Gluten Free In The San Francisco Bay Area, California: The Peninsula
The day after I got back to Seattle from my month long stay in Brooklyn, New York - my husband and I hopped in the car with our pup and headed down to the San Francisco Bay Area to spend a few days with half of our family for the holidays. While it was a quick trip and packed with family gatherings (full of gluten free food) - we still managed to try out a few gluten free friendly spots up and down the Peninsula. We'll start down south in Sunnyvale and get all the way north to San Francisco itself!
If you've been reading my Gluten Free In posts for a while, you'll know that PF Changs is one of my favorites for a great (and safe) gluten free meal. One of the things I love about PF Changs is that it offers options for anyone. There are plenty of vegetarian dishes and if you're sensitive to soy like me - there are a few dishes you can get without it!
Located in my hometown, it's always wonderful to find a new restaurant with a gluten free menu - especially one that includes tamales! Lulu's has a few locations around the Peninsula and is a great fast and friendly place to get some simple Mexican food.
Heading farther north to Palo Alto, LYFE Kitchen offers lots of healthy food options with gluten free and vegan menus. I ended up with a delicious sweet corn chowder that was dairy free (serious YAY!) and a baby kale salad. I totally loved the interior of the restaurant too - all the wood elements, positive words, and indoor herb gardens.
Now, Zest Bakery has been on my radar for a long time now. Charissa writes a wonderful blog and participates in the Gluten Free Ratio Rally challenges. I was so happy to finally visit and enjoy their delicious treats - Christmas sugar cookies, mini cakes, multi grain bread, and a pie crust which I used to make a goat milk quiche. All of their baked goods were completely delicious and Zest Bakery is by far one of the best I've been to!
Last by not least, we head to San Francisco for an entirely gluten free restaurant. Pica Pica has a number of delicious things on their menu but their arepas stand out as the highlight for me. They make both white and sweet yellow corn versions of these grilled pockets and offer a variety of fillings for them. Have I ever mentioned that I fall hard for any naturally gluten free food from Latin and South America? Well, if I haven't it's something you should probably know and Pica Pica is going to be a must go whenever I'm back in San Francisco.
What are your favorite gluten free friendly finds on the Peninsula?
