California Pizza Kitchen

This post was last updated October 15, 2017

Earlier today, we had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen in Monterey, California.  CPK is one of our favorite chain restaurants, and we used to dine at their Waterford Lakes and Millenia Mall locations when we lived in Orlando.  You can read my previous reviews here.

I rarely eat gluten free pizza at restaurants, because of cross contamination concerns, but I don't have to worry when I go to California Pizza Kitchen.  In 2013, they introduced four gluten free pizzas that are safe for people with celiac disease - the original BBQ chicken pizza, pepperoni, mushroom pepperoni sausage, and margherita.

P.F. Chang's

This post was last updated May 25, 2019 

Yesterday, we spent the morning at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.  While we were hiking, we called the P.F. Chang's in Monterey to make a reservation for lunch, because I was in the mood for Chinese food.

I was shocked to see that P.F. Chang's now has a separate gluten free menu.  On past visits, which you can read about here, gluten free options were listed in their regular menu.

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill - Orlando

Last night, we had dinner at Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, which is located in The Market at Mills Park in front of The Fresh Market.  Firebirds, which serves American cuisine, has restaurants in 18 states.  You can view their restaurant locator here.

I was impressed from the moment I walked in the door.  The restaurant itself is beautiful inside, and equally impressive is their gluten free menu, which you can view online here.

Zoes Kitchen

Yesterday, my daughters and I had an early dinner at Zoes Kitchen, a fast casual restaurant serving Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in Oviedo.  Zoes Kitchen will soon be opening a second location in the Orlando area on Sand Lake Road.  They currently have restaurants in 18 states.  You can view their restaurant locator here.  

I have been wanting to try Zoes Kitchen for a while, because my husband has been raving about it for months, and my friend Amanda has a great review on her website The Gluten & Dairy-Free Review Blog.  My daughters had a volleyball game last night in Oviedo, so it was the perfect time to stop in for an early dinner after school.  I feel much safer eating at restaurants when they are not busy, because hopefully there is less of a risk of cross contamination.  I checked out Zoes' online gluten free menu before we got to the restaurant, but gluten free menu items were clearly marked on their menu above the counter.  Vegetarian and vegan options are available as well.  

Mamak Asian Street Food - Orlando

Last night, we had dinner at Mamak Asian Street Food on Colonial Drive in Orlando's Mills 50 District.  There is parking available behind the restaurant, and they have a back entrance.

 I found Mamak using the Find Me Gluten Free app, and one review mentioned a gluten free menu, which is rare for Asian restaurants in Orlando's Little Vietnam district.

Boardwalk Pizza - Winter Park

A couple of weeks ago, we had dinner at Boardwalk Pizza in Winter Park with family that was visiting from out of town.  We first discovered Boardwalk Pizza about four years ago, when I was still teaching full time.

Before Boardwalk Pizza, I had never had a gluten free pizza that I liked at a restaurant.  Last month, I found this picture of a Margherita pizza I ordered there years ago.  I enjoyed their pizza so much, we ate at Boardwalk Pizza pretty regularly until I retired from teaching and started making pizza with Chebe at home.

Carrabba's Italian Grill

Earlier tonight, we had dinner at the Carrabba's Italian Grill in Oviedo.  We have had several good dining experiences there since moving to Orlando, but we haven't eaten at Carrabba's in probably three or four years.

Carrabba's recently expanded their gluten free options with the addition of casarecce gluten free pasta, and modified their signature grill-baste to make it gluten free.

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

We recently had dinner at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse in Oviedo.  Locally, they also have restaurants near the Mall at Millenia, on International Drive, and in Kissimmee and Lake Buena Vista.

BJ's has a pretty extensive gluten free menu, which you can view online here.

The Melting Pot

Saturday night, my daughters and I had dinner at The Melting Pot on Sand Lake Road.  I have eaten at fondue restaurants before, but not since being diagnosed with celiac disease seven years ago.

Since reading Jennifer's review of The Melting Pot on her blog Celiac in Orlando, I have been excited to dine there.  The Melting Pot worked with the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) to create their gluten free menu, which you can view here.

Hawkers Asian Street Fare - Orlando

Last night, we celebrated my father-in-law's birthday at Hawkers Asian Street Fare on North Mills Avenue in Orlando.  Hawkers is named after the Asian street vendors who sell food from stands and mobile carts.  Their menu features the best "street food" recipes from different areas of Asia.

The Bistro on Park Avenue - Winter Park

Last night, we had dinner at The Bistro on Park Avenue in Winter Park.  I was excited to try it after reading my friend Amanda's glowing review on her blog Eating Out Without.  

The Bistro on Park Avenue can be a bit hard to find, though there was signage on Park Avenue pointing guests back to the Hidden Garden where it is located.  

