Rossopomodoro's Gluten Free Pizza

I really, really, really love pizza! And I think most people do. 

I've tried gluten free pizzas at several restaurants, Pizza Express, Zizzi, Prezzo, Hell's Kitchen, anywhere that has gluten free pizza I'm bound to try it. 

But one place I hadn't tried was Rossopomodoro. They have gluten free dough, but on their website it says they cannot guarantee a completely 100% gluten free environment. I do get very scared when I saw that, but we were meeting friends and decided to give it a try. When ordering, I told the server to be as careful as possible. 

I ordered just a gluten free Margherita with mushrooms and it was delicious! I'm usually a cheese monster, so when I initially saw the pizza I was like there isn't much cheese! But man the dough made up for it. The dough was something I had once tasted at an Italian bakery in Milan. It has this delicious sweetness and very different taste to normal pizza. It was just sooo good! I was telling myself, I wasn't that hungry, but I ended up finishing the whole pizza. 

I wish they sold the pizza dough, just as bread sticks as well, man that would be tasty! 

And the best part, I didn't feel sick after. I always tell restaurants to take the precaution to be extra careful and I'm happy most of the time I'm ok! 

Pizza Union's Gluten Free Pizza

I love pizza. It might just be one of my favorite foods. I could probably have it several times a week too and not get sick of it! 

One weekend, hubby and I were walking around central London and we came across this place called Pizza Union. We saw a board outside the restaurant and at the bottom in size 16 font it said they have gluten free dough for £1 extra! Hubby, who is also a nutso pizza lover, and I got very excited!

We went in and ordered a four cheese pizza and it was delicious! It reminded me very much of NYC pizza. The cheese and the sauce were delicious. The price is also amazing with the portions you get. 

However, just the other night I went with my friends to the Kings Cross branch and when I put my order in I  warned by a staff member that it is cooked in the same oven as the normal pizza. She said she could not guarantee it is completely GF. I said could you please clean the surface etc, but she didn't really make an effort. Which was really disappointing. 

I felt a tiny bit off after the meal, but not too bad. 

The pizza is very delicious and I do recommend it, but you have to hope when you go that the staff will be accommodating as much as possible.

Coori's Gluten Free Ravioli in London

Coori's Gluten Free Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

I.Love.Raviolis.

So when I went gluten free almost five years ago, I didn’t have it before I stopped gluten. (bad idea)

I’ve searched high and low for gluten free ravioli and to be honest it doesn’t really exist. In the United States, which is gluten free heaven, it was impossible to find in stores. I had gluten free ravioli once while in New York city. I hunted down a restaurant. It was delish.

BUT LONDON NOW HAS GLUTEN FREE RAVIOLI! 

When I first came across Coori, I almost dropped to the floor. They make GF spinach and ricotta gluten free ravioli and it was so lovely. It didn’t break apart, boiled to perfection and tasted delicious with their red pepper pesto. If you’re craving this Italian dish, Coori is your place. They deliver! I really can’t wait until it comes into stores. They also have other amazing gluten free products which you should definitely check out. 

Las Iguanas Gluten Free Menu

It has been a long time since hubby and I have been on a date night!! Saving every penny to do up our new house! But on Saturday the weather was so lovely in London and we were out all day so decided to have a nice date night dinner too. 

We went to Las Iguanas. Second time for me, first time for hubby. Their gluten free menu is extensive and amazing!!! Even my hubby was amazed. We decided to get the 1/2 blazing bird. It was big enough for us to share and we go the nachos. It was all sooo delicious! And those portions were just perfect for us. 

The meat was tender and the sauce was very tasty. And the best part. I didn’t get sick after. I told the waitress to be careful and pass on message to chefs and it was well worth it! If you haven’t been Las Iguanas, I highly recommend it!!! 

Gluten Free Fried Chicken in London - BIRD Restaurant

When I was diagnosed with coeliac disease, I had three weeks until my biospy. My doctor said, I know you feel terrible, but for three more weeks you have to eat normal. That was my green light to eat everything I love one last time… in three weeks. I felt like utter crap, but I ate everything.

One thing I love and forgot to eat was fried chicken! 

So after 5 years of no fried chicken … BIRD came to the rescue. A coeliac friend of mine in London told me about it and my hubby and I actually went their to celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary!

It was so so delicious! Esp. the spicy buffalo. The wings had this crispy coat to it and the fries were delish. 

