Bar Bites: Even More Local

While we’re cooking during the week, the weekends are our time to unwind and go out! We cook Sunday-Thursday most weeks so by the time Friday arrives, we’re ready to put away the pots and pans.

So, where have we been going these days?

Check out this latest list, organized alphabetically, to see where we relax on Friday nights and find ourselves on Saturday evenings (in and around Boston). I’ve also included places we go for sweet treats, salty snacks, and more!

Note: Each location below I have deemed safe to go as someone with Celiac disease, but please trust your gut and inform your server of your dietary restrictions prior to placing your order.

PS: Each restaurant’s website is accessible by clicking on its title.  😎

Abbott’s Frozen Custard

In need of a frozen treat? Head to this local shop for a rich cup of frozen custard (ice cream’s cousin) to enjoy in the warm sun. There are always a few gluten free flavors that are made in a separate machine so there’s no worry about cross-contamination! I tend to choose vanilla, but the chocolate and butterscotch are pretty sweet. ;) 

Adelita

Tacos! Guacamole! Margaritas! This new restaurant in Concord offers all of the classics plus excellent cocktails, and more. Every menu item is labeled for allergies (gluten free, dairy free, etc) and the staff is well-versed on accommodating guests with restrictions. Bonus? Even the tortilla chips are safe for those of us with celiac! 

The Bancroft

One of our favorites for unwinding early on a Friday night, this modern steakhouse has something for everyone whether you’re in the mood for a filet or not. With a full gluten free menu and knowledgeable staff, you can rest easy (and relax) knowing your meal will be delicious and safely gluten free. Best part? Dedicated fryer for fries. ;)  

The Bristol

Many a special moment have been spent here, the restaurant within The Four Seasons Hotel, and I admit to loving the quiet scene before it fills up in the evenings. Extensive gluten free options, excellent drinks, wonderful bartenders, and a prime location make this chic spot perfect after a day of hanging in Back Bay. But even better? Their brunch menu is top notch. Gluten Free. Pancakes. 

Burton’s Grill and Bar

 A place where I can eat everything, quite literally. The gluten free menu almost mirrors the regular one so options are seemingly endless - and delicious. And this restaurant takes all precautions when it comes to dietary restrictions. A relaxed atmosphere and casual setting make this spot perfect for a mid-afternoon snack or a full night out. The hardest part is not ordering the entire menu! Always order: General Tso’s Cauliflower or Crab Cakes.

Cravings at Colonial Spa 

Step back in time when you walk into this 1920s relic that has been turned into a modern day sweet shop with all of the homemade ice cream and candy you crave (coffee, too!). The original shop details have been preserved and you can grab a stool at the counter while you enjoy your treat or settle into one of the cute wooden booths.

Oozing with charm and plenty of sweets, I learned that there are gluten free flavors of ice cream and that they will scoop from a separate container with a fresh scoop for your dietary needs. I couldn’t help myself and got a double: butter pecan and chocolate chip! Heaven. I have a feeling we will be walking to this cute place quite often throughout the summer. 

Gaslight Kitchen and Bar

In the mood for easy French fare with a side of al fresco dining? Head over to Gaslight in Lynnfield which offers a large outdoor patio perfect for summer dining as well as a menu that’s filled with gluten free options.

Now serving brunch (convenient!) as well as lunch and dinner, I’d recommend visiting in the early evening, grabbing seats at one of the outdoor tables and relaxing the evening away. The menu has plenty for everyone and the best part? French fries are safely gluten free! I’ll take two orders and a prosecco, please. ;)

Il Casale

A great spot for a relaxed Friday night out or a Sunday afternoon in the sun (outdoor dining now open for the season), this charming restaurant in the suburbs offers delicious Italian cuisine in a welcoming, friendly setting. You can usually find us seated at the bar ordering any number of delicious dishes including mixed olives, grilled Broccolini salad, GF pasta, risotto, or one of the terrific specials. We’re fans of the small plates, the salads, pastas, and main courses. Oh wait, that’s everything! And there’s an excellent gluten free menu. We will see you there! PS: it’s also perfect for groups and events! 

