It was my first time visiting cheesetique. I just moved to the neighborhood so I wanted to check it out. For reference this Restaurant has gluten free options but they forgot and served me gluten free bread! I have an autoimmune disease that is sensitive to gluten so hence why I am gluten free. My husband and I ordered gluten free appetizers and he got the pasta. Then my sandwich came and I didnt know if it was GF. The bread looked gf but it tasted different than gf. I began to eat it when the waitress came by 10 mins later to check on us I asked her to confirm if it was GF and she looked at me saying whoops, "no, so sorry." I trusted her given our long convo about gluten free about all our other items. I don't know if she forgot or the chef and kitchen didnt read the notes but we were clear I was GF. The manager came by apologized told us he took off my sandwich but we shared with him if it was more severe someone could have died or gotten more sick... which can be a lawsuit. I told him he should have comped us for the entire meal. It was unacceptable. He then promptly said dont worry about paying. We left a tip for our waitress still but we are very disappointed about our experience and the mistake. This experience occurred on Aug 2nd and 7pm. We left the restaurant with our food items to go at around 8:30pm.
I had not been here in about 8 years but my brain remembered that the food was amazing. I'm now gluten free and I was impressed by the options. The food was phenomenal just like I remembered. The prices weren't as high as I remembered which was a nice treat!
Only had takeout from here so far, but it was noteworthy.
The gluten free pizza is some of the best we've had.
The glutenous is of course amazing as well.
The burger and chicken sandwich are expensive but also exemplary. (They are huge!)
In our opinion you can share a small pizza with two people and a sandwich with two people.
MexicanKid FriendlyOpen Late NightLunchTake AwayAllergen FriendlyBeerBreakfastDinnerBrunchTacosDeliveryPet FriendlyOutdoor SeatingBarRestaurant
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Jena Van
The tacos were delicious and the service was good. The menu had clear gluten free options and a lot of them too. The tacos are more expensive than average, around $5 each, but worth it because of how tasty they are. I would recommend this place.
I've been going here for several years now, and the food never disappoints. This locally-owned restaurant serves healthy, delicious and carefully prepared food -- from delicious gluten-free crêpes to fresh fish. For those looking to binge eat and complain about the portion size, this is not the place to go. For those interested in a healthy, fresh, and delicious French meal however, this place is highly-recommended. It is without doubt one of the best restaurants in Old Town Alexandria.
ItalianBrunchDinnerKid FriendlyOpen Late NightLunchTake AwayVegetarian OptionsVegan OptionsDessertsPastaPizzaBreakfastDeliveryPet FriendlyOutdoor Seating
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Arianna J. Rosario Jovet
I was really anxious about eating here but I have to say the servers were VERY attentive and they made me feel so safe. Everything was perfect and safe for celiacs!!!
AmericanBrunchBreakfastDairy Free OptionsDinnerOpen Late NightLunchOutdoor SeatingDeliveryTake AwayPet FriendlyKid Friendly
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Courtney Cox
I really can’t enough good things about this restaurant!
The staff was unbelievable, and addressed my options with me as soon as I mentioned I had celiac disease. Our server Gara was great!!! Once our order was in, the manager Diego came over to introduce himself, and he reassured me the kitchen was taking care with my order!
The scallops and risotto were incredible, and melted in your mouth! I’m so happy having a place I can count on for dining out!!!!
The baked cod was very good -- light, flaky, moist, and delicious. The sides of roasted potatoes and green beans were quite good as well. As a gluten-free option, the shrimp and grits were very, very good.
Great local place with good beer rotating beer selections. Personal pizzas including gluten free with many speciality options. Main sandwich options seem to now not come with sides but servings are generous.
I have mixed reviews here and have also seen lots of reviews that rave about gluten free. Let’s make this clear the baked goods are not necessarily the safest gluten-free to eat. They are all in the same case with other non-gluten-free baked goods crumbs everywhere next to each other and touching. It is gluten-free friendly so if you do not have celiac disease, I would recommend getting a baked good if you just eat gluten-free as fad diet. Gluten intolerant people eat at risk, but celiac disease people do not eat their baked goods. Their sandwiches are amazing!! Their other gluten-free friendly menu I always go into order and I make sure that they use cooking utensils and separate knives and separate everything while making my gluten-free sandwich on gluten-free bread so it will be celiac safe, but you have to go through the instructions with them or the chefs will just use, the same knives and everything else that they use for a regular gluten sandwich. Celiac celiac should stay away from their desserts. A lot of these reviews talking about gluten-free or misleading because they don’t talk about how gluten-free desserts are and they’re not celiac safe.
