News & Notes: February 21, 2020

This month brings word of two new gluten-free breakfast cereals, for kids and kids at heart. Nature's Path has added to its Envirokidz line with Turtle Splash, a strawberry and chocolate flavored cereal. Post has a new variety of its famed Pebbles cereal that magically turns milk blue.

Woodchuck Hard Cider is releasing two new hard cider styles: Sippin’ Citrus and Mimosa. Sippin’ Citrus is a grapefruit hopped cider that pairs the juice of the common eating apple with grapefruit and cascade hops, while Mimosa features orange juice. Both styles are 5.5% ABV.

Sedona Taphouse has a wide selection of gluten-free food and drink

In Phoenixville, Sedona Taphouse (131 Bridge St. #5, 484-302-5714) has an extensive list of gluten-free menu items, from burgers to flatbreads, from crab cakes to chocolate cake. The kitchen's fryer is only used for gluten-free items like fries and the flatbreads are baked in a separate oven. There's also a dedicated pot for gluten-free penne. The bar has many gluten-free adult beverages, including Glutenberg beer and hard ciders. A second area location is coming to West Chester later this year at the 44 West Plaza development. The chain also has outposts in northern New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, Michigan, Tennessee and Kentucky.

The all-gluten-free Bleu Bear Market in Marlton (27 N. Maple Ave., 856-810-3456) will open its doors on Saturday, February 29 at 7 a.m. In addition to a full line of fresh baked goods, the market will offer made-to-order sandwiches, salad bar and much more. Meanwhile, Bleu Bear Bakery, the gluten-free bake shop in Haddonfield, has relocated from its original location on Kings Highway around the corner (14 Tanner St., 856-354-0006) to utilize the larger kitchen space there.

Speaking of expanding in South Jersey, Grubr Gluten-Free Kitchen in Medford, which sells prepared foods for pick-up and delivery, is opening a full-service cafe next door at 15 Jackson Rd. Grubr Sit & Eat is slated for an April opening.

Bhan Thai just opened a second South Jersey location in Marlton (1041 Rt. 73 S., 856-422-8424). The menu, which replicates the one at the original Mt. Laurel spot, notes many gluten-free options.

About half of the menu options at the recently opened Oori, a Korean fried chicken and ramen shop in Pottstown (2228 Pottstown Pike, 484-985-8071), are or can be made gluten free. All of the dry wings are gluten free, as are two of the wet varieties: sweet chili and white miso honey mustard. The wings are prepared with a rice flour/corn starch batter. Rice noodles can be substituted in several ramen dishes. Thanks to @glutenfreebebe for the tip.

Also in Pottstown, The Blue Elephant (152 E. High St., 484-949-9084) notes gluten-free choices on its Asian fusion menu. Be sure to request gluten-free modifications and preparation.

The Farmer & The Chickpea recently opened in Quakertown (1321 W. Broad St., 267-227-3895). The cafeteria-style restaurant lists gluten-free options on its menu, which rotates weekly.

Reader Corinna V. let me know that the oldest continuously operating inn in America, King George II Inn in Bristol (102 Radcliffe St., 215-788-5536), has gluten-free lobster bisque and crab cakes, among other items listed on the menu.

Peter McAndrews has reopened Modo Mio in the Queen Village section of Philadelphia (705 5th St., 267-239-2712) as well as Paesano's Philly Style, now in Fishtown (1429 Marlborough St.). Modo Mio has gluten-free pasta, while Paesano's will soon have gluten-free bread for sandwiches.

In Rittenhouse Square, Scarpetta (210 W. Rittenhouse Square, 215-558-4199) has an extensive gluten-free menu that includes pasta.

The adults-only Barcade in Fishtown (114 Frankford Ave., 215-634-4400) has gluten-free tacos, a house salad, deviled eggs, a pickle plate and several snacks on its current menu. A future location is coming to Center City at 1210 Chestnut St.

The Fairview, which recently opened in Fairmount (601 N. 21st St., 215-235-3500), has a dedicated fryer for fries and tater tots along with other noted menu options. Gluten-free hard cider and seltzer are available from the bar.

