Hola Arepa – Newaygo, MI (100% GF)

Followers recently told me about Hola Arepa. The images on their Facebook page state that their entire menu is gluten free. Follow the on Facebook to see where they will show up next. It looks like they are often at Nelson’s Farm Market in Grant.

De Food Truck USA – Mesick (100% GF)

De Food Truck, located in Northern Michigan, offers a 100% gluten free menu. That includes fried fish, French Fries, falafel and more. Read more about this fantastic business in my review.

Follow De Food Truck on Facebook and Instagram.

Your Mom’s House – Port Huron (100% GF)

This dedicated gluten free food truck serves gluten free sandwiches and some of the best French Fries. Sandwich options include pulled pork, grilled cheese, and ham & Swiss. Follow Your Mom’s House on Facebook to see where they will turn up next.

Follow Your Mom’s House on Facebook and Instagram.

Tru Food Pizza Food Truck – Metro Detroit (100% GF)

Tru Pizza (formerly Renee’s Gourmet Pizzeria) started in Troy, Michigan as a 100% gluten free pizzeria. Since then they have added a location in Plymouth, MI and have recently opened a food truck. You’ll find it mostly in the Metro Detroit area, and in Ann Arbor on Wednesdays at the Farmers Market. Follow them on social media to see their schedule.

Follow Tru Pizza Food Truck on Facebook and Instagram

Ace’s Donuts – Royal Oak (100% GF)

When I asked Ace’s Donuts what kind of flour they use for their donuts, they stated they use rice flour. You can find them most weeks at the Royal Oak Farmers Market. Follow them on Instagram or visit their website.

Veged Out Food Truck – Waterford (GF Options)

While Vedged Out is NOT a 100% gluten free food truck, they have lots of gluten free options. In addition, they’re the old vegan food truck I’d recommend. They have some amazing gluten free wraps. You can usually find them at Oasis Health Foods.

Burger Bus – Marquette (Mostly Gluten Free)

Everything on the Burger Bus food truck is gluten free, except the brioche bun. Even their fried chicken is gluten free! Gluten free buns are available for $2.50 extra.

Follow The Burger Bus on Facebook and Instagram.

Fire and Rice – Lansing & Ann Arbor (100% GF)

I discovered paella when in college. My college roommate has Spanish extended family, and she made this often. The blend of saffron and vegetables and artichokes tastes like home to me.

Therefore, imagine my ecstatic joy when I realize that Fire and Rice makes all their paellla to be gluten free. It’s like heaven in a box. Follow them on Facebook to stalk find them near you!

**Note- Someone mentioned they have hot sauce made with non gluten free beer.

Follow Fire and Rice on Facebook and Instagram.

Kona Ice – Multiple Franchise Locations (100% GF)

Many dessert food trucks exist out there. However, this is the only food truck I know where everything is gluten free. True, Kona Ice basically serves snow cones. But how great is it to relive your childhood with creative flavors? Kona Ice is a franchise, so you can find them in lots of cities. I visited a truck while at a Frankenmuth Truck Rally, and the owners reside in Fenton.

Follow Kona Ice on Facebook (Lansing) (Lapeer Co.) and Instagram (Lansing).

*Hero or Villain – Detroit Area (GF Options)

Disclaimer. I have not personally eaten at this food truck. Their business popped up frequently when searched for Michigan gluten free food trucks. They offer gluten free bread for any of their sandwiches.

Staff stated they “switch gloves, clean and sanitize surface areas and use separate utensils,” when preparing a gluten free sandwich. Simply let their staff know about your allergen when you visit. Visit their Facebook page to learn more.

Follow Hero or Villain on Facebook and Instagram.

Shuck ‘n’ Ladder Corn Roasting – Metro Detroit Area

I ate at Shuck N’ Ladder while at the Michigan State Fair years ago. They serve hot, buttered ears of corn, with different, optional toppings. I felt so excited to find food at the fair that I could eat. I am unsure if their potatoes and walking tacos are gluten free. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were. Find out more about this seasonal food truck on their Facebook page.

Follow Shuck N’ Ladder on Facebook.

There you go! Some great Michigan Gluten Free Food Trucks (or those with options) to search out. Think of it as a culinary scavenger hunt, except the pieces constantly move. Who’s ready for an adventure!

Know of a food truck you think I should add to the list? Leave me a comment below and I’ll research them further! 

I share many more Michigan gluten free dining options I recommend on my blog. Looking for options in bigger cities? Check out my suggestions for Detroit, Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Traverse City. Plus, check out my Michigan gluten free baker list!

The post Michigan Gluten Free Food Trucks appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Where is Twigs Tavern and Grille?

Twigs Tavern and Grille is located in Rochester, Minnesota. Located about 1 mile from Mayo Clinic, it is THE best place to eat in town, if you have Celiac Disease. It is located inside the Centerstone Plaza Hotel.

So how does a Michigan girl end up in a Minnesota restaurant? Rochester was one of the stops on our epic road trip from the Great Lakes State to Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As we planned our route, a lady in a gluten-free Facebook group mentioned the awesomeness that is Twigs Tavern and Grille. So I sent the staff an email inquiring about visiting their restaurant, wanting to know more about their gluten-free story.

Why Did Twigs Tavern and Grille Set Up a Separate Gluten Free Kitchen?