All the chickens and sauces on the menu were gluten free. But not the waffles. I look forward to the day when there are gluten free waffles and donuts on the menu! (also a weakness of mine)

If you miss a crispy chicken and love wings. This place is for you. I promise your coeliac tummy and heart will leave happy!!! 

Gluten Free Wrap at Pret a Manger

One of my favorite meals of the day is lunch. I love wraps and sandwiches and wish shops had more gluten free options for coeliacs. With so many great GF breads and a few wraps, more restaurants and shops should try to adopt their sandwiches/wraps to gluten free!  

When Pret a Manger introduced a gluten free wrap, I was really happy! Prets are everywhere in London, so its nice to have the option of just going to a normal sandwich shop. They use Warburton’s wraps, which I love and the harissa chicken filling was delicious. My husband couldn’t believe it was gluten free. 

But Pret a Manger does give a disclaimer on their website http://www.pret.com/menu/baguettes_wraps/harissa_chicken_PUK5794.shtm on how it can not guarantee that any of their products are allergen free. 

While paying for my wrap, I even noticed they had a gluten free popcorn born! I haven't tried it, but happy to know the option is out their for your sweet tooth. 

Especially at a sandwich shop, the whole gluten free thing does make me uneasy… but once I ate the wrap, I felt fine. So for now, this delicious wrap is on my safe list. 

Kirsty's Gluten Free Meals

When I’m at work, the day is always better when I have a yummy lunch to look forward too. I love shopping at different grocery stores as well, because there is always a different selection of gluten free items. 

On one of my trips to a new Sainsburys hubby and I haven’t been to, there was a whole section in the fridge aisle dedicated to gluten free items. This was something I hadn’t seen before. Various dishes from No G which I’ve tried before and they were really nice. But I saw a new brand I hadn’t seen before — Kirsty’s 

They had a few various dishes, so I picked up the Moroccan Vegetables with Quinoa and my hubby picked up the Spanish Chicken with Brown Rice. It was also on sale, which made it even better :) 

So one lunch, I went to go warm it up. I was so surprised with the portion. Such a healthy filling portion and only 276 calories!!! Oh man it was delicious. I finished every spec of the dish. It is so filling and so healthy and tasted delicious, which made it even better. Hubby was also raving about the Spanish chicken dish. 

I hope to find this in other stores, otherwise I’ll have to keep making a trip to this Sainsbury’s just for Kirstys. I really hope I can find the Chicken Tikka Masala, that wasn’t on the shelf when I went! 

The Real Greek - Delicious Gluten Free Options

I’ve always walked by The Real Greek at various locations in London, but hubby and I have never been! 

We happened to be at Spitafields Market on a lovely Saturday afternoon and took a look at the menu. Really reasonable prices and little small plates, ideal for lunch! I’m not one for a big lunch otherwise I feel really full and just uncomfy for the rest of the day. 

The actual menu lists what is gluten free and what isn’t. Which is awesome! You don’t need to ask for a separate menu and just feel like an outcast. I ordered the htipti dip with the veggies, which was amazing! And for mains got the halloumi cheese and veggies. So yummy and the perfect amount for lunch.

Only thing I’d suggest for The Real Greek in the future is that it would be great to have gluten free bread or gluten free pita bread. 

If you haven’t tried it yet, definitely make a visit. 

Miss Gluten Free Beer? Celia Lager is Your Answer!

I recently visited GBK again. As mentioned in a previous blog I really enjoyed their burger … but this time I had something else to accompany it!  

A celia lager. 

It makes me happy that GBK has took the plunge and got gluten free beers available for their customers. I really think all pubs should. 

Celia taste just like a normal beer (from what I can remember a beer tastes like…) cold, refreshing and crisp. 

It won the FreeFrom Awards for the "Best Gluten Free Beer" of 2014 ... and its well deserver! If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it. You won’t be disappointed. 

Focaccia Per Tutti's Delicious Gluten Free Focaccia Bread

You know what really gets my mouth watering? When you walk into bakeries at stores like Whole Foods, Tescos and you see these delicious focaccia breads... and you think to yourself when will I ever get to try something that looks so yummy?

Focaccia Per Tutti's bread, really made that mouth watering dream a reality. I was reading an article on some of the best gluten free products out there and I saw the link for these focaccia breads. I immediately sent the link to my husband and asked him to order me some. And they were baked fresh and arrived the next day.

When they arrived my husband happened to be at home and he messaged saying, "wait until you see these breads they feel so soft and look delicious."