At the DECO Food Hall in Wilmington (111 W. 10th St., 302-300-4955), four of the pho varieties at Phubs are gluten free, as are the steak, chicken and shrimp rice and salad bowls.

Sweet Victory Bakery makes gluten-free bundt cakes, cupcakes,
cookies, pies and special-order cakes

Sweet Victory Bakery is a gluten- and dairy-free bakery based in Dublin, Pennsylvania. Owner Veronica hosts pop-up sales twice a month at 105 N. Main St. (Follow the bakery on Facebook for upcoming dates.) Her baked goods are also sold at area markets such as Kimberton Whole Foods, Altomonte's and other locations in Bucks County and Chester County.

Healthy Meals by Anna rotates its gluten-free options
twice a month

Chef Anna started Healthy Meals by Anna about a year ago, preparing gluten-free meals for delivery in the Philadelphia area and pick-up. Her menu changes bi-weekly and she also offers catering services. Orders can be placed on an a la carte or subscription basis.

Philadelphia Mead Well is the city's first modern-day meadery. Mead, known as honey wine, is gluten free. The meadery's tasting room, located in the Harrowgate section of North Philadelphia (3525 I St. - Unit 201, 267-454-5956), is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Upcoming area events include a gluten-free education dinner at The Pop Shop in Medford (1 S. Main St., 609-975-6888) on Thursday, February 27. The event includes a gluten-free buffet dinner, dessert by Bleu Bear Bakery, samples and coupons. Yours truly will share great information for traveling and dining gluten free. Ravitz Family Market’s dietitian, Ashley Cully, will offer advice and tips for gluten free shopping and cooking at home. All guests are encouraged to bring their favorite gluten-free recipes for a recipe swap. Tickets are $26.95 and include tax and gratuity (available here). Advance ticket purchase required.

CHOP will host its annual gluten-free education day on Sunday, March 1. Details and registration information are available here.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

With the always updated Gluten Free Philly app for iOS and Android devices, find more than 1,800 area gluten-free-friendly businesses on the go, search by cuisine or neighborhood, make reservations and more!

News & Notes: August 9, 2019

If you follow Gluten Free Philly on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, you know that Philly's own Wawa convenience store chain is testing two new gluten-free products: a Canadian bacon, egg & cheese muffin and a turkey & cheese hoagie. The test, which runs through September 1, is being conducted at six Pennsylvania locations:

• 1195 Pottstown Pike, West Chester
• 1501 West Chester Pike, West Chester
• 1010 West Chester Pike, West Chester
• 3604 Chestnut St., Philadelphia
• 1190 Market St., Philadelphia
• 150 S. Independence Mall W., Philadelphia

The products are made by a third party in a certified gluten-free facility. It comes in to stores frozen and individually bagged. Wawa associates heat it up directly in the bag.without opening it (similar to Starbucks' protocol for warming the now-discontinued gluten-free breakfast sandwich). Associates are also instructed that if the customer asks for any additional condiments on the side, they need to communicate that there will be cross contamination and they cannot eliminate the risk that gluten will be present. There are no further plans now for expanding or continuing the test, but the company's Product Development team will regroup after the test is complete to discuss next steps.

So how do they taste? From the comments to my recent social media posts, the breakfast sandwich seems to be the better of the two options, a sentiment shared by our contributor Sara, who took the pictures above. In particular, the hoagie that's served was not as appetizing as it appears in the promotional photo. One the plus side, she thought the price point ($4-$5) was reasonable.

At South Philly Barbacoa in the Italian Market (1140 S. 9th St., 215-360-5282), all menu options except for the apple cake are gluten free.

Reader Laura S. let me know that the Salty Mermaid Bar & Grille in North Wildwood (2507 Delaware Ave., 609-600-6125) preps gluten-free chicken tenders and fries in a dedicated fryer, and also offers flatbreads, pasta, burger buns and Redbridge beer.

Baltimore Gluten Free posted about her recent Jersey Shore vacation, and mentioned two new-to-me options. Pure Juice + Kitchen in Stone Harbor (9821 3rd Ave., 609-741-7226) has smoothies, juices, bowls, avocado and nut butter toasts. Eat Clean Org is a gluten-free meal prep company that has pick-up locations at, and delivery to, many shore points. The menu changes weekly.

