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Fargo-Moorhead Guide to Gluten-Free Restaurants

When you’re not scouring mystomachhatesme.com for new Gluten-Free recipes and instead are looking to go out, you’re in luck. Much different than 10, or even 5, years ago, the Fargo-Moorhead area has some great options for dining when it comes to diet restrictions. But it is important to keep in mind the terminology mentioned before, as well as to always double-check with your server if you’re unsure and have any worry about an unfavorable reaction. Here are some of Cassie’s favorite dining spots, and a few extra. Check all of the stuff you CAN eat!

Thai Orchid

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“The Boulder Tap house in Moorhead is really proud [of their menu]… I’m there pretty often for work and their gluten-free menu is awesome! Same thing for Thai Orchid in Moorhead, I live [far] and I will drive 30 minutes to Thai Orchid!”

– Cassie Temple

Most dishes in Thai cuisine are naturally Gluten-Free, and it can be very easy to modify others to fit Dairy-Free, Vegan, or Vegetarian diets. Another bonus is the fact that dishes are cooked in a separate pan one by one! menu. Pictured here is their Vegan Thai Garden (1) dish with “Mock Duck,” featuring a spread of broccoli, carrot, celery, onion, fresh garlic, and mushroom in a light soy sauce. The curry on Thai Orchid’s menu is always Gluten-free—here is their Yellow Curry (2) made of onion, carrot, and potatoes simmered in yellow curry paste with coconut milk!

If you’re looking for something with a kick, the Evil Prince Fried Rice (3) with chicken is a house specialty, made of fried rice in Thai spices sauce with snow pea, egg, carrot, bamboo shoot, and basil sprinkled with scallion—order it up to their highest spice level, level 10!

Tip! While you dine, sip on their Thai Lemon Tea!

The Boulder Tap House – Moorhead

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Since they use specific kitchen tools, different oils to fry, and separate prep stations to prepare Gluten-Free orders, almost anything on the Boulder Tap House menu can be ordered Gluten-Free. Don’t miss out on the variety of perfectly stacked burgers and sandwiches from the Boulder menu, like the Brown Sugar & Smoked Cheddar Burger (1) with housemade cinnamon brown sugar bacon combined with smoked cheddar cheese, Pabst onions, and honey BBQ sauce, and the Cuban Sandwich (2) with layers for ham, pulled pork, melted swiss cheese, fresh cabbage, pickles and dijonnaise! Don’t forget your sides of crispy sweet potato fries and chips with salsa. Pictured here is the Lettuce Wraps (3) appetizer, complete with fajita chicken, black beans, corn, peppers, onions, lettuce, seasoned sour cream, guacamole, and pico toppings. Finally, end your meal on a sweet note with a delicious Flourless Chocolate Cake or caramel-topped Cheesecake! (4)

Not only does the Boulder Tap House have plenty of options when it comes to ordering a gluten-free dish, but they are also very transparent and proud to share their steps in the kitchen to avoid cross-contamination. They are truly Gluten-Free in their restaurant. They also offer a variety of ciders and sours that are gluten-free!

Mahana Fresh

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Pictured here is the Island Bliss Bowl. This colorful and flavorful bowl is both Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free, starting with a kale crunch base, topped with Mahana’s signature honey sriracha brussels sprouts, buffalo cauliflower, and key west chicken and tossed with a citrus ginger sauce. We’ve also added some sliced almonds for crunch!

Power Plate Meals

For a quick meal, without skipping flavor and still filling, stop by any of the Power Plate Meals locations around town. Every meal in the store is marked with its specifications like the Southwest Fajita Bowl, a Gluten and Dairy-Free, and Vegan plant-based meal, complete with coriander-scented jasmine rice with fresh pinto beans, paired with sautéed sweet corn, black beans, and peppers and finished with browned Spanish seasoned vegetable protein.

Mezzaluna

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Enjoy an evening of delicious dining downtown at Mezzaluna, where you can find amazing Vegetarian and Vegan dishes on the menu and Gluten and Dairy-Free options and substitutions! Pictured here is the Corvina (1) dish with confit fingerling potatoes, mushrooms, and bacon in a red wine reduction, and topped with microgreens. Another option is the Tri-Tip Steak (2) order, which sits on a bed of ginger rice, drizzled in gochujang sauce, layered with an herb salad and sliced radishes in a citrus vinaigrette, and sprinkled with sesame seeds. These are just two of the many dishes you can find at Mezzaluna!