I got home and stuck one in the oven and tried it immediately. The garlic and tomato one had so much flavor, was so tasty, so soft and just perfect. And most importantly, none of that gluten free after taste.

If you have not tried this product, get online and order it. Its been a long time since I've tried some gluten free deliciousness!

Banana Tree Gluten Free IndoChinese in London

Banana Tree Gluten Free Thai Tamaring & Garlic Wings and Kajang Satay Chicken

I REALLLLLY wish soya sauce didn't have gluten. I still don't understand why it does. That one ingredient knocks off so many yummy Asian options for coeliacs. Since I've lived in London, I've never dined at a Chinese/Asian restaurant because many don't offer gluten free options. I would get my eating out Chinese fix at P.F. Changs every time I visited home in the U.S.

Crispy Chicken with Mango & Sweet Lime Sauce

My husband and I just had our 5 year wedding anniversary and my in-laws wanted to take go out for a nice family dinner to celebrate. The location was a surprise to us up until a few hours of leaving and when they revealed it and showed the menu I was excited.

It was this place called Banana Tree – an indochinese sort of restaurant. Looking at the menu made my mouth water. I was so excited and counting down the hours. No joke. 

For starters, we ordered chicken satay and garlic wings. It was so delicious! I haven't had chicken satay since before I was diagnosed as a coeliac 3.5 years ago. It was so so tasty!

For the main dish I ordered crispy chicken with mango and sweet lime sauce. That was also lovely with a side of rice. My friend had told me about this place earlier this year and I had looked at the menu but wasn't too impressed — as I only eat chicken and they didn't have many choices. But just in April they added a lot more items to their menu. You can see it update with the date on top of the menu. 

The food was great and waiters all knew of what gluten free stuff was etc. Tummy was perfectly fine too after the meal. 

This might be one of my new favorite places to dine. If you go, let me know how you enjoy it :) 

The Best Gluten Free Cheesecake -- Too Good To Be Gluten Free Blueberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake is my absolute favorite dessert. Hands down. When I was diagnosed 3.5 years ago, I did not see a GF cheesecake anywhere. My mother-in-law knows how much I love cheesecake so she has actually perfected a homemade recipe. And it is delicious, but of course it takes effort! I've always wished I could just buy a cheesecake when I felt like it. 

Too Good To Be Gluten Free has made my dream come true. We have a small Whole Foods Market

near my house so every once in awhile I go through and take a stroll. I check out all the aisles to see if I can spot anything new. So in the fresh dessert aisle, I saw a blueberry cheesecake… I looked at it and it was gluten free. And surprisingly it wasn't dairy free -- most times gluten free cheesecakes are also dairy free.

Oh. My. Days. It is the best gluten free dessert I've had. The cheesecake was delicious and the blueberry was perfect — not too sweet, not too sour. This must be new on the market because it's the first I've ever seen of it.

I can't wait to get my hands on the other products they do! Eek! 

Hummus Bros Gluten Free Restaurant in London

Hummus Bros Gluten Free Deliciousness!  

I thought I'd write this while my taste buds are still filled with the yummy flavors. So Hummus Bros hosted a gluten free evening where they called various gluten bloggers and companies to one of their restaurants to try their gluten free products... But to my surprise, most things at Hummus Bros is gluten free, everything except the bread products and tabbouleh salad.

I know hummus is gluten free, but I'm always a bit hesitant to go to places that don't have a gluten free menu. But after eating their tonight there are so many delicious choices. They had the best falafel I've ever tasted, along with hummus (of course!) with guacamole. carrot sticks, roasted tomatoes and a delicious Greek salad. I was absolutely stuffed. And the best part was dessert! A heavenly gluten free brownie. Also one of the best brownies I've had.

Hummus Bros Gluten Free Brownie! 

They had a few guests from various companies talking about their products, like this new company Crate of Nothing. And it was nice to meet other coeliacs, and learn of other restaurants in the area that also have gluten free menus.

I really and truly wish other restaurants have gluten free nights like this. Especially those places that are naturally gluten free and a place people may not know about. It was a great evening... and the best part?!?!  I've got another restaurant to add to my list -- it's so nice to see that list grow over the years. It's giving me a chance to enjoy eating out more than I do and for those restaurants that have gluten free options and are aware of the condition thank you! It means the world  and thank you Hummus Bros for hosting a yummy evening!  