Brigantine Bistro (3015 Brigantine Blvd., 609-264-5050) has gluten-free options for breakfast like omelets, pancakes and French toast as well as sandwiches at lunch. The kitchen uses a separate toaster and grill.

Calfornia Pizza Kitchen, which recently closed its Cherry Hill location but opened a location at Philadelphia International Airport (Concourse E), is offering take-and-bake certified-gluten-free cauliflower pizza at all non-airport outposts.

A new Red Lobster-branded gluten-free cheddar biscuit mix is now available at Walmart stores nationwide, though the product has been spotted at other markets such as Wegmans.

Wegmans has changed over its store-branded gluten-free pizzas from a rice flour crust to a cauliflower crust. All are priced less than $7.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

With the always updated Gluten Free Philly app for iOS and Android devices, find more than 1,700 area gluten-free-friendly businesses on the go, search by cuisine or neighborhood, make reservations and more!

Breakfast at Starbucks

Besides baseball, there's something else to look forward to once we make it through the winter: Starbucks' new certified-gluten-free breakfast sandwich. The ever-expanding coffee chain announced last week that stores nationwide will begin carrying the sandwich in the spring.

The sandwiches were tested earlier this fall at San Diego and Miami-area locations, and based on the success of the test, Starbucks has opted to roll out the product across the United States. The sandwich combines smoked Canadian bacon and egg with reduced-fat cheddar cheese on a multigrain roll. In the pilot program, the sandwich was priced at less than $5; Starbucks, which has been tight lipped about the addition beyond last week's announcement, has not said as yet whether that price point will change.

Nonetheless, we do know that the sandwiches will come individually wrapped and then heated in their own packaging to avoid cross contact with other products. Starbucks' initial effort at selling a separately wrapped gluten-free product dates back to 2009, when the company sold an orange-flavored cake for several months before discontinuing it. Some stores continue to sell a gluten-free marshmallow crispy rice treat.

News & Notes: August 21, 2015

Four Udi's Gluten Free breakfast sandwich varieties will soon be found in supermarket freezers: Egg White & Cheddar, Chicken Maple Sausage, Ham & Cheddar, and Sausage are each served on a gluten-free biscuit. Each package contains two sandwiches. The products will be sold at Target and other retailers.

Also new are gluten-free pretzels from popular salty snack purveyor Utz. The pretzels, which come in three styles - Rings, Sticks and Minis - are also free of dairy, milk, lactose, casein and egg. Utz is offering free shipping on the new pretzels through Aug. 31 with promo code GLUTENFREE. Utz is in the process of obtaining gluten-free certification.

Hard root beer is having a moment. As I wrote in Tuesday's post, several popular brands, like Not Your Father's Root Beer, are not gluten free, though one Midwest brewer - Root Sellers - will be expanding distribution of its gluten-free Row Hard Root Beer in the coming months.

Estia Greek Taverna, with locations in Radnor (222 N. Radnor Chester Rd., 484-581-7124) and Marlton (140 W. Rt. 70, 856-596-5500), now has a gluten-free menu. Sister restaurant Estia in Center City Philadelphia (1405-07 Locust St., 215-735-7700) has also added its own version. (Thanks to Kristen of the Garden State of Mind blog for the tip via Twitter.)

Advertisement

Grub Burger Bar opened last week in North Wales (254 Montgomery Mall, 215-583-1242). Burgers can be served on Udi's buns and the sweet potato fries are cooked separately.

Longtime reader Shari S. reported on an excellent gluten-free meal at French bistro A La Maison in Ardmore (53 W. Lancaster Ave., 484-412-8009). Most items on the menu do not contain gluten and others can be modified.

An Egg-cellent Breakfast

As much as I like to enjoy a leisurely breakfast, the workweek simply doesn't allow much time in the morning to relax. We live in times that demand a quick fix. Enter Start Healthy's gluten-free breakfast sandwiches, made with breads from Chester County's own Sweet Christine's Bakery.