There are a handful of great resources to help you decide where to try if you’re trying out a new spot to eat out and managing diet restrictions. ‘Gluten Free Foodies Fargo/ Moorhead’ on Facebook is a locally run and often contributed group for everything gluten and dairy-free. Not only do members recommend restaurants that have GF options, but you can also check out the comment section for discussions on whether or not the restaurant is “celiac safe” or if someone has had a positive or negative experience there. It’s easier to trust what people who have similar diets to yourself are saying about a dish! Sometimes, they will also post local shopping recommendations as well, like where to find certain GF snacks or ingredients around town.


Brew Bird

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Probably one of the best known Gluten-Free joints in Fargo-Moorhead, Brew Bird brings GF dreams to life with their crispy fried chicken meals and sides bursting with flavor. Here we have the Buff Bird sandwich, with a crispy chicken breast dipped in the house buffalo sauce, layered with bacon, tomato, the signature blue bird slaw (made of cabbage, celery, carrots, and blue cheese), and served with a blue cheese ranch vinaigrette (not pictured).

Although Brew Bird is rocking it with their gluten-free options, remember to still specify a Gluten-Free bun in your order!

Mehl’s Gluten-Free Bakery

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Mehl’s Gluten-Free Bakery is filled with treats for anyone’s cravings. While you can find a variety of bakery items like buns or rolls, you can also try their Gluten-Free cupcakes, which also have a great selection of Dairy-Free options! Here is a Cookies ‘N Cream cupcake (left), a Blueberry Lemon cupcake (right), and a sweet sugar cookie!

701 Eateries

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As a sister restaurant to the Gluten-Free restaurant Brew Bird, 701 Eateries’ menu offers a variety of options for those dining with Gluten- Free, Vegan, and Vegetarian needs. Pictured here is the Mushroom Sandwich, made of a balsamic marinated portabella with grilled green onion, fried pickled onions, and a smoked veggie spread, with a side of crispy fingerling potatoes!

Take a peek between the bread and see what goes inside this delicious meal below!

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“Mezzaluna, Maxwell’s, Rustica, and 701 are all my go-to dinner spots… Every time I sit down, they’ll customize everything. I just tell the server that I can’t have gluten or dairy, they say ‘perfect’ and it’s like they’re prepared for it every time and I appreciate that a lot.”

– Cassie

Himalayan Yak

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“They mark everything on there. Everything on their buffet is marked gluten-free or dairy-free, It’s fantastic. I don’t even have to think about it!”

– Cassie

Himalayan Yak offers Indian and Nepali cuisine, which in turn offers delicious dishes that are often vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free! Pictured is the Chana Masala (1), a chickpea dish cooked in an onion-tomato-based masala gravy and spices and served with rice. Also shown is a Gobi Manchurian (2), which is a very popular Indo-Chinese dish made of crispy cauliflower florets which are deep-fried and tossed in a sweet, Manchurian sauce. Both of these tasty dishes are completely Vegan and Gluten-Free!

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They’ve moved! Himalayan Yak is now located at 1109 38th St S in Fargo. Same delicious food in a new spot!


Other great recommendations!

Wurst Bier Hall
wurstfargo.com
“I love, love German food and they do have a gluten-free baguette that you can put stuff on.”

Crisp & Green
crispandgreen.com
“Crisp & Green and Mahana Fresh are my top two if I’m going to lunch with somebody—those are the top of my list!”

Chipotle Mexican Grill
locations.chipotle.com/nd/fargo
Note: The only item containing gluten on their menu is the flour tortilla!

Beer & Fish Company
beerandfizhcompany.com

Maxwells
maxwellsnd.com

Plaza Azteca
plazaaztecafargo.com
“Plaza Azteca is so good. Mexican [food] is always easy for gluten intolerances because you can get stuff with a corn tortilla and it’s immediately fine. They have a chicken and rice dish, and it has cheese on it but I get it without cheese and add guacamole. My friends and I go there probably once a week!”

