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Dear Listmates,

 

I received many helpful replies to my question about resources in the
Estes Park area  - Summarized below:

 1) We are visiting my sister here in the Denver area and we went to
Estes on Thurs.  We passed a store on Rt. 34 I think in Longmont -
Granny's gluten free store.  It was closing so we did not go in.  There
is a gluten free bakery in Denver - Debbie's.  We had a fabulous
birthday cake from there. There are also Whole Foods in the area (one in
Boulder at least).  The local King Sooper grocery store also had a
reasonable selection of gluten free items.

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2) We vacation every year in Estes Park. We have found the Twin Owls
Steakhouse and the Dunraven Inn to be very knowledgeable and able to
accommodate the gluten-free diet.  There is a Granny's Gluten-Free Zone
in Loveland, and the King Soopers in Loveland has items from Deby's
Gluten Free in Denver.  The large grocery store on the main drag through
Estes Park has a health food section with some gluten-free items -- I
think it is a Safeway, but not sure.

*************************************

4) Colorado is one of the best places to be GF. A mainstream grocery
store, King Soopers, has committed to providing for their GF customers.
They have many of the Amy's frozen foods, Pamela's mixes and
cookies...best of all a local baker has teamed up with them and has a
gluten free line in the freezer case. Look for Udi's(or ask someone).
They have bread, cookies, cinnamon rolls and muffins!!! They mark things
on the aisles they know to be GF with a little tag with GF on it. In a
regular grocery store, who'd have guessed?

In addition the local health food/organic stores, Whole Foods and
Vitamin Cottage have extensive GF food selections. Vitamin Cottage
carries baked goods from 2 local GF bakeries, Outside the Breadbox and
Deby's. Outside the Breadbox has a new line of breads that actually make
terrific sandwiches...we like the Teff variety.

 If you happen to be overnighting in Denver check out Abrusci's. It's an
Italian restaurant with a great GF menu...pizza, sandwiches, pasta even
GF beer to accompany it. They do lunch, dinner and take-out and have a
web site.

**********************************

5) I would suggest you stock up on groceries before heading up either
canyon to Estes.  Coming from the north you could go to the Vitamin
Cottage on College in Fort Collins.  They have a very large gluten-free
section.  If going up hwy 36 stop at the Vitamin Cottage on Main Street
in Longmont.  Prices are WAY better at those stores than in Estes and
the selection is much larger.

 

In Estes, Safeway has some gluten-free items and just started selling
Tinkiyada Pasta.  The Country Market is an independent grocery that you
pass as you head out 36 to Rocky Mountain National Park carries some
gluten-free items.  I usually buy things there.

 

Poppies and Mama Roses in down town Estes will accommodate a gluten-free
dinner.  Poppies does pizza on grated zucchini and Mama Roses serves
pasta sauce on grated zucchini.  Casa Grande, also down town, does lots
of things with corn tortillas and is pretty good.  The Rock Inn has
always been good about serving gluten-free food when requested.  Pura
Vida on Hwy 7 is Costa Rican and serves lots of rice and beans.
**********************************

6) I'm the newsletter editor for the northern Colorado Chapter of the
Celiac Sprue Assoc. A fellow board member lives in Estes Park, and she
compiled this list this summer after one of our CSA members requested
the same info you did. Many of the options are in Loveland -- about 35
miles east of Estes. Loveland is the gateway city to Estes Park, off
Highway 34 West. Hope this helps!

 

"As far as Loveland goes, there are several choices that say they will
work with special diets or have gf options.  Always try to call ahead.

 

"Bent Fork Grill - www.bentforkgrill.com

Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano - 970-663-0100 - www.biaggis.com

Chili's Grill & Bar - 970-663-6800

Cracker Barrel - 970-593-9947

Mimi's Cafe - 970-461-9888

On the Border Mexican Grill - 970-663-3623

PF Chang's Bistro - 970-622-9313

Red Robin - 970-203-0878

  

Estes Park  restaurants:

 

"Poppy's Pizza & Grill - 342 E Elkhorn - 586-8282 (located in downtown
Estes, in Barlow Plaza, across the main street from the Library).  I
usually ask for Rob, who is the owner/head chef.  Explain that you are
GF to him and he can tell you what options you have.  They don't have it
on an actual menu, he just tells you what on the normal menu can be
modified.  If he is not available there is usually someone else there
that knows what they are talking about, but he is almost always there.
They have mostly burgers, and pizza.  I get my burgers without a bun,
and specifically ask them to bake the fries (the fry oil is contaminated
by the chicken fingers).  My kids get the same.  Sometimes I bring in my
own buns to put the burgers on.  He also has a pizza option without a
crust (he can describe it to you).  They also have a gf beer which is
good.

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7) You need to take Hwy 34 from Loveland into Estes Park (instead of Hwy
36/66) because there is a GF grocery in Loveland.  About a mile outside
of Loveland (KMart is on the right, about a mile after that) on your
left will be "Granny's Gluten-Free Zone" - a totally GF grocery store.
It is small, but you could stock up on quite a lot of things.  You can
check their website for an address and map www.grannysglutenfree.com
<http://www.grannysglutenfree.com/> .  It is worth it to go our of your
way to come by that route and hit that store (if that is out of your
way).

  

There is also the Vitamin Shoppe on Hwy 7 across from the Holiday Inn in
Estes.  They have some GF items including cereals and Thai Kitchen
soups.  The owner is very helpful and can show you what they have.

 

As far as restaurants in Estes Park go, the only two that have verbally
confirmed to me that they will do GF are "Poppy's Pizza & Grill" and
"Mama Rose's."  They are both owned by the same guy, Rob.  He is very
helpful and aware of GF.  They don't have a seperate GF menu, but if you
ask for Rob (he is almost always there), he can talk to you about what
is available.  Several waiters understand too.  We eat at Poppy's all
the time, although we have never tried Mama Rose's.  At Poppys you can
get burgers without the bun and they will bake the fries, they also have
a crustless pizza option.  I usually bring my own bun (from Granny's)
and when they bring out my burger I put it on the bun.  I wouldn't be
surprised if you brought your own pre-baked crust, Rob would probably be
willing to make a pizza on it for you.  (They have crusts at Granny's
too).  Although I have never asked Rob to do that.  I would suggest
giving Rob a call and talking to him about either restaurant and what
they can do for you.  He is very nice and VERY willing to work with
people who have food issues.  Poppy's (970)586-8282 and Mama Rose's
(970) 586-3330.  Rob is usually at Poppy's, so I would call him there.

 

 

Thanks to all who sent replies!

 

Vickie

 

 


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