Gluten Free New York City

Hello friends,

I’m not sure if I’ve told you this, but I’m a traveler.

I love to explore new places and people, and feel inspired. I crave the feeling of getting just a little bit lost and finding my way in new and unfamiliar circumstances.

I have wanderlust and always have.

After my son was diagnosed with celiac disease among other effects our family travels felt more difficult, and it took some time to figure out how to safely get out there. It felt especially urgent as my inlaws live very far away, as in other side of the world far away. But, it can be done, and great gluten free experiences really are out there.

Even when I travel alone, I want to try all of the gluten free things - and figure out all of the BEST gluten free techniques from all over this planet so I can bring them back to you.

That’s what I did last weekend in New York.

I was in town for a BLAST of a conference - The Cherry Bombe Jubilee. I met fabulous people - some of whom I’ll introduce to you soon right here in this newsletter because they’re just the best.

At the conference I got to hear amazing interviews with culinary icons like

Ruth Reichl

who’s just written a wonderful new culinary fiction book The Paris Novel, I can’t put it down.

I caught up with old friends like

Sally Ekus

a rockstar cookbook agent who’s launching a brand new newsletter. (If you have ever even wondered about the cookbook industry before you should check it out!)

It was amazing and the reason for my trip - but the day after is the one I want to tell you about! I met up with

Christina Heiser

who writes

Celiac Self-Care

and we did a little self-guided (aka Christina guided) food tour of Manhattan. It was SO much fun. Christina is just as wonderful as she seems in her newsletter.

Next Level Gluten Free recipes are tested over and over and scientifically work! Then I walk you through all the details. I’m like your friend in the kitchen, who’s a gluten free expert. Upgrade to a paid membership so we can hang out more and you get to eat more delicious gluten free food.

Friedmans - Before the conference I woke up and headed to Friedman’s in Herald Square. There are several locations but this one was closest to my conference. The owners have a daughter with celiac disease so they have a lot of gluten free offerings including fan favorites lemon ricotta pancakes or chicken and waffles. The atmosphere is adorable and I hear in the evenings there are even singing waiters!! I’m going to have to check that out sometime!

I made it to not one but two must-stop pizza places - Keste Pizza in the financial district and Don Antonio right near the Broadway shows. These sister restaurants can make the whole menu gluten free - including the fried pizzas, calzones, arancini, and of course the main event, the pizzas. They have good cross-contact protocols including a separate kitchen area at Keste. The pies were bubbly and light like real Neopolitan pizzas and the toppings were high quality.

Modern Bread and Bagel - Friends, this is the one not to miss. Run here. Buy everything, if you can’t eat it all take it home. I did. The bagels are REAL BAGELS. Like really wonderful NY bagels whether you’re gluten free or not, but they are. The treats like rugalach are on point. I can’t say enough about this. They ship and I’ve always wondered if it was worth it. It is. There’s also a Modern at Night restaurant that the same owners run, with gluten free fish & chips!!!

Post-Card Bakery - Oh how fun this one is, a Japanese gluten free bakery. We had two flavors of mochi donuts, a katsu sandwich on the softest fluffy milk bread (that’s rare), and some yuzu-flavored cookies. There are also miso chocolate chip cookies, fruit whipped cream sandwiches, and more. You can also enjoy the cookies at their sister restaurant Nami Nori which serves safe gluten free sushi!!!

Posh Pop Bake Shop - This pink glossy bakery is filled to the brim with sweet treats, sprinkles covered cakes, and more! Just look at that bakery case!! We beat the sweet overload with a heart shaped soft pretzel that reminded me of Auntie Anne’s and I took home cake pops and girlscout cookie samoa type cookies (if samoas were gigantic and homemade) and my kids went crazy for them!! They also ship.

Venchi - This Italian chocolate and gelato shop chain is always high on my list when I visit a city with one of their locations. I’ve been to them in Rome, Milan, Florence, Boston, and now New York. ALL of their chocolates are gluten free. Even the ones that contain cookies or baked goods. They are DELICIOUS. They are so creamy, and the store is like a jewelry shop. The gelato counter though, is not gluten free, so we skip that side. They also ship the chocolates.

Nadas - This adorable gluten free empanada shop serves up rainbow colors of empanadas!! Unfortunately they were closed when we got there, bummer! All the more reason to plan another trip to NYC soon.

Chelsea Market - This food centric indoor market boasts shops, grocers, art galleries and restaurants galore. We wandered the aisle and found some great gluten free asian candies, curry mixes and great quality Italian gluten free pasta, which I shoved in my suitcase along with the bagels, cakepops, chocolates and other treats!

Kimbap Lab - Located inside Chelsea Market this gluten free korean stop has kimbap and bibimbap bowls - two of my favorite things!!

Pop Up Grocer - Not a restaurant, but a trendy grocery stop with all the latest innovative products, MANY of which were gluten free, but not all. I spotted some amazing finds that I’ve only seen at food shows, and some products made by some of my favorite small producers, it’s definitely worth a wander.

There are so many other wonderful gluten free restaurants in New York that I didn’t make it to on this quick trip. Wild, Bistango, Bar Verde, Risotteria Melotti, the list goes on and on but that will have to wait for next time!

Happy traveling,

Rachel