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The 8 Best Gluten-Free Food & Restaurants In New York City

February 7, 2012 1:20 PM

Suffer from Celiac disease? Going through life gluten-free poses its challenges, especially when cravings for comfort foods like pizza and cupcakes come knocking. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Here’s a look at some of the top GF fare in town. By Camille DeMere.

More: N.J.’s 4 Best Gluten-Free Restaurants | Long Island’s 5 Best Gluten-Free Restaurants | NYC’s 6 Best Gluten-Free Desserts

Risotteria

gluten free breadsticks The 8 Best Gluten Free Food & Restaurants In New York City

Our favorite gluten-gree find in all of New York City may be Risotteria’s breadsticks (credit: Risotteria)

270 Bleecker Street (between 6th & 7th Aves.)
New York, NY 10014
(212) 924 – 6664
risotteria.com
Reviews & More Info

If you suffer from a gluten intolerance, you’ll find a bit of heaven at Risotteria. From the minute they place the first round of gluten-free breadsticks at the table until you finish the last bite of your gluten-free apple pie at dessert. In between, you can sip on gluten-free beer! The menu targets those with Celiac Disease, and itemizes the options with markers for “gluten free,” “vegetarian,” or “dairy free.” The restaurant specializes in risotto and gluten-free baked goods, which you can order to go. On Tuesdays, order from a special gluten-free pasta menu. Yes, the place sounds too good to be true for those who normally can’t enjoy all of these foods – and the crowds that gather nightly prove the restaurant’s worth. Reservations aren’t accepted, wait time can be lengthy and the place gets crowded fast. But our tip? It’s worth it.

Bistango

(credit: bistangonyc.com)

415 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 725-8484
bistangonyc.com
Reviews & more info

The gluten-free options here are limitless, and the staff is eager to please and ensure a safe and delicious meal for everyone. You’ll probably even meet the owner, Anthony, who often comes out to greet guests and chat about his restaurant. Start the meal off with warm, crusty gluten-free bread that puts most other GF bread to shame. For dinner, you can dine on creamy Spinach & Ricotta Ravioli, flavorful Wild Mushroom & Ricotta Ravioli, or Cheese Tortellini from the gluten-free menu. For a $2 premium, you can make any pasta item on the menu gluten-free. They also offer two Green’s gluten-free beers, the dark and sweet Endeavor and the light and fresh Quest. During the summer, sip fresh gluten-free white wine sangria. Try the GF homemade cheesecake for dessert.

Keste Pizza & Vino

kestepizzeria2 The 8 Best Gluten Free Food & Restaurants In New York City

The pizza from Keste. (photo credit: kestepizzeria.com)

271 Bleecker Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 243-1500
kestepizzeria.com
Reviews & more info

A good pizza can be tough to find – especially when you’re avoiding gluten – but Mondays and Tuesdays are gluten-free days at this West Village spot. Choose from the Mast Nicola, with lardo, Pecorino Romano (a hard, salty cheese), and basil, or sample the Marinara (tomatoes and oregano) or the classic Margherita. All pies come on a cruncy, brick-oven crust that will make you forget it’s gluten-free. The torta caprese, a flourless chocolate almond cake, is moist and dense, completely gluten-free, and a great way to finish off your meal.

S’MAC

The 8 Best Gluten Free Food & Restaurants In New York City

(credit: S’mac/Facebook)

345 East 12th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 358-7912
smacnyc.com

Mac’n'cheese is the ultimate comfort food (check out our Best Mac roundup) - but for not always for gluten-free lifestyles. That’s where S’MAC comes into the play. They’ve gone through a lot of effort to make their entire menu available in GF variations, charging a bit more depending on the size of dish you order. For GF mac, they use Brown Rice elbow macaroni, bechamel (no wheat flour), and breadcrumbs made from GF cornflakes. With all that in mind, dive into their extensive collection of delicious mac flavors, including cheeseburger and cajun.

Lilli And Loo

Getty Images/Clip Art

792 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10065
(212) 421-7800
lilliandloo.com

Hungry for stick-to-your-bones, Chinese takeout – sans gluten? Check out this Lexington Avenue locale, Lilli and Loo. Their gluten-free menu boasts more than 50 items, including spicy General T’so’s chicken or tofu, which retains the crunch its gluten-filled counterpart is known for. We like the rice noodle pad thai, and the dumplings are delicious with GF soy sauce.