SeafoodCocktailsAmericanBrunchOpen Late NightBreakfastLunchDinnerDeliveryTake AwayOutdoor SeatingKid FriendlyRestaurantPet Friendly
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Serena W.
The food here is absolutely amazing! I'm both gluten and dairy free and they are very cognizant of allergens and dietary restrictions. We went on Valentine's Day and the manager made sure that every woman received a rose. I had the Mahi Mahi Tacos and blueberry lemonade! The service was great, wonderful atmosphere and it was a perfect evening! We'll be back!!!
Recently diagnosed with Celiacs Disease. This wonderful restaurant offers many GF options. I absolutely loved the Nopales tacos! Well done Chef's. I'll be back soon.
LunchDinnerBrunchAmericanDeliveryTake AwayPet FriendlyOutdoor SeatingKid FriendlyBarOpen Late
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Alexandria Heller
So many people recommend this place because of its extensive gluten-free menu. But upon arrival, I was told by our server that nothing fried would be gluten-free, ok, I understand that. But the majority of the vegetables were also not gluten-free for one reason or another, which was baffling! Not a single appetizer was gluten free, the waitress suggested the steak or a fish. Unfortunately, I'm vegan as well. So we had to leave. I'm not sure who went to this place and found it to be gluten-free, friendly, but it is absolutely NOT a place to go if you have celiac disease! Exceptionally disappointing as we drive and hunted for parking for quite a while all to turn around and leave.
I love shrimp and grits. Since moving to the DC area from the Gulf of Mexico coast 15+ years ago, I've had it many times. However, it's only been good twice. Jula's/Cafe 44 is the second time in 15 years I've had good shrimp and grits in this area.
Great service, great views, great food.
Gluten-free items are marked on the menu.
My friends and I went here 2 weeks ago for restaurant week. We decided on Rustico because one of my friends has celiacs disease and is gluten free, but Rusticos menu had an incredibly wide selection of gluten free options so it sounded very promising. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we all chose the restaurant week menu and ordered our meals. My friend mentioned with her dessert order that she had a gluten allergy and thus just wanted the brownie sunday without the brownie. The waitress refused to give her the entire sunday without the brownie and insisted she just get plain vanilla ice cream, which is disappointing, but by far not the worst part of dinner. After ordering, the waitress came back and told us that although most of the menu was labeled gluten free, it was actually mostly not gluten free as everything is cooked in the same oil with gluten. Very scary that this place would label everything gluten free when that is not the case. We were lucky we mentioned the fact that my friend had an actual allergy, otherwise we would have never known. This fact then eliminated most of the menu. We asked what other options my friend had for an appetizer and a side for her steak (she ordered steak frites and the fries were not gluten free) and we were told she could have salad. When we asked if there were any other sides as the steak frites already came with salad, we were told she could have Caesar salad….so my friend’s meal consisted of salad as an appetizer, a small steak with a side of salad, and plain vanilla ice cream for dessert, which was very disappointing as the menu looked so promising before we got there. On top of this, the service was incredibly slow. It felt like it took years for the waitress to bring the bill and then run our card. Additionally, we were still charged the restaurant week price for my friends meal which consisted of mostly salad. Definitely not worth it. They should not make false gluten free claims on their menu as it is very misleading and dangerous for people with allergies. Overall, very disappointing experience.
Not many gluten free options! Just one entree and a few of the plain seafood appetizers. If you’re gluten free, there’s better options in the area. Pretty standard American seafood. Our waitress was lovely though.
I'm giving this spot solid 4* for the staff; the food was good, just outsized portions imo. I was really struggling this trip and failed to research the GF options, was dragging @$$ from the worst hotel stay and slowed by the incessant, freezing cold rain, so walking any distance or wandering about was out of the question. Thanks GOOG/Yelp for GF reviews, lifesaving, really.
The lovely young lady up front found me a little table for 1 during a fairly busy lunch as sitting up high at a bar can be pretty uncomfortable for me these days. Evidently restaurants find it upsetting when guests fall out of chairs perfectly sober, thanks dysautonomia! She was very kind and accommodating.
