Capitol Cider - Seattle, WA

GOOD TO KNOW: http://capitolcider.com/
Specialties: happy hour, full dining, late night dining and weekend brunch; apple based spirits
Gluten-free: everything is naturally gluten-free
Reservations: online reservations and space for large parties
Other: 20 rotating cider taps, two-stories with space for live music downstairs
Note: this is not a fast food sort of place so keep that in mind if planning a visit.

This post contains affiliate links. That means if you use them to make a purchase, I'll earn a bit of money from the sale to save for my next gluten-free adventure.

Gluten-free Nirvana in the Emerald City

When does 100% gluten-free really mean EVERYTHING on the menu is gluten free? When you walk through the doors of Capitol Cider in Seattle.

​For Memorial Weekend we headed to the west side for a quick visit with family and to take The Boy to his first (that he remembers) Mariners game. Seattle has an abundance of diverse dining choices so I was super excited to see what the Emerald City had to offer a gluten-free girl like me. After a quick Google search, I found Capitol Cider on Pike Street. The website is well done and includes menus for a sneak peek along with this disclaimer:

"100% gluten-free kitchen – We are a peanut-free and gluten-free kitchen.  We handle dairy, eggs and other nuts in our kitchen.  Please share your allergen concerns upon your arrival with your server as soon as possible.  We strive for the highest levels of food safety and we take the utmost care in the preparation of your food; however, we cannot assume liability for any food reactivities."
Not only is Capitol Cider allergen friendly, they also include an enticing selection of vegetarian choices for my herbivore husband. A quick look through the menu and we decided to eat brunch on Sunday  before making our way to Safeco Field for the game.

Capitol Cider has all things gluten-free

Capitol Cider is located in a historic building in the heart of Capitol Hill. There isn't dedicated parking but they do have a link on the website with nearby parking options (and costs). Traffic was light on Sunday and Shawn had no trouble finding a space a couple blocks away. Most notable upon entering Capitol Cider is the aged dark wood, turn of the century paintings, and vibrant fresh cut flowers. The atmosphere is inviting and unhurried with a "meet, eat, and enjoy conversations" vibe. I appreciated our server who happily made recommendations and entertained my battery of questions.

Me: The menu says 100% gluten free kitchen. Does that mean the WHOLE menu is gluten-free?
Helpful server: Yep. The only items containing gluten are the beers.
Me: So if I order the fried chicken sandwich it's gluten-free?
Helpful and indulgent server: Yes <smiles> .
Me: (still not convinced) And it's breaded and fried?!?
Helpful, indulgent and now slightly amused server: That's right. And it has bread and butter pickles on it. It's really good.
Me: <hearts for eyes> Oh. My. God.

So many choices.  Foods I never get to order like fish and chips and cinnamon rolls, banana bread french toast and biscuits and gravy. So what am I going to order? All of it. Maybe not ALL of it but we did get a good selection - biscuits with vegetarian gravy for Shawn, BLTA (minus the A) for The Boy and after our server's sales pitch I ordered the fried chicken sandwich. Add too that two flights of hard cider and a cinnamon roll for dessert and I was wishing I had worn yoga pants instead of jeans. The Boy claims the Capitol Cider BLT was the best he's ever had and trust me when I say, that kid knows his bacon sandwiches. Shawn loved his meal but thought the biscuits were a bit too dense but not so much so that he didn't thoroughly enjoy every last bite. Me? I am currently scheming ways to get back to Seattle for another fried chicken sandwich with bread and butter pickles.

There's something really cool about eating in a restaurant that makes a high maintenance menu not high maintenance at all.  Congratulations Capitol Cider for earning the top spot on my list of favorite things in Seattle.

Spokane has great gluten-free options too. Check out my top five favorite stops in Spokane, WA.

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