Gluten-Free Pizza at Uno Chicago Grill

The pizzas are delicious -- and it's wonderful to be able to go out for pizza with friends!

Uno Chicago Grill, a franchise with more than 200 restaurants, offers a wide-ranging menu for people on gluten-free diets. The gluten-free pizza choices, of course, get the most attention, first because the pizza is delicious and second, because just being able to go out for pizza with friends and family is enough to bring tears to the eyes of anyone with celiac disease (or the parents of a celiac child). But also on the menu are steaks, salmon, ribs, chicken, burgers, salads, side dishes, and desserts.

The person who finally introduced me to Uno's pizza is Betty Barfield, the president of the North Texas Gluten Intolerance Group. She took me for lunch to the Uno's restaurant in Fort Worth, where her group has held special events. I ordered the cheese pizza. Betty, rather than ordering the pepperoni pizza, asked that hers be prepared with vegetables, and the manager was happy to meet her special request.

My pizza was way too large for me to finish in one sitting. Not surprisingly, the restaurant has boxes for taking home leftovers, but for me, because I was about to get on a plane, the waiter hunted down a plastic bag that would keep my leftover pizza safer in the box. For dinner on my flight back to New Jersey, I enjoyed my delicious leftover pizza -- still with a chewy crust! -- while everyone around me had to settle for little packs of pretzels.

Unfortunately, Uno Chicago Grill does not have locations in every state. If you don't live near one, the only encouragement I can offer is that options for gluten-free pizzas are increasing; check with a local support group to see if gluten-free pizzas are available near you. If you do live near a Uno Chicago Grill, give yourself a treat and go.