There are four certified-gluten-free sandwiches in all: a choice of turkey sausage or Canadian-style turkey bacon, cholesterol-free egg and reduced-fat Cheddar cheese on either a gluten-free bagel or bialy. These are the first heat-and-serve gluten-free breakfast sandwiches to hit the market since Ian's since-discontinued Wafflewiches.

We recently sampled both of the all-natural bagel sandwiches and were suitably impressed. If you have the luxury of time, you can heat them in the oven, but we opted for the microwave at a minute and 20 seconds. The savory meats blended nicely with the mildness of the cheese and egg. The bagel was spongy, but that's to be expected from microwave preparation.

The bagel sandwiches can be ordered from Sweet Christine's, which offers nationwide shipping. Both the bagel and bialy sandwiches are also sold in larger quantities from Start Healthy.

DISCLOSURE: While Sweet Christine's provided product samples for me to review at no cost, such compensation did not influence my review. Neither I am nor any immediate family member is an employee, officer, director or agent of Sweet Christine's or its respective parent, subsidiary and affiliated entities, advertising and promotional agencies. Click here for my complete Disclosure.

Born to Be WildFlour

WildFlour Bakery & Cafe opened in May 2013

It's a testament to his growing appetite that our 12-year-old can pack away the tons of food given away at the recent gluten-free vendor fair in northern New Jersey and ask to stop for lunch on the way home.

Pumpernickel is sold by the loaf and used for sandwiches

As it happened, traffic was slowing as we approached Exit 8A of the Turnpike. We got off the highway and snaked our way down to Lawrenceville, Mercer County, where WildFlour Bakery & Cafe (2691 Main St., 609-620-1100) was in the middle of a brisk weekend brunch service. Marilyn Besner opened the all-gluten-free eatery - the only one of its kind in southern New Jersey - in May at the former Lawrenceville Inn, and she has maintained the quaint, homespun feel of the former occupant.

Sweet and savory crepes are WildFlour specialties

The fresh-baked breads that Besner and her energetic staff sell by the loaf are used for several cafe items, including grilled cheese. My son raved about his egg salad sandwich on pumpernickel ($6.25), while I loved the Nutella-stuffed crepe ($6.95), sprinkled with berries and topped with vanilla ice cream made by The Bent Spoon in neighboring Princeton. There are also savory versions made with either buckwheat or vegan-friendly rice and lentil. Pancakes ($4.50), salads ($6.95), a soup of the day ($3.25) and smoothies ($6.25) round out the menu. 

A display of delectable sweets at the front counter can't be avoided. WildFlour's assortment includes iced fruit danish ($1.95), a nutty Frangipane tartlette ($4.25), and off-menu items like Linzer cookies and custard flips.

Pop Goes the Toaster

The world is a better place now that Glutino's gluten-free Pop Tarts toaster pastries have arrived. The Strawberry and Apple Cinnamon flavored treats are sold at Whole Foods markets ($4.99 per five-pack), with wider availability come springtime.

Since I wasn't sure that the pastries would taste good right out of the foil package, I dropped one of each flavor into our toaster at the lightest setting. About 60 seconds later the tarts popped up, the centers a golden brown. My son and I had to curb our enthusiasm as we waited for them to cool down, but that beat the alternative of scalding the roofs of our mouths. The pastries were surprisingly flaky and the fruit filling runs nearly from end to end, save for a thin crust. Both were tasty, although we both preferred the strawberry one.

I imagine that for most people, the "toaster" part of toaster pastries is a mere suggestion. Thus began our next trial - could the products hold up without warming? I'm happy to report that they can. The toasting certainly brings out more flavor, but room temperature is no deterrent. Frosting would be a welcome addition to future versions, but they stand on their own just fine.

At a buck per pastry, the Glutino toaster pastries aren't cheap. (There is a link to a cents-off coupon at the Glutino homepage.) Given that these products fill a void in the gluten-free marketplace, however, it's worth a splurge for the novelty and convenience.

News & Notes: January 18, 2013

There are two more weeks left in the voting for Epikur food-and-wine magazine's Best Writer competition; please vote for me and spread the word to friends and family.

Down on the farm, Bob Evans Restaurant now has a gluten-free menu that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner options. The chain has nine locations in the Delaware Valley and hundreds of others throughout the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast U.S.

