just eat at a restaurant.  I'm not that bad of a cook and can whip up some pretty good meals myself.  

 

I did eat a Village Inn (here in town) one morning and ordered one of their Ultimate Skillet (no bread) and wasn't glutened!  But that was back when I was new to this and dumb.  I don't think I'd try it again.  Chances are it wouldn't happen again.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

Ok, Seriously...(sorry for being smarty. :D )   For a dedicated g,f, place maybe 45 minutes for like my b'day celebration or something really really special, like once a year.  Otherwise 20 minutes.  A couple of years ago it would have meant more to me but now it just isn't that important any more.  I think that after 4.5 years I am more comfortable with myself, what I can or can't eat, and just the entire diet as a whole.  Plus I enjoy cooking a g.f. meal for friends and having them amazed that they can enjoy an entire meal with no grains!   My entire mind set is very different now than a few years ago. 

 

This is usually how I end up at one of the places I go. Because they're "so far away" (first world problems) I rarely go. It's just so expensive already to eat at a place that is dedicated gluten free that the added expense of traveling to such a place makes it something that just doesn't really interest me in the day to day. Now, the safety net I get of not having to worry a bit or even think about the fact that I have celiac, is this safe? is something I'm all for on my birthday, anniversary, things like that. Day to day if I go out I stay in town. Even so, we've been known to go to a Brazilian steakhouse, which is mostly gluten free, instead of a place that is 100% gluten free because cheese bread. On weekends the best one around here also does deep fried polenta with parmesan sprinkled on top. So it's not weird for me, and I can eat everything everyone else does with one or two (literally, that's all) exceptions.

 

Well, it sounds like you are trying to open a restaurant or get the owners to open one closer to you :D.  If I lived near a gluten-free restaurant, I would go there often if the menu changed frequently or had daily specials to keep the menu fresh.  Even the draw of being a totally safe gluten-free place would get stale if the offerings were the same week after week.

 

If it were a gluten-free bakery where I could get good bread and other baked goods, I would drive an hour every couple weeks easy.

 

I agree with this too. If there were a gluten-free place in my city I'd be there pretty regularly. Probably once or twice a month. Depending on the prices and what was available I'd even consider giving up things like In N Out for it, even though I consider them to be 100% safe.

moosemalibu Collaborator
moosemalibu
Posted

I'm fortunate that I have a gluten-free and dairy free dedicated bakery in Sacramento (Pushkin's) that is owned and operated by husband(celiac)/wife(non-celiac). They serve pastries as well as vegan sandwhiches that are sooo good. Napa also has several dedicated gluten-free restaurants in the Oxbow Market (Pica Pica and C. Casa, CA Cate and Co). I just discovered Pica Pica and they have amazing arepas! So I drive like 26 miles. Worth it for special occasions or the occasional one-off lazy cooking day.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

Well Georgia_guy, I sure hope you are just over the Fl./Ga. line directly above the "Gateway To Florida" b/c I would drive that 35 miles to the Ga. line to eat at a totally gluten-free restaurant. Or should I say my hubs and I would do that as he is celiac also. How often would we do this? Once a month, perhaps more often. There aren't even any dedicated gluten-free restaurants in Gainesville nor in Jacksonville. Sigh. 

We would just love to go out to dinner or lunch once in a while & get a break from the kitchen. Not to mention how wonderful it would be to go out on our anniversary.

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