My goal is to discover gluten-free food in the District to make your gluten-free diet easier.

2459 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

What I got: Raw kale and pomegranate salad with lemon-oil vinaigrette. The dressing was a little sour but good, which helped cover up the fact that all I was eating for dinner was a mound of raw kale with a few pomegranate seeds hidden in the leaves. (Sometimes it seems like eating out is signing up for being hungry later.)

Raw kale and pomegranate salad

Gluten-free friendliness: Tryst does an excellent job of clearly indicating gluten-free options on their menu. (The menu also highlights vegetarian and vegan dishes.) Unfortunately, there just aren’t that many of the gluten-free symbols to be found. There are two other salad options and “nachos locos” but that’s pretty much it. The restaurant is big on sandwiches and all-day brunch, so the menu is overloaded with bagels, waffles and tartlets. The gluten-free carrot cake almost makes up for the lack of options, if you’re into the concept of vegetables in your dessert.

Overall vibe: Tryst has the same owners as the DINER and The Coupe, and I’ve found that if you like one of these places, you’ll like them all. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the place is almost always packed. It’s a good place to grab a coffee and get some work done. In terms of gluten-free food options, though, there are more accommodating places. 

Tryst, 18th St. NW

Gluten-free gut reaction: Won’t go again