Black Bear Diner gluten free options are hard to come by so don’t just guess away — instead, simply choose one or more of the 28 foods from the GF secret menu below and order away.1
While Black Bear doesn’t have a specific gluten-free menu, the restaurant that was founded by Bruce Dean and Bob Manley who came together with the common goal of creating a restaurant that served home-cooked meals and felt like family, they do promise to do their best to accommodate each of their guests’ specific dietary needs.
So look no further and flip to the breakfast, lunch or dinner sections and don’t forget about the sides, drinks and toppings.
Is Black Bear Diner Gluten Free?
Black Bear Diner is not exclusively gluten free; so when asking the question does the Black Bear Diner have gluten free menu is unfortunately a no. Per their website, they state that despite not having separate menus they will do their best to accommodate specific requests for their guests.
Source: Johannes Belz from Pexels2
They can’t promise an allergen free kitchen but will work their hardest to create an option that works best for everyone. That being said, it’s Black Bear isn’t certified gluten free so those with extreme intolerances or celiac disease should avoid this place since they may run into cross contamination issues that can’t be resolved by speaking to the staff or manager.
A common reason someone would need to follow a gluten free diet would be if they have celiac disease. Celiac disease is a chronic digestive and immune disorder triggered by eating gluten.3
Avoiding gluten is especially important because the disease can cause long-lasting digestive problems thus causing the body to have trouble absorbing the necessary nutrients.
With this in mind, it’s important to be very vigilant and mindful when choosing restaurants and meal options with celiac disease because of the long-term risks associated with eating gluten. So while Black Bear Diner has mentioned they will do their best to accommodate all of the needs of their guests, there’s no 100% guarantee.
Or in other words, it’s totally possible to eat non-certified gluten free at Black Bear Diner with some extra preparations but avoid Black Bear Diner if there’s any level of concern.
Black Bear Diner Menu Gluten Free Options
Black Bear Diner does not have a specific gluten free menu so those with gluten intolerances may be challenged with finding options that will work best for them, but it’s definitely not impossible to do. If someone does have a severe allergy, it’s important to be aware that there is no guarantee the food items will be free from gluten and that there is a risk of contamination in the kitchen.
Source: Odette Ryan’s Images via Canva.com4
So while wondering what items would be on the Black Bear Diner gluten free menu, there is still a wide range of options someone could enjoy from Black Bear Diner that would be without gluten, even without the diner having a dedicated gluten-free menu. It may just take a bit more work and vigilance from the restaurant goer but when there’s a will there’s a way!
Between checking out this gluten free secret menu of Black Bear Diner and talking with the waiting staff someone would likely be able to find an option they can enjoy.
Gluten Free Breakfast Options At Black Bear Diner
A great perk for many diners is that breakfast is served all day and this is true for Black Bear Diner! Here are the tasty gluten-free breakfast options.
Source: Karl Solano from Pexels5
1. New York Steak & Eggs: Beef is a fantastic option and recommended to be added for an overall healthy gluten-free diet because of the 10 essential nutrients present.6
2. Joe’s Hobo Omelette: Smoked ham, link sausage & thick-cut smoked bacon, jack cheese, cheddar cheese, spinach & onion
3. Bruce’s Meat Lover’s Omelet: Smoked ham, thick-cut smoked bacon, link sausage & jack cheese
4. California Omelet: Avocado, mushroom & jack cheese.
5. Denver Omelet: Smoked ham, bell pepper, onion & cheddar cheese
6. Vegetarian Omelet: Mushroom, onion, tomato, bell pepper, spinach & jack cheese
7. Shasta Veggie Scramble: Avocado, spinach, tomato, onion, bell pepper & jack cheese
8. 2-Egg Classic Combos: Any of these options will be okay but it is important to note that these dishes are served with a biscuit and a side option of grits. For a quick fix ask for no biscuit and choose fresh fruit for the side.
9. Classic Bear’s Benedict: Sliced smoked ham and order without the English muffin
10. California Bacon Bear’s Benedict: Thick-cut smoked bacon, avocado, spinach, & grilled tomato slices and order without the English muffin.
11. Fit & Focused Chicken Sausage Scramble: Diced savory chicken sausage scrambled with egg whites, jack cheese, spinach, and sautéed mushroom. Topped with sliced avocado and diced tomato and served with fresh fruit. While it does come with toast opt to have it removed.
12. Fruit bowl: Sliced strawberries, fresh-cut melons & grapes.
13. Bob’s Red Mill Steel Cut Oatmeal: It’s worth mentioning that although raw oats do not contain gluten, cross-contamination is very likely so it is possible for oats to be contaminated with wheat at some point during processing.7
14. Little Less ham and cheese omelet: Made with 2 eggs. Served with strip-cut hash browns. Although it does come with a biscuit, ask to be served without one.
