Gluten Free in Savannah

My best friend finally moved from across the country to within driving distance, so excited, I made plans to visit her in Savannah, Georgia. While the trip was an exciting prospect, the thought of eating in Savannah was a bit scary. Eating out with Celiac is always tricky, especially in a new city. Researching Savannah, I found some pretty bad reviews. I even read that it was the one of the worst cities to visit if you have a gluten allergy, so I was pretty nervous. After a lot of digging around on the internet, I found some restaurants that looked promising. After enjoying a lot of gluten free food, I have to say that Savannah is more gluten friendly that their reputation implies. Here's a rundown of our trip:

Kasey's Gourmet Grille
I read about Kasey's on a Celiac forum, and after perusing the menu online, my friend and our husbands decided to try it on our first night in Savannah. They had a strange location in a rough-looking shopping strip across from a hospital, but the inside had a cozy, pleasant atmosphere. The restaurant was very accommodating, and the kitchen was very knowledgeable about gluten-containing ingredients. They did not, however, understand about cross-contamination. Our group appetizer was fried goat cheese, which is normally coated in a mixture of flour and cornmeal. They omitted the flour for our order. The chese came with a fruit chutney and a roasted garlic spread, both gluten free and very tasty. It was, however, served on the same platter as the toast provided for dipping. Luckily, there was a section that had not touched the bread, and I managed to cut a portion of cheese for myself and get the toppings I wanted before everyone else dug in. I took a gamble doing this, but it seemed to work, because there were no resulting stomach problems. The cheese was good, but the garlic spread was the table's favorite. Before my entree, I also had the Kasey's Salad, which is comprised of baby spinach, tomatoes, fried shallots (omitted because of the gluten), goat cheese, black pepper croutons (omitted because of the gluten), and blueberry champagne dressing. The salad was amazing, and probably my favorite part of the whole meal, but about halfway through, I tasted a very small part of a crouton. I decided to continue eating the salad, because the damage was done (and I paid for this decision), but I was a little upset that the salad was not entirely safe. My entree was a crispy grouper with mango glaze served with swiss chard and potatoes (substituted for Jasmine rice, which contained gluten). Again, they used only cornmeal to coat the fish. The whole meal was good, the bitter chard being a nice contrast to the sweet mango, except that I was expecting a grouper fillet, and instead, I received an entire grouper! That was a bit of a shock! For desert, I had a mocha creme brulet with chocolate and whipped cream on top. I could only eat half of it, because I had eaten so much food already, but it was fantastic. As soon as I put my spoon down, my friend grabbed it and finished it!

Knowledge - 2.5 stars
Accommodation - 4 stars
Taste - 4 stars


Moon River Brewing Company
I heard about Moon River in a Savannah online travel guide. I called ahead, and assured that they could accommodate a gluten free diet. They can also accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets, too. It is a lovely pub located near River Street with nice decorations (including prints of paintings by my favorite artist, Van Gogh). Our waitress was polite, but she was very slow, being absent for long periods of time. The restaurant was out of several items like sausage, nacho, cheese, and butter, which was a bit off-putting as well. The staff knew what gluten was but were uncertain how to determine whether food was safe, so they took an overly cautious approach, for which I was grateful. They were wary to put any seasoning at all on my food, and brought labels from the kitchen so I could determine whether or not the items were safe. After perusing a few labels, I made my choice. I ordered a barbecue pork sandwich without the bun. The fries that normally come with the sandwich were not safe (cross contamination), so they happily substituted broccoli for my side item. The barbecue was very good, and had a sweet, spicy flavor. The broccoli was served plain, and after learning that they were out of butter (honestly, how does a restaurant run out of BUTTER‽), I decided to season it with salt and lemon juice, which was sufficient. While the food was good, it was a little disappointing to have a plate of plain broccoli and a small pile of barbecued pork. I felt like for the price I paid, I should have had more food. After dinner, I went next door to 5 Guys and got some french fries.

