Article I wrote about Morley Field in South Park, CA for Edible’s Winter 2020 issue.

After five years of business, this beloved allergen-free baker has opened her first brick and mortar in San Diego.

California Roasting Collective is not only San Diego’s first and only coffee roasting collective, it's one of the first anywhere.

For those who are celiac, gluten-intolerant, vegan, lactose intolerant or all of the above, consider this list your dining guide. READ MORE

One of the many reasons why I love and appreciate San Diego, other than its constant sunny disposition and slew of things to do, is that it’s a city that really turned the tide and has made tremendous strides in bringing recognition to a growing problem that was going unchecked in the restaurant industry. With healthy, food allergy educated establishments popping up left and right, San Diego has made it incredibly easy for someone living with food allergies to enjoy a meal out free of stress and aggravation. No more negative connotations of that gluten f-word for me!

Below are my top four favorite, gluten-free friendly dining spots in North County San Diego that offer great food, a great atmosphere, and understand the struggles of a food sensitive individual…

It is time to take the local conversation beyond farm-to-table and start talking about seed origins.

“We talk about food-to-table, but seed-to-table is just as important,” explains Brijette Romstedt-Peña, founder of the San Diego Seed Company, which is currently the only local seed distributor in San Diego and the only certified organic urban seed producer in the country.

“Everything served in the newly opened Ranch 45 restaurant is locally sourced and responsibly raised, including their poultry and beef.

The coffee beans used for their espresso bar are from Cafe Virtuoso, while the Free-Ranch Chicken is from Mary’s. Vegetables come from Chino Farms, and their eggs from Eben-Haezer .

The star of the menu is Brandt Beef, sourced from a family-owned ranch in Imperial County dedicated to using sustainable practices to produce their premium natural beef that’s free from antibiotics with no added hormones.

In the front-of-house and behind-the-line, General manager Pam Schwartz and Executive Chef DuVal Warner run the show.”

Winning first place at San Diego’s 2019 Cake Show was not part of the plan for Yu Kelsey.

“I never thought about becoming a cake decorator, or working in a bakery. I actually had a dream of building movie sets,” she said.

Born in Tsukigase, a village outside of Kyoto, Japan, Kelsey was always interested in the arts, studying English for a year in Osaka before moving to California. She completed her BA at San Francisco University in Studio Arts, with a concentration in sculpting, ceramics and oil painting.

Most people agree that Joshua Tree is a magical place. Situated between California’s Mojave Desert and the lower Colorado Desert, it’s home to the native Joshua Tree (hence the name), Joshua Tree National Park and Little San Bernardino Mountains. Due to its beautiful topography and nature, it has a long history of luring in artists, hikers, rock climbers alike. Only located 2.5 hours away from both Los Angeles and San Diego, it’s no wonder why so many Angelinos and San Diegans purchase second homes here. Joshua Tree has quite a bit to offer, whether you’re there for a day, the weekend, or forever. Here’s our must-dos…

We can all agree that living with an autoimmune disease such as Celiac, or with any food intolerances or allergies is not very fun, or convenient, for that matter. Especially when trying to find something tasty! The amount of San Diego restaurants who cater to these communities, makes it feel almost effortless to find allergen-friendly food! As someone diagnosed with Celiac and other food intolerances, who is San Diego based, I have tried and tested most of what America’s Finest City has to offer time and time again, and the results have been delicious! I have compiled a list of my ten favorite spots that I regularly visit, and I recommend them to anyone visiting or living in San Diego.

When you visit America's Finest City aka San Diego, California, you’re probably going to start with our world-renowned San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, amble around the museums in Balboa Park, run up for a day at Legoland, and take your family to Seaworld (what Blackfish?).