My server Kaya was great, fun, attentive, honest and helpful. She pointed out the gluten-free options, helped me with ingredient & portion info and was super friendly to this sola traveler. My salmon dish was a bit lackluster; there was a smear of sauce painted on the plate but seemed a bit divorced from the other elements and the entire dish was under-seasoned, just this side of bland. Honestly, that 8-9 oz piece of fish was really just too much. I know, so unAmerican, but I hate wasting food and was grabbing a train so couldn't take leftovers to sit for 4-6 hours. Otherwise, the fish and asparagus were perfectly cooked while the potatoes could've benefited from a bit more time on heat. Takeaway: I'd eat here again for dinner as it was a quality meal and experience especially for the cost but as a lunch it was more food and money than I usually go for. This is merely personal preference. But in the end the deciding factor is: Celiac don't play & eating somewhere safe is totally worth spending a bit more. Being on a train after being poisoned with gluten, well, I'll leave that to your imagination but it's the stuff of nightmares.
William did a great job with service, especially as a gluten-free eater. He was quick with service, filling drinks and answering questions about the menu. The food was delicious and views were great.
Delicious food with many options. Whether you're looking for a quick bite, a fun chat, or something to save dinner when you've gone and burned it yourself (as we have several times!), this is the place to go! It's hard to stand out in a block with so many good places to eat, but this is a definite must! We cannot praise this establishment enough! Gluten free friendly as well!
The many dining rooms add to the already cozy, colonial atmosphere. Service is always very good, sometimes exceptional. A wide variety of foods, plus Gluten Friendly, is great. Overall, a very nice little getaway from everything.
GrillAmericanBrunchDairy Free OptionsDeliveryDinnerKid FriendlyOpen Late NightLunchOutdoor SeatingTake AwayCiderBreakfastPet FriendlyRestaurant
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Krista Radford
Great experience! I went for lunch and had the fish tacos, which were delicious. Unlike other restaurants, they had a good-sized filet of cod instead of just a few small pieces. My daughter had the steak salad and loved it. The staff was knowledgeable about gluten issues, which was a plus. Overall, a very good meal.
Had a great experience here! From being greeted at the door, throughout our meal, the service was fantastic. Mimi, our server was phenomenal and our food came out quickly and at exceptional temperatures. Everything was tasty and accurate. Im so glad they had gluten-friendly pancakes. Probably the best iHop experience I’ve had in a while! :)
We were going to go to a different restaurant but they didnt have any gluten free options for my friend. We tried Vermillion and it is my new favorite restaurant. The food was so wonderful and my gluten free friend was well accommodated. Staff was so welcoming. I will definitely be coming back.
GET THE POT ROAST.
My only complaint about the menu is that there are no gluten free bread substitutes so I was limited to the items on the menu that were labeled GF. The sandwiches all looked phenomenal though!
The specialty coffee was delicious. I got the seasonal rose latte.
Tried this place for the first time for dinner. It was a week night around 6 PM. It wasn’t crowded at all. Service was wonderful. Everything we ordered was really good. There is no gluten free menu. You have to ask for options. The manager was very helpful. We will visit again. They also offer carry out and Uber eats. Pictured is a vegetable dish (front) and Lamb Josh Rogan (which was the favorite of the meal) the other photo is the tandoor chicken (very tasty) which is served with with lentils. Naan bread was good (not pictured).
Our server, Thuba, was so wonderful! The restaurant offered a lot of gluten free options and food was delicious. Highly recommended the sautéed shrimp “Diane”. Will definitely return.
Love this place, even though they don't take reservations. We waited at the bar and had a drink before a table was available. It wasn't a long wait, about 15 minutes, and it was a Saturday night. Food was good, as always. Lots of gluten free options too!
AsianBrunchDairy Free OptionsDinnerOpen Late NightLunchOutdoor SeatingTake AwayVegan OptionsVegetarian OptionsBreakfastDeliveryRestaurant
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Alice Wolfkill
Sisters Thai has changed their recipes. They no longer do any gluten free curries. Please do not order online and call/speak with them if you plan to eat here. They can do Ka prow gf but couldn’t offer me anything else. Honestly, that dish was lackluster too as a meal. We ordered pick up and then by the time I got home found that the other dish we had ordered wasn’t included in the bag… prob not going to come back any time soon.
We had an absolutely wonderful meal. The brussels sprouts were fantastic, the seasonal mocktail was light and refreshing. I've not had a better gluten free pasta in years, and the rice pudding was phenomenal. Can't wait to come back!
*Editing to add that we had another great meal in June of 2023* the gluten free pasta is still amazing and the summer menu was amazing. Only one miss with the "Between the Sheets" cocktail, but otherwise a fantastic meal.
OMG so stupidly delicious. I can’t even! I had the gluten free avocado toast and could have just died happily after my last bite.
