Mod Pizza is one of the newer pizza concepts that has been popping up all over the United States, and they’ve been rapidly gaining popularity among gluten-free and other lifestyle dieters.
Known as one of the most allergy-friendly restaurants, MOD Pizza offers two gluten-free base options, dairy-free cheese, and lots of toppings and finishes that you can choose from to tilt your pizza to your dietary preferences.
After hearing more impressive things about their food and accommodations, we put on our GF pizza-eating hats and went to our nearest MOD to see how it MOD-ernized the gluten-free pizza experience.
Well, we did it- and in this post, we’ll give you everything you need to know about MOD’s gluten-free menu and our honest review of the food and experience.
Spoiler alert: minus one thing, the pizza was truly delicious. Restaurant’s interior was so modern and hip. Employees were super kind but not as informed as Pieology’s or Blaze’s.
MOD Pizza Gluten Free Crust Options
When discussing gluten-free pizzas, the crusts are, of course, roughly 90% of the game.
MOD Pizza offers two gluten-free crust options:
-Gluten-Friendly (traditional thin crust)
-Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Both of these crusts are pre-made and placed in sealed bags until they’re ready to be used. We just couldn’t figure out if MOD made these crusts or if they partner with a supplier.
In any case, let’s take a closer look at each of these crusts.
MOD Pizza’s Gluten Free Crust Ingredients, Nutrition Facts, and More
MOD Pizza’s Gluten-Free Crust Ingredients: Water, rice flour, modified rice starch, potato starch, sugar, tapioca starch, potato flour, canola/olive oil blend, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, culture brown rice.
Nutrition Facts: 1 Slice = 89 Calories 20g Net Carbs <1g Fats <1g Protein
A quick note: The nutrition label for MOD’s GF crust only gives the numbers for the whole crust. So on the side, we’ve calculated each slice’s nutritional content with the numbers rounded to the nearest whole number based on the 8-slice portion MOD’s pizzas are cut into.
This crust is the most allergy-friendly crust you’ll find in pizza shops these days. It’s not only gluten-free but also dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free, and nut-free.
There is a $2.50 add-on charge for this crust but the flavor makes it worthwhile.
MOD Pizza’s Cauliflower Crust Ingredients, Nutrition Facts, and More
MOD Pizza’s Cauliflower Crust Ingredients: Cauliflower, low moisture mozzarella cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), rice flour, tapioca starch, water, egg whites, rice starch, modified food starch, sugar, yeast, salt, cultured brown rice, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, xanthan gum.
Nutrition Facts: 1 Slice = 74 Calories 11g Net Carbs 2g Fats 2g Protein
Similar to the gluten-friendly crust, the nutrition label for the cauliflower crust gives the numbers for the whole crust. So, on the side, we’ve calculated each slice’s nutritional content with the numbers rounded to the nearest whole number based on the 8-slice portion.
This crust can be keto-ish since it only has 11 grams of net carbs per slice, but of course, that’ll depend on your daily carb allowance. That’s why it’s considered ish and not complete ketonian.
There is also a $2.50 add-on charge for this crust.
MOD Pizza’s Gluten Free Toppings
At MOD, there is no shortage of gluten-free toppings and finishes to choose from to make your pizza just the way you like it.
In fact, out of the 50+ toppings and finishes they offer, only a handful are not gluten-free. So, you can definitely get creative with your pie.
To see the complete list of MOD’s allergen-free toppings and finishes, check out their user-friendly allergen information to see what’s available to you. In addition to gluten, they have milk, egg, crustacean shellfish, fish, soybean, peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame listed as allergens too.
Based on this list, here are MOD’s common gluten-free toppings and finishes in a more organizable format:
| Gluten-Free Crusts |
|---|
| Gluten-Friendly |
| Cauliflower Crust |
| Sauces |
|---|
| BBQ Sauce |
| Garlic Rub |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
| Pesto |
| Red Sauce |
| Spicy Calabrian Chili Red Sauce |
| White Sauce |
| Cheese |
|---|
| Asiago |
| Cheddar |
| Dairy-Free Cheese |
| Feta |
| Gorgonzola |
| Mozzarella |
| Parmesan |
| Ricotta |
| Meat |
|---|
| Anchovies |
| Bacon |
| Canadian Bacon |
| Eggs |
| Grilled Chicken |
| Ground Beef |
| Mild Sausage |
| Pepperoni |
| Salami |
| Spicy Chicken Sausage |
| Plant-Based Italian Sausage |
| Red Thai Curry Chicken |
| Veggies |
|---|
| Artichokes |
| Arugula |
| Banana Peppers |
| Basil |
| Black Olives |
| Broccoli-Roasted |
| Cilantro |
| Corn-Roasted |
| Chickpeas |
| Cucumbers |
| Garlic-Roasted |
| Greek Olives |
| Green Bell Peppers |
| Jalapenos |
| Mama Lil’s Sweet Hot Peppas |
| Mushrooms |
| Oregano |
| Pineapple |
| Red Onion |
| Red Peppers-Roasted |
| Romaine |
| Rosemary-Fresh Chopped |
| Sea Salt |
| Sea Salt & Peppers |
| Spinach |
| Mixed Greens |
| Tomatoes-Sliced |
| Tomatoes-Diced |
| Cranberry Seed Blend |
| Red Onions-Pickled |
| Kale & Broccoli Power Blend |
| Finishing Sauce |
|---|
| Balsamic Fig Glaze |
| BBQ Swirl |
| Hot Buffalo Sauce |
| Mike’s Hot Honey |
| Pesto Drizzle |
| Red Sauce Dollops |
| Sri-Rancha Sauce |
Is MOD Pizza safe for Celiacs?