Candle 79

(credit: Candle 79)

154 E 79th St
New York, NY 10021
(212) 537-7179
candlecafe.com

Dimly-lit and perfect for date night, this Upper East Side venue boasts a thorough gluten-free menu. Their organic, vegan fare pairs fabulously with a thorough cocktail selection. The atmosphere is welcoming to those without dietary limitations, as well. We’re big fans of Angel’s Nachos ($16.00).

Tu-Lu’s Gluten-Free Bakery

Tu-Lu’s Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream (credit: Tu-Lu’s)

338 East 11th St.
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-2227
tu-lusbakery.com

Time for dessert. Tu-Lu’s made our Best Cupcake list on the quality of its wares alone. It’s a bonus that they’re gluten-free. Tully Lewis attended culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, Texas, before making her way up to NYC to continue her studies at NYU. Good thing for us it’s not all academic for her. Her chocolate chip cookies get rave reviews, and of course, we love the vanilla/vanilla cupcake.

Rice To Riches

(credit: ricetoriches.com)

37 Spring Street
New York, N.Y.
212.274.0008
ricetoriches.com

In a skinny city where venues like Pinkberry make a business of encouraging visitors to top their non-fat concoctions with healthy additions like fruit and nuts, Nolita’s Rice To Riches offers heaping portions of their trendy take on comfort food while encouraging the overindulgence (the walls are lined with phrases poking fun at thin girls and fitness freaks). It’s a bit pricey, but even the smallest size is big enough for two to share. The staff is knowledgeable about which flavors are gluten-free, and which ones aren’t safe for those with the allergy.

Janice

Just tried Naked Pizza on 57th and 3rd Ave, and their gluten-free pizza was delicious. My husband had their regular pizza and loved it, as well. Pala’s is good for a more gourmet variety of pizza and they have many other gluten-free choices on the menu.
Tulu’s on 11tth Street of First Ave has amazing cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies.
Shay

I have a sever wheat allergy that results in an anaphylaxis allergic reaction. My go to for eats is Pala and Baby Cakes, eaten at these two places for a few years now with no problems. Except too much Baby Cakes can make me a fatty cakes. ; )
nIte clubs kissimmee

The one mistake you possibly can make when you’re trying to meet a new women should be to certainly not strategy the woman’s. Most men are generally scared to get started on the chat having a girl with regard to concern with negativity …nightclubs toronto
Patty

If you are in Central New Jersey, try Fallon’s Gluten Free Bake Shop in Fords, N.J. The baked goods are so good. The sign when you enter the bake shop says it all…”Welcome to Celiac Heaven”. Phone # 732-710-3338
Picci

Does anyone know of any GF restaurants or bakeries in Brooklyn?

danielle

check http://www.gfregistry.com and you can search by location

Lynn Mendelsohn

For Gluten free tours visiting the best gluten free places in nyc please go to http://www.vayable.com/experiences/1284-nyc-gluten-free-tour
Chris Platt

I, too love Candle 79, but I think you got some wrong info. The dish you tout, which IS delicious, the Chili-grilled Seitan, is hardly gluten-free. Seitan, as made and served practically everywhere these days, actually IS wheat gluten. Maybe they have invented a gluten-free gluten, but I can’t imagine what that would end up as. Candle 79 has a number of yummy Seitan dishes, but gluten-free? I don’t think so.

Emilie

There are a number of gluten-free seitan variations out there (I shall agree that they maybe shouldn’t be named « seitan », though), I’ve tried a couple with success. See here for recipe examples : http://www.meatandeggfree.com/gluten-free-seitan.html

Lynn

I do gluten free birthday parties for children and tours for those from out of town (for adults and children with gluten food allergies)
Caitlin E.

Don’t go to Nice Matin! They served my dish and after I had had 4 bites of it came back and said they made a mistake and given me one with gluten in it. oops? i may not go into Anaphylactic shock, like if I had a nut allergy..but it’s going to take at least 6 months to repair the damage caused.. I had ordered off their gluten free menu and I even told the waiter that i had a SEVERE gluten allergy.

They clearly aren’t prepared to have a gluten-free menu, even though they claimed to be part of the GFRAP..

jake

well, you can’t be “allergic” to gluten… so he was probably annoyed that you said that. you can have a severe intolerance, auto immune reaction – but it is not an allergy. I’m SEVERELY gluten intolerant… send me into a downward spiral for quite some time if I have the slightest bit. But I’m not going to end up in the hospital like my brother who is allergic to shellfish.

Dee

An allergy causes an autoimmune reaction from the food protein..you can have an allergy (immune reaction) to any food with varied symptoms.