I think avocado toast is overrated, but this makes me understand the hype of avocado toast
A very interesting and nice cafe with a very diverse group of visitors. The smell of the hot croissant in the cafe was really appetizing, though I can’t eat gluten. The atmosphere is also nice. Visit it when you are in the area.
I signed up to review on google maps for this place. I absolutely love Mexican food. I have celiac and Mexican is the safest cuisine for me. With that in mind, I’ve tried dozens of Mexican restaurants in the DMV and I can’t find a restaurant better than here. The margaritas are incredible. Whatever they use might as well be pure joy. The fried tacos and queso are the best items on the menu. The tacos aren’t the cop out tacos you get at many restaurants with the grocery store shells but genuine fried fold over tacos. The queso isn’t the traditional white queso but more of a cheese and chorizo goodness which should be tried. The staff above all is the best part about this place. They remember us every time, and it’s such a pleasure coming back. Not going to lie, we can’t find better.
Very nice French restaurant, run by a husband & wife team. We went for the 4 course menu, or variations of it. The where very accommodating for our dietary issues (gluten ;-) , vegetarian, nuts). The food was very good, my oysters and scallops in particular excellent. The service was attentive and friendly. Would go again.
Some of the best gluten free veggies tacos I’ve had in Northerm VA - both the cauliflower and sweet potato tacos were loaded with flavor. My parenter got a variety of meat tacos, and he loved them as well. We’ll definitely be back!
My husband and I got engaged in August and we knew we wanted to have a small wedding in the fall (two months later!). This all hinged on finding a restaurant that had a good atmosphere, was light and airy, and could handle my dietary restrictions. Hummingbird was our answer - we had a Sunday brunch reception here for 60 people after our midday wedding ceremony. Kenneth was so pleasant to work - he was detail oriented, responsive to emails and meeting requests, and he was able to proactively accommodate many food restrictions. I am gluten, dairy, and egg free and there were many foods (at a brunch!) that I could eat. Kenneth also went back and forth with me on the paper menu I created with GF/DF/etc symbols so I could make sure all my friends/family with dietary restrictions were covered. They also prepared a special plate and got a dessert for our vegan friend.
We had many friends compliment us on the food (I hear the avocado toast was particularly amazing), most of whom I consider to be foodies so I took that as quite high praise. It made us very happy that our friends were full and content - that hasn't always happened to us at weddings so that was really important to us when we were planning.
We ended up doing a full restaurant buy out and a partial patio buy out. There was a baby shower on the other portion of the patio which they had put up a tent for since it was early November. Our photographer and some guests got confused by the second event - it blocked the main entry vestibule so people missed all the signage for our event and also no one wanted to hang out at the outside tables even though the weather was beautiful. My recommendation would be to try to also do a full patio buy out so you aren't sharing any outdoor space and it's just your event. All in all, though, I highly recommend!
We had a great time. Linda was our waiter and provided a very welcoming service.
I would recommend the place and food. We could eat gluten-free. They do delivery as well.
Great spot and not too pricey considering it's King St. Great choices in drinks and food and gluten free choices! Friendly servers and great bartenders. What a gem!
Solid cortado (I've been on the hunt for a good one for the last 5-6 coffee places I've been to, and this cortado was up there). Solid arugula salad, super fresh. Lovely outdoor seating on a gorgeous day. Person working there read ingredients on salad dressing to make sure was allergen free for my particular needs. Also have some gluten free desserts. Will return!
Authentic Turkish & Greek Cuisine in Alexandria, VA – A Hidden Gem!
If you’re looking for the best Turkish and Greek restaurant in Alexandria, VA, Smyrna Restaurant should be at the top of your list! Located at 7588 Telegraph Road, Smyrna offers a culinary journey through the Aegean region with dishes that are both authentic and mouth-watering.
The Aegean Odyssey menu is perfect for anyone with dietary preferences, offering a variety of vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options. For just $36 you get four courses, including a spread or soup, appetizer, entrée, and dessert. I went with the vegan options, and each course was bursting with fresh flavors. The quality is top-notch, and you can tell that the ingredients are carefully selected.
The ambiance is cozy and welcoming, with decor that transports you straight to the Mediterranean. The service is friendly and efficient – our server was attentive and knew the menu well, guiding us to the best choices.
If you’re in Alexandria and searching for an incredible Turkish and Greek dining experience, Smyrna is a must-visit. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, I highly recommend stopping by this hidden gem for a meal you won’t forget!
Visit on a rainy day – the warm, cozy atmosphere paired with comforting flavors is the perfect remedy.