L’Andana

Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or toasting something else special to you, this restaurant pulls out all the stops and is a beautiful space to enjoy the night. An attentive staff and a plethora of gluten free options, the GF bread I was brought was so delicious I almost weeped. And in case you’re not the formal type, we have enjoyed the bar just as much! A more relaxed atmosphere with the same great menu. Reminder: they offer gluten free pasta! 

Legal C Bar

An offshoot of the famed Legal Sea Foods, this restaurant offers the classics from Legal’s regular menu as well as other sea-focused dishes. A large bar that’s very popular extra-early, we find it’s best to go for a late lunch unless we’re in the mood to wait for seats! Best news? Fried clams are gluten free, always, and are available as an appetizer. Semi-perfect for sharing. ;)

Love at First Bite

Finally! A Thai restaurant that has delicious food, plenty of gluten free options, and offers take-out which is key because they’re close to our apartment! I’m in love. ☺️ This cozy new spot in Lexington, MA features creative, colorful cocktails, a vast menu of traditional Thai favorites as well as new-to-me options, and a terrific interior design that’s just screaming to be featured on social media.

The majority of the menu could be made gluten free, much to my delight, and plenty of it was already labeled GF. Every bite was awesome! I’d love to order the same exact dishes next time, but I’m excited to try many more as well. Order (request GF): Crispy Tofu, Larb Moo, Drunken Noodle with Chicken. 

Mission on the Bay

A spot that’s new to us, but favored among friends on the North Shore, this large restaurant has a full wall of windows overlooking the water (and Boston in the distance) and abundant sunshine when the weather cooperates. So, the view is amazing! We enjoyed their great cocktails and tried a few appetizers for our first visit. Plenty of gluten free choices, I personally loved the mussels. I’ll report again when we go back for more!

No 9 Park

In the mood for fancy, formal, and fabulous? Look no further than Barbara Lynch’s flagship Boston restaurant located in historic  (and beautiful) Beacon Hill. We visited this tremendous spot in late December and have been talking about it incessantly ever since. We informed them of my dietary restriction upon making the reservation so it was a non-issue the entire evening. Gluten free options  aplenty and everything could be modified as needed. Scrumptious food, memorable drinks, and a swanky cheese cart made for one wonderful night. And the service was impeccable. Don’t worry; there’s a bar too in case you feel like popping in for drinks and a snack.

Oddfellows Ice Cream Co.

This Brooklyn-based ice cream shop has finally made its way to Massachusetts! Having read many great reviews leading up to the opening, I was thrilled to finally try the treats at this scoop shop located in Chestnut Hill, MA. It’s in The Street which is an outdoor shopping area that includes many restaurants and shops (find it below the Legal Seafoods - eat lunch there first!).

The flavors are far from traditional and the staff happily lets you taste as many flavors as you wish - on real, antique spoons! I learned that they have created over 400 unique flavors since they first opened in 2013. Wow! My favorites on the day we visited included peanut butter and jelly, buttermilk honey blueberry, and sweet cream and sprinkles.

I can’t wait to go back soon to try even more flavors as they’re frequently changing which means availability of flavors is limited. I’ll meet you there for a scoop - or two! One more fun note: they’re going to be offering beer and wine as well!

Public Kitchen

For a much more casual evening, stop in to this north-of-the-city charmer for a great dinner and every sport you need (so many big TVs!). We love walking to this place during the summer for an early dinner, or even just the nachos, because it’s relaxed, friendly, and fun. Knowledgeable staff and a menu that includes personal-size GF pizza. I’m sold! 

Red Heat Tavern

Sports bars and gluten free dining don’t always go together, but that’s just the opposite at this easy spot. We head to this local chain (multiple locations) when we’re in the mood to Chill. Out. A well-trained staff in regard to accommodating allergies, I always feel comfortable ordering almost anything on the menu (it can all be GF except for one item). Best bets? Nachos, fried pickles, burgers, Mediterranean bowl, desserts. Basically everything.

Sakura Organic

Located conveniently next door to Public Kitchen, this casual restaurant boasts an expansive menu of sushi and “Asian fusion” dishes, plus an extensive cocktail list. Even better is that the majority of the menu is labeled gluten free!