South Philly Mediterranean Kris (1100 Federal St., 215-468-0104) serves an eggplant parmesan with an egg and parmigiano batter (no breading) with fresh mozzarella and tomato basil marinara. It's accompanied by polenta gnocchi, also gluten free. Other menu items either are or can be prepared gluten free.

Add the Nino's Pizza locations in Wilmington, New Castle, Middletown, Bear and Smyrna to strengthen my belief that Delaware has the most gluten-free pizza options per square mile of any state. Nino's outposts in West Chester, Pennsylvania and Cecil County, Maryland also have gluten-free pies. The pizzas come on their own tins and are prepared with separate sauce and cheese. Several locations offer gluten-free ravioli as well.

Also in Delaware, The Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille has opened a location in Newark (250 Elkton Rd., 302-454-1592) with a gluten-free menu.

Reader Jared G. let me know that Chez Elena Wu in Voorhees (910 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd., 856-566-3222) has gluten-free soy sauce and can prepare many protein and vegetable dishes gluten free.

Nearby, Marlton's Ragazzi (44 Rt. 70 E., 856-810-8810) offers gluten-free ravioli, gnocchi, grilled eggplant and wraps.

As I wrote on Tuesday, there are gluten-free options at Lucky Strike, Dave & Buster's and North Bowl, boutique bowling centers in Philadelphia.

Udi's Gluten Free has announced several new products: three varieties of granola bars (Cranberry Almond, Chocolate Chip and Ancient Grains), 6" and 9" plain tortillas, Spinach & Feta pizza and personal-size three-cheese pizza.

One more addition to the new Van's gluten-free products I mentioned a few weeks ago: Ancient Grains waffles, made from brown rice, millet, teff, buckwheat, amaranth, sorghum and quinoa. The waffles are also egg and dairy free.

Natural-foods chef Heather Esposito will be teaching a gluten-free and allergen-friendly cooking class called "Cooking For Detox" at Food For All in northwest Philadelphia (7127 Germantown Ave., 267-297-7122) on Sunday, Jan. 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cost is $50. RSVP by Jan. 23 by calling Food For All.

Be sure to check out the Events page at the blog for a list of kids' and adult support group meetings, meet-ups and cooking classes.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

News & Notes: November 30, 2012

Town Center Boulevard in Voorhees is fast becoming Gluten-Free Restaurant Row. Joining the recently opened Catelli Duo outside the Voorhees Town Center (née Echelon Mall) is Rodizio Grill (13109 Town Center Blvd., 856-770-8300), a Brazilian steakhouse that's set to open on Tuesday, December 4. Nearly all of the proteins, sides and salad bar items are gluten free (as noted on the menu), including pao de queijo cheese bread. Opening in the spring along the same strip are gluten-free-friendly Iron Hill Brewery and Burger 21.

East of Market Street in Center City Philadelphia is Eat-A-Pita (128 S. 12 St., 215-925-7482), where guests can order sandwiches on Amaranth Bakery's gluten-free flatbread. Upon request, the sandwich maker will prepare the gluten-free order using ingredients from back-up bins. Soups and salads are also available.

Foxfire, a New American BYOB at The Stone Barn in Kennett Square (550 Upland Rd., 610-347-2414), notes the gluten-free items on its farm-to-table lunch and dinner menus.

At Shere-E-Punjab in Drexel Hill (5059 State Rd., 484-452-8140), Media (208 W. State St., 610-891-0400) and Glen Mills (301 Byers Dr., 484-841-6345), all of the gluten-free items (about 80 percent of the menu) are labeled. Thanks to reader Matt B. for the tip.

Dessert's on at Center City's Pure Tacos (1935 Chestnut St., 215-496-9393) - flan served in a parfait cup with orange-infused dulce de leche sauce, dried cranberries and a house-made mocha-mole powder (made with coffee from Nook around the corner).

The kitchen at the recently opened Growlers Bar in Bella Vista (736 S. 8th St., 267-519-3242) can accommodate gluten-free diets and usually has adult beverages on hand.

