Although there are more and more websites out there to help people with food allergies find something to eat, they vary in quality. I remember reading one blog post that covered five Chicago area restaurants none of which had a gluten-free menu. Or parking. While totally leaving out such bastions of gluten-free dairy-free and vegan dining as The Chicago Diner or Rose’s Wheatfree Bakery.
So when I went looking for an ice cream parlor for my son, I found additional frustration as yelp! sent me to places that were wildly inappropriate (hey kids while everyone else is getting a double fudge sundae we have some sugar-free rasberry sorbet for you) for children who, interestingly, are the major clients of ice cream parlors. I also found places that no longer carried the dairy-free products. which was really frustrating.
But I digress.
So after spending hours making myself crazy reading weblog after weblog and review after review, I found this list of places that serve dairy free ice cream. It is a national list with parlors from New York to Los Angeles and is slightly out of date (one of the best parlors in New York, Stogo has closed and KindCreme has eliminated one location) and is incomplete (how you can miss the vegan milkshake menu at the Chicago Diner is beyond me) but its a good start and would be very handy when traveling as I am getting to know where I can eat here in Chicago, but in Los Angeles or New York I find myself desperately trying to figure out what I can possibly eat.
Now most of these places have dairy on premises and cross contamination is downright likely so for some people they are still not options. That said, for people like my son who can tolerate milk chocolate, a little dairy cross contamination isn’t going to stop anything. It is a bowl of ice cream that would make him ill.
So if you need to find a place for a little ice cream, here is an incomplete but still very helpful list of choices.
So without further ado, I bring you the list. Enjoy!