Gluten Free Menu at Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Honestly, when chain restaurants say they have a gluten free menu it really is music to my ears! And I'm sure to every other coeliac out there… it is so exciting to think, "YES! I have a new restaurant to add to my not so long list of places I can go to eat!!!"

That's exactly how I felt when I saw Gourmet Burger Kitchen's gluten free menu. I loveeee chicken burgers and there are three chicken options on the menu, including a few sides, all kinds of sauces and sides. The rolls are from Bfree. The chicken burger was delicious, but I was they had grilled my roll a bit more. But even then, I was very impressed the Bfree burger roll. The first time I had it. The only disappointing thing is, the chips aren't gluten free. I love chips and I think they are essential when eating something like a burger! I'm guessing they use a fryer that other gluten objects are fried in, or they may just have a coating that contains wheat. But I'm hoping that does change over time and chips are available too! 

If you love burgers and haven't been, I really recommend this place! Another helpful tip — download the GBK phone app and you can build up your points over time and get freebies. 

Gluten Free Afternoon Tea at Drink, Shop, & Do

Since moving to the U.K. I've fallen in love with the whole 'tea time' thing. Who wouldn't? It's just yummy sandwiches and mouth watering cakes and scones! But everything in an afternoon tea consists of gluten! Well, except the tea :) 

My sweet sister-in-law knows how much I love all the kind of stuff. So as a thank you for organising her baby shower, she took us to a place I had never been that does a wonderful gluten free tea! It's a place called Drink, Shop & Do. It's such a cute little retro place making it different then your normal posh tea. And the best part, it has a gluten free menu!!!

My tea platter, was just like the normal tea platter – sandwiches, scones and little brownie cakes. The sandwiches were so lovely. The bread didn't even taste gluten free it was that good! There was a cheese and sultana scone. The cheese scone was hard and I was unable to cut it, so I just dug into the sultana scone. It was a bit hard as well, but I managed to cut into it and with jam and clotted cream it was so delicious!  The only thing I didn't enjoy were the brownies – they had that very chalky gluten free taste. 

I really enjoy these kinds of afternoons out. People who don't have coeliac sometimes don't understand what a treat this sort of food/experience can be. If you want a different sort of afternoon experience, I highly recommend this place. 

Gluten Free Mexican in London - Chilangos

Chilango's 'De Nudo' Bowl

For someone that is gluten free, Mexican food is always a great choice. You usually can't have the tortillas unless they are corn, but rice is always a delicious and satisifying component to any meal. Well at least for my tummy!

One of my favorite Mexican fast food chains in London is Chilangos. I usually get a "de nudo" bowl – so a burrito without a tortillas. I fill it up with rice, beans, veggies and of course guac. It is so filling and delicious. The best thing about Chilangos is that it is fast food and even with the menus above the production line, it tells you what is gluten free. This 'gluten free' on the menu has been a recent addition as well. It's great they are all so aware of it. 

If you love tacos, they actually have mini soft tacos as well that are made of corn! Lots of options at Chilangos and I've never felt sick from having a meal there… 

If you love Mexican and live/visiting London,  Chilangos is one place you have to try! And no surprise, it has actually won Zagat's Best Mexican in London! 

ASK Gluten Free Menu

ASK gluten free pizza

 It has been awhile since my husband and I went on a date night. Mostly due the fact I've been traveling a lot of work (can't complain about that :) ) So last night we decided to go to ASK, an Italian restaurant chain in London, which has an extensive gluten free menu. 

ASK gluten free menu

I've been to ASK before with friends, but never with the hubby. When I went with my friends the menu was different and they had a lot of choices the new menu didn't have. For example, last time I ordered the veggie risotto, and they didn't have it on the gluten free menu this time which was a disappointment. So I decided to opt for pizza. The pizza looked amazing, however I wasn't too impressed with the base. It was very thin and the middle of the base was actually very chewy. It was  nice, but out of all the pizzas I've had (and I've had a lot) this may have been my least favorite. 

If you like risotto, I highly recommend it and they have a lot of gluten free pasta choices as well… and with pasta you usually can't go wrong. It's the one gluten free item that taste like normal pasta. Well, from what I can remember. 

Have you been to ASK before? What are your thoughts? 

Gluten Free in Iceland

Yes!!!! We were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights :)

Gluten Free pizza at Rossopomodoro

Traveling as a coeliac is never easy. I have at least one breakdown where I cry on every trip I go on. Is it too much to ask to just want a nice meal? I don't think many people understand how difficult it is… expect the coeliac (me) and their spouse (in my case my most understanding husband!)

