Eating Gluten-Free in Las Vegas

Описание: Since being diagnosed with Celiac disease, my challenge has not only been eating gluten-free but staying healthy when traveling. Anyone who is Celiac will relate to my situation. Visiting anywhere new means living without my “safe” eat standbys and needing to risk unknown eateries. I always cringe when adventuring out to new places for fear I may get sick. Recently, I accompanied my husband on a work trip to Sin City and had to seek out some restaurants that were gluten-free in Las Vegas.

Gluten-Free In Las Vegas: Accommodation
Good gluten-free restaurants are hard to find, so sometimes I find it better to avoid eating out. So, instead of a hotel, we rented a one-bedroom Airbnb that slept, six people. The location was perfect, next to the Bellagio on the Las Vegas strip and a great option for those on a budget.

Having a full kitchen meant I could bring some of my own ingredients, make gluten-free food, and be 100% gluten-free. Instead of eating breakfast in a restaurant, I packed gluten-free cereal and rice milk (yes, I’m lactose intolerant too). I bought fruit from Walgreens on the strip to have with breakfast. I also packed my favorite gluten-free snacks and Tim Horton’s tea since I couldn’t buy that in the US (and can’t live without my Tim Horton’s tea!)

Having a place to stay with a fridge allowed me to eat some meals at my home away from home. As a result, I was able to keep healthy and remain gluten-free in Las Vegas.

Gluten Friendly Vs Gluten-Free In Las Vegas
Being Celiac, I must eat at gluten-free, not gluten-friendly restaurants. What is the difference? Gluten-friendly means the food is prepared in the same area as gluten ingredients. This results in cross-contamination. Some people are gluten intolerant and can consume small amounts of gluten. Some of us are not so fortunate. When ordering anything deep-fried, a dedicated fryer is required to ensure the food is 100% gluten-free.

When visiting a new city, I tend to avoid restaurants that have no gluten-free menu and call themselves gluten-friendly.

During my stay in Las Vegas, I found some excellent places to eat, that took my food sensitivities seriously. Here is my list of restaurants serving gluten-free in Las Vegas.

Wicked Spoon
Being Celiac and also lactose-intolerant, I generally avoid buffets. However, located inside the ultra-modern Cosmopolitan Hotel, I was pleasantly surprised at the Wicked Spoon. This gem of a restaurant offers a brunch sitting and dinner sitting. The day I arrived, I asked if I could see the buffet offering since I had multiple food allergies and wasn’t sure I could eat there. To my surprise, someone asked a head chef to walk me through the entire buffet. Chef Alex was amazing and took the time to walk me through ALL the food selections and told me what I could eat and what was “unsafe.” There were plenty of gluten-free options and an entire area of gluten-free desserts. I think I died and went to heaven, lol.

Made To Order
He also told me anything could be made fresh for me without cheese or other ingredients I couldn’t eat. In fact, he suggested I request freshly prepared food to avoid cross-contamination. He recommended the gluten-free pizza made with a cauliflower crust with vegan cheese. After an enjoyable tour of the buffet, I decided to give the Wicked Spoon a try. I had an early dinner at 4:30 pm, which cost $29, saving me the cost of dinner, which rises to $42 after 5 pm.

Everything I ate was flavorful and well presented. I took Chef Alex’s suggestion and ordered the gluten-free pizza. It took 20-minutes to make, but sadly, I was disappointed because the crust was too hard, and the vegan cheese was terrible.

If you decide to eat at the Wicked Spoon, be sure to try the tapioca pudding, which is to die for. I would have been happy to eat just that for dinner since it was so delicious. The sorbet is freshly made and was heavenly too.

Wicked Spoon also offers a create-your-own carry out for a mere $20.

P.F. Chang’s
I found P.F. Chang’s across the Las Vegas Blvd from where I was staying. I was intrigued by their extensive menu of gluten-free foods at affordable prices. After eating at P.F. Chang’s, the food was so delicious that I decided to eat there a second night. The first night I had Hokkien street noodles made with rice noodles, chicken and shrimp in a tasty curry sauce. The portion was a healthy size and cooked to perfection. In fact, I couldn’t eat it all, so I took the leftovers back to my Airbnb for lunch the next day. The following night, I had Beef with broccoli, which was also good but a little too salty.