East – Page 32 – Gluten Intolerance Group of Northeast Ohio

Winking Lizard

BEWARE!!! Multiple Locations

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN CLEVELAND AND SURROUNDING SUBURBS.

No gluten-free foods are offered

Thanks for this news, Dan:

I ate at the Winking Lizard in Avon on Tuesday night. They normally have Redbridge Beer and was surprised to hear that they substituted it for a beer called Omission from the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company in Oregon. I can attest that it is the best tasting “GF” beer I’ve ever had, and had no reaction (I am celiac).

Omission Beer is made with barley, like traditional beer. But the brewers say they have found a way to remove the gluten and leave the taste. Each batch is tested for the presence of gluten. Have you tried Omission Beer? What is your favorite gluten free beer?

4/21/14 NOTE by Diane: At this time gluten removed beers are not considered safe for people with celiac disease. See this report by Tricia Thompson, the Gluten Free Watchdog.
See also this more recent post.

Fire Food And Drink

Shaker Square

Archived by Diane 3/27/2022 -> closed

Bette, thanks for this review:

Fire Food and Drink

13220 shaker square cleveland, ohio 44120
phone 216.921.3473

Fire is a Shaker Square institution, and is very accommodating to people needing gluten free food. While there’s no specific gluten free menu, many of the regular menu items are safe, and others can be made gluten free with substitutions, which the restaurant is very willing to provide. On every visit, I’ve had knowledgeable servers who were anxious to make sure I had a good experience. Because the kitchen is open, you can hear them shouting “gluten free” to the cooks when they place the order.

The restaurant has a warm, casual atmosphere and excellent food with an emphasis on locally supplied produce and meats.

Felice

East/Shaker Sq.

feliceurbancafe.com

12502 Larchmere Blvd.

Cleveland, OH 44120

216.791.0918

Thanks for this review, Bette:

Felice is a trendy bistro located in Larchmere. It has a small menu, but on every visit, there have been at least a couple of gluten free options. The food is quite good, and the atmosphere is lively. In the summer, there’s a great terrace for outdoor dining.

Two caveats: 1) The kitchen is tiny, and while I’ve never had a problem when I’ve eaten there, I do wonder how they manage to avoid cross contamination (of which they seem quite aware); and 2) the knowledge of the servers was variable. On a couple occasions, the server knew exactly what was needed, and was relentless in making sure my food was safe. On another occasion, the server seemed both clueless and not entirely committed to making sure I got a safe meal.

Anatolia Café

East/Cedar-Lee District

anatoliacafe.com

2270 Lee Rd.
Cleveland Heights OH 44118
CEDAR-LEE DISTRICT
(west side of Lee and south side of Cedar rd)

216 – 321 – 4400

Thanks, Bette, for sharing this review:

This is another Turkish restaurant that has quite a number of gluten free foods, even though it does not have a specific gluten free menu. Unlike the Istanbul Grill, the rice is NOT safe because it includes orzo. But otherwise, many of the appetizers, main dishes, and sides are naturally gluten free, and the food is quite good. Many of the servers are Turkish, and having a Turkish-language restaurant card might be helpful. While they were quite willing to respond to specific instructions, it was not always clear that they completely understood what was being asked.

Tommy’s on Coventry

Cleveland Hts./Coventry

https://tommyscoventry.com/

1824 Coventry Road

Cleveland Heights, OH 44118

216-321-7757

Mariann (writes 8-14)

Lunch at Tommy’s last week included a g-f veggie burger on a g-f bun, fries, and a cheddar grilled cheese and tomato sandwich. Tommy’s has been taking care of me and my family with all our gluten/vegan/dairy issues for years – graciously, intelligently and with great integrity. It is so exciting to see a dedicated gluten-free menu, lots of options, and especially great food! One reason they are always busy!

Thanks, Emily, for the following review:

I have been to Tommy’s in Coventry many times before. They have always been very accommodating regarding gluten free food, though there were still limitations to their menu, and only a few options. However, when I went to eat lunch there last week, I was plesantly surprised. When I asked my server for the gluten free menu, she informed me that they now have gluten free bread and a dedicated fryer. This means that a huge portion of the menu is now safe for gluten free customers! The falafel is gluten free, as are the french fries. Almost all of the sandwiches are now able to be ordered gluten free. My waitress at Tommy’s was extremely knowledgeable and seemed excited to share the gluten free options available to me. I ordered the Ceebee sandwich (falafel, veggies, homos, sunflower seeds, cheese and sesame sauce) and french fries. It was fantastic.When my meal arrived, my french fries had a toothpick in them to distinguish them from my friend’s fries that were likely fried in the normal fryer. The waitress also made a point to tell me that she checked to make sure, and the sesame dressing was gluten free (I hadn’t asked!). I also noticed while I was there that there was gluten free granola available, as well as some gluten free cookies.

I wish other restaurants would realize what Tommy’s has- with simple modification or two (in this case gluten free bread and a dedicated fryer), it can be very easy to accommodate gluten free customers.

Images added 8/18/14: