gluten-free NYC

gluten is what gives our favorite carbs the stretchy, soft, chewy mouth feel

first, a quick chat about gluten

• Gluten is a protein found in many grains. The most prevalent being, wheat (this includes whole wheat), barley, farro, and rye. These ingredients are found in a plethora of shelf-stable foods like bread, pasta, cereal, pastries, beer, etc.

• Because it is a larger protein compared with other grains, it can inflame the intestinal lining, contributing to all sorts of fun digestive issues like leaky gut syndrome.

• People who have Celiac disease have an autoimmune disease that prevents them from eating any form of it. Symptoms can range from the obvious digestive issues to anxiety, depression, and skin problems.

• some people have gluten sensitivity, which is not so easy to diagnose because there is no medical test to run, and requires an elimination diet, and subsequent reintroduction, to see if your body is one that reacts negatively to it. People who have gluten sensitivity often have mild and tolerable reactions, ie: gas or bloating, and even lethargy.

the list

• le botaniste

• ruby’s cafe

• jajaja mexicana

• wild pizza

• momoya

• taim

• digg

• cava

• sweet green

• nami nori

• roey’s

• pizza loves emily

• tigerlily kitchen

a few things to note:

• I sampled almost all of these restaurants as take-out, because, well,Covid

• Some of these restaurants are entirely gluten-free, while others have gluten-free items

• It isn’t easy being gluten-free and I feel for anyone who has no choice but to eat this way because it definitely takes work and dedication to carefully maintain this diet, especially when eating out. To be honest, I found that it was surprisingly challenging to find gluten-free options in NYC that sounded and tasted good. I’ll keep this list going for those of you looking to seek out alternative diets, or for those who need it. While I did find it challenging, this temporary diet also rewarded me with several new restaurants that will be in our rotation, whether gluten-free or not.

interested in learning more about being gluten-free?