It’s got to be New York, New Yorrkkkk and there is so much gluten free New York to be discovered. New York truely is amazing for gluten free food and a great place to visit as a coeliac!
I’ve been to New York a few times as a coeliac and have always eaten reeeeally well. Whether on a family holiday or on a work trip, finding delicious, safe gluten free food has never been a problem in the City That Never Sleeps.
One thing I want to stress up front however: there are lots of fantastic coeliac-safe gluten free options in NYC, but also numerous”gluten free” offerings that are not coeliac friendly due to cross-contamination risks.
Always ask the extra questions when going to a place that isn’t 100% gluten free – people are usually very helpful and it’s better to be safe than sorry. If in doubt, walk away and find somewhere else that can cater for you safely.
And there are so many dedicated gluten free spots in New York that you can stick to those entirely if you are nervous about eating in mixed restaurants. Although, I have eaten at some wonderful mixed restaurants that have excellent gluten free menus and solid processes to avoid cross contamination. You’ll find them detailed below.
Note I try to ensure all information is my guides is as accurate as possible, but as menus and eateries change frequently please do your own research too. If you spot any glaring errors or omissions ping me an email to [email protected] and I’ll get it updated.
Gluten Free New York City
Gluten Free Friendly Accommodation in New York
First up, you’re gonna need somewhere to stay when you visit NYC. I often stay in AirBnBs when I travel, but as New York has so many gluten free food options why not treat yourself to a stay in one of the cities fabulous hotels. Then you can relax and eat your way through all the gluten free grub New York has to offer.
A couple to consider:
- Hyatt Centric Wall Street – I used to stay here for work and it’s a wonderful hotel. with big rooms, modern furnishing and comfy beds. Plus they do enormous breakfasts in the morning and always had lovely fluffy gluten free bread as an option when I stayed. Very handy for the financial district and Wall Street.
- Mint House at 70 Pine – we stayed here on our most recent trip, as a family of four. We had a 1-bedroom apartment with (very comfy) sofa bed for the kids. Having a kitchen was handy for breakfast (and much cheaper than having to eat out for every meal). It was also wonderfully close to a couple of dedicated gluten free spots, which meant we could grab takeaway dinner on evenings when the kids were too tired to go out to eat.
- Hotel Edison – did someone say gluten free room service?! I haven’t stayed here personally but they have a Friedman’s restaurant (see below for details) in the hotel, which is coeliac friendly and means you can order all sorts of deliciousness direct to your room.
- The Kimberley Hotel – this hotel is linked to Bistango, a restaurant that is very celiac friendly, with a dedicated gluten free kitchen space and a menu that can be totally adapted to be gluten free.
100% Gluten Free Bakeries, Restaurants and Cafes in New York
There are SO MANY dedicated gluten free bakeries and restaurants in New York, you will hardly know where to start! Many are located centrally in Manhatten too, so it’s a rare treat to not have to trek to the suburbs for your gluten free baked goods (if you know, you know!).
GLUTEN FREE BAKERIES
NoGlu
Another entirely gluten free bakery, this place does the most wonderful gluten free pastries and savoury baked goods. I had the best raspberry vanilla custard tarlet of my life – the sweet pastry was incredible and the filling and fruit made it totally moreish. And most recently, a beautiful lemon meringue tartlet that was perfectly balanced and a delight to eat. NoGlu is definitely one of my top gluten free bakery picks for New York.
I also sampled their sundried tomato and pesto focaccia bread, which was yummy and survived a New York-London flight!
Posh Pop Bakeshop
Oh sweet gluten free goodness, Posh Pop Bakeshop is another must visit for coeliacs in New York. This place has an INCREDIBLE selection. And their baked goods taste really good.
Everything is gluten free and they also have some dairy free and vegan choices. From freshly fried funnel cake and battered Oreos to cheesecake, cookies, cakes, desserts, pretzels and more.
We tried a cinnamon sugar pretzel, strawberry crumble cheesecake slice, salted caramel cookie and cookie bar – all were wonderful. The cookie in particular was one of the best I have ever bought from a bakery (I’m very partial to my homemade ones, so the bar is set high!). It’s quite a pricey bakery, but worth it as a treat.
Modern Bread & Bagel
FINALLY somewhere in NYC where you can get a gluten free, coeliac safe bagel. Modern Bread & Bagel is a fully gluten free place and in addition to all sorts of bagels they have various baked goods and brunch/lunch items too. Including French toast sticks and pancakes.
