May is Celiac Awareness Month, so here’s a celiac’s guide to going gluten-free in the Gem City

QUINCY — It’s been roughly eight years since a complaint of joint pain triggered an entire summer’s worth of doctor’s appointments and lab tests. By August 2017, I’d finally gotten a diagnosis that was completely unexpected but a welcome relief, especially considering leukemia was briefly on the table.

Celiac disease.

An estimated 83 percent of people with celiac are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions. It typically takes an average of six to 10 years for a proper diagnosis, so I was extremely lucky to have learned the answers as quickly as I did, all thanks to the incredible team of doctors from Quincy Medical Group and Blessing Health.

Celiac is a genetic autoimmune disease that results in damage to the small intestine upon ingesting the protein gluten. Wheat, barley and rye contain it, which means people with the disease typically can’t consume things like:

• Pasta
• Bread and flour tortillas
• Beer
• Soy sauce
• Communion wafers
• Imitation meat and seafood
• Baked goods like cakes, cookies and pastries
• Pizza
• Crackers and pretzels

My list of forbidden foods was a difficult adjustment at first, especially during holidays and when eating out. It’s still difficult even after all these years, and sometimes I do indeed risk it for the literal biscuit. (I’m currently breaking out and exhausted, my menstrual cycle has been thrown out of whack and my joints feel like they need a good coating of WD-40 because I couldn’t ignore the call of a Greek to Me gyro for a second longer last week. We all have our demons.)

Some places, however, are easier than others. So in honor of May being Celiac Awareness Month, here are a few of my favorite gluten-free (GF) eats in town.

Seoul to Soul Bistro

Location: 218 N. Sixth. Dinner hours: Thursday through Monday, 5 to 9 p.m.
Late night hours: Thursday through Saturday, 10 p.m. to midnight

Who needs Colonel Sanders’ Kentucky fried chicken when you’ve got Chef Shawn Foehring’s Korean-style fried chicken (KFC)? I’m not trying to be dramatic, but I nearly cried the first time I tried it. That’s how good it was. What separates Kentucky from Korea in the land of fried chicken, though?

“Korean fried chicken is always starch. They don’t use flour,” Foehring said. 

Foehring’s KFC employs a blend of five starches to get that signature light, crunchy, flavorful coating. It’s grown a bit of a cult following in the four and a half years since the bistro opened, he said. 

The menu changes weekly, and a different late-night menu is available Thursday through Saturday, so check out their Facebook page for updates. While the KFC is my personal favorite, the menu always has several GF and vegan options. 

Foehring said his KFC is only offered throughout the last full Thursday through Monday each month, but if you’re reading this within a day or two of the original publication date, you’re in luck. This month was thrown off a little bit, so you have until Monday, June 2 to get your hands on some before it’s gone for another few weeks. (And trust me, you do want to get your hands on some.)

Bailey’s Coffeehouse and Fudge

Location: 3024 Broadway. Hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Three words: pumpkin avocado muffins.

To my fellow chocolate connoisseurs, don’t knock it ‘til you try it. These things are mildly spiced, highly comforting and completely free of both gluten and dairy. Owner Amy Hendrian opts for housemade oat flour over processed, store-bought flours with tons of additives, but she said the primary ingredients are pumpkin, avocado and bananas. 

Hendrian has firsthand experience in dealing with severe food allergies outside of her business, as her son is allergic to dairy. She said she struggled to find snacks that were safe and delicious for him, and she often heard of birthday treats passed out at school that he couldn’t have. 

She recalled a regular customer with young daughters who were gluten-free. As they pointed to various items in the Bailey’s pastry case, the mother often had to explain that they couldn’t have them because they were allergic.

“I just kept hearing, ‘I can’t have that,’” Hendrian said. “And I was like, ‘Yes, yes you can.’ That’s where my passion for it really started.”

She’s since made pastries that are safe for people with gluten, dairy, egg, soy and other allergies. Now, Hendrian and her team sanitize their workspace and utensils to prepare allergen-friendly treats for their patrons twice a week, available on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Bailey’s allergen-friendly repertoire has grown over the years, so be sure to check their website to see what’s available each week.

(On rare occasions, when heavy order weeks prevent the kitchen from being properly sanitized, allergen-friendly items are unavailable.)

Krazy Cakes

Location: 512 Hampshire St. Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I know I’m a little biased, but my favorite thing about Krazy Cakes is that their wall’s worth of a menu is almost entirely celiac-accessible.

“I always try to just meet my customers where they’re at,” owner Brian Lash said. “We started with the bread, and then we kind of just expanded into other things … It’s important to me to have those options.”

All of their sandwiches and paninis can be made with gluten-free bread, and it’s evenly toasted to buttery, golden perfection every time. They’ll even make French toast with it. GF chocolate and vanilla cupcakes are always available, too, and for a limited time, Lash is offering gluten-free flatbreads — a secret menu item until they sell out.

Lash said GF items are prepared in “a completely separate area” to ensure as little cross-contamination as possible.

“That’s something that I take very seriously during the preparation process,” he said. “It’s not just the product itself. You have to be careful in the preparation, too.”