Nearby, the former chef at GREAT Kitchens-trained Terra, Eric Paraskevas, is now working the stove at Bainbridge Street Barrel House (625-27 S. 6th St., 267-324-3553).

Wegmans has added to its self-branded gluten-free product line with homestyle and blueberry waffles. The waffles come eight to a box and sell for $1.99 each, as compared to Van's version, which only come six per box and cost one dollar more there.

As I wrote on Tuesday, you can find locally made Pure Gourmet premium sorbets and gelatos at Whole Foods and Giant markets throughout the Delaware Valley.

Join the Chester County GIG chapter on Monday, December 3 at Floga Bistro, a BYOB in Kennett Square (826 E. Baltimore Pike, 610-444-6500), for dinner. (Arrive between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and mention that you are with GIG of Chester County; reservations aren't necessary.) Floga Bistro has an extensive gluten-free menu with pastas, pizzas, lava cake and more.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

News & Notes: November 2, 2012

Aqua, a Malaysian and Thai restaurant on the east side of Broad Street in Center City Philadelphia (705 Chestnut St., 215-928-2838), has a gluten-free menu that features several noodle dishes. The owner, Vickie Chung, is familiar with appropriate food preparation.

Marrone's Pizzeria in Ardmore (2744 E. County Line Rd., 610-642-9567) now serves gluten-free pizza using Still Riding's crusts.

Also with gluten-free pizza is Fino's Pizza in Philly's Germantown section (6784 Germantown Pike, 215-844-1188).

Reader Samantha M. let me know that Collingswood's Indiya (612 Haddon Ave., 856-858-0020) lists gluten-free options on its menu.

Pei Wei's new Sriracha Chicken (PRNewsFoto/Pei Wei)

The newest featured dish from Pei Wei Asian Diner, Sriracha Chicken, is gluten free, as is the version made with shrimp.

The Bards Irish Bar near Rittenhouse Square has discontinued its gluten-free menu, at least for now.

New at Trader Joe's markets is a gluten-free three-cheese pizza with Roma tomatoes. The 11-oz. pie is made on a rice-flour crust with provolone, mozzarella and Manchego cheeses and sells for $4.99.

In the freezer case at most other markets is a new line of breakfast bakes from Bob Evans. The three microwaveable varieties - sausage, egg and cheese, bacon, egg and cheese, and meatless Southwest - are mixed with hash browns and are baked, not fried.

In case you missed it due the storm, on Tuesday I announced a Goodies Giveaway for dinner at The Pop Shop in Collingswood. The prize includes dinner entrees for four guests. (The Pop Shop has gluten-free grilled cheese, chicken fingers, fries and more.) You can enter here now through Sunday.

Speaking of The Pop Shop, the restaurant will host a fundraiser to benefit the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness on Thursday, November 15. When you bring this flyer and dine in for any meal that day (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.), the restaurant will donate 15% of your total check to the NFCA.

Also on the calendar is a fundraiser at the Iron Hill Brewery in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia. Present the special voucher at dinner on Monday, November 12 and the restaurant will donate 20% of your food bill to the NFCA. Iron Hill has extensive gluten-free menus for adults and kids.

This being election season, I'm in the running for Writer of the Year at the Philadelphia-area food-and-wine blog Epikur. Please vote for me at this page, with much thanks. No registration or login required to vote - just three mouse clicks and you're done.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

News & Notes: March 2, 2012

Gourmet hot-dog stands are the new fancy burger joints. That's the only explanation why there are two new eateries in Center City Philadelphia dedicated to the frankfurter. Underdogs (132 S. 17th St., 215-665-8080) serves Dietz & Watson hot dogs on Toté Bakery's gluten-free buns; the fries and a variety of dipping sauces are safe as well.

At the Bellevue Food Court, Maui's Dog House (200 S. Broad St., 215-735-1533) has gluten-free franks and burgers (sans buns) and fries.

Still on the subject of hot dogs, you'll be able to get them at Bright House Field, the Phillies' Spring Training home in Clearwater, Florida. The wieners will be sold at the hot dog stand behind third base and look for other options at the home plate stand.

