I lived and worked in New York for over five years, though my job as a lawyer meant I didn’t have much free time to explore. As cities go, it will always feel like home regardless of where my life takes me. Every year during my travels, I would return for meetings and meetups, and get to eat my way through the many gluten free offerings in New York. As time goes on, the amount of celiac-safe dining only increases.
When I first started living here as a summer associate, I was not yet diagnosed as a celiac. I returned following law school with a diagnosis and a newfound care for what I ate. In the decades since, I’ve watched sparse celiac-friendly options turn into a great many spots for us to choose from.
I’m grateful that newly diagnosed celiacs don’t have as much of an upward climb in terms of awareness and ingredients as I did many years ago. I wanted to share picks for the best gluten free New York restaurants so you can enjoy one of my favourite cities on earth with less stress.
Gluten Free New York Restaurants: Includes Bakeries, Lunch Spots, Great Dinners, and More.
NOTE: I am no longer able to visit New York as I am now disabled with a spinal CSF leak. As a result, the more recent updates here are from celiac readers based in New York, or travelers there. Thank you to Dina, Pam, and Carla for the latest round of updates!
I rarely wrote about having celiac disease when I started this site, as the focus was not food. Now that food figures prominently, I get more and more questions about travel with food restrictions. It’s part of why I dedicated a full chapter to food allergies in my book, and started my own celiac guides and translation cards for travelers. At the bottom of this post, I’ve included other resources for those wanting to visit New York as a celiac.
Red highlights = 100% gluten free
I visit New York every year, so this post is a living tree and I update with additional restaurants and bakeries, as well as newcomers to the gluten free dining scene. The first 10 here are places I loved during my summer visits.
1. La Esquina. Go on a nice day. Order from the takeout window (prices are different for their seated cafe) and sit across the street in the park. Warning: you might need to fight off pigeons whilst eating. My favourites: Carnitas tacos (below), chicken tinga tacos, elote. Staff was very knowledgeable about gluten free eating, and celiac disease.
2. Kesté Pizza & Vino. This place remains my favourite pizza in New York. Pizza is a controversial NY topic, and people have many opinions about what style is best. For celiacs, we’ve got a lot less to choose from. But this place is incredible. With a dedicated gluten free kitchen, separate pizza cutters, fluffy crusts that will make you smile, and a delicious menu for everyone – this is truly a can’t miss pizza spot in the city. For a change, try the Mast’Nicola, a white pizza with olive oil and basil, or the decadent Burrata Roberto, with their own homemade burrata, grape tomatoes, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. All of the pizzas on the menu can be made celiac-safe and gluten free, and they’ve also got gluten free pasta dishes if you prefer. But why would you, when pizza like this is at your fingertips?!
3. Kotobuki. A delicious sushi spot in the east village. Tell your waiter or waitress that you are celiac and they will bring you gluten-free soy sauce. FYI, at the time of eating here their spicy mayo also has a bit of soy so for those who are celiac—definitely avoid it! I often went at lunchtime and got their lunch special sashimi platter. It comes with 10 pieces of sashimi, salmon carpaccio, and their house ‘UFO’ roll, which is riceless.
4. Pho Bang. After years of living in Vietnam, I usually aim for a ‘fix’ when I’m back in New York Great banh cuon (steamed rice crepe with wood ear mushrooms and pork), and a wide variety of pho to choose from. Menu not marked as GF, so consult my Gluten Free Guide to Vietnam for dishes that are usually safe and unsafe, to confirm with restaurant staff.
5. Mermaid Inn. It’s not a New York list without an oyster happy hour, now is it? One of my favourite things to do in town, as I prefer east coast oysters to those from the west coast. Mermaid Inn’s happy hour menu (daily from 5pm-7pm, including weekends) has $1 oysters and a variety of bar snacks. Sadly the bar snacks are all breaded, but that just means more oysters for you. And wine.
6. What used to be Thyme and Tonic is now Prime Thyme, a 100% gluten free gastropub. Their entire menu is 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and kosher, with abundant vegan offerings—making us one of the most welcoming restaurants in New York City for anyone with dietary restrictions. Communicate any other restrictions to the restaurant staff when you go.
