Are you bootin’ the gluten?

Plates of barbecue meat with sides on trays

Skip the bread and get the meats instead at Blue Dog Craft Barbecue. | Photo by LALtoday

Whether it’s a personal choice or a health requirement, a lot of people are looking to eat gluten-free these days — and navigating a menu on the spur of the moment can be tricky. That’s why we asked our readers for their favorite gluten-free restaurants and menu items to try.

Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro, locations vary
Swap out the bread on your favorite sandwiches for a gluten-free bite.

Blue Dog Craft Barbecue, 640 E. Main St.
Fill up on the freshly smoked ribs, brisket, and pulled pork at Blue Dog’s stall in The Joinery.

Bowl of meat, vegetables, and rice from Fresh Kitchen — All of the ingredients at Fresh Kitchen will be gluten-free.

Fresh Kitchen, 4520 S. Florida Ave.
Although this new eatery hasn’t opened its doors yet, we’re ready to create our own bowls filled with gluten-free ingredients.

LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken, 2101 S. Florida Ave.
Order the grilled chicken without bread, and add one of the many sides like bourbon baked beans.

New Moon Sushi, 4231 S. Florida Ave.
According to Reader April T., “They bend over backwards to make sure you have a gluten-free and enjoyable meal. They even have gluten-free soy sauce and not all sushi places do.”

Nothing Bundt Cakes, 4754 S. Florida Ave.
Reader Donald B. recommends stopping here for a dessert — the chocolate chip cookie cake is made without gluten.

Patio 850, 850 S. Tennessee Ave.
Order one of this restaurant’s popular flat-breads or pizzas made with gluten-free dough.

A bowl of meat and vegetables from So Fresh — You know it’s fresh when it’s from So Fresh

So Fresh, 4756 S. Florida Ave.
The menu here is clearly marked, so you always know if you’re ordering within your preference or not.

Tea Largo, 4634 Cleveland Heights Blvd.
Many of the smoothies, teas, and bowls here are gluten-free, including the granola.

Did we miss your go-to gluten-free eatery? Let us know which restaurants we should check out next, and read on for eight more menu items below.

8 MORE EATERIES

EVENTS

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Wednesday, Jan. 18

Yoga for Beginners | Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 10-11 a.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin L. King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Bring your mat and some water to this yoga class for all levels focusing on breath, alignment, balance, and strength — must be 16 or older.
Reception: Lauren Austin: Life in Quilts | Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 6-8 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art, 800 E. Palmetto St., Lakeland | Free | Hear an in-depth discussion with fiber artist Lauren Austin and the museum’s director.

Thursday, Jan. 19

Made @ the Library | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Larry R. Jackson Branch Library, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Adults can create a new craft project each month — all supplies are provided.
T-R-I-V-I-A | Thursday, Jan. 19 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Show what you know and enjoy an extra long happy hour.

Friday, Jan. 20

Swan City Jazz Festival | Friday, Jan. 20 | 3-9 p.m. | Munn Park, 201 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free | Hear live jazz performances from headliners Paula Atherton and Jazmin Ghent, plus groups like Lakeland High School Jazz Band, The Franchise Players, Let’s Ride Brass Band, and more.
Fayuca with Jakob Nowell | Friday, Jan. 20 | 6 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | $15-$60 | Reggae-rock band Fayuca brings the Winter Vacation Tour to Lakeland with guests Jakob Nowell and Firelight — VIP packages are available.

Saturday, Jan. 21

Central Florida Comic Con | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland | $8-$99 | Get your best cosplay ready for this convention featuring expert panels, celebrity meet and greets, and a costume contest.
MLK Annual Parade | Saturday, Jan. 21 | 1 p.m. | Providence Road and 14th Street, Lakeland | Free | Celebrate the dream of Martin Luther King Jr. at this free community parade — the parade starts at Providence Road and West 14th Street and ends at Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue and 2nd Street.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

NEWS NOTES

Weather

80º | Mostly sunny | 10% chance of rain

Development

City Commissioners voted 5-2 to deny a conditional use permit for the proposed bar and event space "The Chapel” after hearing comments from community members and developers in yesterday’s commission meeting. The motion to deny the request was presented on the grounds of incompatibility with the surrounding area. (The Ledger)
Lake Wales will now require builders to meet state water conservation standards in new homes’ structures and landscaping. Officials expect Lakeland to adopt this plan within the next few years, and the Polk County Regional Water Cooperative plans to drill wells into Lakeland’s aquifer for alternative water sources. 💧 (The Ledger)

