This past week I was in Atlanta for work and I tried to do some research on gluten-free options before my trip. What I found got me pretty excited for my visit! Atlanta seemed to have a lot of gluten-free options and several that seemed quite legit. Since I was staying in Midtown and wasn’t going to have a rental car I tried to make a list of places that were feasible to get to. One that wasn’t too far away, but not super easy to get to by public transportation or walking in the summer heat, was Chick-a-Biddy. It was however one that I really wanted to check out (nothing motivates me like gluten-free fried chicken and mac and cheese) so I decided it was well worth the short cab ride.
I got in around the same time as a friend/co-worker and she was more than happy to check it out with me. Our flight got in around 2 so it was going to be a late lunch. We were both quite hungry by the time we checked into our hotel and cabbed over. The restaurant was about a mile and a half from our hotel in Midtown (about a $12 cab ride) in the Atlantic Station area. Atlantic Station really intrigued me. It seemed like a recent development with a lot of shops and trying to be walkable for people. It was pretty quaint and had a charm factor to it. The streets weren’t super busy with people or cars, but it was also a Tuesday afternoon. I’m used to Miami where there are always hundreds of people out randomly walking around and shopping and I need to remember that’s not normal in most cities…. I’m sure most people in Atlanta work normal hours.
When you walk into Chick-a-Biddy you kind of get the feeling it’s a fast casual place where you order at the counter and pick a table. In fact you are seated by the hostess and order from a waiter/waitress at the table. Both my co-worker and I liked it had a sort of casual vibe, but full-service.
Now the Chick-a-Biddy menu clearly identifies all the chicken is gluten-free. There then were specific items that were marked with a GF. I had read online about their gluten-free Mac and cheese, but it wasn’t marked with the GF. Luckily I clarified with the waiter and all the sides that weren’t naturally gluten-free could be made gluten-free. I forgot to ask if all the entrees could be made gluten-free because the chicken and waffles would have been something to try.
I ended up getting the chicken strips and sides of the gluten-free Mac and cheese and loaded mashed potatoes. My friend got the chicken sandwich. The chicken strips were delicious and crispy. What I was very happy about was that the breading didn’t come off when I took a bite (that tends to happen a lot with gluten-free chicken tenders I’ve had before). The Mac and cheese was also good, although I don’t think you can go wrong with a bunch of creamy cheesy goodness. My friend said that her chicken sandwich was one of the best she ever had, so gluten-eaters will also really enjoy Chick-a-Biddy!
I’m very glad to have checked out Chick-a-Biddy and will plan a return trip when I am next in Atlanta. I’d be curious if things like the chicken and waffles or chicken sandwich can be made gluten-free (forgot to ask since I already knew what I wanted). Regardless the chicken strips and Mac and cheese are worth a trip (and a return trip) for gluten-frees. As my friend’s comment suggest it’s also worth a visit for gluten-eaters. Check out the pics below (the gluten-free chicken strips look great!).
Chick-a-Biddy- 264 19th St NW Atlanta, GA
http://www.chickabiddyatl.com/
Loaded mashed potatoes and gluten-free mac and cheese
Gluten-free fried chicken!
