Hot tomato!

Photo/Gluten Free Garden State

Pizza shop owner Giulio Padalino didn't start serving gluten-free foods to appeal to his customers or to jump on a trendy bandwagon. He was instead looking to help his son, who was diagnosed with celiac disease as a child.

That was more than 25 years ago!

Palermo's Ristorante, which has locations in Bordentown, Roebling (aka Florence) and Ewing, has catered to celiac customers longer than most.Although Padalino began stocking celiac-friendly pastas and pizza shells for the family's personal use, he recognized its appeal to some customers early on and has been expanding the menu every since.


There seems to be something to appeal to any gluten-free taste, including a variety of dry and frozen pastas, such as spaghetti, penne, ravioli and gnocchi, that are supplied pre-packaged to the restaurant in order to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.Gluten-free salads, main entrees, pizza and its locally famous tomato pie also are on the menu.And if it's not listed on the dedicated GF menu, regular-menu items can be altered to accommodate those with special dietary issues.

On our recent lunch visit, a chunky GF tomato pie was split between a celiac and a non-celiac, and both thoroughly enjoyed it. The server offered to show us some of Palermo's GF desserts, but our tummies were already filled.

We'll get them next time.