Manhattan, New York

[Dancypants]

Hello New Yorkers!

I so excited! I will be traveling to New York in two weeks. My first trip to this huge city!! I will be in the Morningside Heights area of Manhattan and will be visiting Columbia University, Barnard College, NYU and Juilliard.

Since my diagnosis two years ago, I have never eaten in a restaurant. I'm super sensitive and asymptomatic...so I'm really nervous. I tried to talk my mom into bringing all of my food, but she says it's time to trust myself in choosing places where I can eat...especially since I'm getting ready to go away to college in another year.

Can you Manhattanites help me in finding some celiac-friendly restaurants within walking distance of the Union Theological Seminary (3041 Broadway at 121st Street). This is where I'll be staying...it's right next to Columbia University and Barnard.

I'm from a small town, so I'm a little scared about wandering too far away from UTS. I would prefer to not have to take a taxi if possible.

Thank you for your help!

Macy

[Anna Isabel]

Oh boy, do I have the restaurant for you!!! It is called Risotteria, and it is on Bleeker street in the west village. They have gluten free breadsticks, gluten free pizzas, gluten free risottos, gluten free sandwiches, and tuesday is gluten free pasta night!

I encourage you to venture out of upper manhattan once you get there--if only to eat at this restaurant! You can take the 1 or the 9 to Christopher street. New york is a great, safe city--I'm sure you'll have lots of fun there!

www.risotteria.com

[Anna Isabel]

Oh--I just read a few posts down and I guess they are closed temporarily--hopefully will re open soon!

[happygirl]

I would click on the restaurants tab and there are quite a few threads about NYC...hopefully some of them will have some suggestions near you.

There are a couple expert NYC Celiac eaters on this board----jkmunchkin is one of them.

Enjoy!

Laura

[jkmunchkin]

Hi Macy,

1st of let me say, congrats on the schools you are visiting... WOW!

To be honest, I'm not that familiar with that part of the city. It is kinda way up there and the only time I venture up there is when I go to Columbia (Hospital) at the Celiac specialty center.

I would suggest maybe calling Anne Roland Lee at (212) 342-4529. She is the nutritionist there who specializes in celiac and I bet she would be able to help you out with some places around there since that is close to the area they are in.

If you think you'll be venturing more into the heart of Manhattan (midtown, soho, west village, murray hill, ect.), let me know and I will fill you in on all the yummy places to eat!!

Oh, and from what I heard Risotteria is set to reopen tomorrow (3/10).

[mookie03]

NYC is wonderful for gluten-free dining. However, i am not that familiar with the area up there. The closest i can offer you is Sambuca on West 72nd and Josephina's in Lincoln Center (no gluten-free menu but very accommodating). Also Fairway market on W74th has an upstairs that has tons of gluten-free options if you need to pick up anything. I definitely recommend getting downtown to Risotteria and if you go to glutenfreerestaurants.org, you will find many other gluten-free restaurants that are only a short cab ride away.

[Dancypants]

My sincere thanks to everyone who replied to my query!

I'm very slowly figuring out the different sections of Manhattan. From what you told me, Anna Isabel, Risoterria is in the West Village. I think that Greenwich Village is part of the West Village...right? I have an appointment with NYU-Tisch's Dance Department on one day and an interview in NYU's Chemistry Department on another day...and since NYU is in (correct me if I'm wrong) Greenwich Village, that would mean TWO trips to Risoterria!!!! And one will be a Tuesday for their special pasta night!!! YEY!

When you said to "take the 1 or the 9 to Christopher Street" to get get to Upper Manhattan, are those subway lines or bus lines? Someone told me that it is dangerous to take the subway, especially at night. True?? I'm very naive about public transportation.

jkmunchkin, thank you for Anne Roland Lee's phone number. One of the reasons I'm looking at Columbia University is because of their Celiac Disease Center. I'm planning a double major in dance and biochemistry with an emphasis in nutrition. I'm very interested in biochem research and hope to be a slave to one of their researchers as soon as possible. If a dance career doesn't work out for me, or if it is very short-lived, I'll be prepared for graduate school and celiac research of some kind.

mookie03, thanks to you too for the Sambuca suggestion. I'll also be visiting Juilliard at Lincoln Center, so that sounds perfect!

I think I'm more excited about finally getting to eat out than visiting these schools.

