Enjoying Guam Gluten-free

By Rachel Daniels

When I first moved here a good friend told me ‘Guam is made of wheat.’ Although Guam does seem to have a bakery on every corner, you don’t have to hide in your own kitchen to stay healthy. There are plenty of delicious gluten-free options that are easy on your wallet as well. Here are some of my local favorites.

Breakfast

I’m a fruit smoothie junkie, so I was pleased to find Froots, an all natural smoothie stop with a wide array of choices. Add a protein boost or peanut butter for a more filling treat. You can find Froots at Agana Shopping Center and GPO.

If you sleep in, visit Yogurtland, which opens at 11 a.m. Try one of their tart flavors and load up on bananas, strawberries and nut toppings. They are located in Agana Shopping Center.

Lunch and dinner

Caliente, hands down, serves the best Mexican food on the island. Located in Agana, most of the menu is gluten-free, and the portions are generous. I love the fresh tamales, free chips, and salsa, they even have a Mexican take on italian manicotti! They serve two corn tortillas filled with ricotta and spinach, topped with enchilada sauce instead of marinara. I order this plate every time. Have a meal and drink for $20 or less.

You can find Submarina at various locations around Guam, I often frequent them at Micronesia Mall. Submarina  is a wonderfully fresh sandwich shop where the salads are so good I don’t even miss the bread!  My personal favorite: The Santa Fe salad. Put some pep in your step with pepper-jack cheese, jalapeno bacon and tons of fresh avocado! This very filling salad is less than $10.00,  just make sure you tell their salad artist of your allergy so they don’t cross-contaminate.

Cup & Saucer in Agana is a little shop bursting with charm and gluten. If you can bear looking at the delectable wheat-filled pastries in the window, there are some fabulous salads here, which are definitely worth the temptation. There are delicious beverages as well, try an iced chai to cool off your day.

Marianas Trench has multiple locations around the island and these little Thai restaurants are a favorite on Guam. Perfect for larger groups, the atmosphere boasts elephant sculptures and flying carpet-esque rugs hovering from the ceiling  The extensive menu has tons of pictures for the Thai novice, and friendly staff who have many times gone back to the chef to allay my gluten paranoid fears. Ask for no soy sauce when ordering the curries, and order pad thai instead of the soy sauced pad mee. Special note: These dishes do not mess around when it comes to heat, play it safe and ask for a mild number with a side of spice you can add yourself

Micronesia Mall Pay-Less Supermarket is Guam’s best gluten free grocery store. Find multiple gluten-free baking flours, plus loads of gluten-free treats: granola bars, cookies, crackers, pastas, ice cream, chocolate, microwave dinners, Thai and Asian bowls, cereals, and breads and bagels in the freezer section. Try Udi’s gluten-free sandwich bread and bagels — they’re awesome!

And don’t forget to check out our Restaurant guide for sushi spots and more!

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