The Gluten Free Dishes You Just Have to Try!
For when you love gluten, but your body doesn’t!
Can you imagine a world where enjoying a warm plate of pasta or a heavenly slice of chocolate cake always results in pain? If you’re gluten intolerant or have Celiac Disease, that world is unfortunately all too real.
However, avoiding gluten doesn’t mean you have to live a life of bland and tasteless pasta or cake-less birthday parties! On the contrary, the rising popularity of organic and sustainable eating habits has resulted in an increased variety of gluten-free foods being sold in the average grocery store. There’s gluten-free bread, pasta, cookies–you name it. Food & Wine even found that Thai, Italian, and Middle Eastern cuisine all have limitless gluten-free options for the diner who wants to broaden their palate. Thankfully, restaurants have started to update their menus in order to serve delicious and satisfying meals for every hungry diner, whether they’re gluten-intolerant, have Celiac Disease, or merely wish to cut gluten out of their diet.
These 5 New York based restaurants are offering American and International gluten-free meals to satisfy any sweet or savory craving. Thanks to HungerPass, you can eat safely and enjoy the added bonus of saving money at the same time!
Middle Eats
171 W. 23rd St. New York, NY 11011
If you’re normally a shy eater, then the idea of Middle Eastern food may be a little scary. The blogger behind this Healthy Travel article certainly knows this, as she traveled to Israel and experienced first hand the gluten-ridden perils of traditional Middle Eastern fare for someone with Celiac Disease. The food is, after all, famous for its mouth-watering spice blends and rich tastes, two things gluten avoiders may be wary of. Thankfully, the good people at Middle Eats sure know what they’re doing when it comes to gluten-free falafel!
Chickpeas are as essential to a gluten-free diet as they are to a good falafel: According to Healthline, they’re loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and may even help keep your weight and blood sugar under control. You can find these miracle legumes in the gluten-free falafel dishes at Middle Eats, which includes the refreshing Falafel Salad mixed with tomatoes, cucumbers, and red cabbage. The Falafel Platter is sure to please crowds of gluten-free and regular diners alike, along with the Falafel Tortilla, which can be made with spicy and succulent falafel all wrapped up in a warm gluten-free tortilla with diced tomatoes, onions, and some delectable guacamole. Does it get any better than that? I think not!
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Ono Bowls
33 E. 8th St, New York, NY 10003
If you want to eat like you’re on vacation without gaining all that vacation weight, then head on over to Ono Bowls! As one reviewer said of Ono on Restaurant Guru, “Being from Honolulu, I love this place and its vibes.” With its vast menu of acai bowls, pitaya bowls, smoothies, and juices, this Bowl Bar is like a Hawaiian vacation right smack in the middle of New York City!
Ono’s passion for organic and vegan foods makes it a haven for those seeking gluten-free dining options: The “All Greens” juice is made with apples, celery, cucumbers, kale, and lemons, and is intended to have anti-aging properties, while the “Zesty Shield” juice is made with apples, lemons, oranges, and pineapples and is intended to help you lose weight. You don’t have to sacrifice flavor for a gluten-free meal at Ono Bowls; the Almond Joy smoothie, for example, is a sweet and protein-packed blend of bananas, almond milk, cacao, and almond butter.
Ono’s Organic Oatmeal is the gluten-free breakfast the restaurant claims is “just like grandma used to make,” but the real attractions on Ono’s menu are the Acai and Pitaya Bowls. The Ono Classic contains acai topped with blueberries, strawberries, bananas, gluten-free granola, honey, and agave. The Thin Mint Bowl tastes like everyone’s favorite Girl Scout cookie except it’s made with acai, strawberries, and raw unsweetened cacao nibs with gluten-free granola and honey, all infused with real mint. It’s basically a bowl of dessert without gluten or those pesky calories! You also can’t go wrong with the Acaiya Bowl, a mix of acai and pitaya topped with bananas, pineapples, and gluten-free granola.
Of course, if acai isn’t your thing, you can always go with the simple and convenient Ono Granola Protein Bar, which provides all the energy of a regular granola bar without the potentially-painful consequences for those with a gluten allergy!
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Thai Direct Bowls
131 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Thai food is known for its exotic blend of sweet and sour flavors, but not so much for its gluten-free food–that is, until now! Thai Direct Bowls offers famous Thai street foods made with health and vitality in mind, all while maintaining the exotic flavors that make Thai cuisine so exciting. Featured on Yelp’s list of the “Top 10 Best Organic Thai in New York”, Thai Direct Bowls also boasts an impressive array of gluten-free dishes for foodies with gluten intolerance.