7. ‘Smac. Not the healthiest of options, but their gluten free 4-cheese macaroni is heavenly and will fill you up for the day. After a lot of testing and experimentation, they modified some core ingredients they use in their foods to allow anything from their menu to be ordered gluten free. They’ve removed flour from the bechamel sauce, breadcrumbs are with gluten free corn flakes, and they use brown rice elbow macaroni noodles for orders that are gluten free. While this is not a 100% GF kitchen, the staff are well aware of how to prepare the dishes safely.
8. Friedman’s Lunch. This original Chelsea Market staple now has locations around town, and has a very delicious BLAT (bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich on gluten-free bread) that I dream of. The original store opened in 2009 in the Chelsea Market. The location is 100% gluten free and yes, that includes the pancakes, the waffles, and the fried chicken.
9. A 100% gluten-free spot, TwentyOneGrains on West 52nd St serves delicious grain bowls, salads, and wraps – including vegan and vegetarian grain bowls. Order from the set menu or make your own. The portions are generous, and the dishes are packed with flavour. They have locations in Midtown, FIDI, and Brooklyn.
10. Cha An Teahouse. Don’t miss my favourite tea on earth, Pu’er tea (below – the brick, not the leaves). Also to try: their black sesame creme brulee which can be made gluten free by omitting the wafer they usually put on top of it. The black sesame creme brulee is perhaps the single best dessert I’ve ever had in NYC, which may be controversial in a city of desserts. I don’t love chocolate, so this hit all the boxes for me. Cha An’s lunch sets are also customizable to be gluten free, and they will be able to help you understand what is safe on their menu. The spot is a quiet oasis in the middle of the city, and one of my preferred places to grab lunch.
11. Postcard on Carmine St is a gorgeous 100% gluten free bakery (also nut free!) serving sandwiches, mochi donuts, cookies, and other baked goods. Choosing between the chicken katsu or egg salad sandos is a scrumptious choice, but my favourite is the black sesame banana bread.
12. French bakery NoGlu has expanded from its gluten free Paris outposts to New York. As the name suggests, is a 100% gluten free bakery. It sells pastries, custards, breads, and much more. You won’t miss gluten one bit.
13. Bistango, an italian restaurant that is not 100% gluten free, but is very knowledgeable about celiac disease, and use separate surfaces for any products that came in contact with gluten (e.g. a toaster for GF bread). Their website also highlights their gluten free offerings (as opposed to some spots where it’s relegated to a footnote). With what they refer to as “multi-regional” gluten free options, they are a great choice for families with non-celiacs joining for dinner as well. Almost their entire menu can be modified to be safe for celiacs.
14. Craving a rich, rice-based Italian meal? Risotteria Melotti is 100% gluten free, delicious, and worth a stop if you have the time. Try their shrimp and lemon risotto, or if you wanted a classic option, their mixed mushroom dish.
15. Inday offers Indian-inspired dishes in several locations around town, with half their menu providing vegan options for those who are both celiac and vegan — or just vegan! For the meat eaters, they source local, sustainable protein as their additions to the dishes they offer. I also wanted to make mention that they donate a percentage of proceeds to charitable organizations in the New York area as well. I’ve eaten at only one of their locations, and it was delicious.
16. Springy Burgers & Fries in the Financial District is a dedicated gluten-free restaurant with gourmet burgers, tallow fries, and organic milkshakes. The burgers are grass-fed, and milkshakes are made with local organic ice cream. Order the delightfully messy chilli burger or savour a bowl of tomato cheddar soup — made with Kerrygold cheddar!
17. Senza Gluten has a 100% gluten-free menu, as the name suggests. I usually dine at places for both celiacs and non-celiacs, since most of my friends eat their gluten. But if you’re particularly worried or you’ve got more than one GF eater in tow, this is a good bet.
18. By the Way Bakery is completely gluten and dairy free, and kosher, and the story is one close to my heart: former lawyer Helene Godin walked away from a 22-year career in the law to open a bakery in 2011. She didn’t know how to bake when she first quit, and now has a thriving business with four locations.
19. Bareburger will make any of its burgers on a GF bun, with knowledge of celiac disease and care in the kitchen.
20. Craving gluten free bagels? Start at Modern Bread and Bagel. Shakshuka, bagels, burgers, soups and sandwiches, all 100% gluten free in New York. The food is fabulous and the owner, Orly, has an interesting story about why she developed her own gluten free flour here. They also do catering, for those who are interested in hosting an event that has celiac-safe food, and have expanded to several locations in New York City, one in New Jersey, and a few more in California.
