By Kyle Coppola
Mount Dora’s Salted Fry Offers Gluten-Free, Grab-and-Go Dining Options
MOUNT DORA, Fla. — During his frequent visits from Pennsylvania, Dale Duffy noticed something missing in Mount Dora’s bustling event scene—quick, convenient dining options.
“I would come to all the events, and if you wanted something to eat, you had to sit down for a meal,” Duffy said. “There was no grab-and-go option, and that’s when I came up with the idea.”
That idea became The Salted Fry, a specialty eatery he launched in October 2019, focused on fries and a variety of flavored sauces. But the restaurant’s concept soon expanded after a close friend developed a gluten allergy, opening Duffy’s eyes to the challenges faced by those with dietary restrictions.
Realizing the need for gluten-free options, he revamped the menu to include sandwiches on gluten-free bread, hard ciders, and sulfate-free, organic wines. The restaurant also carries Glutenberg, a gluten-free beer from Canada.
(Duffy holds Lake & Sumter Style’s Best of the Best trophy. Gluten-Free options are hard to come by but this establishment changes the game.)
“I have a really good gluten-free bread that I get out of Canada,” Duffy said. “Honestly, you can’t even tell it’s gluten-free—that’s the key to having high-quality food. People who don’t have dietary restrictions can still enjoy a great meal.”
Duffy said he hadn’t fully grasped the size of the gluten-free community before opening the Salted Fry.
(The Salted Fry food truck which has been very successful around the community.)
“It’s been overwhelming—I don’t have celiac or a gluten sensitivity myself, so I didn’t realize how many people struggle with this,” he said. “I’ve had customers moved to tears because they finally found something to eat besides a salad. It’s pretty incredible.” While the main Salted Fry location is at 112 W 3rd Ave, Mount Dora, FL 32757, Duffy also started a food truck that has been highly successful and can be found at local events around the community. Be sure to visit their facebook page for info on where they will be next.
Today, The Salted Fry continues to serve Mount Dora’s residents and visitors, offering a unique blend of convenience and inclusivity in its menu.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