Toasted - Winter Park & Lake Nona

Earlier today, I had lunch at Toasted in Lake Nona.  Two years ago, I discovered Toasted using the Find Me Gluten Free App.  Their first restaurant is in Winter Park, just a couple of miles from my house.  Toasted, a fast casual restaurant, is on my list of best restaurants for gluten free dining in Orlando, because we love their food, and they have great protocols in place to protect gluten free dishes from cross contamination.  

I was excited to see that Toasted now has a gluten free menu, and I was told they have a vegan menu too.  

Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly

Sweet! By Good Golly Miss Holly was recently voted best cupcake in the Best of Orlando 2015 poll.  

Sweet is owned by Hollis Wilder, three time winner of Cupcake Wars, one of our favorite shows on The Food Network.  

Columbia Restaurant - Celebration

Earlier today, we had lunch at Columbia Restaurant in Celebration, a planned community near Disney World that was originally developed by The Walt Disney Company.  

We have dined at Columbia Restaurant locations in St. Augustine and Clearwater Beach, but this was our first time dining at their restaurant in Celebration.  According to their website, Columbia Restaurant, which was founded in Tampa in 1905 by a Cuban immigrant, is Florida's oldest restaurant, and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world.  

Heartsong Cookies

I first read about Heartsong Cookies on my friend Amanda's blog Eating out Without.  When she posted that they were at the Winter Park Farmers' Market on Saturday, my girls and I headed over to buy some. 

Heartsong Cookies is not a dedicated gluten free bakery, but they take precautions to protect against cross contamination, like sanitizing their equipment, and baking gluten free cookies before any gluten-filled cookies are made.  On the day we stopped at Heartsong Cookies' table, they had three gluten free vegan cookies to choose from - dark chocolate with a hint of espresso, chocolate chunk, and lemon blueberry.  

Because Amanda raved about the chocolate chunk, I had to try it, even though I am a less is more kind of person when it comes to chocolate chips/chunks in my cookies.  The first thing that amazed me about this cookie was the texture.  It was soft in the center, and had a little bit of chewiness around the edges, just like a cookie should have.  I didn't even mind the massive chunks of chocolate in the cookie, because it was just so delicious.  My gluten-eating daughters said it was just as good as any gluten-filled chocolate chip cookie they have had.  I usually don't like products made with Bob's Red Mill gluten free all purpose baking flour, but I could not taste any aftertaste from the beans in the flour at all.  

The lemon blueberry cookie had the same wonderful texture as the chocolate chunk, but it was bursting with lemon and blueberry flavor.  I love that the cookies are a little undercooked on the inside, and browned about the edges.  Two days after I purchased it, the lemon blueberry cookie still tasted great this morning.  I passed on the dark chocolate espresso cookie because I try to avoid caffeine, but I highly regretted that decision as soon as I got home and started sampling my cookies.  

June 6, 2015

This morning, we visited Heartsong Cookies and Peak Season Pops at the Winter Park Farmers' Market.  I sampled the dark chocolate espresso cookie, which was very good, but ended up buying the banana walnut chocolate chunk.  When we got home, I decided to try a small bite, but ended up eating the whole cookie.  The banana chocolate walnut is definitely my new favorite at Heartsong Cookies.  It has that same wonderful texture and chew that their other cookies have, and the perfect amount of chocolate and walnut, with a nice subtle banana flavor. 

Besides the Winter Park Farmers' Market, Heartsong Cookies can be found at Bikes, Beans & Bordeaux, Dandelion Communitea Cafe, Kappy's, and the Maitland Farmer's Market on Sundays from 9 am to 2 pm.  They can also be ordered on their website.  You can follow Heartsong Cookies on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

What are your favorite flavors of gluten free Heartsong Cookies?  

Fogo de Chao

Yesterday, my daughters and I had lunch at Fogo de Chao on International Drive.  Fogo de Chao is a Brazilian steakhouse that can be found in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Brazil.  You can view their restaurant locator here.  

I first learned about Fogo de Chao while I was using the Find Me Gluten Free App on I-4.  When I saw one of my college friends from Brazil raving about it on Facebook, I decided I had to give it a try.  My daughters and I had the full churrasco experience, which includes all the grilled meats, sides, and dishes on the market table for one price.  Desserts are purchased separately.  

Dairy Queen and The Orlando Eye

Yesterday, we stopped at the Dairy Queen on International Drive for some ice cream before heading to the Orlando Eye, Orlando's newest attraction.  

Dairy Queen has a gluten sensitive guide, which you can view here.  It lists menu items that do not contain gluten ingredients, like their chocolate and vanilla soft serve, sundaes (chocolate, caramel, hot fudge, marshmallow and strawberry), and manufactured novelties like Dilly and Starkiss Bars.  

