I have been so excited to work on this post. Since the moment I touched down back in Raleigh, life has been a whirlwind and I wanted to make sure I had a good amount of time to put into this post before sharing it with the WORLD!
So a little backstory……
We are in New England quite a bit (that is where Mike is from). My brother recently graduated high school AND turned 18 all in the same weekend. We decided to take him to a {little} big city for a weekend to celebrate his leap into adulthood and his accomplishments.
We stayed in Boston’s Seaport which is a really nice up-and-coming area. So many new restaurants are still in development and condos are popping up everywhere!
Our two main events were his first Boston Redsox game at the infamous Fenway Park and our walking tour that led us to famous hot spots such as the Union Oyster House, Faneuil Hall, Mike’s Pastry and Wahlburger’s. His birthday dinner at Rosa Mexicano in the Seaport finished off the festivities.
When I’m traveling, I always make a point to eat. LOL. But really I want to eat at places I wouldn’t find anywhere else! It’s so much fun to just hop on YELP and see what is popular and make note of places that really take care of me and my food allergies.
Ok, now onto my favorite part….
Union Oyster House
Also known as the oldest bar in America AND the place that every President makes a point to visit when in Boston. Sam was excited for this one – and so was I.
The lobster in New England is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I mean, it’s kind of what they’re known for. Now I will point out, they do NOT carry gluten-free buns here but if you let them know ahead of time about your allergies, EVERY employee knows the menu. They can tell you right away if you can have it or not. Talk about committed…..
I obviously had to get a bloody mary while I was there. They basically made me one from scratch using Tito’s Vodka (gluten-free), tomato juice, lemon, hot sauce and black pepper. If you have a gluten allergy, always make sure to ask the bartender what mix they use when ordering a bloody mary! Most of those mixes contain gluten.
Sam of course, got the regular lobster roll and I was able to get a lobster salad. It was just as good. And kind of perfect considering the place we went to next…..
Mike’s Pastry
Open 24 hours, ALWAYS busy, and they have anything from cheese cake, black and white cookies and fudge. They also take out-of-state orders and ship to your home – wink wink!
They have gluten-free and dairy-free options there! It IS slim pickin’s but you can definitely find them if you ask. They are so helpful there regardless of how busy they are. Ps. they only take cash in store.
One of the ladies pointed out to me the macaroons….need I say more?
The boys got I think red velvet cake (see the empty wrapper in the picture lol) and an oreo cheesecake….I do get jealous. Sometimes. That’s okay because I ordered three more macaroons “for the road.” We did a lot of walking.
Fenway Park
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect to watch the White Sox vs Redsox. We had a blast and really enjoyed the food.
For anyone who will be attending their first Sox game – Located at Concourse Gate D, 4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA 02215 at Fenway PARK – THERE ARE GLUTEN-FREE HOTDOGS AND BUNS. I’m not kidding. And at my first game (August 2017), you better believe that I got one.
Wahlburgers
So you’ve seen the show right? UGH. The countless times I watched them make burgers and fries was complete torture because at the time, Raleigh didn’t have a location (WE DO NOW THOUGH). Obviously, Wahlburgers was a must for me on my first trip to Boston – and it was for my brother too.
If you are gluten-free and dairy-free, you’re in luck. They have a separate gluten-free fryer, gluten/dairy-free buns OR you can get a lettuce burger.
Thanks – MARK, PAUL, DONNIE ETC ETC. {#MYHAMBURGERHEROS}
We took my brother to the Fenway Park location after the Sox game. Actually, we left during the 6th inning because we were craving some burgers and fries. We sat outside because it was a perfect night. They had a nice little gas fire going and they were playing the NBA finals game. It was a great way to end the night.
Juice Press
I follow @juicepress on Instagram and I have been craving one of their smoothie bowls for like a YEAR. The Saturday morning we spent in Boston, I got a quick workout in and sprinted to Juice Press (it was around the corner from the hotel right next to Soul Cycle).
They have SO many options. Juice Press makes their almond milk in-house. They serve coffee, salads, smoothies, smoothie bowls, juices – YOU NAME IT. NO DAIRY, NO GLUTEN. NO ARTIFICIAL SUGARS. ALL THE GOODNESS. The staff was so kind and made great suggestions for what protein to add to my bowl. They had pea protein, hemp protein and soy protein. In case you were wondering, I went with the hemp :p
Rosa Mexicano
Who doesn’t love mexican food? We certainly do. What I love even more is a mexican restaurant that is great quality and flexible with food allergies. Rosa has many locations in the north east but this one is located right in the Boston Seaport. Their guacemole is prepared fresh right before they bring it to the table – the cilantro and the avocados were just PERFECT.
They carry some high-quality tequila too. All 100% agave and ALL gluten-free. My favorite margarita (I wish I could remember the name) had a smoky flavor that was too good to be true.
Sam loved it. We were pretty spoiled at this dinner. Baskets of chips, made-to-order cocktails – a mocktail for Sam, AMAZING entrees, and they even sang him happy birthday and brought him dessert {and a sombrero to wear}. He was mortified, and I was amused. Rosa’s was a great experience to end the trip festivities. They were super kind to us.
ALL THE FOOD
The trip was fantastic. We ate so much food – I was happy to be walking as much as we did. Boston is filled with so many food options and on top of that – they are really careful with food allergies there. You can tell that they are prepared. It’s no wonder that Massachusetts is known as one of the most healthy states in the US.
I just want to take a moment to thank all of these places for their amazing hospitality and their willingness to handle my food with care. Gluten and dairy are difficult to manage separately, but together is even a greater challenge!
Love you Boston – until next time,
Your Food Allergy Guide
Click on the restaurant names below to view their websites: