Gluten Free in Breck

Unless it’s a truck stop in the Midwest, most restaurants have at least something on their menu for the gluten and wheat intolerant. However, in Breckenridge, celiacs and the gluten-adverse need not dine solely on plain eggs or pick around their steak for bites that haven’t been touched by flour-infused sauce.

Nearly every place in town has several menu items denoting their gluten nullity. Many restaurants clearly mark these items GF (not Girl Friend) while others have entirely separate menus for GF diners.

Here are a few standouts, which also happen to be longstanding local favorites:

Mi Casa Mexican Restaurant

Mi Casa has a huge separate menu of gluten-free items ranging from yummy green chile to Jicama Shrimp Tacos, also nachos and every kind of fajitas, tamales and enchiladas.

The Breckenridge Brewery

You wouldn’t have guessed this one, would you? It turns out that many items on the Brewery’s menu can be made gluten-free, including all of the salads and even the burgers, since the place keeps a stock of tapioca flour-based GF buns on hand.

Southridge Seafood Grill

Like the brewery, Southridge indicates all of its GF-possible menu items with an asterisk.

The Hearthstone

This time-tested top dining spot also has a whole GF menu including the scrumptious Tips & Chips appetizer (tenderloin tips and house made fries), Elk with blackberry demi-glace and fingerling potatoes, Chicken with brie cheese mashers and several other entrees plus many other apps and salads.

Blue River Bistro

The Blue River Bistro has a multitude of GF entrees including the New York Strip, Atlantic Salmon and even the Mujadara (roasted fennel and zucchini with lentils over rice), all adorably indicated on the menu by a little wheat husk symbol.

There are other places that have naturally driven the GF bandwagon. The Traverse (the new, super yummy and Colorado fresh restaurant in The Breck Lodge & Spa) has many GF items (all conveniently labeled with a GF symbol) such as the Flash-fried Brussel Sprouts, Frites and Filet Mignon. Park & Main can do gluten-free bread for any sandwich, has a rotating variety of GF soups, salads and several dinner entrees including the Beef Tenderloin, Buffalo

Ribeye and Pork Tenderloin. Being big on meat, Kenosha Steakhouse does a great job with noting GF times on its menu with a star. At Twist, many of the luscious farm-to-table-rich entrees, salads and soups are GF.

Of Breck’s newer fine-dining haunts, perhaps Ember is the celiac conscious champ for its inventive, all-GF menu with creative takes on unlikely GF items like Shrimp & Grits, Venison with chocolate-parsnip puree and the lobster tostada appetizer.

Even up on the mountain Sevens has several star-noted GF items among its gourmet pub fare.

Pizza

Love pizza? You’re in luck! Fatty’s does a GF crust, as do Extreme Pizza  and Muncheeze Café.

Breakfast

For morning and afternoon cravings, Cool River Coffee House and Bakery does a tremendous job with GF. While many GF pastries can be a little dense, Cool River’s blueberry muffins are light and fluffy, plus they have homemade bread and a rotating variety of GF soups and flourless seed bars. Clint’s always has something tasty in its GF display and ANOTHER big winner, the new Yellow Arrow Coffee  has a menu that is entirely GF, including tasty Scrambles, Oatmeal and even Quiche.

Get this, there’s an entire Facebook page keeping you abreast of GF happenings around Breckenridge. So, let’s hear from you in the comments – what are your favorite gluten free meals in Breck?

– Shauna Farnell