I ordered a medium size cup of vanilla and chocolate soft serve.  I have been eating Dairy Queen soft serve since I was a child in Pittsburgh, and it still tastes just as amazing now as it did back then.  It's smooth and creamy, and not overly sweet.  It really is the perfect treat for a hot afternoon in Orlando.  You can view Dairy Queen's store locator here.  

The Orlando Eye, the tallest observation wheel on the east coast at 400-feet tall, officially opened last Monday.  

It has 30 air conditioned capsules with seating and audio, and each one holds up to 15 people.   

The views were great, the ride was smooth, and I love that the Orlando Eye is continuously moving.  Be prepared to enter and exit quickly, though it will stop for people with special needs.  

From high in the sky, we could see Disney World, Universal, and the city of Orlando.  We would not ride the Orlando Eye again during the day, but I hope to ride it at night when my family visits in December.  

Discounted tickets can be purchased online on the Orlando's Eye's website, which you can view here.  Our tickets gave us a two hour arrival window.  Be prepared to spend about 90 minutes there as you wait in line, get your picture taken, view the pre-flight 4D cinema experience, wait in line again, then ride the Ferris wheel, which takes about 20 minutes.  Tickets for two adults and two children cost about $70 for the time slot we chose.  Was it worth the money we spent?  Absolutely!  I love that there is always something new and exciting to do in Orlando.  

Overall, I had an amazing Mother's Day - Mickey waffles with bacon and fruit for breakfast at home, church, soft serve at Dairy Queen, the Orlando Eye, and dinner and rides at Epcot.  But best of all, I got to spend the day with my twins.  As I like to tell them, I am the luckiest mommy in the world. 

June 22, 2017 Update

Since moving to California, we have been frequenting the Dairy Queen in nearby Capitola.  For a while, I was getting my usual - chocolate and vanilla soft serve in a cup.

We have also tried the Cherry Dilly Bars.  My daughter Emma and I thought the cherry coating was a little strange tasting, but my daughter Katie loved them.

My family usually orders Blizzards, which I cannot eat because of cross contamination issues, so I have started bringing Trader Joe's Gluten Free Joe-Joe's or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups so I can enjoy the taste of my two favorite Blizzards without the worry of being glutened.

The Disney addict in me likes to put Mickey ears on my ice cream.

What are your favorite gluten free options at Dairy Queen?  

Noodles and Rice Cafe & Bubbles and Ice - Orlando

Tonight, we had dinner at Noodles and Rice on North Mills Avenue in Orlando.  Earlier this week, I discovered it on the Find Me Gluten Free App.  There were five great reviews, so we decided to give it a try.  

We sat at a hot pot table, but if you don't plan on ordering a hot pot, you can sit at a regular table.  

Sarah, our server, used to be a student at the school I taught at, and she was super knowledgable about gluten free options. She told me that the hot pot is the best choice for people with celiac, because it has the least risk of cross contamination.  I marked all the options I wanted for my hot pot, and wrote gluten free down the side of my paper as Sarah suggested.  

I chose the herbal hot pot because the broth has ginger in it, which I love.  It was super flavorful, and I would have been happy just sipping a whole bowl of this broth.  

I also chose shrimp, broccoli, and rice noodles, which are marked gluten free on the hot pot ordering sheet.  Other gluten free noodle options include the clear noodles and yam noodles.  

I cooked my shrimp and broccoli for a few minutes before adding the rice noodles to the hot pot.  Oddly enough, I liked the broccoli better than the shrimp and noodles, because it really soaked in the flavor of the broth.  I had so many noodles, I was able to share a good amount with my daughter Emma, who loved them.  If I ordered this hot pot again, I might try it with chicken, because I didn't like having to peel my shrimp, and I prefer shrimp drenched in butter, or with a sweet and spicy sauce.  My only complaint about this dinner is that I really do prefer my Asian food to be sweet and spicy, which my hot pot was not.  It's just my own personal preference.  Next time I might ask if the Thai chili sauce my husband was eating is gluten free, because he said it added some sweet and spicy flavor to the noodles, meat and veggies he cooked in his hot pot.  

For dessert, we decided to split an order of Mango snow topped with mango.  My whole family thought it was amazing.  The shaved snow was creamy and flavorful, and I am glad we stuck with mango as a topping.  Sarah told us that the sweetened condensed milk they pour over the top is made with soy, so this dessert is dairy free as well as gluten free.  I was a little sad.....ok, a lot sad, that I had to share our order of mango snow.  Thankfully, it is also available next door at Bubbles and Ice, so I am sure this will be our new favorite dessert spot.  

You can read more about Noodles and Rice and Bubbles and Ice on their website here.  They are open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

What are your favorite dishes at Noodles and Rice?  

Wheat Berry Cafe & Raw Juice Bar

Yesterday, I had breakfast at Wheat Berry Cafe & Raw Juice Bar in Altamonte Springs.  Don't let the name scare you, because everything at Wheat Berry is gluten free, as well as vegan, raw, and organic.  