Macy

[whitney728]

I'm just going to repost this from the gluten-free Travel Thread yesterday...

I actually go to school in Manhattan (although I am studying in Prague at the moment), so you should be happy to know that you have plenty of options smile.gif

1. RISOTTERIA - this is an absolute must. It's by far my favorite gluten-free restaurant in the city. It's on the corner of Bleecker Street and Morton Street in the West Village (near the 1 train (Christopher Street stop) or the A,C,E,B,D,F, and V trains (W4th street stop)). It's a great little Italian place with a good selection of pizza, focaccia sandwiches, and risottos. They also have great gluten-free breadsticks (they come automatically, you don't even need to ask) and desserts. The menu automatically lists all of the gluten-free options, and they pretty much make everything in a "regular" and gluten-free version. It's my own personal version of heaven, and it's about 3 blocks from where I live in New York, so I'm here quite a bit.

2. Puff&Pao - this is relatively near Risotteria, it's on Christopher Street, between Bleecker and Hudson I think (or it's between Bleecker and 7th Ave. South...I would know this if I was there right now) - they have great gluten-free brownies and I think some of their other cookies are gluten-free as well, but the best thing to try is the paos, these little Brazilian (I think) cheese breads that are a specialty of theirs. Same subway directions as Risotteria, although the 1 train is much closer.

3. Babycakes! - Gluten-free bakery on the Lower East Side. www.babycakesnyc.com. It's a cute little place with a lot of great options, and it's sugar-free and vegan as well (I promise, they still taste great). I think you take the F train to Delancey Street and walk down to Broome Street, but I would look up their address and look up the subway directions on Hopstop (see below) to be safe.

Open Original Shared Link

These are the GFRAP restaurants in New York City (including Risotteria). All of these offer gluten-free menus. I've been to Sambuca - it's quite good - but I haven't been to any of the others.

Let's see...

There are several Whole Foods locations. There's one in Union Square (4,5,6,N,R,Q,W,L trains to 14th St-Union Square) that's right down the block from a Trader Joe's (and a regular grocery store - the Food Emporium.) This is the one I shop at, and they have a really good selection of gluten-free items. There's also one in Columbus Circle (A,C,E,1,B,D trains to 59th St-Columbus Circle, or take the N,R,Q,W, to 57th street and walk) that's really nice. I'm not sure where the other locations are but I'm sure you can look that up on the Whole Foods website.

Another useful website is www.hopstop.com - this isn't gluten-free related, but it's useful to look up subway and walking directions to wherever you need to go in New York (including these restaurants!)

Overall, I've eaten out at plenty of places (and I'm fairly sensitive) and you definitely have a lot to choose from. Most of my restaurant recommendations are in the vicinity of NYU, as that's the area I know best (although Sambuca is further uptown, by Central Park) but you can definitely find something in any area of the city. Risotteria is a must though.

Don't be too nervous about venturing out of the JTS/Columbia area! Taking the subway is great practice for going to school in New York.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

[Dancypants]

Whitney728...thank you!!!

Your list of restaurants and directions have been packed.

Leaving in four days. I'm drool when I think of having panini at Risoterria.

Don't you love Prague! I represented the United States at the World Tap Dance Championships in Lujubljana, Slovenia...and spent several days in Prague as well. It's one of my favorite cities!

Macy

[whitney728]

Whitney728...thank you!!!

Your list of restaurants and directions have been packed.

Leaving in four days. I'm drool when I think of having panini at Risoterria.

Don't you love Prague! I represented the United States at the World Tap Dance Championships in Lujubljana, Slovenia...and spent several days in Prague as well. It's one of my favorite cities!

Macy

Prague is fantastic! I can imagine that Slovenia must have been as well.

Also, I'm not in Tisch, but feel free to PM me if you have any general NYU questions!

[Char]

I'm actually at Columbia, and often eat around here -- but I'm not as sensitive as other people are, so you might want to make sure that you raise a bit more of a fuss than I usually do.