We happily ordered from both areas of the menu; the spicy tuna roll was scrumptious and lobster maki was yummy. I loved the egg drop soup and chicken lettuce wraps. I was thrilled when our server brought a GF bottle of soy sauce to us and everything was labeled so well. And although I wanted to order many, many more dishes, we decided just to go back again soon instead. I can’t wait! 

Southern Proper (Now closed)

We finally visited this delightful South End eatery and I must admit.. we were blown away! Featuring “traditional southern food,” and lots of it, this restaurant offers all sorts of small plates, shareable plates, and everything delicious in between. Inventive cocktails, a wide variety of beer (if you drink it), and a menu that will thrill everyone at the table. Not only is every menu item labeled gluten free/dairy free/ vegetarian accordingly, the gluten free items include the famously fabulous fried chicken! Yahoo!

We loved the hush puppies, sausage, Nashville hot chicken (fried), and the potato wedges. An indulgent, scrumptious evening that left us wanting more, I cannot wait to go back and continue sampling the rest of the menu (I am intrigued by the southern-style paella). But of course, I would most certainly order the fried chicken again. ;)

Sadly, Southern Proper closed at the end of 2019.

The Stones Commonhouse and Kitchen

A newcomer to our weekend dining options, this awesome spot in Stoneham is welcoming and warm, plus it offers an incredible variety of delicious dishes (for fantastic prices). We always grab bar seats up front, but it would be fun for a group at one of the big tables in the back. The most exciting part is that the majority of the menu can be gluten free! I’ve been sticking to the shaved Brussels sprouts and kale salad with whipped ricotta lately, but their fries are safe and supreme. Attentive bartenders are helpful and friendly which enhances the whole dining experience. Don’t miss: Cincinnati Fries with chili and cheddar.

Tavern in the Square

A chain that was pretty popular during most locals’ college days, we have found ourselves here fairly frequently recently (nowhere near college-age) due to the shockingly giant gluten free menu and friendly, knowledgeable staff. What’s great about many of these chain restaurants doing gluten free these days is that they tend to serve GF dishes on separate “allergy”  plates (anything gluten free is on a different shaped plate). Therefore, you know your food is safe (but always tell your server). My favorites? I lean in to the comfort food and order nachos and tater tots. I’m unable to resist a dedicated gluten free fryer. ;)

Tempo (BistRo) Kitchen and Cocktails

Upon investigating dinner options in the city of Waltham, right outside of Boston, we found Tempo, which was highly recommended to me by a co-worker. And once I discovered that their menu was incredibly accommodating to those of us with celiac, I practically ran out the door for dinner. Fingers crossed we could score bar seats on a busy Saturday night.

Well, the stars were aligned on our first visit to this awesome spot and we got seats at the bar shortly after arriving. The menu clearly states which items are gluten free and which can be modified to be GF. How convenient!

Everything on the menu sounded delicious, but since I couldn’t order it all, we went with the truffle fries, buffalo cauliflower (a great twist on a fun appetizer), and the cheesesteak egg rolls (I had never been able to eat these safely in other restaurants). The food was fantastic! Yes, we leaned into the bar food, but we were at the bar. ;) Not only was the food excellent, but the bartenders were terrific, very knowledgeable about dietary restrictions, and quite helpful. I cannot wait for our next visit to this local, delicious restaurant that made eating gluten free a breeze.

Twist Bakery Cafe

Look no further than this bright, airy, and welcoming 100% gluten free bakery cafe for delicious food, delectable sweets, and the friendliest faces! While the original location is in Millis, MA, a second one recently opened in Burlington which is much closer to our home. Three cheers for that because I may just be moving in.

Our first visit to the new Burlington shop included ordering (and inhaling) the most-amazing breakfast sandwiches on homemade English muffins and a box full of goodies to sample (how could we not?!). I’m loving the corn muffin, blueberry muffin, and vanilla cheesecake. Did you know everything is made in-house? I have a feeling I’ll be popping by weekly for a few of my favorites and to soak in the good cheer that envelops you upon entering. It’s (always) all gluten free and that’s glorious.

Looking for more?

Go to Bar Bites: Local for my first list of local spots, organized by cuisine.

Eat, well.

Mollie

Gluten Free Mollie D