Knowledge - 2 stars
Accommodation - 3.5 stars
Taste - 3 stars


The Cotton Exchange
Walking down River Street around lunchtime, my friend, Aaron, and I decided we were hungry, thought this place looked good, and took a chance. We asked the hostess if they accommodated gluten allergies, and she brought the manager to us who assured us that the kitchen was very good about handling food allergies. The decor was charming, with an old tavern feel created by showing the original stone structure, wooden beams, and beautiful wooden booths that, while new, kept in line with the era. While the kitchen was knowledgeable, my gluten allergy seemed very new to our waiter. He was sweet, but he looked scared! I decided not to overwhelm him, and tried to order a salad, which seemed to be the easiest thing on the menu (most everything else was fried). I was between the Greek salad and the Cobb salad, depending on which one could be gluten free. I asked about the ingredients, and the only thing he wasn't sure about was the salad dressing. After several trips to the kitchen to confer with the chef, he brought the salad dressings in question so I could read the labels. I was very impressed with how willing he was to ensure that everything was right. The Greek dressing was definitely gluten free. The Cobb salad normally comes with a ranch dressing that is not gluten free (Hidden Valley), so I asked about the honey mustard. After looking over the honey mustard ingredients, I was not sure that it was gluten free, so I chose the Greek salad. Even with the special gluten request, our food came very quickly. I don't care for cucumbers, and I forgot to ask for them to be omitted, so my first few minutes were spent picking through my salad for the offending items. After that, I was free to dig into my salad, and I was very pleased. The ingredients were very fresh, and the salad tasted great!

Knowledge - 3.5 stars
Accommodation - 4 stars
Taste - 4 stars


Belford's Savannah
Aaron and I were investigating the Savannah City Marketplace, and we decided we needed lunch. We looked at the various menus, and the last restaurant on the street caught my eye. In the list of appetizers, there were fried green tomatoes that were pan fried in cornmeal. I had been hoping for some fried green tomatoes, a delicious Southern staple, and this looked promising! We poked our head inside, and were immediately impressed by the charming interior. The floor was a beautiful wood, and the walls were exposed brick. Contrasting the raw materials, the tables and chairs were very chic and upscale. We asked our waiter if the could accommodate a gluten free diet, and after saying yes, he shared that a woman had just dined there, and told us what she ordered and how they adjusted it for her. For an appetizer, I got the fried green tomatoes (of course)! They usually come breaded in cornmeal and flour, but they took the flour out. Since they were pan fried, there were no cross-contamination worries. They were served with a corn salsa that provided a nice cool contrast to the warm tomatoes, and a remoulade sauce, which I requested on the side, as I do not like like remoulade. They were fantastic! Just what I was hoping to find! For my entree, I ordered a Mediterranean salad, which had several vegetables and feta cheese. The only substitution I had to make was the salad dressing. I had balsamic dressing instead of their Greek dressing, which contains gluten. Though pricey, the meal was absolutely wonderful, and I could not have asked for more.

Knowledge - 5 stars
Accommodation - 5 stars
Taste - 5 stars


Johnny Harris Barbecue
I am very impressed with Johnny Harris. I had heard about them on a Celiac forum, and e-mailed them to request allergen information. I knew that their fried chicken was gluten free (no breading), and I wondered about their Brunswick stew. They promptly replied, asking me to call and go over the ingredient list, as there were so many in the stew. During the phone call, I discovered that the stew was gluten free (yay!), and that if I brought my own flour, they could fry whatever items I would like in a dedicated fryer (the one they sue for their fried chicken). I was excited about this place a week before I even arrived in Savannah! We finally decided to go on the 4th night of our trip. The restaurant, which opened in 1924, has a very unique decor, and was a very fun experience. In the middle of the round room stands a lighted post, and the walls have a continuous mural around the top. The tables are in individual booths that line the edge of the room. The booths have service call buttons, and had a bar where curtains used to hang, making the booths private. Flour in hand, I explained to our waitress that I had a gluten allergy, and that I had made arrangements with the manager to have food fried with my own flour. the manager came to our table, and talked with us for a while about my dining needs. For my appetizer, I had fried green tomatoes for the second time that day. I was in Heaven! I liked the seasonings on these tomatoes bettern than at Belford's, and was very pleased to have peppered vinegar available. For dinner, I had a bowl of Brunswick stew and a side of turnip greens. The Brunswick stew was very good, but quite strong. I had to eat it in small doses. The turnip greens, which my friend also ordered, were too salty for either one of us to eat. Overall, though, the meal was superb, as was the service. The food was reasonably priced, and it was fun to hear the restaurant's history. I will definitely be back!

