If you’ve ever been a breastfeeding mom, you know the struggle is real. From the round-the-clock cluster feeds, to the chapped nipples, to the complete and utter exhaustion, to the insatiable hunger. So if there’s anything a nursing mom deserves, it’s to eat whatever she desires, whenever she desires it. It’s our small prize for dedicating our bodies to these tiny little humans for a little while longer.

So when a nursing mom is told she has to cut dairy from her diet because her baby has an intolerance, it’s downright devastating. At first, you might think, “Well, that’s doable…it’s just yogurt, milk, and cheese. I can survive without pizza and ice cream for a few months.”

But if you’ve ever tried to go truly dairy-free, you know it’s not that simple. My first week off the cow, I accidentally got “dairy-ed” at least three times. First, it was waffles at brunch. Then Chick-fil-a nuggets. Then focaccia bread before my meticulously ordered marinara pasta. It seemed no matter how careful I was, I always ended up covered in spit-up, with a very scream-y baby.

I vowed to never eat out of the house again, and live on grilled chicken breast and steamed (butter-less) veggies alone, lest I get dairy-ed again. Then, of course, I remembered that I was now a mom of a 2-year-old and a newborn, and I didn’t have time for that nonsense, so I knew I was going to have to find a way to eat out again.

It’s taken me six months, and it feels like I’ve studied every menu, interrogated every waiter and/or manager, and sampled every allergen substitute in Collin County, but it was all worth it—I’ve now got the definitive list:

BEST Dairy-Free Restaurants in Collin County

1. Liberty Burger, Allen

This place is so wonderfully accommodating. The cashiers are so knowledgeable about their menu, and will make recommendations for substitutes as you order. Plus, they’ll label the order with “dairy allergy” so the kitchen can make any other adjustments if needed, and make sure there’s no cross-contamination.

Recommended dairy-free options:

• The Libertine
• The Nooner (no cheese, whole wheat bun)

2. Harvest, McKinney

This is easily one of the best (if not the best) restaurants in downtown McKinney, so it’s no surprise that it’s on this list. Again, the staff is knowledgeable and will customize orders and make recommendations as needed to accommodate you. The menu changes seasonally, so it’s always important to review the ingredients listed, but their staff will be able to guide you.

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Pan-Roasted Redfish (no butter)

3. Haywire, Plano

The great thing about Haywire is that you don’t have to worry about missing out on anything here. Their menu is so good that no matter WHAT, you can’t lose. And again, the waiters are so knowledgeable about the menu, and will help guide you to the best choices and/or substitutions for you (Notice a common theme? A knowledgeable staff makes ALL the difference when eating out with an allergen!).

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Mesquite Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop (no butter)

4. Hat Creek Burger Company, McKinney

I have a two-year-old boy, so Hat Creek’s awesome playground gives it a permanent spot on our dine-out list. Luckily, they have a great allergen-labeled menu on their website if you want to plan in advance, and their cashiers have a cheat-sheet behind the counter, so you can easily verify or double-check anything you need to modify on the spot.

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Little Hat with half & half fries (nearly all their sauces, like Hat Sauce, Happy Sauce, and Fry Sauce, are dairy-free!) 

5. True Food Kitchen, Plano

True Food Kitchen is one of the easiest places to eat out if you have an allergy of any kind. The menu is very allergen and diet-friendly, and is well-labeled, so you can easily identify what is and isn’t safe to eat.

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Ancient Grains Bowl with Chicken

6. Whistle Britches, Plano

This one might be a surprise on the list, as it’s known for fried chicken and biscuits, which of course contain buttermilk and butter and all kinds of other dairy deliciousness. The few times I’ve been since going dairy-free, they’ve bent over backwards to make sure my allergy was taken care of, and that I was able to enjoy my meal. 

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Aristocrat (no butter on the bun)

7. Rusty Taco, Plano

Sometimes you just need tacos and a margarita, amiright? Rusty Taco has tons of dairy-free options, and everything is made simple and fresh, so it’s easy to customize anything.

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Picadillo Tacos
• Chips & Guac

8. Mod Pizza, McKinney

I know what you’re thinking: How could there possibly be a pizza place on this list of dairy-free restaurants?! Even ordering pizza without cheese at many takeout places can be dicey; you have to double-check if they use butter in their dough, and make sure they don’t brush garlic butter over the crust. Plus, it always feels wasteful to order a whole separate pizza without cheese just for me (because obviously my family still wants the good stuff). But the beauty of Mod Pizza is, everyone gets their own, individual pizza anyway, and they offer dairy-free cheese! Which means I can have a real-deal pepperoni pizza, just like the good ol’ days.

Recommended dairy-free options:

• Pepperoni Pizza (or whatever your favorite pizza is) with dairy-free cheese
• Cinnamon Sticks with strawberry sauce

So if you’ve just found out your baby has a dairy intolerance and are navigating what you can and can’t eat, rest assured that your life is not over. You will still be able to eat delicious food, and you can still enjoy a night out!