We had some filled bagels, which were good (although they didn’t blow my socks off), and their incredible latke tots with truffle mayo (get these, they are so good), plus various baked goods. I really liked that their bakes were not as sweet and sickly as most of the other baked goods we tried in the US.
Erin McKenna’s
A fully gluten free and vegan bakery, which a number of my non-coeliac colleagues recommended to me when I first visited New York. It’s one of the OG gluten free bakeries here and has a good reputation. It is a fully gluten free and vegan bakery on Broome Street and I can personally attest that their baked doughnuts are delicious (salted caramel and Samoa were the flavours I tried). Their cupcakes looked lovely too.
By The Way Bakery
A dedicated gluten free bakery for sweet treats that are both gluten free and dairy free. They had a really lovely selection, beautiful cakes by the slice, cookies, brownies and more. This bakery has two locations in Manhatten.
We tried some a mini bundt cake and a slice of chocolate vanilla cake, which was nice and soft although quite sweet. We ended up warming it up for dessert when we got back to our hotel and it was delish. Next time I’d go for a brownie cookie instead as they looked awesome.
A cute Japenese gluten free bakery, which was recommended to me by a New York celiac. Sadly when I went (late in the day) they had sold out of most things. I saw a label for a gluten free chicken katsu sandwich, so I’d definitely aim to try that next time!
This store has two locations, one gluten free and one not, so make sure you go to the fully gluten free one. They have lots of gluten free goods and a gluten free bakery and hot food counter. Staff wouldn’t let me take any pictures inside the store so I can’t remember exactly what they had, but I did enjoy the croissant I bought. It was a soft-style croissant rather than a flakey one.
I didn’t make it to this bakery/cafe, but a couple of readers told me they have great baked goods. One for my next trip!
Elisa’s Love Bites
Yet another dedicated gluten free bakery in New York City! They focus on healthy baking using no refined sugar.
Over in Williamsburg, this is a fully gluten and dairy free bakery with savoury food takeout options too. Their muffins looked excellent when I popped in, although there was a bit of a queue so I didn’t get anything as I was in a hurry. They also have filled bagels and sandwiches.
A fully gluten free bakery in Brooklyn, which came highly recommended by readers.
Also in Brooklyn, this bakery is fully gluten free, nut free, soya free and sesame free.
Sans Bakery
A fully gluten free bakery across the river in Long Island City.
Dana’s Bakery
If you’re over in New Jersey, visit Dana’s. They serve the prettiest macarons you ever did see, at this fully gluten free bakery. They sell other gluten free baked goods too, plus their signature “Mookies” – a cookie stuffed with a macaron.
GLUTEN FREE RESTAURANTS & CAFES
I’m kicking this section off with ice cream, waffle cones and marshmallow-fluff topped hot chocolates, because you MUST go here! A fully gluten free location, I had seen Glace all over social media and thought it’d be overhyped, but I absolutely loved the hot chocolate from here. Rich hot chocolate with a rim of toasted marshmallow and scoop of cream, I recommend sharing one between two – it’s yummy but sweet!
They also make their own gluten free waffle cones and serve sundaes, marcaron ice cream sandwiches and soft serve with hot fudge sauce.
Senza Gluten
After reading a tonne of enthusiastic gluten free reviews about 100% gluten free restaurant Senza Gluten, I knew it was a must-visit restaurant. It’s a lovely little Italian place, which would be perfect for date night but equally I happily ate there solo (the joys of business travel). A portion of bruschetta and large serving of mushroom, speck and truffle oil pasta later, I could wholeheartedly agree with the other recommendations for Senza Gluten, it is a gem.
Springy Burgers & Fries
Possibly the best gluten free burger I have ever had, the buns at Springy’s are amazing! If it wasn’t a fully gluten free eatery I would have thought it was a gluten bun. And the grass-fed smash burgers are cooked beautifully, with delicious relishes like bacon jam and caramelised onions. Oh and then there’s the beef tallow fries and the milkshakes, what an epic treat.
It is part of Springbone in the Financial District and is a takeout only spot (aside from a tiny dine in bench that we perched on).
