Gluten Free in Newport

My husband is a runner, or according to him, the world’s OKest runner. I think he’s better than that- he’s completed multiple half marathons (13.1 miles), a couple short triathlons (swimming, biking, and running), and can now say a full marathon (26.2 miles)! The best thing about all this running is that he makes it a full weekend where he and I can spend time together away from the kids and enjoy each other’s company.

This past Columbus Day/Indigenous weekend he participated and completed his first marathon and I couldn’t be more proud of him! But now that we got all the running talk out of the way, let’s jump to all the delicious foods we ate.

We stayed in a cute AirBnB in Middletown, RI which is right next to Newport. It was a great place that was quaint, quiet, and only a six minute drive from the hustle and bustle and many great restaurants on Thames St, Newport. 

We dropped our stuff off then made our way to Newport for the first of many picture perfect and tasty meals. Our first restaurant was Jo’s American Bistro with a good variety of options for keto, paleo, or those with allergen sensitivies. Per their menu they have gluten friendly options so good for myself but I would not recommend for those with Celiacs disease.

We shared the hummus plate as an appetizer and the gluten free bread was so good! It held up to great big smears of hummus, olives, and tomato eggplant ragot. The flavors were amazing and my husband might of licked the plate if I let him.

For our entrees, my husband had the lobster “roll” on a gluten free bun with French fries while I had the chicken with gluten free pasta. Both were perfectly seasoned and flavors were amazing. I even splurged and ordered a gluten free martini. The appetizer and meals were so good we had absolutely no room for dessert and wandered a little bit near the Tennis Hall of Fame to digest our dinners and grab a few things for breakfast the next morning for the big race day.

My husband ran the race and did great! It was a very hard course, but what full marathon can be considered an easy race? He finished and was definitely mentally and physically drained but I couldn’t have been more proud of him!

After the marathon we went down to the heart of Thames Street and had a lovely lunch overlooking the water at 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar and Grille. We were seated upstairs in a glass enclosed deck area that was perfect for viewing all the happenings of the shops, restaurants, and boats in the area. My husband opted for the lobster roll burger on a gluten free bun with a side of coleslaw while I had the apple, cranberry, and goat cheese salad with lovely pan seared scallops. This restaurant I would recommend for food allergies and Celiacs. They even asked if our gluten free requests were for preferences or allergies. 

Because this was right after the race we headed back to the AirBnb to relax for the rest of the afternoon until dinner time where we went back to Thames Street for our last meal in Newport. It was at Bar and Board. 

This restaurant was cozy and warm atmosphere. Our waiter was absolutely wonderful especially because he was the only waiter in the restaurant! He was very knowledgeable and attentive. My husband had the roasted duck with mashed potatoes and greens while I had the marinated strip steak with crispy brussel sprouts. Mine was supposed to have pomme frite but due to a non-designated fryer our waiter suggested the vegetable of the day and they were so worth it. They were great with food allergies and sensitivities and the owner and waiter were able to easily make substitutions.

Again because our meal was so good we ate until past our fill and had no room for dessert. We ventured back out to Thame’s Street and passed by a Kilwin’s Chocolates and Ice Cream shop. The smell of fresh chocolate was simply irresistible and we turned around and went inside. There they were hand dipping apples in caramel and either rolling them in nuts or candies then drizzling it with chocolate or more caramel. I was in heaven with all the smells and knew my Cecelia was safe at home and no where near all the nuts. I scoped out the prepackaged chocolates and popcorns. They were well labeled and had “may contain” ingredients if necessary. I couldn’t get the candied apples out of my head but was having a hard time deciding. The caramel pecan turtle apple was the winner and took it back to our AirBnB to enjoy as a late night dessert.

To say the least, we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend in Newport. I may have eaten my way through Thame’s Street but I wouldn’t have had it any other way! I’ve already planned another trip to Newport to try more restaurants and/ or go back for my favorites.