21. Lilli and Loo has a full gluten-free Chinese food menu, including pork dumplings, and now have two locations in New York, one in Chelsea, and one in Midtown.
22. TLK – Tigerlily is a take-out-only restaurant that is 100% gluten free and serves pan-Asian cuisine with a menu of flavourful curries and noodle dishes. Appetizers include lemongrass wings, spicy green mango and papaya salad, and crispy tofu bites; the yellow lemongrass coconut curry, made with puffed tamaki rice, coconut rice, seasonal vegetables, and pickled vegetables, is a popular main dish.
23. Great Vietnamese food, with quality ingredients and delicious combinations, at Bricolage on 5th Avenue in Brooklyn. I got the grilled shrimp vermicelli bowl, and a friend tried the banh xeo sizzling rice pancake. Staff knowledgeable about what was safely gluten free, as well as about cross-contact. Both were delicious.
24. Wild opened an outpost in Park Slope for great gluten-free pizzas, in addition to their Hudson Street location. They’ve also got gluten-free pastas on offer. Always an enjoyable visit!
25. Posh Pop Bake Shop, a 100% gluten free bakery offering cookies, pies, cakes, donuts, snack bars, brownies, and more. Located in the West Village on Bleeker.
26. Healthy protein bowls, local ingredients, delicious dressings. Sweetgreen has several locations in NYC and if one is nearby, it’s worth a stop for a quick lunch.
27. Head over to the East Village to enjoy 100% gluten free Japanese Harajuku-style crepes (made with rice flour and served in a cone shape, instead of flat like French crêpes) at Crepe Master. The menu has sweet and savoury crepes like chocobanana, berries parfait, shrimp avocado, and wild salmon, as well as organic vegan smoothies. You can also build-your-own crepes.
28. Bar Verde is a 100% gluten free and vegan restaurant serving Mexican and Latin American cuisine. It’s a great spot for sharing a meal with friends, allowing you to try several dishes. The menu here reminds me of my time in Oaxaca, with dishes like tlayuda mixta, huitlacoche flautas, and empanadas. You’ll find tacos here, too.
29. Sushi Counter in the West Village serves is a 100% gluten free spot offering miso soup, and “Aussie-style sushi rolls” (unsliced handrolls), several of which are vegan as well. Try the miso eggplant, spicy tuna, teriyaki chicken, and more. Check their website for the current sushi offerings.
30. Cheap, vegetarian and delicious South Indian food at Temple Canteen in Flushing, and their menu clearly marks which dishes are GF. Dosa to die for. Worth the trip!
30. BabaCool has a few different Brooklyn outposts, and offers fast-casual bowls that are healthy and delicious. Their menu is not gluten free, but much of it is naturally without gluten and they offer gluten free bread and granola for diners who are celiac / GF. They are knowledgeable about cross-contact, and confirmed when I called that they use separate toaster racks for the GF bread. There is bread on premises, however, so it’s not a dedicated GF kitchen space.
31. Elegant Japanese spot Nami Nori opened in 2019, and is entirely gluten free (see here for their menu), offering fried calamari with rice-flour batter (instead of traditional tempura), sushi, and a vegan sushi set for those who are both vegan and gluten free.
32. The colourful empanadas at Nadas are some of the best in NYC, and a rarity to be able to enjoy them gluten free! In fact, everything on the menu is 100% gluten-free. In the early days of the pandemic, Carlos Santos, who arrived from Columbia in 1999 with his mother Olga (she opened Aqui Es Santa Fe, a Columbian restaurant), started Nadas as a direct delivery restaurant. Today, his shop in the West Village serves 10 varieties for Colombian empanadas, including blueberry goat cheese, chorizo and cheese, and vegan black bean. They are beautiful to look at too:
33. Uzuki in Greenpoint is an unforgettable dining experience for celiacs. This Japanese restaurant (featured by Bon Appétit and The New York Times) is known for its 100% buckwheat soba noodle dishes, but also has a full 100% gluten free menu with a variety of dishes that would not be GF traditionally. Chef Shuichi Koanti’s dishes are colourful with expertly layered flavours. Compliment your order of soba noodles with grilled soba miso with rich dashi broth or shoji-style sticky vegetables, and leave room for dessert because they have soba sorbet.
