By: Lisa Santaniello | December 22 2010
Posted in San Francisco Bay Area - Find It - San Francisco

Photo credit: Lisa Santaniello

When I realized earlier this year that dairy and gluten were giving me major digestive problems,  I decided to cut them out of my diet. This wasn’t an easy decision- no bread, no ice cream, no cheese? It didn’t seem possible (especially the cheese part). Luckily, Berkeley, Oakland and San Francisco  are some of the most accommodating cities for eaters with dietary restrictions. I’m not perfect at sticking to my special diet, but these places make it a whole lot easier.

Cha-Ya has locations in San Francisco and in Berkeley, and their inventive, vegetarian and vegan menu is so delicious you don’t feel like your missing out on anything. The sushi rolls are filled with everything from squash, asparagus, yam and zucchini. My favorite thing is to stop by on a cold day for some of their filling and far from bland udon noodle soup.

Mariposa Bakery- Mariposa fills a huge void for people living with food allergies. While many gluten free baked goods can have a cloyingly off texture or taste, Mariposa makes brownies, cookies, tea cakes and pizza doughs that are undeniably tasty and “real.”  The best part? You can order online and ship them to your friends who can’t get the good stuff where they live.

Flacos Tacos- Flacos has been a staple at farmer’s markets, often creating long lines of customers that zigzags across the market. Their new location near Ashby bart makes it even more convenient to pick up some of their addictive soft tacos. Everything on the menu is vegan, from traditional hominy to crispy taquitos filled with moist “chicken.” But trust them when they tell you the avocado salsa is hot and ask you “can you handle the heat?”

Pizza Rustica- Berkeley has lots of great pizza places, but no so many that offer gluten free crusts. Pizza Rustica offers traditional or wheat-free crusts and all lots of topping choices to fit your mood.

Pepples Donuts- Unlike lots of vegan or gluten free versions of foods, these donuts taste just like the real thing- but better. Stop by the Ferry Building or their north Oakland storefront early in the day to try their most popular flavor- salted caramel.

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