Gluten-Free Austin: Thundercloud Subs & The Usuals

Also gluten-free. Also from Austin.

Of course it makes zero sense to travel to Austin, Texas in July. Yet, I just did! It was my mom’s birthday this weekend, so I braved the scorching temperatures and mosquito attacks and ate myself gluten-free silly in the Celiac Capital of the World. And thanks to ATX Gluten-Free, I made a discovery of epic proportions: My favorite sub shop can be enjoyed by the intolerant. Woooooot! (Okay, second favorite but Delaware Subs is still loving that gluten.)

While I hit the usual spots that are totally gluten-free friendly (Frank, Guero’s) and braved the very, very, very, not gluten-friendly (Chuy’s, Threadgill’s), I made a few new discoveries this trip. One, is that the Omni Hotel has a pool on the roof! Thanks, Ginger. Oh, and they also offer gluten-free toast and the like at their breakfast buffet. Two, Alamo Drafthouse has a gluten-free designation on their menu, and they serve up a gluten-free beer! Three, the new’ish Whole Foods on S. Lamar is the most amazing store in the entire world. And four, Thundercloud Subs has just satisfied my year-and-a-half longing to walk into a sub shop and order a delicious turkey and cheese sammy. Lookee.

Say Goodbye to Your Favorite Restaurant, Celiacs

At least one of us could eat the chips

You know when you know something, but you don’t really want to know it so you just ignore it and hope it goes away? That’s kind of how I felt about Chuy’s, my formerly favorite restaurant in Austin, Texas (besides, Frank, obvs). The quirky Elvis-loving home of gen-u-ine Tex-Mex, I never missed an opportunity to enjoy a swirl margarita and my favorite burrito when I was in town, which is of course, smothered in queso. (Not the margarita — never the margarita.)

Sure I go around saying that Mexican food is a good friend to the gluten intolerant, and it is. But Tex-Mex relies so often on the flour tortilla, that it is in fact, your enemy. That’s right, I said it. Tex-Mex is your enemy. Go ahead and put Tex-Mex on your shit list. A fact which was proven when I dared to return to Chuy’s (not to be confused with Chevy’s) last night.

Gluten-Free Pizza in Austin: Southside Flying Pizza + Potential

Here’s the thing about gluten-free pizza. It’s hard to get it right. It’s also one of those things that when you crave it, you kind of need to have it RIGHT NOW. I’ve been lucky here in Los Angeles in that I enjoy Lucifer’s gluten-free pizza in Los Feliz. And when I went to San Francisco I was totally stoked about Amici’s, but I have to say I’ve eaten more crappy gluten-free pizza than good. So when I was in Austin, Texas, home of two of my absolute favorite full-on gluten-filled pizza places (can I get a hell yeah for Mangia and Conan’s?) I thought I could get a great pie since I was also in the gluten-free capital of the world. Turns out, it was more challenging than that.

Another great pizza spot, conveniently located down the street from where my brother lives and where we were all staying, is Home Slice. So I called them with my fingers crossed and they said they were working on finding a gluten-free crust. However, they had not found one they loved yet, but to check back. Right on, Home Slice. As I said on the phone, “Keep on keepin’ on,” and the dude responded in kind. I was in Austin, anyway.

Then I called up Southside Flying Pizza, and this is the place where gluten-free magic happens –

Gluten-Free Austin: Frank, Guero’s & The Barley Swine

Wow, people in Austin love beer. When I used to live in Austin I also loved beer. In fact I would say I probably drank more beer in Austin, than in any other city in America. But now that I’m gluten-free, beer is a challenge. Unless you’re in Austin, where gluten-free beer kind of hangs out wherever you wander. In fact, every restaurant I dined in offers a gluten-free beer option. For seriouslys. Which just makes me realize that Austin, Texas has a secret beer agenda and will do everything in the city’s power to make sure people drink beer, at all times. It’s just the way Austin is. So I had to give in, it’s totally not my fault.

I’ve talked about Frank before, because the first time I went there post-diagnosis they already had gf hot dog buns and beer. This is my brother and sister-in-law’s restaurant, but they did this before I was even diagnosed. But now? Now it’s ON. Because this is the menu:

Gluten-Free Austin: Celiac Capital of the World

I’ve only been back from Austin, Texas for a few hours and already I miss the ease of dining as I struggle to figure out where in the world to grab take-out that will appeal to my picky daughter and my celiac self. Because basically, my mind was blown this week as I chowed down in the best city in Texas (and quite frankly, a five state radius).  Here’s what happened in the first 36 hours I was there.

I went to three restaurants in a row that handed me a gluten-free menu. Three! Three gluten-free menus — in a freaking row! They know how to treat a girl who can’t hang with wheat. Also, check out that grocery store aisle above in Central Market. So much g-free business I had to walk away without buying anything so as not to buy EVERYTHING. Whole Foods, you need to take a lesson from the greatest grocery store of all time. Alternately, Central Market — please come to California. You know you want to, especially in the summers.

So here’s where I dined, and you should too if you’re looking for a good gf time in the live music capital of the world.