The University of Scranton
“Overall, Scranton has been very allergy-friendly for me! I’ve found the surrounding restaurants/cafes to be very accommodating and some even offer vegan/gluten-free options. I’ve never had a problem ordering what I want at the restaurants in Scranton and especially on campus. If you have a nut allergy, Scranton is very safe! I hardly ever come into contact with them.
My dining hall experience at Scranton has been amazing so far. There is a “true balance station” that accommodates those with allergies and gluten intolerances. The station eliminates the top nine most common food allergies so there is always an option for everyone! There is also a small section of the dining hall that has a few cereals, gluten-free bread, and a separate toaster that is completely safe for those with an allergy to gluten, peanuts, or tree nuts. Even though we have those designated sections, I’ve yet to see something served in our dining hall with nuts anywhere. On Tuesdays last year, they would always serve acai bowls for lunch. Even the granola they were using was just oats! The only place there is a possibility of nuts is the ice cream. There’s about 10 bins and some flavors get swapped out each week. There is a laminated paper with all the flavors and the allergens they contain so I know which ones I can have. The scoopers aren’t super clean though and I’ve never asked for a new one but I’ve always been fine. There’s also a soft serve machine with just chocolate and vanilla if you want to avoid the nuts entirely. Not a day goes by when I leave the dining hall without ice cream 🙂 ”
Alfredo’s Pizza
“We go here every time my parents visit! We go strictly to get pizza so I really haven’t explored the menu. I didn’t see pesto on any of the pizzas but I would double check to make sure when ordering. Besides that the pizza here is completely safe and delicious!”
Northern Light Espresso Bar and Cafe
“This is a really cute cafe in downtown Scranton! Lots of places to do work and they have an upstairs loft area to sit as well. I only really ever order drinks from here so I’ve never been too concerned with my allergy. I just make sure not to order almond milk. I haven’t seen any tree nuts on the menu but I have seen peanuts/peanut butter. They also have some baked goods which don’t have a label of ingredients but the staff are super nice and helpful so I’m sure they know/would be willing to find out for you. They also have vegan/gluten-free options which is awesome!”
Retro Cafe
“Big menu of food + drinks and very fun vibe here! I really didn’t see any tree nuts on the menu besides almond milk in their drinks if you choose it. I did see sesame and peanut butter however. They also have a few gluten-free and vegan options! From here I’ve had the iced tea, iced chai latte and a breakfast sandwich which were all very good! ”
Einstein Bros. Bagels
“I went here pretty much every day last semester! My favorite was the turkey, bacon & avocado on toasted ciabatta or chicken salad on a bagel. Sometimes I just got a sesame bagel with cream cheese. The iced chai latte is also pretty good! I never saw any nuts on the menu really besides the honey and almond cream cheese. All the cream cheeses have their own spreader though so it was never really concerning to me. I’m sure the staff would prepare your order in a separate location or change their gloves if you asked them to!”
Backyard Ale House
“This is a go to in Scranton for me and my teammates. When I go I usually will get the “just a chicken” sandwich which has no nuts at all. The only thing on the menu that I’ve seen has nuts in it is one of their salads. This is super quick and easy bar food so I never had much concern with my allergy. We also get backyard catered for a lot of our tailgates and parties and it has always been safe for me to eat.”
AV Restaurant
“Food and vibes were so good here! Definitely finer dining for Scranton. I did see nuts on the menu mostly in the appetizers though. I had the tagliatelle and our waiter confirmed there was no nuts in it. I didn’t request any other accommodations but I’m sure they would be happy to if you asked!”
Downtown Deli
“This is another staple for me in Scranton! We pretty much get downtown deli for every away game on the bus and I take my parents here whenever they come. They have a breakfast menu which lasts all day and a lunch menu. I usually always get bacon/ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel or Kaiser roll which has always been safe. I’ve also had the steak and eggs, pancakes, and the breakfast burrito. Staff were able to confirm that there were no nuts in anything I was ordering. Not many nuts on the menu but I did see Nutella, pecans on top of the French toast, and granola with their yogurt. I don’t ask many questions anymore because I’ve found it to be safe for me but I’m sure the staff would be every accommodating if you were to ask!”
Jitty Joe’s
“This is pretty much the only ice cream place that anyone at Scranton goes to. The ice cream is SO good – large portions, very reasonably priced, and a huge menu. I get the same flavor every time – chocolate oreo with chocolate syrup – so I haven’t done much exploring of the menu. The staff are always super nice though and willing to use a clean scoop. Half the time I don’t even ask for a clean scoop and I’m perfectly fine. Sugar-free and vegan options are also offered which you can see specifically on their menu. My go-to ice cream place! I highly recommend it if you are in Scranton. ”
Bar Pazzo
“The food here is awesome! Good vibes too as you can sit inside or outside. Quality Italian. There were definitely a lot of nuts on the menu and pesto which I assume was made with pine nuts. I had the pasta brunatta though and the staff was able to confirm the dish had no nuts in it. They have gelato for dessert but they weren’t able to ensure no cross contamination. Beyond that I didn’t ask them to make any other accommodations.”
Sambuca Grille
“Another authentic Italian restaurant in Scranton. I got the Rigatoni Bolognese and it was delicious! I confirmed with the staff that my dish had no nuts in it but I wasn’t that concerned because I saw no nuts on the menu anywhere.”
Zummo’s Cafe
“This cafe is super cute and there’s lots of room to sit and do work inside or outside. I’ve had the bacon egg and cheese on a bagel and the iced chai tea latte – both nut-free. I did see some menu items with peanuts and almond milk. They offer some vegan and gluten-free options though if that’s what you’re looking for! They also do featured menu items for each season and you can place bakery orders (cakes, cookies, doughnuts) which is super fun.”
Blackwatch Cafe
“Blackwatch is so fun! It sits at the front of Nay Aug Park where you can sit outside or walk around. They always have a featured drink menu depending on the season. I’ve only had the bagels and iced chai tea latte from there and they’ve been completely nut-free! The chai is pretty spicy though. Just be sure not to get almond milk in any drinks if that is your allergy.”
Goodness Bowls
“Goodness Bowls just opened a location in Scranton 5 minutes from my campus and I couldn’t be more excited! I went to Goodness Bowls a few days after their grand opening. Even though they were super busy and staff were likely still in training, they were very accommodating to me and my allergy. On the menu, it said all acai was blended with almond milk. They were able to leave the acai by itself without blending it and substitute the granola for nut-free granola. I ended up getting the Avalon bowl. When my order came out, the employee who had made it assured me that she had made the order in a separate area and changed her gloves beforehand so there was no cross contamination.
My team also ordered goodness bowls for the bus ride to an away game one time and I received the same service! My bowl came with a sticker on the top signaling it was an allergy bowl. Even though a lot of menu items included nuts, I felt very safe there! ”
