No, I don’t have celiac disease (I’ve already been tested), it’s just a sensitivity. But eating gluten can leave you feeling tired, bloated, and a little sick. It affects everything. When I ate gluten, my face swelled up, my head felt foggy, I got migraines, I had trouble concentrating, and my stomach hurt for days.<\/span><\/p>\n I denied that my favorite food made me feel that way and tried to eliminate everything else first. Was it dairy products? What about sugar? No, it was gluten. <\/span><\/p>\n In theory, eliminating gluten from your diet may seem manageable. It’s just a matter of making a few lifestyle changes, right? A slight inconvenience? In fact, it becomes a full-time brain teaser.<\/span><\/p>\n Now every meal begins with scouting. I scan the menu differently, looking for clues. Maybe there’s flour hidden in sauces and gravies, breadcrumbs in meatballs, and soy sauce in marinades? I learned that gluten is more of a lifestyle choice than an ingredient, one that the food industry made for me a long time ago. It’s everywhere. It’s despicable. Rich and decadent. Frankly, that’s a bit rude.<\/span><\/p>\n Eating out, once the easiest and most enjoyable part of my job, became a series of negotiations.<\/span><\/p>\n “Is this fried food? Is the fryer shared?”<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDo you have gluten-free pasta?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhy don\u2019t you bake breadcrumbs on the eggplant?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIs there tamari in my sushi?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Every gluten-free person has those moments when they feel like they know when the waiter has to “check with the kitchen.” That’s when you realize that dinner has become complicated. <\/span><\/p>\n Often I find myself staring into the depths of the bread basket on the table, watching others spread copious amounts of butter on slices of bread. In many places I desperately ask the server of<\/i> The question \u2013 \u201cWhat is gluten free?\u201d \u2013 and I finger the menu and circle around the salad. Great, today it’s a rabbit.<\/span><\/p>\n There is also the humiliation of realizing that so much of one’s character is built on bread. I also make pasta at home and bought a shirt that says “HOT GIRLS EAT BREAD.” I’m an adventurous eater, I’ll try anything at least once, I’ve never met a carb I didn’t like, and I believed that the best way to get to know a place is to walk around it and talk to the staff who run it.<\/span><\/p>\n Now, I’m the one asking if tortilla chips are truly gluten-free or just gluten-free in spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n By no means am I perfectly suited to this new diet. After eating my favorite cacio e pepe in Oberlin, Pizza Marvin’s Loni Island pizza (pepperoni, cherry peppers, hot honey), Asian Bakery’s banh mi, mounds of pancakes at Diner, mole, and dumplings from Boston’s Chinatown neighborhood, would I be willing to suffer?Yes, yes, I would.<\/span><\/p>\n But I’ve found some great spots that cater to these new needs. Verveine Cafe & Bakery in Cambridge is a completely gluten-free bakery, and when you eat their bread and ube brownies, you feel like you’re not missing out on anything. Nick’s on Broadway in Providence has gluten-free crostini and biscuits that are just as good as his “authentic” crostini and biscuits (no, they’re really good). Thankfully, Eataly has the perfect gluten-free pasta to make at home. And I’m really drawn to Vietnamese food, a lot of which is naturally gluten-free. Le Madeline in Quincy and Gao in Dorchester are coming to see me more. I’m ordering more poke bowls, crudo, and sushi than ever, which is true soul food. <\/span><\/p>\n But now it’s different. <\/span><\/p>\n I still love going out and trying new foods. But lately, before I eat, I find myself doing something I’ve never done before. I can’t help but hesitate.<\/span><\/p>\n Where do you eat gluten-free food? Send your recommendations around New England to: <\/b><\/i>Alexa.Gagosz@globe.com<\/b><\/i>. <\/b><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n You’re reading The Food Club, the Globe’s free weekly email newsletter about the restaurant scene in New England and beyond. <\/i>Have it sent to your inbox.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n Alexa Gagosz can be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. follow her @alexagagosz<\/a> Check out @AlexaGagosz on Instagram.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Chef](\"https:\/\/picsura.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775265095_340_I-made-a-career-out-of-carbohydrates-Now-they-make.jpg\")
![\"Verveine](\"https:\/\/picsura.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775265096_272_I-made-a-career-out-of-carbohydrates-Now-they-make.jpg\")
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