At Philadelphia Chutney Company (1628 Sansom St., 215-564-6446; 1932 Liacouras Walk), all of the Indian dosas and uttapas (made with rice batter), fillings and chutneys are gluten free, along with the steamed rice lentil cake appetizer and the Indian stew.

Village Belle, an Italian restaurant in Philadelphia's Queen Village neighborhood (757 S. Front St., 215-551-2200), serves gluten-free pasta and has a dedicated menu. (Tomorrow is the last day to snag a Living Social deal for the restaurant; it's $40 worth of food and non-alcoholic drinks for $20.)

At Lawrenceville's Varsity Pizza & Subs (1296 Lawrenceville Rd., 609-882-4100), the gluten-free pizza is made with separate ingredients, cooked on a dedicated pan and cut with a dedicated knife.

Casa Bella Trattoria in Haddonfield (51 E. Kings Hwy., 856-429-2885) has gluten-free pasta.

New in Mt. Laurel is Miller's Ale House (554 Fellowship Rd., 856-722-5690), which has a gluten-free menu mainly comprised of steaks, seafood and salads.

In Tuesday's post I featured local bakery Pure Sweets, which makes unique gluten-free, organic and vegan sweets sold in area markets.

You can now bake Sweet Freedom Bakery's chocolate chip cookies at home. Packaged mixes are available for purchase at the bakery (1424 South St., 215-545-1899). In addition, Sweet Freedom's goodies are now sold at The Sweet Spot Cafe in Northern Liberties (1040 N. 2d St., 267-639-9588).

Look for The Grain Exchange's baked goods at Whole Foods in Wynnewood and the new Jules Thin Crust Pizza, opening this month in Wayne.

Well-known baking mix brand Krusteaz has added gluten-free frozen waffles to its product lineup. A two-waffle serving is 200 calories and 7 grams of fat (1 gram of saturated fat).

Tomorrow at noon I'll be at the gluten-free cooking demo at the Marlton ShopRite (307 W. Route 70, 856-983-7370), where you can sample foods from Italian Gluten Free Foods and O'Doughs; the event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's a great chance to double dip, as you can also pick up gluten-free Passover foods like cake and cookie mixes, loaf cakes, cookies, and matzoh. I hope to see you there.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael

News & Notes: October 15, 2010

I was happy to publish a guest restaurant review for this week's feature, and the timing was fortuitous. Reader and Philadelphia Gluten-Free Supper Clubber Adriana Z. wrote about the group's recent meal at Adsum in a week in which the restaurant received lots of good press. Food critics at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia City Paper also found much to recommend.

In restaurant news this week, contemporary American Za Restaurant in Pennington (147 West Delaware Avenue, 609-737-4400) notes gluten-free items on its lunch and dinner menus.

Gluten-free pizza and pasta are available at Medford's Illiano Cucina Mediterranea (200 Tuckerton Road, 888-748-4765).

Reader Annsley K. let me know that the chef at Olive on Third, a newish Italian in Philadelphia's Society Hill section (516 South 3rd Street, 267-519-9498), is knowledgeable about celiac disease and can easily accommodate gluten-free dietary requests.

Currently served in bottles at Northern Liberties' Swift Half Pub (1001 North 2nd Street, 215-923-4600) are Redbridge, Original Sin Pear Cider and Magners Cider.

New to the list of gluten-free friendly caterers is Jack Kramer's Catering in Philadelphia (4217 Chestnut Street, 215-662-5300). Operations manager Brian Miller, who has a family member with celiac, told me that the caterer can prepare gluten-free foods for corporate and social events. The company will be participating in the Appetite for Awareness event on October 24.

Gluten-free breakfast choices have increased with the introduction of a couple new items. First, Glutino has debuted glazed original and chocolate donuts, six to a box. Look for them in the frozen food section of supermarkets and health food stores.

Smart Ones, made by Heinz, has added a Cheesy Scramble with Hashbrowns frozen dish. It's made with scrambled egg whites and Monterey Jack, cheddar and reduced-fat mozzarella cheeses with a side of potatoes.

