Where to Dine G-Free in San Francisco

Since discovering my intolerance to gluten, I've been grateful to live on the west coast, where it literally feels like there is an explosion in everything gluten-free. Every time I go to the grocery store, I see more g-free foods and beauty products lining the shelves.

Yet, dining out is still a bit challenging. I try to focus on Mexican, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Thai restaurants, which have lots of gluten-free offerings. Still, I often worry that there is "hidden gluten" somewhere in the recipe, like steak frites at a French restaurant. Most of the time now, I just ask, and about half of the time someone knows what I'm talking about.

I wonder, too, about cross-contamination. Do the cooks understand about how to adequately segregate the food and equipment?

So I was thrilled to come across this article all about San Francisco restaurants that specialize in gluten-free cuisine. Some of the restaurants, like Pica Pica Maize Kitchen are 100% gluten-free. Restaurant Bacco, is an Italian restaurant that offers gluten-free bread, along with corn and rice pasta.

I always dread sitting at the table and having to stare at the warm bread and olive oil. I do my best to white knuckle it through the temptation, not wanting to deprive my fellow dinner guests of the opportunity to feast. Now I get to join in! The only question is, when can my husband and I schedule a date night and find a baby-sitter?