Gluten Free Lunch & Dinner Options
A lot of the lunch and dinner options from Black Bear Diner are burgers or sandwiches. Most could be gluten-free if they are ordered without the bun and instead with a lettuce wrap.
Additionally, because of the fried beading, it will be necessary to substitute the french fries and onion rings for another side, such as a house salad with no crotons or chili.
If you enjoy lettuce wraps, you might find Ruby Tuesday’s gluten-free menu appealing. They have an official policy where all store locations will make burgers with a lettuce wrap to avoid gluten contamination.
Suggested Reading: Are Onion Rings Good for Weight Loss?
Below are the gluten free options at Black Bear Diner for lunch.
15. Western BBQ Burger: Sweet Baby Ray’s® BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese.
16. Bacon and Cheddar Burger: Topped with diced smoked bacon and cheddar cheese.
17. California Burger: Avocado and jack cheese.
18. Shasta Cheeseburger: Classic cheeseburger with choice of cheese.
19. Chili Cheddar Cheeseburger: Smothered in housemade chili, cheddar cheese and diced red onion.
20. Patty Melt: With grilled onion and swiss cheese.
21. Bob’s Big Bear Burger: 10 oz all-beef patty is specially seasoned and served with grilled onions, tomato, dill pickle chips, lettuce, mayonnaise & housemade Thousand Island dressing.
22. Bacon Cheeseburger Salad: All that’s missing is the bun. House chopped salad mix topped with a chopped burger patty, thick-cut smoked bacon, dill pickle chips, tomato, red onion, and cheddar cheese & served with housemade Thousand Island dressing
23. Tuna Chef Salad: House chopped salad mix, hard-boiled egg, cucumber, carrot, olive, tomato & dill pickle chips topped with housemade Albacore tuna salad. Served with Italian dressing.
24. Little Less Housemade Chili: Our own special recipe made with lean ground beef, our mild Italian sausage and beans mixed with just a hint of cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin and spices. It comes with a housemade cornbread muffin but ask for the chili without the muffin.
Here are the items on the gluten-free menu items for dinner.
25. BBQ Ribs: St. Louis-style pork ribs slathered with Sweet Baby Ray’s® BBQ sauce
26. New York Steak: 10 oz USDA Choice steak. The steak is topped with onion rings so be sure to ask for them to come without.
27. BBQ Ribs & Tri-Tip: 6 oz of tri-tip & tender pork ribs with Sweet Baby Ray’s® BBQ sauce. This is only available on Monday-Friday after 4 pm and Saturday & Sunday starting at 12 pm
28. Santa Maria Tri-Tip: 10 oz of marinated tri-tip seasoned with a Santa Maria blend of spices including garlic, cracked black pepper, salt, and fresh parsley. This is only offered on Monday-Friday after 4 pm and Saturday & Sunday starting at 12 pm
If you’re a steak lover seeking more options, you might want to explore Saltgrass’ gluten-free menu offerings instead.
Side Dishes, Toppings, & Drinks That Are Gluten Free
Here are a list of side dishes that are gluten free.
- Thick-Cut Smoked Bacon
- Mild or Hot Sausage Patties
- Ham Steak
- Country Red Potatoes
- Housemade ColeSlaw
- House Salad
- Cup of Chili
- Seasonal vegetables
- Italian Green Beans with Bacon
- Baked Potato
Below is a breakdown of the different toppings available that are gluten free.
- Brown Sugar
- Craisins
- Avocado
- Diced Tomato
- Shredded Cheese
- Fresh Fruit
There is a wide range of beverages that are gluten free. A complete guide of what gluten free beverages are available at Black Bear Diner is shown below.
- Huckleberry lemonade
- Arnold Palmer
- Lemonade
- Fresh squeezed O.J.
- Assorted juices: Apple and cranberry juice.
- Bottomless coffee and bottomless iced cold brew
- Creamy vanilla or mocha iced cold brew
- Iced Tea, sweet tea, and hot tea
- Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, Sierra Mist, Mug Root Beer, and Mountain Dew
- 2% milk
- Hot chocolate
Cross Contamination & How To Avoid It
Because following a 100% gluten-free diet is the only efficient and safe treatment option for individuals with celiac disease, it’s crucial to be very mindful and aware of cross-contamination and how to avoid it.8 Unfortunately, cross-contamination of gluten free foods with gluten is very common in restaurants and could happen at any stage of food production.9
One of the best tips on how to avoid cross-contamination would be to notify the server and wait staff of your dietary needs to ensure the server and cooks can do their best to ensure a gluten-free meal.
Knowledge is power and asking the server questions such as what type of oil the french fries are cooked in and what grill meats are cooked on and whether or not gluten foods are also cooked on those same surfaces will be very helpful in determining the risk of cross-contamination.
