Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2004, if you’d asked me to name my favorite cuisines, Japanese would’ve been high on that list. But one of the tougher things to accept about the diagnosis was that some cuisines were more off-limits than others. While wheat isn’t top of mind when you think about Japanese food, it’s omnipresent thanks to ingredients such as soy sauce, one of the “secret” sources of wheat people rarely think about. 

But all those concerns go out the window at a restaurant like Nami Nori, which serves up phenomenal Japanese cuisine that is 100% gluten-free. Nami Nori was founded by three chefs — Taka Sakaeda, Jihan Lee, and Lisa Limb — who are partners in the business, all trained in fine Japanese dining and all Masa veterans. (Chef Sakaeda has celiac disease himself.) There’s now a fourth partner involved in the business, a celebrity who fell in love with the spot: Grammy Award–winning singer, songwriter, rapper, producer, and designer Pharrell.

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We’re deep in the heart of winter at the moment, and I’m pretty sure I have a case of the seasonal doldrums. It’s bleak and icy out there, and for some reason, New York has been in the deep freeze for weeks. Since I have no imminent plans to escape, I’m thinking about trips I’ve taken recently. One of the best was to London. The skies were gray most of the time, but the combination of excellent dining, great museums, breathtaking architecture, and beautiful parks made it a joy to behold. Here are some of the places I loved.

Grato: This charming spot near the Kensington High Street is spread over two levels, and there’s a patio for when (if?) the weather cooperates. Grato is not a dedicated gluten-free restaurant, but the staff is careful with food allergies and intolerances, and they are well aware of potential cross-contamination issues. There’s a special allergen menu with details not only about gluten, but about sesame, sulphites, mustard, nuts, and other common allergens. Grato means “gratitude” or “thankful” in Italian, and the atmosphere is incredibly warm and welcoming. I had an arugula salad with prosciutto and pear to start and the veal Milanese as my main. (The menu changes with what’s in season, but the veal Milanese is still on offer.) For dessert, I had delicious vanilla panna cotta; there’s also gluten-free polenta cake and a selection of ice creams and sorbets. Dining at Grato was technically an accident — I ended up there after my original dining plans fell through — but it was one of the best meals of my trip.

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The first time I ate at a José Andrés restaurant was in Las Vegas circa 2017. Jaleo was — and still is — located on the third level of the Cosmopolitan (one of the more glam Vegas hotels, situated mid-Strip, just south of the Bellagio). Its mission is to celebrate the flavors of Spain — the chef’s homeland — and to showcase the rich regional diversity of Spanish cuisine. 

I remember that the food at Jaleo was really, really good, but what truly won me over was how careful the staff was with food allergies and intolerances. Gluten-free options weren’t listed on the menu, but the staff had detailed information about what would be safe for me to eat, and they were savvy about cross-contamination.

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and I’m here to help you celebrate! I know this holiday isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I like to think of it as celebrating love — whether love for a partner, family, or friends. Deep down, who doesn’t adore a holiday that celebrates chocolate? Maybe you could use a dose of self-care at the moment. Whatever the case, here are my recommendations for treating yourself — and others — to some gluten-free goodness this Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate 

Let’s start with a classic. When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, one of the thoughts I consoled myself with was, At least I can still have chocolate. I was only partially right: chocolate is naturally gluten-free, but some companies add wheat or barley malt for flavoring or consistency. It turned out that some of my favorite treats contained gluten, including Lindt milk chocolate truffles (they contain malt). But there are some terrific companies out there making gluten-free chocolate that is simply divine.

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How cold was it the last time I visited Banff National Park? It was so cold that a sled-dog excursion I’d booked was cancelled because — and I quote — “It’s too cold for the dogs.” Did that stop me from hiking in Johnston Canyon and other gorgeous areas in Canada’s Rocky Mountains? No, it did not! (Hey, I’m adventuresome, not necessarily smart.) But I have no regrets about the visit, because I got to see some of the most beautiful wilderness I’ve ever encountered. Here, check it out for yourself…

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If you’ve been reading this newsletter for even a little while, you know I’m all about celiac-safe travel and dining out. But the past few days have been so cold that when my husband suggested going out to dinner, I actually said no. (Note: this is not normal for me.) The truth is, I enjoy cooking, and this polar vortex we’re caught up in right now makes me want to leave home as infrequently as possible. Also, we had a couple of family visits over Christmas and New Year’s that reminded me of how satisfying it is to cook for people you love, and to have them cook for you. 

With that in mind, I thought this would be a great time to share some of the cookbooks that are in rotation in my kitchen right now. Some are recent releases and some have been around for a while, but I’m finding inspiration in each one.

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Check out those adorable furry faces above. I visit the Boston area on a regular basis to see family, and those two adorable pups are part of the package. (Honestly, they’re the best welcome crew.) 

Unlike most of the trips I take, I don’t do much research before I head to the Boston area. That’s because several of my relatives there have celiac disease, and they are wonderful at sussing out local spots for me. It makes for an incredibly relaxing time whenever I visit, and I wanted to pass along a few reliable spots in case you find yourself in Boston or its historic surrounding towns.