Wage peace

Results may not be as acute or sudden as anaphylaxis, but exposure to gluten for those with Celiac can cause long term effects and cancer… Aka prolonged suffering and even death. Seems similar in the long run, and effects of exposure can lead to lots of days of missing out on life, missed work, being plain old miserable.

Caitlin

right, well people don’t understand me when i say “I have Celiac Disease” so I say i have a severe gluten allergy to get my point across. I know people who have such severe gluten allergies that after ingesting they will immediately start vomiting.

The point is, if you have a gluten intolerance, allergy, or Celiac Disease, don’t go to Nice Matin

NJ Mom

NICE MATIN–2 STRIKES AND THEY ARE OUT!!!

My daughter (with celiac) got violently ill last night after eating at Nice Matin from their gf menu. I am embarrassed to say that this happened the last time we ate there and I convinced myself that it was dairy related. We had eaten there for 2 years without incident but something at Nice Matin has gone terribly wrong.

NYC Celiac Mom

May daughter and I just ate at Nice Matin on Saturday. We have had good experiences there in the past. There were some warning signs like the big baskets of bread being slapped down on our small table Ithere were gluten eaters at the table with us)….and the gluten cookies served with a dessert. We think the villain was my daughter’s pasta, and possibly the risotto which we shared. Her issues were immediate and mine showed up today. Sad, because we have had good meals there.

jose

I just read a great travel story about someone with celiac visiting New York City. I think it was on a site called celiaccorner or something like that. I am taking my kids to New York City soon, and one has celiac.

danielle

Pala’s gf pizza was great (and they have vegan options too), BabycakesNYC, and the Soft Serve Fruit Co. had some great things too!

Danielle

Are there any places in NYC for fresh baked GF bagels??

Sam

I would love to know this too!! I want a bagel so badly and I can’t seem to find “fresh baked” ones, only frozen.

Danielle

I found out this company brings in fresh gluten free bagels on Sat’s! I am going next weekend to check them out! http://g-freenyc.com/

John

Check out Laverne of Great Neck. A delicious new Gluten Free Asian/French fusion Restaurant. They have an amazing regular menu and most of their menu items are Gluten Free.
Fred

Sorry CBS New York,

Tu-Lu’s is OK, but Babycakes is King (or Queen) of Gluten Free Bakeries in New York! Let’s get our reporting of the facts correct here.
Gluten Free Hotels Guide

If you visit New York and require gluten free food, why don’t you look at http://www.glutenfreehotelsguide.com/city.php?id=3.
The site lists hotels all over the world which are able to serve gluten free food.
GF Guy

There’s also a ton more GF-friendly restaurants in NYC (and around the world) that are reviewed on GlutenFreeTravelSite. If you go to their search page ( http://www.glutenfreetravelsite.com/search.php ), you can type in a city or zip and see the results mapped — and link to the user-submitted reviews. I constantly use this site, because unlike other sites out there, this one has reviews, not just the name and address of a restaurant.
Marilyn Malcolm

I just love Bistango! Everything they have that is gf is just wonderful. The service is great as well as friendly.
A. Stephens

New York City is an absolutely wonderful place to eat gluten free! SO MANY places to eat safely and no waiters look at you as if you have 3 heads when you mention gluten. : ) Baby Cakes and Risottoria are my 2 favs!
Ashley

Little Brown Chocolate Bakery and Coffee — had an amazing gf “intense chocolate cupcake” from there. Not sure if they have many options, but certainly the best cupcake I’ve ever had.

Ash

Risotteria has amazing gf cupcakes

Shannon

Babycakes at 248 Broome St. (between Ludlowe and Orchard) has amazing baked goods, donuts…It’s a little hole in the wall but worth going out of your way for a treat!
Jennifer Banks

I was looking for Gluten Free Food and found your site! Thank you for the post! I will be trying these restaurants when I visit New York.
eric

Tre restaurant at 173 Ludlow is one of the only Italian places in the city that offer a gluten free option with every pasta dish. A lot of other gluten free items on the menu too! http://www.trenewyork.com
Linda

I’ve tried Lilli and Loo several times and I love the Singapore Noodles. (GF). I always stop by when I am in the neighborhood.
Jennifer

You must try Pie By The Pound on 12th st. and 4th Ave. They have amazing gluten free pie! I am not sensitive to gluten but I think this crust is absolutely delish!
DK

Simply Peeled (78th & 3rd Ave) serves freshly made gluten free and dairy free soft-serve fruit.
Claudia Johnson

Also check out Pala – on allen between stanton and houston