The Chelsea branch of Modern Bread and Bagel offers evening dinner service Sun-Thurs. It’s quite good value for NYC (dinner prices can be steep in New York) and the menu has lots of delicious options, plus it’s fully gluten free. From healthy dishes like salads and bowls to treats like fish and chips, battered fish tacos and cheeseburgers. I’d like to try this spot next time as it all sounds yummy.
Also fully gluten free, Wild has two locations, one in Manhatten and the other in Brooklyn. The focus is on Italian food, but they do branch out to salad bowls and burgers too. Think mozzarella sticks and calamari followed by handmade gluten free pizza and pasta.
A fully gluten free restaurant that was recommended to me heartily by various people (despite the online reviews being more middling). Closed for the Shabbat on Friday-Saturday, it’s otherwise open for brunch, lunch and dinner. They also run a takeout kiosk with fair foods (like pretzels, churros and hot dogs) available Sunday-Thursday.
Risotteria Melotti
A fully gluten free restaurant. As the name suggests they specialise in risotto and other rice-based dishes. They also have some amazing desserts, such as profiterols and tiramisu.
Claro
Over in Brooklyn is this fully gluten free Mexican restaurant. The menu here sounds lovely – cool innovative dishes with a focus on homemade, locally-sourced food.
Sushi Counter
A 100% gluten free sushi grab and go (owned by a coeliac), I LOVED the hand rolls I bought from here. The star was the tempura shrimp roll, but the salmon avocado and spicy shrimp were so yummy too.
It’s a good value place to eat too, much cheaper that dining in NYC’s pricey restaurants.
Bar Verde
A fully gluten free and vegan Mexican eatery in New York.
Etérea
This eatery has a fully gluten free and vegan kitchen, but note they do serve some gluteny drinks. There’s a mezcal and tequila bar to help you wash those small plates down!
Nami Nori
Described by TimeOut as “the best handroll destination in New York”, Nami Nori also happens to have a fully gluten free menu. Excellent Japanese cuisine, it’s a bit fancy so wasn’t suitable for me and my kids, but it was recommended by lots of people and I want to go here next time.
Note they sell some gluteny drinks, so don’t accidentally order a gluten beer to go with that yummy gf food! Two locations, one in Manhatten and one in Williamsburg.
TAP NYC
Specialising in tapioca crepes, TAP’s menu is gluten free and they focus on Brazilian superfoods.
AO Bowl
Fully gluten free grab n go lunch spot, focusing on healthy bowls, juices and smoothies. Also plant-based and keto friendly.
A fully glutne free creperie, with the crepes all made from rice flour. With the options of fruit, sweet or savoury fillings these look delicious and would be a great grab n go lunch.
Springbone
Springbone is totally gluten free and they are strict about ensuring all food stays this way. You’ll find locations across New York and it’s the perfect spot to grab a quick lunch. They specialise in healthy bowls, soups and bone broths.
Kati Shop
A Thai grab n go lunch spot that is fully gluten free and nut free. Two locations.
Fully gluten and dairy free Asian-inspired eatery, where you can dine in or order takeout. I’ve not eaten here but reviewers rave about the noodles and state they’ve a good selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes too.
I was so full by the time we passed Nadas that I couldn’t possibly eat another thing! A shame as these empanadas are all gluten free and they have a range of fillings to select from. It’s also a family-run spot with a sweet backstory.
Cosme
An upmarket Mexican restaurant where the menu is naturally gluten free. It is usually totally gluten free but by accident, so please check when you visit in case they have any gluten-containing dishes.
Fast, casual and healthy food with a menu that’s 100% gluten free, including gluten free wraps and grain bowls. They’ve two locations in the city.
Okay, so I tried to find their Williamsburg location but it was no where to be seen, so perhaps head instead to their Chelsea Market location for Korean bibimbap bowls and sushi-style “kimbap rolls”.
Other Gluten Free Friendly Eateries in New York
Don Antonio
Absolutely excellent gluten free pizza, plus arancini and more, at this Michelin-guide featured pizzeria. They have a separate prep area for the gluten free pizza and a dedicated fryer, and staff were really reassuring that the food would be coeliac safe. Highly recommended, it was one of the best pizzas I’ve had in New York.
No reservations here, but the wait wasn’t huge (about 20 mins), however I had VERY tired children with me so we got takeaway as that was super quick. Then we walked down the road to a public square (Urban Plaza at Worldwide Plaza) with tables and chairs so we could have a quiet sit away from the bustle of Times Square.