The Green Curry With A Twist packs a seriously spicy punch despite being gluten and dairy free, and the warm brown rice, steamed chicken breast, and roasted cauliflower complements the boiled pumpkin and fresh basil. The Thai green curry sauce pulls the bowl’s ingredients together to form one mouth-watering dish!
Thai food is obviously known for Pad Thai, and the Pad Thai Temple will not disappoint. The healthy pad thai is made with warm rice noodles, succulent grilled shrimp, fresh bok choy and bean sprouts, refreshing zucchini, and a sizzling Thai Tamarind sauce. For a dish loaded with protein, try the Thai Massaman Curry, made with your choice of protein mixed with carrots, red onions, and peanuts in authentic Thai Massaman Curry with steaming gluten-free rice underneath. Finish out your deliciously gluten-free and organic meal with the traditional Thai dessert Bua Loy, or gelatinous pumpkin rice balls in sweet coconut milk. Add a poached egg for protein, as many Thais do!
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Loving Hut
76 Bushwick Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
We talked about Loving Hut Williamsburg in one of our previous posts focusing on organic restaurants in New York, and their gluten-free dishes cannot be missed. One of the largest vegan restaurant chains in the world, Loving Hut’s goal is to provide healthy ingredients, compassionate cooking habits, friendly customer service, and happiness served with every plate. That’s a lot to expect with one meal, but their dedication to serving quality food for every food restriction makes for one satisfying dining experience!
The menu at Loving Hut varies with each location, so if your dining experience wasn’t already totally unique given the vegan-centric atmosphere, get ready for a one-of-a-kind Asian-influenced meal! Start your meal at Loving Hut with the gluten-free House Hummus, which is garnished with sliced carrots and cucumbers and served with Taro chips. Though the entrees are often inspired by Asian cuisine, some gluten-free dishes like the Cream of Broccoli soup is the fresh, creamy, and light dinner for even the tamest of foodies. The House Fried Rice, made with mixed vegetables and soy protein or tofu stir-fried in either traditional, Thai, cedar, or pineapple seasoning is basically a bowl of sweet, sour, salty, and (of course!) gluten-free deliciousness. Don’t worry, you can also get a perfectly gluten-free dessert at Loving Hut, which includes the awe-inspiring Peanut Butter Bomb made with layer after layer of chocolate cake topped with a dreamy peanut butter mousse!
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Tufino Pizzeria Napoletana
36-08 Ditmars Blvd Astoria, NY 11105
We at HungerPass love talking about Tufino Pizzeria Napoletana, and it’s not just because of their authentic Italian cuisine! Pizza and pasta are two universally beloved foods, and thanks to Tufino’s, people with Celiac Disease or a gluten allergy can slurp up noodles and chow down on a slice with the best of them!
At Tufino’s, any pizza recipe can be altered to be gluten-free or vegan with the same desireable “piping-hot,” “brown, bubbling” crust achieved through the traditional dough-leavening method, as Time Out NY noted. This opens up a whole new world of pizza possibilities: If you want a classic Italian dish, try the Meatball Parmigiana, where every component from the meatballs to the sauce to the rigatoni to the mozzarella is made with totally vegan and, per request, gluten-free ingredients. For a traditional slice of pizza, try the Sopressata Picante, made with spicy soppressata, garlic, and basil. If you’re looking for something you may not find at your corner pizza place, then the Quattro Formaggi Pizza is for you. It’s a decadently-cheesy slice of pizza made with fior di latte, ricotta, gorgonzola, and grana padano, and it’s so mouth-wateringly delicious you may even forget that it’s gluten-free and vegan!
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Gelarto
145 Avenue A. New York, NY 10009
Is there a more fitting way to finish up our list than with a decadent dessert? The only thing that could make it even better is how Gelarto provides the frozen creamy gelato of your dreams using gluten-free ingredients! Someone order us a gluten-free rum raisin gelato, STAT!
Gelato-making is something of an art form at Gelarto, and they even serve “gelato sushi,” which combines classic flavors with innovative presentation. This charming East Village Gelato shop serves up flavor favorites, like chocolate, vanilla, and chocolate chip, as well as some imaginative flavors like “baked cream,” “tiramisu,” “fruits of the forest,” and “passion fruit”. One Yelp reviewer even went so far as to call the flavor and consistency of the gelato “out of this world.” In addition to gelato, you can order from 12 different flavors of sorbet, including Carribean Lime, Lemon, Mandarin, Peach, and Strawberry. Since Gelarto also offers fat-free and dairy-free flavors, there’s pretty much no reason why you and your friends can’t order a huge guilt-free gelato sundae at Gelarto!
So which gluten free dish will you try first? Comment down below!
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Written by Emma Patterson