BUT, Iceland was one place where I did not have a breakdown. YAY! I prepared very well this trip. I packed pasta, Warburton's gluten free wraps and baguettes, Udi's Granola, Genius crumpets, a Sainsbury's pizza base, a few biscuits and I was ok! I survived. It doesn't help that I don't like much meat and not so mad about eggs. I know, I'm annoying. I feel like if I ate eggs, bacon and such breakfast at hotels wouldn't be too difficult.

Pasta at Ruby's Tuesday!

Icelandic people are extremely friendly. Especially those that work in restaurants. The first night, we went into a very cute little Italian restaurant called Rossopomodoro. I took a big chance and handed over my pizza base. I said please be careful of contamination, use foil if you place it anywhere, make sure there isn't flour around. Like I said I took a BIG chance, but for some reason I so wanted a pizza! They made me a lovely veggie pizza and I was ok!! I was so happy. The staff was so lovely and friendly as well.

The second night, we found a Ruby Tuesday. I'm a sucker for American chains wherever I go in the

world. We went there and the staff is also very friendly. I had brought my pasta along and explain to our waiter my issue. He went back and forth with the chef and said all the sauces on the menu have some sort of flour in it, so he suggested an option they had on their old menu and it was a lovely veggie pasta sauce. It was so wonderful! They really made sure it was ok and were so patient.  Also, both restaurants never charged full price for my dish since I provided both the pizza base and pasta.

Skyr yogurt! Couldn't get enough!! 

A few other things about being gluten free free in Iceland -- We went to a small grocery store in the city center called Bonus. I was mazed at how many gluten free items they had. Pasta to biscuits to bread.  We stayed at the Grand Hotel in Iceland which is lovely. For breakfast, they had an organic breakfast bar section which also included gluten free bread. I was a bit hesitant to try it since it was mixed in with the organic bread which wasn't gluten free. But it was nice because the hotel staff actually understood what gluten free was!

Everyone that had been to Iceland said Skyr yogurt is something you must try. So hubster and I were on a search. Luckily they had at our breakfast bar and it was delicious! I had that every morning. It is so healthy with so much protein. We actually brought some back to London with us. I even looked to see if there was a stockist in London, no luck :(

Another tip — we went on the Golden Circle tour one of our days, so we were out from 8am-6pm. So

Organic breakfast bar at Grand Hotel

that morning I brought a Warburton's baguette down to the breakfast and just made a veggie sandwich. I was really prepared, I even brought small ziploc bags. I was so excited for the tour, but knew I probably wouldn't find much to watt at our café shop.


I was determined not to food ruin my trip. I prepared and packed everything. And boy did we have such a great time! I would do anything to relive that weekend in Iceland. 

Honest Burger: Gluten Free Burgers in London

In my almost three years of being a coeliac, I haven't been able to enjoy a chicken burger at any restaurant! However, that changed… I saw a photo my coeliac friend put up on Instagram and I instantly asked her "Woah! Was that for you?!" she told me it was placed called Honest Burger. I told my husband we just have to go!

Soooo.. one Friday night we ventured out to the Soho location, we got there and they said it was a 2.5-3 hour long wait! Shows how busy they are. My husband insisted we just head over the Camden location since he really wanted me to try it… So we made our way to the Camden market location and after trekking around for two hours to get food it really was the yummiest thing I had in a long time. As soon as I took my first bite, I had the biggest grin on my face. He said the two hour trek to eat was worth it all :)  the bun didn't even taste gluten free and the freshly made chips were to die for. The one downside is, since its in Camden market it is quite small, but we waited a bit longer to be sat inside since it was pretty cold! 

I'm sure the photo says its all! 

Udi's Gluten Free in the U.K.

OH YES!!! It is true... Udi's gluten free has hit the U.K. shopping shelves!!!! When I saw it today, I almost had tears of joy... I know it's silly, but I love bagels and gluten free bagels is not something you can't find easily here in London... I found this at my local tube station Tesco, I wonder if they are bringing more products. Their cookies, muffins and everything is so delicious!

At the Allergy Show here in London when I saw the Udi's stall I almost fainted. They said they'd be making their debut in London sometime in September... and I can't believe it's actually here!!! I actually came home, ate dinner and had to write this post. Welcome Udi's :-)