Keste Pizza & Vino
A New York institution for pizza, Keste is the sister restaurant of Don Antonio and also does a mean gluten free pizza with a soft chewy base and crispy crusts (basically the same as the above, I assume they use the same brilliant dough).
Awesome pizza that is well worth the queue, or you can also order takeaway/delivery if you’d prefer. I loved it. The pizza is coeliac safe as they use a dedicated gluten free area and keep everything separate.
Friedman‘s
I finally tried one of the Friedman’s restaurants, after years of them being recommended to me by readers, and I can now agree that this is a great spot to eat in NYC. They have 5 locations and all have extensive gluten free menus and processes in place to limit cross contamination.
We ate at the Battery Park “East Meets West” branch of Friedman’s, enjoying gluten free gyoza (potstickers) and spring rolls, crispy sesame chicken and B.L.A.T sandwich and fries. They also have fried chicken and waffles, for that quintessential American dining experience.
We were heading to the airport afterwards, so I ordered some sushi to takeout. It was freshly made and delicious and I was grateful to have planned ahead because there were ZERO gf options in JFK Terminal 8.
Smorgasburg
A fab street food market that takes places in New York Fri Sun over the spring and summer. I’ve been to the Williamsburg market (on Saturdays) twice and have always found a good selection of coeliac friendly street food.
From epic truffle parmesan hand cut chips with roasted garlic and lemon aioli (drooooool) from Home Frite – who use a dedicated fryer and all of their fries and sauces are gluten free – to arepas and empanadas from fully gluten free Palenque and fully gluten free Mexican food (we had flautas) from Lupitas.
Baked by Melissa
Teeny tiny cutesy gluten free cupcakes are the order of the day at Baked by Melissa, as well as macarons. I visited the Fulton Street branch where the cupcakes can be purchased in pre-sealed packs of 25, so no worrying about gluteny tongs being used on gluten free cakes or cross-contamination. They have various locations across NYC.
Recommended to me by a local NYC coeliac, Pappardella have a large gluten free menu and did a great job at catering safely for me. Gluten free pasta is cooked in fresh water and bread is toasted on a dedicated tray, to ensure no cross contact. They also had gluten free beer, which is hard to find in the US.
The food was nice but it didn’t blow me away. The garlic bread we had for starters was Schar bread rolls and the pasta was generic fusilli. In any other city I’d be delighted, but given the range of amazing gluten free options in NYC you may want to opt for somewhere like Wild that makes it pasta fresh, or Don Antonio who do incredible pizza. My son had the gluten pizza here and it was underwhelming too.
For Middle Eastern food and gluten free pitta, Kubeh have good processes to limit the risk of cross contamination. It gets great reviews and a reader wrote to me to say she really loved dining here.
Luke’s Lobster
The lobster tail and kale salad here is so fresh and good, plus they also have gluten free bread in case you would rather go for the lobster roll option. There are branches of this chain all over the city – I visited the Fidi branch in 2019. It seems to still be coeliac friendly, but do ask when you pop in. Note you are better off saying you have a “gluten allergy”, to ensure food is safely made. Coeliac is not always understood in the US.
Nigerian food that all appears to be gluten free but they do not state it is a dedicated gluten free facility, hence it being in this section of my gluten free New York guide. It’s a build-a-bowl spot, so would be good for a grab n go lunch.
Bluestone Lane
Brunch it up at Bluestone Lane, an Australian brunch spot that has lovely gluten free bread and plenty of coeliac friendly options. Their gluten free avotoast is all the yumssss. I ate here, without issue, back in 2018, and recent reviews are positive but please do check about current processes.
Bistango
Everything on the menu can be made gluten free and they prepare those dishes in a dedicated part of the kitchen. Very coeliac friendly according to reviews. Italian cuisine including pizza and pasta.
For extra gluten free New York reading, check out the Instagram pages of local coeliac New Yorkers Lindsey @theglutenfreetravelers, who kindly sent me some tips before my latest trip, and Erin @theglutenfreeglobetrotter.
For more gluten free coeliac friendly travel tips, why not check out some of my other gluten free guides:
- Paris Gluten Free Guide
- London Gluten Free Guide
- San Francisco Gluten Free Guide
- Rome Gluten Free Guide
- Vancouver Gluten free Guide
Safe travels! x
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