According to the Black Bear Diner allergen menu, there is no specific gluten-free menu for someone to order from. That being said, while they do promise to do their best to honor each guest’s specific needs there is no guarantee an item will be 100% gluten free or that there wasn’t any cross-contamination in the preparation process.
Best Practices When Looking For Gluten-Free Options at Restaurants (GF Ordering Tips)
Finding gluten-free options and doing the best to avoid cross-contamination can feel overwhelming so here are 5 helpful tips to keep in mind to make eating out fun and less stressful.
- Communicate: Always talk to the wait staff to notify them of dietary concerns and ask for advice on the best things to eat based on cooking methods to hopefully avoid cross-contamination between gluten-free and gluten foods.
- Come Prepared: Bring your own favorite gluten-free sauces or dressings to flavor the meal without having to worry if the restaurant has a safe option.
- Plan Ahead: Looking at the restaurants’ menu and gluten-free menu hacks like this are both great tools to prepare before going to a new restaurant. Black Bear Diner provides a list of their nutrition information on their website, which can be very helpful to familiarize yourself with.
- Keep It Simple: Keeping things simple and ordering a plate with no extra sauces or toppings could also be a good way to minimize the risk of gluten exposure.
- Don’t Be Afraid To Say No: If something doesn’t feel right or there are any suspicions that the food was contaminated with gluten don’t be afraid to ask for a different meal, send a plate back noting all concerns, or even eat before going out.
Alternative Gluten Free Diners
While there is a wide range of different gluten-free meals someone could order from Black Bear Diner, someone may be curious about what other diners offer gluten free options. Rather than giving up on finding gluten-free options, akin to how some people give up on weight loss, explore one of these six different restaurants offering gluten-free choices!
- Waffle House offers plenty of gluten-free options, although they cannot guarantee 100% gluten-free, they strive to accommodate their guests. Additionally, Waffle House has numerous options for those following a keto diet!
- IHOP has an entire gluten-free dedicated menu that includes gluten-free pancakes and waffles!
- It’s easy to identify gluten-free options on Denny’s menu with clear GF symbols next to each item.
- Cracker Barrel does not have a specific gluten-free menu but on their menu guidance page, they clearly state which foods are grilled or fried in the same space to help educate their patrons on where cross-contamination may occur.
- Bare Bakery is a bakery local to the Houston, Texas area that is 100% gluten-free, grain-free, and uses only natural sweeteners. While these treats are local to Houston there are a wide range of local bakeries in other areas that offer similar promises.
- Coffee drinkers might find Dutch Bros’ gluten-free menu to be a good choice!
Knowledge about cross-contamination, talking with the wait staff, and preparing before going to a new restaurant are all some of the top tips to follow when eating out while on a gluten-free diet. While it can be tough and sometimes stressful to find safe options, rest assured that this Black Bear Diner gluten free secret may help someone prepare and feel less worried.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Black Bear Diner Have Vegan Options?
Yes, Black Bear Diner does have vegan options including the fruit bowl, oatmeal, avocado toast, and Dr. Praeger’s Veggie Burger.
There are also some side dishes that are vegan such as the various fries and hash browns.
Is Black Bear Potato Salad Gluten Free?
Yes, Black Bear Diner’s potato salad is gluten-free. It’s important to remain mindful of the possibility of cross-contamination but the ingredients found in this salad are gluten-free.
What Is Black Bear Diner, How Did It Start & Where Are They Located?
Black Bear Diner originated in 1995 in a small community of only 2,500 people in Mount Shasta, California by co-founders Bruce Dean and Bob Manley. Their desire was to create a place that felt like home with tasty, home-cooked food.
Over the years they grew in popularity, they have now expanded to 14 different states and continue to add new locations often!
References
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3National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2023). Celiac Disease. Digestive Diseases. <https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease>
4Odette Ryan’s Images. “Healthy Breakfast.” Canva, Accessed 6 April 2023. <https://www.canva.com/photos/MAEtLBTX914-healthy-breakfast/>
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7Smulders, M. J. M., van de Wiel, C. C. M., van den Broeck, H. C., van deer Meer, I. M., Israel-Hoeveaken, T. P. M., Timmer, R. D., Dinter, B.-J. v., Braun, S., & Gilissen, L. J. W. J. (2018). Oats in healthy gluten-free and regular diets: A perspective. Food Res Int. <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30029703/>
8Caio, G., Volta, U., Sapone, A., Leffler, D. A., Giorgio, R. D., Catassi, C., & Fasano, A. (2019). Celiac disease: a comprehensive current review. BMC Med. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6647104/>
9Wieser, H., Segura, V., Ruiz-Carnicer, A., Sousa, C., & Comino, I. (2021). Food Safety and Cross-Contamination of Gluten-Free Products: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 13(7). <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8308338/>