I switch it up each time I swing by, but one of my favorites is the Krazy Monte, featuring Italian capicola, prosciutto, turkey, gouda and provolone cheese and blackberry sauce. The District Dip, a blend of pepper jack, parmesan and white American cheeses served with corn tortilla chips, is a newfound favorite. Of course, since chocolate is one of my love languages, I typically snag a chocolate cupcake to go.

The Range at KC

Location: 830 S. 36th. Kitchen hours: Monday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Range at KC might be best known for its Toptracer golf technology, but the top-tier gluten-free pizza is what does it for me. The 10-inch cauliflower crust is baked just right, with a lightly golden and crispy texture around the edges.

Though the Range’s kitchen isn’t a dedicated GF kitchen, Head Chef Andy Spencer said cauliflower crust pizzas are baked on aluminum foil-wrapped oven screens and are cut in a separate area with a clean cutter to minimize cross-contamination.

“There’s always one person in the group who has celiac or is gluten (intolerant),” he said. “It’s nice that we can provide (the cauliflower crust) so they can eat our nice toppings and our specialties.”

My favorite is the Greek Out: a harmonious combination of mozzarella and goat cheeses, pepperoncini peppers, garlic oil and kalamata olives, topped with a generous drizzling of balsamic glaze. Sometimes (OK, all the time) I like to get a little crazy and throw some pepperoni on there. 

8te Open

Location: 601 Maine. Hours: Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.

With a menu that’s got birria on fries and a sandwich named after Ray Liotta — among other goodfellas near and far — 8te Open is one of those places that’s just too fun to miss out on. Not being able to eat there would be a certified bummer. 

Lucky for me — and all my fellow Gem City celiacs — having a gluten allergy isn’t a problem for owner Jared Tipton, though he did say it took him a while to find a good gluten-free bun to offer for his sandwiches before landing on a winner.

“If I was going to do it, I wanted it to be really good,” he said. 

The gluten-free buns from Rotella’s Italian Bakery proved triumphant, but if that isn’t your jam, any sandwich can be served on a bed of greens instead. The most exciting part, though, is that their fries — those flavor-packed, golden-shelled fries with a soft and steamy center — are fried in a dedicated fryer free from any cross contamination with breaded or otherwise glutenous items. 

I’ve gotten something different each time I’ve stopped in. It’s difficult to commit to a favorite when the flavor combinations are all so enticing. My last excursion consisted of a KT’s Hot sandwich: buttermilk fried chicken, 8te Open hot sauce and pickles. Tipton served it J. Craig style, named after Quincy Brewing Company owner Joshua Craig, meaning that the chicken was grilled instead of fried. 10/10 recommend, but make sure to bring a hair tie if you’re dining in. This one’ll get you a little messy.

Other gluten-free options

Some of my other favorite places and menu hacks from around town:

• The majority of Thai D’Lish’s menu is celiac-accessible, and items that can be made gluten-free are conveniently marked with a symbol on the menu. (Their Pad Thai is so good that I once got way too excited and ate it so quickly that I burnt my tongue and had to seek medical assistance. Unfortunately, this is not a joke.)
• Street tacos at any Mexican restaurant are almost always gluten-free, as they’re traditionally served with corn tortillas.
• You can find gluten-free pasta at Maestro’s, Tiramisu and Fazoli’s. Nucci’s Pasta House in Pittsfield offers GF pizza, pasta and dinner rolls and is 100 percent worth the trip.
• Gem City Pizzeria, Tower of Pizza, Pizza Hut, Papa Johns, Domino’s, Cassano’s, Maestro’s, Tiramisu, Calftown Coffeehouse and Casey’s all have gluten-free pizza.
• Burgers can be ordered without a bun anywhere. Many places will serve them on a bed of greens free of charge if asked.
• If you’re GF and vegetarian, the black bean burger at Thyme Square is phenomenal. Even though I’m an omnivore, this with no bun is still my go-to lunch order. Grab a macaron while you’re there. They’re made with almond flour.
• Most places with fried chicken can substitute grilled chicken instead.
• Carter’s Coffee Bar, Electric Fountain Brewing and The Pour Haus have gluten-free snack items.
• The Yum Factory, Mercantile Sweets & Goods and Underbrink’s Bakery all have homemade gluten-free pastry items. Java Jive in Hannibal does as well, and it’s worth the drive.

Most important, no matter where you go or what you order — and especially if your allergy is severe — communicate with your server. Quincy’s restaurant employees are phenomenal, but they’re not mind readers. It’s up to us to communicate our allergies so they can do their best to keep us safe. 

Since Quincy has yet to open a 100% gluten-free restaurant, a small risk of cross-contamination always exists, regardless of how hard employees work to keep our food separate. If you’re unsure of a restaurant’s ability to serve you safely, call ahead during non-busy hours to discuss what’s possible during your visit. 

Disclaimer: I received most of the featured items free of charge. As the items were chosen because they already were my favorites, no business paid for inclusion. Free items did not influence my opinions but merely made the article possible. Special thanks to the restaurants who graciously hosted me.