What a story it is! Imagine that you are the lead recipe developer for a restaurant. Then imagine that you receive a Celiac Disease diagnosis. This is exactly what happened to the owner of  Twigs Tavern and Grille, Michelle Salz, in 2010. Not only did it turn her own life upside down, it presented a problem for her business.

However, she turned adversity into ingenuity. The restaurant reinvented their cooking procedures. They created a separate gluten-free kitchen, complete with refrigerator, prep area, utensils, cookware and appliances. Gluten-Free guests even get fresh salt and pepper shakers.

What Gluten Free Options Does Twigs Offer?

Four pages. The gluten-free menu at Twigs Tavern and Grille is FOUR PAGES long! Living on a medically required diet usually comes with restrictions. However, at Twigs Tavern and Grille in Rochester, Minnesota, one can experience amazing culinary freedom. How is this possible? This restaurant boasts the only separate, dedicated gluten-free kitchen in the city!

How are Twigs Staff Trained about Dietary Restrictions? 

Michelle completely retrained her staff in the proper use of cooking and handling foods for those with special diets. Front of house staff now automatically ask incoming guests if they needed a gluten-free menu. Gluten-free guests receive menus that look different from regular menus, which immediately alerts the server to the dietary needs of the diner. Gluten-free meals are served with picks that denote that it is a gluten-free dish.

What Did You Order?

And what an amazing variety of meals they offer! After we were seated, it literally took me forever to figure out what to order. Our waitress highly recommended the onion ring frittis, so we started with those as an appetizer. They had everything from steak cooked on a hot rock, to fish tacos to shrimp on zucchini noodles.

I debated between getting their award winning Parmesan Polenta, the Applewood Smoked Meatloaf, and even the Tomato Trio with Crispy Risotto Cake. Finally, my curry loving self settled on the Country Captain Chicken. My husband ordered the Old English Fish and Chips, and we also ordered a small plate of the Twigs Tavern and Grille award winning gluten-free butternut squash ravioli.

The Best Gluten Free Ravioli I’ve Ever Eaten

What a treat! First off, let me wax poetic about their ravioli. The pasts is tender and pillowy, not tough like some gluten-free pastas. The butternut squash filling was beyond stellar. It was adorned with a sun-dried tomato and garlic cream sauce so good I wanted to lick the plate. (As this is a finer dining restaurant, I restrained myself.) Seriously, the ravioli left me speechless. One can order this ravioli as a small plate, or as a full dinner entree.

Does Twigs Tavern and Grille Offer Gluten Free Beer?

Since I stuffed myself with the majority of the ravioli, my husband enjoyed the onion ring frittis. In addition to the appetizer, he also ordered a Burning Brothers “Roasted” Coffee Ale. Like Alt Brew, Burning Brothers is a 100% gluten-free brewery. Burning Brother Brewing is located in St. Paul, about an hour and a half north of Twigs Tavern and Grille.

My husband commented that it was the second best coffee beer he’s ever tasted. Not just second best gluten-free beer. My husband, who doesn’t have to eat gluten-free, rated this higher than some regular gluten containing beers. That’s quite a compliment! It paired well with the onion ring frittis and his fish and chips. His exact review of the fish was one word – “awesome.”

Do They Offer Gluten Free Dessert? Do They Have Vegan Options?

While the Country Captain Chicken stated it came in a curry sauce, it tasted more like a paella to me. Which I LOVE! This dish comes adorned with pan seared chicken, and loaded with a great assortment of roasted vegetables. What really makes the dish pop is the currants and toasted almonds, making a great balance of savory and sweet. As full as I was from the onion ring frittis and the ravioli, I wanted to eat every last bite of that dish.

Finally, our waitress came by with the dessert tray. Out the six desserts they offered that night, FIVE of them were gluten-free! Have you ever heard of such a thing?! Due to our full bellies, we regretfully passed on dessert. (Kicking myself. I should have asked to take one to go!) What even impressed me more is that they attempting to make vegan gluten-free desserts as well. I love that this restaurant is so accommodating to those with multiple food restrictions.

Final Thoughts

If I had any complaints about our time at Twigs Tavern and Grille, it would be that the fried food seemed a tad soggy. Maybe they simply need to up the temperature on the fryer. In addition, please make sure when ordering the Burning Brothers Coffee Ale that you know it comes in tall cans.

Our waitress accidentally brought us a non-gf beer at first. I immediately noticed the difference as the beer she first brought came in a regular sized can. Mistakes happen even in the best of places during a busy dinner service. Overall, we had a great dinner and the staff provided excellent service. In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone!

Twigs Location and Contact Information

Twigs Tavern and Grille
401 6th Street, Southwest
Rochester, Minnesota 55902
(inside the Centerstone Plaza Hotel)
507-288-02026
Webpage | Facebook | Instagram

Have you dined at Twigs? What is your favorite dish? Are there other locations visitors should check out while in Rochester? We had a great cup of coffee at Cafe Steam!

Twigs Tavern and Grills is one of many restaurants I’ve visited. Find more dining suggesions in my  Michigan gluten free dining post. Please remember to always ask any restaurant about their food preparation practices. I was not paid or compensated in any way for this meal.

Twigs Tavern and Grille graciously offered my husband and I both a free meal in return for an honest review. (We did pay for the alcohol and remembered to tip well!) All of my thoughts and opinions are completely my own, and I would highly recommend this place to anyone!

Originally Published November 2017

The post Twigs Tavern and Grille – Gluten-Free in Rochester, Minnesota appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.