Knowledge - 5 stars
Accommodation - 5 stars
Taste - 4.5 stars


Lady and Sons
Paula Deen's restaurant was eagerly anticipated by both Aaron and me, and we had heard from a Celiac forum that her restaurant staff was knowledgeable and accommodating. After waiting in a short line a 9:3o am for lunch reservations, we spent the morning enjoying Savannah. We returned for our reservations around noon, and it was very crowded. We got called for our table about 30 minutes after our reservation time, and were sent past food that looked and smelled delicious. My mouth was watering. Once seated at our table, we were given a cornmeal cake and cheddar biscuit, which smelled amazing, but were not gluten free. Aaron happily ate both our portions, reporting that they were as good as they smelled. After informing our waitress of my gluten allergy, I discovered that they had a gluten free menu. I was excited and hopeful at this news, but was immediately disappointed when I saw that the lunch menu only had four items on it (the dinner menu had more choices). Upon inquiry, I found out that the lunch buffet had several gluten free items (baked chicken, potatoes, candied yams, and salad), but the vegetables I had been eying were not safe. Because of this, I decided to order from the GF menu. I got a baked tilapia served with vegetables and rice. Aaron ordered the buffet and was able to get his food immediately, but mine took a very long time. Feeling bad for me, he brought back some yams on a separate plate so I could try them. They were good, but they were so rich and sweet that I had trouble finishing them. Aaron loved all of the food he ate, especially the fried chicken. When my food came, though, I was sorely disappointed. The fish was seasoned only with an overabundance of salt, and it had that lakey taste of a fish that is just a little bit too old. The rice was buttered, making it the best thing on my plate. The vegetables included sauteed squash and zuchinni, which were almost as salty as the fish, plain grilled portabello mushrooms, and plain steamed asparagus. It was a pitiful showing, especially for a restaurant with such a big name behind it. I felt like the allergen friendly food was an afterthought. The highlight of my experience was a flourless chocolate torte. The torte had a good taste and consistency, but it did not make up for the pathetic showing that was my lunch.

Knowledge - 5 stars
Accommodation - 4 stars
Taste - 1 star


Corleone's Trattoria
We found this restaurant on a gluten free registry. I was intrigued, since most Italian restaurants (at least in America) are off limits to Celiacs. I called the restaurant, and found out that they had gluten free pasta! The decision was a pretty quick one! My friend and our husbands headed over to Corleone's immediately, and were impressed right away. The chef came to our table and verified that the pasta was gluten free, as were all of the sauces. He also went over the salad dressings with me to make sure I made a safe choice. During our chat, we found out that his wife had Celiac, too. After talking with us, he left to cook my pasta, and our food came out pretty quickly. My salad was a nice, fresh start to the meal. I ordered penna a la vodka, my favorite, and was very excited! When our food came, the smell was incredible, and the taste did not disappoint. It is the best penna a la vodka I have ever eaten in my life. The noodles were so good that I was worried for a minute that they weren't gluten free! The meal was, however, perfectly safe. This was easily my favorite meal of the trip!

Knowledge - 5 stars
Accommodation - 5 stars
Taste - 5 stars


Lulu's Chocolate Bar
My friend enjoys this cute desert bar and wanted to share it, because she knew they served creme brulet. I thought the atmosphere was very nice. It was a mix between stylish and laid back, and had classic rock playing softly in the background unless the jukebox was being employed. I had three choices of creme brulet flavors, and after checking that all were gluten free, I chose vanilla bean. It was great! The staff there was very pleasant and knowledgeable about the ingredients.

Knowledge - 5 stars
Accommodation - 3 stars
Taste - 4 stars


Savannah's Candy Kitchen
We found two locations in Savannah, but the one to visit in on River Street. When we walked into the store, I was immediately drawn to the smell of caramel and pralines being prepared. They have homemade gelato and ice cream and taffy and pralines made fresh in the store. It is a candy paradise (a kid in the store even said so!). I immediately asked if the caramel was gluten free, and they assured me that it was. I asked about the marshmallows, but they couldn't be certain, since they get those from a different manufacturer and advised me to avoid them. I asked about the pralines, and was given a list of ingredients and was assured that they were gluten free as well. As if this wasn't exciting enough, they had free samples of the fresh, warm pralines that were just made. AMAZING! Best pralines I've ever had. They had a deal where you could get a free half pound of pralines if you purchased a pound, and we did! We of course, shared them with friends, as we could not possibly eat a pound an a half of pralines before they went bad. Not that we didn't try! While waiting for the pralines, we enjoyed glass-bottled Coke and watched the taffy being made. The taffy started as a huge ball and after being threaded through a machine where it was cut and wrapped, it was sent in buckets up to a chute that sent the taffy to a bin where you could purchase it. It's a really fun experience!


Knowledge - 4.5 stars
Accommodation - 3 stars
Taste - 5 stars