October 24 stands to be a busy day in the local celiac community. In addition to Appetite for Awareness, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation is hosting area benefit walks. One will be along the Camden waterfront, where "Team Celiac" will be participating. The three-mile walk begins at 9:30 a.m. Readers can register for the walk or make a donation. The other will be at Bucks County Community College in Newtown starting at 10 a.m. Advance registration is recommended.

A new book for children called “Mommy, What Is Celiac Disease?” is available exclusively at Wegmans through December 31, 2010. Katie Chalmers’ book grew out of personal experience: she learned in 2007 that she had the disease and, after having her children tested, learned that her daughter Morgan has it too. The book is available at Wegmans for $11.16 (a 20 percent discount of the list price) and will be carried in the Nature’s Marketplace area of the store, where gluten-free foods are sold. Chalmers will sign books at Saturday, October 30 at Wegmans in Mount Laurel from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Sunday, October 31 at Wegmans in Malvern, also from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Enjoy the weekend and root on the Phillies!

News & Notes

It's been an exciting week here at Gluten Free Philly, as I have some cool restaurant information to report. First, though, allow me to recap this week's posts. On Monday, I wrote about Cathy's Kitchen, a Main Line-centric meal delivery service that specializes in preparing gluten-free meals. On Wednesday, I posted an article about the many gluten-free-friendly restaurants in the Clearwater, Florida area, the Spring Training home of the Phillies.

The biggest restaurant news of the week is the word that Seasons Pizza, a Delaware-based regional pizza chain, will be carrying gluten-free pizza at its New Jersey locations in Stratford (1014 N. White Horse Pike, 856-783-9333) and Cherry Hill (450 Route 70 East, 856-428-4441). The Stratford location will begin selling the gluten-free pies today, with the Cherry Hill location to follow when it opens later this month. The medium-size pizzas will be shipped ready-made from the stores' distributor to avoid cross-contamination and will be baked using dedicated equipment at the restaurants. Should this limited rollout be successful, other Seasons Pizza locations - including ones in Malvern, Pennsylvania and New Castle County, Delaware - may add gluten-free pizza to their own offerings. If you live or work near those spots, it can't hurt to request it. Is the outpost at Citizens Bank Park a possibility? Who knows - one can dream!

Don't forget about the Still Riding Pizza offer I mentioned last week, whereby you can get $100 for referring to Still Riding a local Italian restaurant or pizzeria that decides to carry the company's gluten-free pizza.

Chef Mark Smith has reopened his Tortilla Press Cantina in Pennsauken, New Jersey (7716 Maple Avenue, 856-356-2050), a sister restaurant to his BYOB in Collingswood. The new restaurant has a dedicated gluten-free fryer.

Diners at the Bellevue Gourmet Food Court in Philadelphia have a gluten-free option. The newly opened Burger Maestro (Broad & Walnut Streets, 215-545-1770) serves burgers and chicken breasts in lettuce wraps and the fries are gluten-free as well. Hat tip to reader Andrew.

Ryan Christopher's, an American BYOB in Narberth, Pennsylvania (245 Woodbine Avenue, 610-664-9282), accommodates gluten-free requests.

The Olive Garden location in Collegeville, Pennsylvania (1 Town Center Drive, 610-831-8814) is now open.

The new Whole Foods Market in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania (500 West Germantown Pike) will open on January 12, 2010.

Custom and novelty gluten-free cakes are available from Imagicakes Bakery in Philadelphia (215-978-5834).

Regina Mason and her excellent gluten-free-friendly Virago Baking Company in Lansdale, Pennsylvania were the subjects of a profile in AroundMainLine.com this week. (Virago cupcakes photo courtesy of Belle Vie Photography.)

New to market are gluten-free animal-shaped cookies from Ian's Natural Foods. The snacks are available for online ordering at glutenfree.com, which now sells frozen items from Ian's and Glutino.

Purely Elizabeth gluten-free muffin and pancake mixes, which use whole grains and "superfood" seeds (hemp, flax and chia) are now available at Essene Market in Philadelphia.

Cedarlane's new all-natural egg white omelette varieties (spinach & mushroom, green chile, cheese & ranchero sauce and turkey bacon, vegetable & cheese) are gluten free. The company's products are available at local grocery stores.

That's all for now - have a great weekend!