Wasabi Sushi & Asian Grill
wasabipokebowl.com
“Sushi is a must-have!”

Smiling Moose Deli
smilingmoosedeli.com/locations

“Smiling Moose Deli and Erbert and Gerberts both have gluten-free buns and it’s really nice for quick lunches.

Rustica Eatery & Tavern
dinerustica.com

Need a second opinion about a specific place? Head to findmeglutenfree.com to search for the best menus catering to those with gluten intolerance and allergies! You can search by address, city, state or postal code, as well as by the type of food you’re craving. Your search will show you all of the restaurants that have been voted on, which are rated on the overall “safeness” of the restaurants when it comes to menu items as well as cross-contamination and you can read past customers’ reviews of the establishments. You can also download the app for on-the-go dining hunting!

Editor’s Picks!

Blaze Pizza
blazepizza.com/location/blaze-pizza-fargo/menu
“Blaze Pizza is one of my favorite spots to order from, whether I’m ordering with friends who have gluten allergies or not! Their build-your-own is my absolute favorite way to order.” -Geneva

Rosewild
jasperfargo.com/rosewild
A great option for those looking for places to adjust for allergies outside of gluten is Rosewild. The team at Rosewild takes dietary restrictions very seriously and chats with you, Chef, and the line cooks to communicate correctly. They mark the allergy to track it through the guest’s entire dining experience and the kitchen will do everything it can to accommodate whenever possible as long as they have the capacity to, or the alteration does not compromise the integrity of the dish!

“Gluten-free options are more minimal given that Nordic style cuisine, which we highlight here at Rosewild, is naturally very grain heavy, especially in the winter months when fresh fruits and vegetables are not abundant. However we do have a few dishes, such as our Brassica which is a hearty hearth-roasted cauliflower dish; our Finbiff, which features a Venison Tasso and hearth roasted mushrooms in a rich mushroom broth; as well our Pastrami Short Rib served with braised kale and Potatoes Anna.” -Rosewild Team

Rosewild partners with local farms in multiple dishes on their menu! See who is featured on their current menu!

  • Doubting Thomas Farms, Moorhead, MN provides local grains including our heirloom barley, rye, and oats.
  • Dig It Produce, Fargo, ND and Sandhills Farms, Mcleod, ND provide a lot of summer vegetables that we ferment and pickle for use year-round.

More Editor’s Picks (but with photos)!

BernBaum’s

BernBaum’s, a downtown hotspot, especially for those weekend mornings, has a menu built for customization, which also means it’s great to work around diet restrictions! Here is BernBaum’s take on a classic, the Vegan Reuben (1), which is filled with roasted beet, smoked carrot, cashew cheese, kraut salad, and Russian dressing served on rye bread. Any of the bagel plates are fan favorites, pictured here is the Vegetarian MidEast bagel plate (2), served with hummus, labne (yogurt cheese), olives, pickled turnip, sumac onion, lemony greens, and a ciabatta bun. Pictured, the Vegan Lox (3) bagel plate is towered with smoked carrot, black garlic tehini, whipped tofu, capers, onion, microgreens, and a seeded bagel! Make sure to also get a knish when you visit. Here is the Vegetable Knish (4), which is potato in puff pastry. Another Vegetarian small plate to try is the Latke Apple (5), which is a potato latke (or potato fritter) served with apple compote and crème fraîche. Finish off any meal with their Mocha Tahini Cookie, which is Vegan!

Nautical Bowls

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Nautical Bowls is the perfect stop for fresh, feel-good, AND taste-good food. These plant-based bowls are filling, nutrient-rich, and simply tasty. Pictured here is the Paddle Bowl, which has three layers of sorbet; blue majik, mango, and coconut, and is topped with granola, strawberries, coconut flakes and honey! These are the perfect quick grabs when you’re on the go, and taste perfect in the warming weather!

Written by Geneva Nodland

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The Pursuit of Success in the FM Metal Scene

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Tips & Picks from FM Gluten-Free Food Blogger, Cassie Temple from @MyStomachHatesMe