Main Courses

The Simple Servings station
at Ursinus College
(Photo credit: Sodexo)

The Philadelphia area has one of the largest concentrations of colleges and universities in the United States, from small liberal-arts programs to sprawling urban campuses.

More area schools than ever are offering students on-campus gluten-free programs and have dedicated on-site dietitians that can help students address health and medical dietary needs. Read on for options at more than a dozen local colleges and universities. (Information is current as of the date of publication but can change at any time.)

Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College

Erdman Dining Hall and Haffner Dining Hall on Bryn Mawr's campus have dedicated, access-card-only spaces for gluten-free foods. Both locations have microwave ovens, panini grills and toasters for meal preparation. The spaces are stocked with items like Udi's bread and muffins, rice tortillas, waffles and cold cuts - even Sweet Freedom Bakery baked goods delivered daily. At Haffner, gluten-free pizza is available. Students can also request that standard meals be prepared separately with clean cookware and utensils. At dinner, both dining halls offer a daily "free from" entree, which is made without any of the major food allergens.

Haverford's Dining Center has a dedicated gluten-free area similar to Erdman and Haffner.

News & Notes: March 23, 2012

As much as I think Philadelphia is the friendliest gluten-free city in the country, I must acknowledge that New York City has its fair share of excellent gluten-free restaurants. Last week I met my old friend Brian (whose wife Nicole, coincidentally, is a gluten-free cookbook author and blogs at Gluten Free on a Shoestring) at Mozzarelli's on 23rd Street in Manhattan. It's a restaurant in name only - the place is really a gourmet pizza parlor. And that's just fine. You want a slice of gluten-free barbeque chicken pizza? No problem. How about Margherita? You got it. The varieties rotate daily, but there's always several choices available. (They're kept on the top shelf of the counter and the staff is aware of proper prep.) The proprietors of Mozzarelli's also created My Dad's Cookies, which can be purchased at the shop. There's freshly made gluten-free cheesecakes and specialty cakes sold by the slice too.

Back home, everything on the menu at the new juice-and-raw cafe Jar Bar (113 S. 12th St., 215-923-1600) is gluten-free. Thanks to reader Adriana Z. for the tip.

At Velvet Sky Bakery in Jenkintown (307 Leedom St., 215-884-0254), all cakes, cupcakes and cookies can be made without gluten. The bakery offers gluten-free cupcakes in the store every Wednesday and Thursday, frosted to order, and takes special orders for other days. The gluten-free products are made separately after the kitchen and bakeware are cleaned. A tip of the hat to reader Rachel S. for the heads-up.

The Big Fish Grill in Glen Mills (981 Baltimore Pike, 484-842-1757) offers a gluten-free menu.

St. Joseph's University on the Main Line now has a dedicated gluten-free section at its Campion Dining Hall, complete with separate toasters and a microwave oven, according to The Hawk student newspaper.

I picked up Schar's new Bonta d'Italia ("The Goodness of Italy") gluten-free frozen cheese pizza at Whole Foods in Marlton for $7.99. The thin-crust brick-oven pizza also comes in a pepperoni version. Our son thought this was among the best home-baked pies he's had.

Amazon is stocking a new cereal line - well, new to the United States anyway. Australia's Freedom Foods produces several gluten-free cereals, including Fruit Loop-like Tropico's (with natural colors and flavors), Ultra Maple Rice Crunch and Rice Flakes. The cost of a pack of five boxes comes to about $4 a box, a bit less if you order via Amazon's Subscribe & Save option.

As a reminder, you can help support the blog by making Amazon purchases through the links above or the banner at Gluten Free Philly. If you like what you get here, you can also contribute to the "tip jar."

As I mentioned in Tuesday's post, on Sunday, April 22, Pasta Pomodoro in Voorhees (700 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd.) will be host a gluten-free dinner event with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness.The restaurant's extensive gluten-free menu will be available. Reservations can be made for seating anytime from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Call chef-owner Pasquale Masters at 856-296-1268 or email him with the time and number of your party.

Sur La Table will be presenting gluten- and lactose-free baking classes at many locations next month, including King of Prussia (April 23) and Marlton (April 25). The fee is $69 per person.

Have a great weekend!

- Michael