If you love pizza, it is hard. Ordering a gluten free pizza at just any restaurant can lead to stomach pain and other symptoms if you can’t eat gluten. Here are some great things to know when you dine out so that you can make sure that the gluten free pizza restaurant is safe.
Don’t forget to read all of my Gluten Free 101 tips for an easy gluten free living. This article is perfect for anyone new to gluten free, and those who have been gluten free for a long time too!
How to Eat Gluten Free at a Pizza Restaurant:
I have spoken to a lot of pizza restaurants touting gluten free pizza lately. You may have seen my post about the Top Ten Crazy Things Restaurants Have Said To Me. I write a gluten free blog and I am building a database of restaurants that outlines the safe gluten handling practices by Bay Area restaurants. Cross-contamination is a huge issue in restaurants.
A lot of restaurants are trying to accommodate gluten free diners the right way, but a lot of restaurants are NOT doing it the right way.
I am tired of getting sick when I eat out at a restaurant that either has a gluten free menu, or indicates gluten free items on their menu.
And now the bad news.
I am here to tell you that there is probably no such thing as a 100% gluten free pizza unless you either buy it from a place with a dedicated gluten free kitchen, or make it at home.
It is just too difficult for a pizza restaurant to prevent cross-contamination. Flour is in the air. Can you find a pizza that is close, under the new 20 ppb rule? You can but it isn’t always easy!
Yes, there are some restaurants that are really trying to get it right to prevent cross-contamination. The main problem is the oven. According to the experts, gluten does not burn off in a pizza oven. Flour floats around the oven potentially cross-contaminating gluten free pizzas while they cook.
Gluten free people have a varying degree of sensitivity to gluten. Some people can’t tolerate any gluten, and others can handle trace amounts. You need to know where you fall on this spectrum and determine if a pizza restaurant is taking the right precautions to prevent you from getting sick.
Here are the Top 6 questions you need to ask when you want gluten free pizza at your local restaurant:
- Do you purchase gluten free crusts from a dedicated gluten free distributor, or do you make them in house? If they are purchased, are they stored bagged, away from regular pizza crusts? If they are made in house, how do you store the dough?
- Do you prepare your gluten free pizzas in a separate area of the kitchen, away from where they make regular pizzas? If not, is the area cleaned, and or a liner put down to prevent cross-contamination?
- Does your cook change his gloves and apron before working on a gluten free pizza order?
- Do you use a sterilized separate pan to cook the gluten free pizza on? Many restaurants use mesh sheets. These don’t work very well to prevent cross-contamination because regular flour can go up through the holes and into the gluten free pizza. If they don’t use a pan under your pizza, it will get cross-contaminated just laying on the oven shelf.
- Do you use a separate cutter and paddle for gluten free pizzas?
- When the pizza comes out of the oven, does it go on the hotline to await being delivered? If so, is the gluten free pizza boxed to prevent it from coming into contact with gluten?
Stay safe and know the right questions to ask in order to prevent getting “glutened.”
If you prefer to make pizza, here are my BEST gluten free pizza recipes:
- Gluten Free Tomato Basil Flatbread
- Easy Grilled Gluten Free Pizza Crust
- Grilled Grain Free Pizza Crust
Linda
A big challenge I run into when buying GF pizzas, frozen or in restaurants is that the ingredients includes xanthan gum, which is a (derivative of corn). I am gluten, corn and soy free. I also don’t eat cow dairy products so I am looking for sheep or goat cheese for a topping. I am finding more pizza parlors now carrying cauliflower crusts which is great. Its not impossible to find a decent GF pizza these days, but the corn is the biggest challenge for me. I have not seen a Costco pizza without corn as an ingredient. Is it made by Costco or another brand. Needless to say I make alot of my own pizza crusts. Against the Grain has a decent pizza crust if you can handle the xanthan gum and cow dairy. I used to spice it up with additional toppings before baking. I used to like the nut free pesto version. Hope that helps others. Thanks Sandi for your great recipes over the years. You are one of my favorite GF bakers.
Sandi Gaertner
We love those cauliflower crusts too!! I like to cook them on the grill so the crust gets crispy. Our Costco has a new cauliflower crust pizza, hopefully yours will get it too shortly!
Barbara Gault
I have not found a good gluten free crust EVER. I end up just eating the toppings.
Sandi Gaertner
I hear you Barbara. I now grill my pizza crust so that it gets crispier.
Maureen Sullivan
Have you tried Costco GF pizza.
Sandi Gaertner
It is one of my favorites, but our Costco hasn’t carried these pizzas in a long time. Some Costco stores do.
Arya Smith
It really helped when you said that it would be best to ask a restaurant if they use separate pans when cooking the meals for gluten-free people. I will definitely share this tip with my sister since she just found out that she can’t eat food with gluten that much. Since we are planning to eat pizza this weekend to celebrate the birthday of our mom, this tip will help her to gauge if she is safe to eat in their restaurant. Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad this was useful for you Arya. I wish you all the best 🙂
Deb
In addition to these great questions, I would also ask if they have dedicated cheese and sauce (and sauce ladle) for the gluten free pizza.
Sandi Gaertner
Those are great questions to ask Deb. Thank you so much!
Raia
Great reminder, Sandi! Thanks!