Elephant Walk: This Cambodian-French restaurant — located in Boston’s South End neighborhood — is a local institution founded in 1991. While not dedicated gluten-free, the menu is full of GF options, plus many that are dairy-free and vegetarian (there are also vegan options). Many of the traditional Khmer dishes are naturally gluten-free and require no modification at all. (Try the Amok Royale, a curried coconut ‘custard’ with shrimp, catfish, scallop and minced crab steamed in a banana leaf cup.)

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“‘How Can You Label That?’ Woman Asks a Question About Truffle Fries at a Restaurant. Then She Catches the Server in a Lie”: In December, I wrote a piece called “The Trouble With ‘Gluten-Friendly’.” Here, in a Daily Dot article by Jack Alban, is a perfect (and perfectly sad) example of that trend in action. Spoiler alert: the restaurant in question marked menu items as “GF” even though they were preparing them in the same fryer as wheat-based foods. This article does a great job explaining why cross-contamination is a serious issue for celiacs and other gluten-intolerant people. 

“Restaurant Review: Indus Chai: A Gluten-Free Retreat Steeped in Indian Tea Traditions”: Writing in the Taipei Times, reporter Hollie Younger notes that Taiwan’s capital city is a tough town for celiacs, making Indus Chai a welcome addition to the local dining scene. This café is 100% gluten-free, and its sabudana vada — Indian-style hash browns served with a mint-yogurt dip — sound like a crisp slice of heaven.

“Fighting for My Right to Receive Communion as a Catholic With Celiac Disease”:Writing in America the Jesuit Review, Rosie La Puma Lebel details her struggle to reconcile the requirements of her religious faith and her gluten-free diet. As she writes, “Church teaching holds that for bread to be valid matter for the Eucharist, it must ‘contain enough gluten to affect the confection of bread’ but there is no strict minimum amount.” While the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has approved the use of ultra-low-gluten hosts — which contain less than 20 parts per million, the US standard of what gluten-free means — that doesn’t mean every parish priest accepts them.

“‘I Can’t Tolerate Gluten in the US, but I Can in Europe’: Experts Unpack the Phenomenon”: If there’s one myth I wish would die, it’s this one. Writing in HuffPost, Erica Sweeney talks to experts about the claim (often heard on TikTok) that it’s okay to eat wheat in Europe even if you can’t in North America. Spoiler alert: IT’S NOT OKAY. The first clue should’ve been the fact that celiac disease is taken seriously in Europe — Italian celiacs, for example, are not eating wheat in Italy. But lots of people who don’t have celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity experience bloating after eating a big plate of pasta — and that might not happen in Europe for a host of reasons (different pesticides, fewer preservatives in food, more exercise). 

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Happy New Year! If I have one wish for everyone reading this newsletter, it’s that 2025 will be a happy and healthy year for you and those you love. While I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions — I’d like to think that healthy habits can be picked up at any time of the year — I do think that the first days of the new year offer a great opportunity to take stock of where we’ve been and where we’re going.

I’m thrilled to say that 2024 was a terrific year for the Gluten-Free Guidebook. Hundreds of new readers joined this community, and I’m grateful to have you come aboard. On a personal note, I had the opportunity to travel a lot this year — always one of my favorite things. Here’s a video recap, which is probably going to make you veryhungry. It features the four cities where I spent the most time this year: London, New York, Toronto, and Paris. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot a few restaurants I haven’t written about yet:

The most popular story of the year was “What I Wish I’d Known When I Was Diagnosed with Celiac Disease.” While this story is normally only available to paid subscribers, I’m unlocking it for the next week so that anyone can read it.

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Happy holidays, everyone! I hope you’ve been enjoying time with family and friends — and, if you’ve been traveling, you haven’t been badly impacted by the cold, snowy weather that’s taken over a sizable chunk of North America. (I’m in Toronto right now and, baby, it’s cold outside.)

I love this time of year for plenty of reasons, including all the Best of the Year lists that pop up in December. It’s also the perfect time to take stock of what was great about the past 12 months. Here’s my personal list of favorite gluten-free spots that I visited in 2024. (If you you’re looking for great spots in Barcelona, Athens, and Montreal, check out last year’s list. I stand by all of those recommendations!)

Favorite Meal of the Year: Niche, London. Located near Sadler’s Wells Theatre, the restaurant’s tagline is “gluten-free but you wouldn’t know it.” No false advertising here! Niche was the first restaurant in London to be certified a 100% gluten-free restaurant by Coeliac UK. It is also nut-free and sesame-free, and many of the dishes are dairy-free or vegan. My meal started with the bread selection, which included a toasted sourdough, a garlic-and-rosemary focaccia, and a red onion and chili flatbread, all served with a sun-dried tomato spread, plus olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Next up was my appetizer: parmesan-and-cheddar doughnuts served with a tomato sauce. Plus a side of beer-battered onion rings. My main course was duck breast in a rich Madeira sauce with a creamy celeriac mash and steamed bok choy. It was decadent and delicious and the service was lovely. 

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