There are plenty of ethnic restaurants that are fine -- Indian restaurants (the best is Indus Valley, which is a bit of a walk from where you'll be staying, Broadway and 100th St), a Korean restaurant, Japanese (sushi always works; a good one is on 110th and Broadway, Tomo), and Chinese (an Americanized one, Ollie's, at about 116th and Broadway, and a more authentic one, Columbia Cottage, at 110th and Amsterdam; you can get rice noodles without soy sauce, or ask them for a white sauce). There's also a good French restaurant, Metisse, on 105th St between Broadway and Amsterdam (they use cornstarch, not flour; they have an excellent weekend brunch).

But I would recommend that you travel a bit further out -- take advantage of the fact that NYC is so gluten-free friendly, and brave the subways! The Village, which is where Risotteria and Puff and Pao (both excellent), is pretty much a straight shot on the 1 train, as is Sambuca. If you like Indian, there's also a cheaper Indian wrap place around 86th St (I forget the name now, but it's on the Celiac Chicks website).

Good luck!

-Char

[ENF]

Blue Smoke has a glutenfree menu, on East 27th Street, in the same building as The JAZZ Standard night club. I have not gone, yet.

Open Original Shared Link

I also recommend:

Peter's Gourmet Diner & Bar

1606 1st Ave (east 80's)

New York, NY 10028

(212) 734-9600

It's in a very nice neighborhood. They have a gluten-free kitchen, and full menu. Service can be a little slow but they don't rush you out, either.

We went to Bloom's Deli, last year. It's very enjoyable to sit in a "real" NY delicatessen and actually have foods that you can eat.

Bloom's Delicatessen Cafe

350 Lexington Avenue

(corner of 40th Street)

New York, New York 10016

United States

Cuisine: Everything - Diner Style Menu with Omelettes, Hamburgers, gluten-free French Fries, and Salads

www.bloomsnewyorkdeli.com

Bloom's New York Delicatessen & Restaurant features a special gluten free menu including amazing gluten free French Fries!! Bloom's offers great deli and dinner foods such as Eggs and Omelettes, Hamburgers, Smoked Fish Platters, Salads, and Dinner Entrees including Salmon and Steaks.

Here is our favorite celiac specialist, Dr. Peter Green, founder and chief of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, NYC, chatting it up with Mikhail Baryshnikov. Open Original Shared Link

Celiac Chicks have a great website with plenty of gluten free dining choices in New York.

[blueyes]

Dinosaur Barbeque is not far from Columbia and has a lot of Gluten-free Casein-free options - their sauce is gluten-free, so if you're craving southern comfort, the wings, ribs, and collard greens are some of the finest around. Even if I weren't celiac, I'd choose this over all the other bbq places and chains! No gluten-free beer, but the margaritas are tops!

It gets packed, so call in your reservation.

{1 train to 125th}

>> Open Original Shared Link

For 3-star dining uptown in Washington Heights, try the New Leaf Cafe. Excellent food, service, staff, and ambiance. It's in Fort Tryon park, and is a real oasis.

Sunday brunch not to be missed. Limited CF options, but gluten-free easily accomodated.

{A train to 190th}

>> Open Original Shared Link

Also in Washington Heights, Kismet is a great Indian restaurant - dine in or delivery.

{A train to 190th}

Open Original Shared Link

Regarding the question about subways and safety, the majority of riders are usually intently reading, listening to an ipod, or practicing subway zen (staring off into space). Most of us are locals heading to work/school/activities - and the rest are generally tourists, so you'll find it's just a microcosm of NYC itself! It can be noisy, crowded, and hectic, but if nothing else, people watching is half the fun. After midnight, and on Sundays the trains run less often, so that's the only real drag.

Keep an open mind, enjoy the experience, and don't hesitate to ask the person next to you for help getting to your destination. We'll gladly help out, and then get back to our book/music/meditation

[jkmunchkin]

Dinosaur Barbeque is not far from Columbia and has a lot of Gluten-free Casein-free options - their sauce is gluten-free, so if you're craving southern comfort, the wings, ribs, and collard greens are some of the finest around. Even if I weren't celiac, I'd choose this over all the other bbq places and chains! No gluten-free beer, but the margaritas are tops!

It gets packed, so call in your reservation.

{1 train to 125th}

>> Open Original Shared Link

Can they make the BBQ Fried Rice gluten-free at Dino BBQ? I've heard it's incredible. I've been meaning to go here for awhile.

[Puddy]

Ate dinner at Sambuca's just last week. They were wonderful. There were 2 other gluten-free families there, also. I highly recommend them.