The Olive Garden offers Gluten Free options

The Olive Garden-GF Mixed Grill

For better or worse, the Gluten Free lifestyle is gaining in popularity. While some in the community may bicker over its trendiness, one thing is for certain: bringing GF food into the mainstream is causing more and more restaurants and stores and manufacturers to sit up and take notice. There are more GF offerings at more locations than ever before.

One surprising addition has been The Olive Garden’s Gluten Free menu. Who would have thought that an almost strictly pasta restaurant would have GF offerings? Of course, you can always get their salad sans croutons, but now they have a GF pasta on their Garden Fare options menu. Pennine Rigate with Marinara is a hearty marinara sauce made from tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and herbs served over gluten free penne pasta. Gluten sensitive diners can also try their Steak Toscano (grilled 14 oz. steak served with grilled veggies) or the Herb-Grilled Salmon (salmon filet brushed with herbs and olive oil, served with broccoli and red bell peppers. The Mixed Grill, which comes with broccoli and grilled veggies, can be made with skewers of grilled steak and chicken, marinated in Italian herbs and olive oil, or with all chicken. There is even a children’s GF menu item: Grilled Chicken Breast served with broccoli and grilled veggies.

The Olive Garden has many locations in our area, with more coming soon.

• 1200 Bethlehem Pike, North Wales;
• 83 City Line Ave., Bala Cynwyd;
• 1001 Baltimore Pike, Springfield;
• 1346 Chestnut St., Philadelphia;
• 9280 E. Roosevelt Blvd., Philadelphia;
• 2328 Moreland Rd., Willow Grove;
• 2245 E. Lincoln Hwy., Langhorne;
• 1279 New Churchman’s Rd., Christiana, DE.

The Olive Garden in Collegeville, PA, is slated to open November 2009.