The short answer is: no, MOD Pizza is not 100 % safe for celiacs.
The long answer is that they do take food sensitivities seriously but they cannot guarantee that their pizzas will be completely free of gluten simply because all pizzas are made in a shared kitchen.
And, to be completely honest, we also didn’t see much effort to keep items separate while they were preparing our gluten-free pizzas.
So, if you have celiac disease or are highly sensitive to gluten, you should exercise caution if you choose to dine at MOD Pizza.
MOD Pizza Gluten Free Pizza Review | Taste Test and Experience
After weighing up all the details of MOD’s gluten-free menu, the time came to give it a go and see how the food and the customer experience stacked up.
We went to one of the locations in Los Angeles on a weekday around lunchtime and were surprised at how packed the place was! There was a slight wait to order, but nothing outrageous.
Out of the two GF crusts they offer, we opted for the traditional gluten-free crust and topped it with a mix of proteins and veggies.
So, based on our order, here is each aspect of our experience at MOD’s in more detail:
The Pizza (Taste & Texture)
First and foremost, the pizza’s taste was in the top three of the most delicious gluten-free pizzas we’ve ever had!
We couldn’t tell whether it was the sauce, the cheese, the toppings, or a combination of all, but something about the flavor was spot on.
The sweetness of the sauce, the density of the cheese and the toppings all blended together so well. A pizza-making robot couldn’t have done a better job keeping all of its toppings so proportioned.
Best of all, it was pretty filling for only being an 11-inch pizza. We could have easily stopped at one pizza and called it a day, but we powered through and had another one.
There was, however, one little minus. The crust’s texture was not as crispy as we’ve had them, and the slices were a bit floppy.
But, to MOD’s credit, the crust was still pretty tasty and soft on the inside- just not as firm on the outside as we would have liked.
Overall, we give the taste and texture a 9 out of 10.
The Employees & Pizza Preparation
We went to MOD with the assumption that the employees would be well informed and accommodating since they are known to be an allergy and lifestyle diet-friendly pizza shop.
They were both of those things, but not to the extent we saw at other places like Blaze Pizza or Pieology.
The employees were all super friendly and helpful, but they didn’t seem to have the same in-depth knowledge of the allergen menu as the staff at Blaze or Pieology.
For example, we asked if their white sauce was gluten-free and they couldn’t give us a definite answer.
But the important thing is that they put in the effort to find the answer by going back to check on product labels, and when they couldn’t be sure, they were super apologetic.
So, we appreciated the extra steps they took to find our answers. And BTW, MOD’s white sauce is gluten-free according to their allergen chart.
As for the preparation, honestly, we didn’t see anything out of the ordinary that made us think they were extra careful with cross-contamination.
Price
The prices at MOD are on par with what you would expect to pay for a pizza at any other similar pizza place.
You start with a base price for the pizza and pay an add-on for the type of gluten-free crust you choose. And, best of all, you can add as many toppings as you want – at no extra cost!
We opted for the traditional gluten-free crust, and here is the breakdown of what we paid:
| Gluten-Friendly Curst Build-Your-Own |
|---|
| MOD Pizza……$10.63 |
| GF Crust……….$2.50 |
| Subtotal………$13.13 |
| Sales Tax……..$0.95 |
| Total………….$14.08 |
FAQs
Is MOD Pizza’s Gluten Free Crust Vegan?
Yes, MOD’s Gluten-Free Crust is vegan. It contains no animal products and it’s free of all common allergens.
Is MOD Pizza’s Gluten Free Crust Keto?
NO. MOD’s gluten-free crust has 20grams of net carbs per slice. This makes it unsuitable for people following a keto diet.
Is the Cauliflower Crust at MOD Pizza Gluten Free?
Yes. MOD’s Cauliflower Crust is gluten-free.
Is the White Sauce at MOD Pizza Gluten Free?
Yes. MOD’s White Sauce is gluten-free. The only allergens listed for MOD’s white sauce are milk and soybean.
Final Words
MOD Pizza is about the experience as much as it is about the food.
You get to watch your pizza being made from start to finish and you can pile on as many toppings as you want.
With spacious seating and a relaxed vibe, it’s a great place to gather with friends or family.
With such an accommodating menu: from gluten-free options to dairy-free cheese to plant-based sausages, the new way of eating fast food is being redefined right before our eyes.
We give MOD Pizza two thumbs up for their innovation, their care for those with food allergies, and overall deliciousness. And we think you will too.