<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thanks to all who responded -- the general consensus was that although
Martha's Vineyard does not seem to have any restaurants with designated
gluten free menus, many of the upscale restaurants are willing to adapt
their offerings to make them gluten free.  The following are some places
that responders had good experiences at:

1)"We had two very special meals at restaurants that were extremely
accommodating and knowledgeable.  They were Chesca's and Atria.  Both are in
Edgartown and both are quite expensive, but great for a special dinner.
Chesca's is less formal and our teenage daughter loved it.  Also try Cafe
Espresso Love in Edgartown.  They were also good about putting together a gf
meal.  You can eat outside and it's less formal and less expensive than the
other two."

2)"At one very upscale (expensive!) restaurant on the South Shore (S of
Edgartown) the chef made a special meal for me. Not sure, but I think that
was "Lure", 31 Dunes Road 508-627-3663 (very
expensive) There was also a not so upscale seafood restaurant near the ferry
terminal in Vineyard Haven that's hugely popular and was very accommodating
about doing a GF preparation for me.
Not sure, but I think that was the "Black Dog", 20 Beach Street extension,
508-693-9223. Also, "Lambert's Cove Inn & Restaurant, where we have stayed,
was very accommodating in the restaurant (very expensive) 508-693-2298"

3)Someone suggested the following:  "Before I was celiac, I spent many
summers of fun at MV.  Since celiac, I have sent other celiacs to the Home
Port in Menemsha. http://www.homeportmv.com/ .  They don't make very many
different things, but it is the best place to have a lobster dinner and
watch the sunset.  You will need reservations, and ask for a window table.
 I remember the key lime
pie for dessert, but not for a celiac.  Probably no dessert will be gf, but
the food is worth it."

4) "We didn't even try eating out.  But I do know that you can get great
lobster at Aquinnah.  You sit outside on a deck overlooking the ocean - it's
wonderful - and, while I don't know about the rest of the food, I think that
boiled lobster must be a safe bet.  You can also get boiled lobster at
Menemsha and eat it right on the docks."

5) I did locate the following link with some resources, including a place
called the Scottish Bakehouse, which does some gf baking (although not in a
designated facility) and has some salad offerings.
http://www.gfguideny.com/GFMVY.html

A couple of posters mentioned that there were several grocery stores that
stocked gluten free foods.  See the GFMV link above, also  The Food Barn
natural foods store on the road coming up from Vineyard Haven had g-f
bagels, bread, crackers, cereal, flours, and mixes - a great variety.
 Cronig's UpIsland, where we alway shop, had a great variety of gluten free
groceries, too.  So at least no one will starve!

Regarding the ice cream -- there was a conflicting report regarding Mad
Martha's --
a) One poster wrote:  "I had spoken to one of the owners of Mad Martha's a
couple of years ago.  She said that the flavors without add-ins should be
gf, but she was afraid of cross-contamination with the ice cream scoops,
etc.  She told me to ask if they were just about to start new tubs of ice
cream so that I could have the first part of it with a clean scoop.  I did
that and, although I got a few puzzled looks from the staff, it seemed to
work.This year I just asked them to please rinse the scoop in clean water
before they scooped my ice cream.  I only had it twice, but I was fine.  I
do react to small amounts of gluten, so I would say there was little
cross-contamination.The ice cream is very good - and very expensive ($5 for
a small cup).  I always ask for a kiddie scoop (about $3.50 and plenty
big!!).
I think they would be responsive to your request for a new tub of ice
cream.  Give it a try!"

b) Another poster wrote:
" A year  ago we finally tracked someone down at mad Martha's, and he told
us that their ice cream contains wheat, as do almost all homemade ice cream.
 Honestly, I think he mistook whey for wheat because I've never heard of
someone using wheat as a standard ingredient in homemade ice cream.  This
year Mad Martha's has a big sign on the door saying they're not responsible
for anyone's allergic reactions, and that didn't sound very friendly to
me."  [Editors Note -- we had looked at the ingredient list of the ice cream
earlier this year and didn't see wheat listed, so it is likely that the
server confused whey with wheat]

Re other ice cream stores:  "Murdoch's Fudge carries Haagen Dazs, and that
is gluten free (except for the obvious ones) .  A scooper at Vineyard Scoops
let me go behind the counter and read the ingredients on the vanilla soft
serve.  There were no gluten ingredients with the possible exception of
"natural flavors."  She said she had no way of knowing what was in the hard
serve ice cream."
According to a newspaper article, Vineyard's Best Ice Cream, (12 Kennebec
Ave. at Lake Ave., 508-696-0166), serves Richardson's ice cream which does
not contain gluten in the basic flaovrs( except for various add ins -- you
should double check what the add ins are because some of the flavor names
aren't clear that they have gluteny add ins)

We don't leave until Monday, so if anyone has any other suggestions, please
keep them coming!  Thanks.

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