This is my third posting about Portland. I hope ya’ll aren’t getting sick of talking about these great finds in the Pacific Northwest, because I’m getting hungry just thinking about them again!
Next up, Hopworks in Portland, OR.
Hopworks Urban Brewery is a brewery, but they do offer gluten-free options. They are not a gluten-free kitchen, but they do try hard to accomodate. I called ahead and talked to the chef and it seemed like the gluten-free buns were the safest option – as they come pre-packed from a local GF baker. The pizza dough is made in-house and has a higher chance of cross-contamination, so I went with the sandwiches. We had an amazing waiter (Hopworks, if you’re reading this, you need to give Cameron a raise right now) who knew all about gluten-free living and what parts of the menu were GF and what were not. He advised us how to modify things to make it gluten free. Although I wouldn’t normally feel “safe” in a brewery, he made me feel like I was really limiting my risks there. They offered a few gluten-free beers including Omission, but I went with the locally-produced cider – Bushwhacker. I was disappointed we didn’t get to go to the brewery, because I’m sure they had much better offerings than this semi-dry, as I wasn’t a big fan. I wanted to try their other flavors, but maybe next time I’m in Portland (hopefully soon!).
This chicken sandwich was awesome! First of all, when you add prosciutto to a chicken sandwich, I’m already in love. The salad was tasty, and so were the gluten-free burger buns. You could tell that they were gluten-free because of their texture, but they were definitely worth it over a lettuce-wrapped “sandwich” alternative. I even liked the non-GFBF’s order – although not my type of food (spicy peppers and I have a difficult relationship). I was overall impressed with their GF options.
I loved this place, but I’m not sure I would go to it all the time as a Celiac. I’d definitely have to feel safe and comfortable that the server knew their GF stuff enough to modify my order. But, it’s Portland – very different than Phoenix. They have people with food allergies and modifications all the time, and it seems the servers are used to it here.
I would give Hopworks a 4 out of 5. It’s great because everyone else in your party can eat “normal” and be happy with their way-better-than-bar-food meal. But, there’s offerings for us there too, and a friendly atmosphere.
[ratings wheat=”4″]
You can find Hopworks Urban Brewery on Find Me Gluten Free here.