Edu

At last week’s budget presentation, the Polk County School Board discussed plans to lobby for additional funding, cut costs, and set a tentative budget for the next school year. The district is hoping for more funding to renovate existing facilities and build more schools to relieve overcrowding. (The Ledger)

Traffic

A portion of Lake Hollingsworth Drive is closed from Crystal Lake Drive to Cleveland Heights Boulevard for an emergency sewer line repair. While a completion date is TBA, a detour is currently set up between Crystal Lake Drive, New Jersey Road, Edgewood Drive, and Cleveland Heights Boulevard. 🚧

Civic

Updates are coming to the City of Lakeland’s Information Technology Department thanks to new state laws. The IT Department will upgrade its systems to increase cybersecurity and migrate several networks to the cloud. This migration is expected to take two to three years. 💻 (LkldNow)

Biz

This business sounds stew good to be true. Lakelander Andrew Laurent started Broth Bomb while recovering from a stroke and looking for easy meals. The bath bomb-inspired creations fizz in a pot, adding fun and flavor. Available for pickup at Catapult, the biz has sold over a million servings. 🥘 (WFTS)
Need a change of scenery in 2023? Catapult has multiple workspace membership options. Perks include a well-designed workspace, invites to collaborative community events, access to conference rooms, unlimited coffee + snacks, and more.*

Shop

Mark your calendar for these markets. Brew Hub will host its January Night Market on Friday, Jan. 20 from 6-9 p.m. with local vendors and live music. Plan ahead for the Valentine Night Market on Saturday, Feb. 11 in downtown Lakeland featuring 80+ vendors and a roaming Cupid. 🛍

Feel Good

Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority members served the community on Martin Luther King Jr. Day by working at local nonprofit kidsPACK on Monday to pack meals for children facing hunger in honor of Dr. King and his wife Coretta Scott King, an honorary AKA member. Find more ways to volunteer here. (WFLA)

Network

Are you passionate about sustainability? Meet up with other professionals that share your passion at tonight’s Green Drinks Lakeland meetup from 6:30-9 p.m. at Swan Brewing. This casual networking group is open to anyone interested in learning more about sustainable practices.

Try This

Calling all car fanatics. Bonnet Springs Park is hosting a free Exotic Car Show on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. If you need more speed, catch Carlisle Auctions’ Lakeland Winter Collector Car Auction on Friday, Feb. 10-Saturday, Jan. 11 at SUN ‘n FUN to find a new ride. 🏎

Eat

The new Jalapeño Popper breakfast sandwich is now available at Black & Brew Coffee House and Bistro. Pro tip: Order the sandwich — featuring Born & Bread sourdough, jalapeño-garlic cream cheese, and more — from the Southside location express lane today for 20% off.
It’s still soup season. Enhance your soup skills at the Winter Soups hands-on cooking class at Publix Aprons Cooking School on Tuesday, Jan. 24. On the menu: Boston-Style Clam Chowder, Chicken Sausage Toscana, Truffled Roasted Tomato Soup, and more. 🍲 *

Sports

If you’re into (or even sort of into) sports: The GIST is a must-subscribe newsletter that provides a refreshing female voice and perspective on sports four times a week. Read: If ‘do the thing and score the points’ is your baseline understanding, you might enjoy this to uplevel your knowledge. ⚽ *

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ARTS

A night at the opera 🎭

Members of the Lakeland Opera rehearse a performance onstage with props

Rehearsals are in full swing for the Lakeland Opera. | Photo by @lkldsymphony

For one night only, you can be transported from Lakeland to a small village in Sicily. No, we don’t mean streaming another episode of “The White Lotus” — just attend the Lakeland Opera’s performance of “Cavalleria Rusticana” with the Lakeland Symphony Orchestra.

This performance of the opera will be the debut of the Lakeland Opera Professional Chorus, which features 30 singers from across the country, as well as Florida Southern College students. Robert Moody will debut as the principal opera conductor.

The one-act opera will be sung in its original Italian with English supertitles. The story follows five principal characters on an Easter morning in 19th-century Sicily through dramatic twists of love, jealousy, and betrayal.

Ready for your Italian journey? Tickets ranging from $25-$75 are now available for the performance on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7 p.m. in Florida Southern College’s Branscomb Auditorium.

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Connor.

Editor’s pick: Interested in seeing “Cavalleria Rusticana” but don’t speak a word of Italian? Say “ciao” to your concerns. The performance will have English supertitles, meaning they will be projected during the opera so you can follow along with the story.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Don’t mock it ‘til you try our favorite local mocktails, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Rilee Delgado, Connor Keith, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Kailey Burke | Advertise with us.

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