Pizza Time: Gluten free pizza, burgers and sandwiches in Colorado Springs, CO

Today I am sitting in front of our cabin with a feeling of whimsy.  Thunder is echoing in the background, foretelling the rain en route.  Birds are warning each other of my presence and the wind is slowly picking up through the sweet scented pine trees.   It has been raining all week long and yet I find solace in the fact that my friends in Wichita experienced a High of 112 yesterday while ours was 60.  When I want to complain about the washed out roads I remember todays forecast for Wichita is 106 and ours in Woodland Park is 75.  Yeah, I can deal with some rain. 

Amazing burger!

            Anyways, a short 45 minute trip to Colorado Springs yielded yummy gluten free results once again, although not how I expected.  We went to a family owned restaurant called Pizza Time.  We were lured down the mountain with a promise of gluten free pizza, sandwiches and more.   It was worth the trip.  First my daughter and I shared a 12” pizza with only cheese on it for about $11, A deal for a GF pizza.  It was good.  I still prefer Waldo Pizza in Kansas City and Borelli’s pizza in San Diego but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  The crust was a little too crispy and it really was nothing to write home about, although, aren’t I doing that right now?  It was good not great, but good is better than good, when gluten free.  Read that sentence again if you were confused.  It will eventually make sense.  

Pretty Okay pizza.

            As for what my wife got.  It was amazing.  They had a special for a gluten free burger and chips for 6.99. Cheese was fifty cents extra.  That burger was to die for!   So amazing!  My wife only let me have one bite and then she scarfed it down before I could ask for bite numero dos.  Oh well.  If I had to go back I would try the Philly Cheesesteak.  That sounded enticing as well.  The pizza gets three stars but the burger got five.  If you’re within an hour of this place, I would check it out. 

            My wife felt bad that my pizza was only so-so.  She took us another 15 minutes out of our way for Pinkberry frozen yogurt.   They don’t have those in Kansas but they should.  It is off the charts amazing.  Sweet, tart and smooth.  I love Pinkberry. 

Best Gluten free Bakery Ever! Outside of the Bread box, Colorado Springs

 After our first visit to a gluten free bakery in Denver I wasn’t quite as jazzed about going to another.   However, the wife and I were in Colorado Springs for dinner and we were a bit early.   

So we tried out the “find me gluten free” app to see what we would find.  The bakery was nearby so we dropped by.  (That rhymes and you know it)  The outside was unassuming and we prepared ourselves to be underwhelmed again.  When the door opened a smell danced right up to our noses like in the old Bugs Bunny Cartoons.  Soon we found ourselves floating. 

           

They had several samples out and the gentleman working there was kind and helpful.  We mentioned my blog, which he had never heard of and he started giving us additional samples.  (Yes, I know I am a celebrity.)  We tried cheese crackers that tasted just like Cheese-its.  We had cinnamon graham crackers.  We had soft spongy gluten free, egg free, vegan oat bread.  How in the world do they make that taste good?  I have no idea. They also had loaves and products that had air bubbles or came out smaller with reduced prices.  Some were up to 70 percent off! 

Free samples??? Don't mind if I do.

Yes, we are pigs, deal with it!

            From the cookies, to the tantalizing teff bread, to the super soft hot dog buns, we were sold.  We ended up venturing back a few days later before we left Colorado Springs.  The prices were incredible for such quality.  They even had teff, gluten free flour tortillas.  They have products available at “Food For Thought” in Wichita but they have to mark them up so much based on shipping and overhead.   These prices were some of the best I have experienced anywhere.  

If you are within an hour of Colorado Springs and you have to eat gluten free, this place needs to be at the top of your list. 

Gluten free Vacation: Manitou Springs, CO: Coquette's Creperie

The first time we went to Coquette’s, we were famished and the smell wafting through the building made my eyes roll up like I was in some kind of zombie movie.  We consumed the food with such ferocity that our pretty picture opportunity had expired but our stomachs didn’t really mind much. 
       The first time we shared a few different crepes and found ourselves consuming them like competition.   The “Coquette” was our favorite.  It had Swiss cheese, eggs, mushrooms, some other cheesy sauce and black forest ham.  We also had a Farmer John with goat cheese, chicken and other goodness.  Both were served with garlic potatoes, which left us desiring a mint but not regretting our choice one bit.  After dinner we had a bananas fosters crepe.  The caramel, crepe, cream and bananas were bliss.  The food was consumed like a last meal. 

We felt bad that we didn’t get quality pictures for you, my loyal readers so we went back later in the week.  (It’s all about you, not our gluttony, people.)  We got a couple more coquettes for the 3 of us and my daughter got her own kids crepe.  We also shared a blueberry blintz at the end.  It had home made blueberry preserves mixed with ricotta cheese and was served piping hot with whipped cream on top.   I absolutely loved it.   The other ladies preferred the bananas foster.  The ricotta kinda weirded them out, whilst I thought the juxtaposition was perfect.  Then again I have enjoyed avocado shakes in the past. 
             If you are near Colorado Springs, you have no choice but to eat here.  It’s not cheap, so save.  We spend about $38 for 3 and ½ of us.  If you have people with you who can eat gluten, they won’t care.   They will fight you for the last bite.

Food for thought, gluten free groceries.

Snickerdoodles and brownies

This morning we decided to saunter on over to "Food For Thought" to check out the glorious, gluten free Saturday.  FFT is definitely the best gluten free grocery store in Wichita.  They have several aisles of gluten free food and the frozen food section is amazing.  I honestly cannot think of a place that is better, even in California.  As this was the gluten free day they had a few tables with gluten free goodies on them.  Not as many as in the past but still fun to try.

Yummy Samamaches

They even had mini sandwiches on gluten free bread with honey and sunflower butter.  (Like Peanut butter)  All in all it was worth the trip, but as we get closer to the holidays, that is the time they really outdo themselves.


Within the next couple weeks we are traveling to Colorado Springs and Denver.  We are going to enjoy our gluten free FOODcation and respite from the crazy hot weather here  in Wichita.  We are planning on going to a million places so stay tuned for updates after we get back.