Iowa State University
“When looking at colleges, allergies was one of my top priorities. Iowa State does an amazing job with allergies and being safe, allergens are listed for each food item that is being served; dairy-free, vegetarian alternatives can be requested, when I would request a burger without cheese, they would change their gloves and assemble my burger away from the cheese. They also have a ‘special kitchen’ in one of the dining halls that only those with food allergies have access to. The protocol with this special kitchen is you can not bring anything or anyone who isn’t on the list in, hands must be washed before entering and everything has their own utensil to grab the food, and snacks are individually packed. Also on the Iowa State app, we can access each dining halls menu and the allergens are listed on there with icons and the full ingredient list!”
Provisions F Lot
“One of my go to restaurants back in Ames along with my favorite. This is one of the nicer, upscale restaurants we have in Ames. They switch up their menu every now and then, and always have a dairy free cake, and every time I go, it’s a different flavor, which I love. The staff is knowledgeable and always double checks with the kitchen. I always go for the burger with no cheese, of course, and the aioli sauce on the side.”
Wasabi Ames
“One of my favorite spots here in Ames to eat out! Wide variety of allergen safe foods along with ability to make accommodations with certain menu items if need be.”
Ichiban Japanese Restaurant
“This restaurant is located on campus on the Main Street where all the bars are. It’s a short walk from my apartment, which is so convenient. I typically go for the bento box which comes with breaded pork (tonkatsu), potstickers, rice, and a salad—unfortunately I do not remember what the salad dressing is called. The kitchen is quite small so there is some cross-contamination but for me personally, cross-contamination is okay and does not make me have any reactions!”
Buffalo Wild Wings
“A classic restaurant, but one of my favorites. It is off campus but about a 10-minute drive. My friends and I will go for game days or when they have deals. When I mentioned my allergies, they went ahead and brought out a menu where all the allergens were listed, which was so helpful because I could see which sauces were safe for me, which sides, etc. A classic, but always a safe one for me.”
Mr. Burrito
“One of my favorite go-to late-night places. It is right on campus near all the bars, so it’s great to hit up after a night out, especially since it is open until 2 a.m. It is exactly like a Chipotle where you build your own item. I usually ask them to change their gloves, just to be safe.”
