Having a dietary restriction can impact your daily life. After finding out that I had a gluten sensitivity, it became very difficult for me to go out to eat. The first couple of months I decided to make all my food at home which was very time-consuming. I wanted to order out or go out to eat, but I was scared of cross-contamination and getting sick.
Just recently, I faced my fears and decided to check out some local places around Richmond to see if they had some gluten-free options, and to my surprise they did. It’s not as much as I would like but I found my top favorites so far.
1. Greek on Cary
The Greek on Cary is the place to go if you want the best authentic Mediterranean cuisine. They have many gluten-free options to choose from and plenty of tzatziki sauce. All their food is served fresh and plus their family-owned; you can’t get better than that.
2. CAVA
If you like Mediterranean on the go, Cava is the place for you. You can build your own bowl and pick from the healthiest toppings. The best part is almost everything at Cava is gluten-free, so you can pile on as much as you like.
3. Burger and Brew
Burger and Brew was the first burger place that I went to after I found out about my sensitivity. They offer gluten-free buns plus it’s the only place I can eat tater tots. The tater tots have less than 2 percent cross-contamination of gluten, which makes it possible for many people that have a gluten sensitivity to eat and not get sick.
4. Burger Bach
Probably one of the best burgers I ever had in my life was at Burger Bach. It’s a New Zealand inspired gastro pub that offers the best quality food. You can get a gluten-free bun or a lettuce wrap with your burger. Grass-fed beef burgers are not the only thing they sell. You can get chicken or lamb and add your favorite toppings to it.
5. Mellow Mushroom
Besides having one of the best beer taps in Richmond, Mellow Mushroom is the place to go for a delicious gluten-free pizza. You can create your own or select from a list of specialties pizzas. It’s not the biggest selection but pretty satisfying.
Gluten-free food places in Richmond are very hard to find, but once you find them you can fall in love. As more and more places cater to gluten-free lifestyles, I find it easier to go out to eat. This is just the beginning of my journey, hopefully, I have a top 10 list by the end of the year.