34. Spring Bone Kitchen has slow cooked meat, paleo bowls, and heaps of delicious, flavourful options for lunch and dinner. A bit kitschy on the concept but bone broth is superbly healthy and we’re the country that’s late to the game. Delicious.
35. I ate at Little Beet Table for the first time, during my last New York visit. With locations in New York and D.C., NJ, and Connecticut, the establishment follows a strictly seasonal menu, crafting beautiful dishes with whatever is grown at the moment. A healthy way to eat.
36. Everybody Eats is a dedicated, 100% gluten-free bakery in Brooklyn, and the bread is nut-free, soy-free, and sesame-free. It is owned by Pedro Arroba, a celiac, and his son Pablo. Everybody Eats has been a neighbourhood staple for over 15 years. The menu includes old-fashioned bagels, dairy-free egg challah, vegan white bread, and sourdough – they also make gorgeous gf and nut-free cakes.
37. Claro, in Brooklyn, will meet any cravings for Mexican and then some. The chef TJ Steele is a long-time traveler to my former home of Oaxaca, and his menu is a love letter to Oaxacan food. He’s also designed the restaurant to reflect some of the architecture and art of the region, including the dinnerware from Santa María Atzompa in the Oaxacan valley. The menu includes tlayudas, memelas and tostadas, all cooked on a comal; tastes from a home I really miss. They are a 100% gluten free establishment, their meat and produce is organic and locally-sourced, and they’re using Oaxacan criollo corn, stone ground in-house, for their tortillas. (All their cheeses and sausages are also made in-house.)
38. For another spot with Mexican food, this time on Manhattan, see Cosme. This one is not entirely gluten free, but most of their menu is as they use traditional corn tortillas and ingredients that are naturally without gluten. Their staff are well-versed in celiac disease and are able to assure diners that cross-contact is not a concern given the very few items containing gluten from their menu. As with sister restaurant Pujol in Mexico City, this is an upscale but extremely artistic and delicious experience.
39. There’s also TAP NYC, a restaurant whose acronym stands for Tapioca crepe, Açaí, & pão de queijo, all delicious foods from Brazil. The menu is 100% gluten free, and focuses on those three main categories, with stuffed “wrapioca” meals or folded tapioca crepes, stuffed cheese breads (so good!) and healthy fruit bowls with acaí and pitaya (dragon fruit). They’ve now got multiple locations in NYC, and one in Miami, Florida.
40. Wei West is an option where your group wants Asian food but can’t choose a specific country’s dishes. The restaurant has sushi, sashimi, fried noodles and rice, stir fries and a lot more. I don’t tend to go this route as I usually have a specific dish in mind, but if you wanted an extensive gluten free menu, they’ve got it! Staff knowledgeable about cross-contact and celiac disease.
41. Palmita describes itself as “where the sunny vibes of California meet the spice and soul of Mexico for a fun new twist on classic recipes.” This 100% gluten free spot has meat and vegetarian rice bowls, moles, sauces, sides pulled chicken, rice, carnitas, and grilled veggies with the majority of its offerings also dairy, soy, and refined sugar free.
42. I’m ending this list with a 100% gluten free spot for Korean food, a rarity and one I so appreciate as the flavours of Korean eats are truly divine — and hard to find in a GF setting. Kimbap Lab is located in Brooklyn, and bills themselves as a restaurant melding traditional Korean flavours with meet gluten-free, local ingredients. Can’t go wrong, and tastes so right. (Note: they’ve also got a storefront in Chelsea Market in Manhattan)
And, if you’re gluten free and love to travel, please see my Gluten Free Travel page for more resources
Glad to see that some of my favorite eateries in NY have made the list! For budget travelers, I highly recommend talking a stroll along Bleeker Street – there are a few shops there that are happy to provide free samples of cheese, chocolate and other foods. You can also get $1 rice balls from Faicco’s Pork Store and $5 (or less) pastries at Rocco’s. Oh, and $1.50 bagel balls from Bantam Bagels!
Thanks lady! Since I can’t eat the pastries / bagels those aren’t on the list, but glad you can suggest them for the non-celiacs out there.
I came across Patacon Pisao on Essex last time I was in NYC. So different and amazingly delicious.