I decided to start my day with an elixir, but had a hard time deciding which one I wanted to order, because so many of them sounded incredible.  The coco cacao, which contains cocoa, almond butter, almond milk, banana, maca and honey, is the most popular, but I wasn't in the mood for chocolate this early in the morning.  

I ended up choosing a 16 oz Vanilla Beany, which contains cinnamon, nutmeg, flaxseed, bananas, almond milk, and honey.  It was so delicious, and the perfect choice for an early morning drink.  

I couldn't resist purchasing a package of raw peanut butter cookies made with organic cashews, almond flour, honey, vanilla, sea salt, and peanut butter.  I also couldn't resist eating them as soon as I was done with my elixir.  I thought I would just take a bite or two, but they were so good, I ate them both.  These raw cookies are one of the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had.

While at Wheat Berry Cafe, I ordered a 3 day juice cleanse for next week.  I will update this post with more information about the cleanse after I finish it.  

In addition to cold pressed juices and elixirs, Wheat Berry offers a lunch menu with raw organic salads, and dishes like soft tacos, spinach manicotti, falafel, zucchini hummus and chips, and guacamole and nacho chips.

March 27, 2015 Update

I stopped in to Wheat Berry Cafe this morning to have breakfast.  I ordered a coco cacao elixir and managed to snag the last bag of raw peanut butter cookies, which were just as good as I remembered.  I really enjoyed the coco cacao elixir, but would have preferred it for lunch instead of breakfast.

April 2, 2015 Update

On Monday, I started a 3 day juice cleanse from Wheat Berry Cafe.  You might be wondering why I decided to do this.  The main reason is that I have been eating too much lately and lacking my usual self-control with food, so I wanted to take a break from food and start a new chapter of healthier eating.  

Over the course of three days, I drank 18 bottles of juice and did not eat any solid food.  In between each bottle, I drank 16 ounces of water.  Shockingly, I did not crave solid food at all during this time, and when my stomach started to growl, it was usually time to drink my next bottle of juice, which took away my hunger.  Every day, I drank the following bottles of juice around 7:30, 10:30, 1:00, 3:30, 6:30 and 8:30:  

Juice 1 (today is your day) - kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, parsley, lemon, apple

Juice 2 (you have brains in your head) - carrot, ginger, apple, cinnamon (I don't even like carrots, but I loved this juice and would buy it again when visiting Wheat Berry Cafe)

Juice 3 (why fit in) - beet, cucumber, celery, pear, lime

Juice 4 (smile because it happened) - lemon, purified water, stevia, cayenne, turmeric (This juice had such an amazing spicy kick, which I loved)

Juice 5 (will you succeed?) - kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, cilantro, ginger, apple

Juice 6 (answers are simple) - almond milk, date, lucuma, vanilla, sea salt

Juices 1, 3, and 5 were not my favorites because I don't like the taste of celery.  They weren't hard to drink, but I would not buy them when stopping in at Wheat Berry Cafe.  I loved juice 2 and 4, and looked forward to drinking them every day.  Juice 6 was a nice way to end the day, except on the last night of my cleanse, when it seemed to throw my intestinal tract into chaos.  I felt incredibly good on the juice cleanse, except the last night.  I was able to exercise two hours every day, but it was light exercise - walking, pilates, and arm exercises with light hand weights.  Last night, everything seemed to be rumbling and grumbling on my insides after drinking my final bottle of almond milk, which tasted a little bit off to me when I started drinking it.  Who knows, maybe it was a little off and my body didn't like it, or maybe my intestines had had enough of the juice cleanse.  Because I was worried about getting sick, I took a probiotic pill, and drank a very small glass of kefir, which is packed with probiotics, before I went to bed.  

Would I do it again?  I am not sure, but I do know that I would not do more than a 3 day cleanse.  I lost 3 pounds in the process, and have come off the cleanse committed to eating healthier.  You can read more about juice cleanses on Wheat Berry Cafe's website here.  I did a whole lot of research on juice cleanses, and Wheat Berry seems to be doing it the right way with a mix of vegetable and fruit juices, and almond milk.

June 5, 2015 Update

Earlier this week, my girls and I stopped at Wheat Berry Cafe for a liquid lunch.  We had a huge breakfast at Trail's End Restaurant, so we just needed a little something to tide us over until dinner.  I decided to try the You Make My Heart Glow juice, which is a combination of lemon, apple, and ginger.  It was refreshing and delicious, and just what I needed after a very heavy breakfast.

You can read more about Wheat Berry Cafe on their website here, and on Jennifer's blog Celiac in Orlando.

Wheat Berry Cafe & Juice Bar is open Monday to Friday from 7 am to 5 pm, and Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm.

What are your favorite gluten free menu items at Wheat Berry Cafe?