Nyc Restaurant: Free Foods

[pinky]

free foods is a new organic take-out restaurant place in midtown-- 45th st. btwn 5th and 6th. i noticed yesterday that they have not one but THREE different gluten-free baked goods-- a chocolate cake, a brownie, and a chocolate-marzipan thing!

i emailed them (through website www.freefoodsnyc.com) to find out what else they have that's gluten free, but they told me to go in and speak to someone named Matt. i really don't have time to leave my office during the day to do this, but, if someone else goes, please share the info! the soups and salad bar stuff look really good!

[jkmunchkin]

free foods is a new organic take-out restaurant place in midtown-- 45th st. btwn 5th and 6th. i noticed yesterday that they have not one but THREE different gluten-free baked goods-- a chocolate cake, a brownie, and a chocolate-marzipan thing!

i emailed them (through website www.freefoodsnyc.com) to find out what else they have that's gluten free, but they told me to go in and speak to someone named Matt. i really don't have time to leave my office during the day to do this, but, if someone else goes, please share the info! the soups and salad bar stuff look really good!

OMG!! I wish I'd read this 10 minutes ago!! I work on 43 b/t 6th & Broadway and was dying for some sort of snack. Despite the fact our cafeteria has every baked good under the sun obviously all I can get down there is fruit; so strawberries it was (I know it's the smarter choice, but I wanted chocolate). I'm going to check it out on my way to Grand Central tonight

[pinky]

so sorry i didn't post it this morning so i could have stuck you with about 500 extra calories! :-)

if you have time to ask Matt or whomever about the gluten-free-safeness of other items, please post!

[jkmunchkin]

so sorry i didn't post it this morning so i could have stuck you with about 500 extra calories! :-)

if you have time to ask Matt or whomever about the gluten-free-safeness of other items, please post!

I checked out their website and they're only open till 5:00 today so I won't get to stop in tonight, but definately will on Monday. I promise to post any info I get. Maybe I'll even stop by on my way to work... I haven't had a brownie for breakfast in years. LOL!!

[jkmunchkin]

I posted this same message on the NYC Celiac Meetup Group this morning:

I checked this out on my way to work this morning and was a bit disappointed. Although everything looked wonderful and they did infact have several gluten free desserts, they didn't really seem to understand the concept of cross contamination for those with celiac.

There was a plate of these delicious looking brownies (marzipan they called it); but the plate was on a 3 tiered display, with the gluten free ones at the bottom. I explained that they should probably have them on the top because all it takes is 1 crumb of the non-gluten free items to fall onto this one; and I'm sick. The response from (who I assumed was a manager), was slightly condescending saying, "well then you just can't really eat anything or anywhere." I remained polite, but was really offended at this comment. At the risk of sounding like a 5 year old, it actually kinda hurt my feelings. In all the years I've been gluten free, I've never had someone treat me like there was something wrong with me, just because I can't eat whatever I want.

When I asked if maybe they could get me one that wasn't on this tray, the girl helping me (who was very nice) went to get a fresh one, but immediately said, "oh you better not. These are in with everything else."

The manager (I think his name was Peter), acted as if I was a special case with this whole cross contamination thing. I just got the feeling they don't totally get it.

Go check it out for yourselves. I ultimately decided I just wasn't comfortable trying it; despite the fact it looked delicious. Sad, because I work 2 blocks from there and probably would have gotten myself a treat there almost daily.

[pixiegirl]

what is the name of the place?

susan

[jkmunchkin]

what is the name of the place?

susan

Free Foods. It's on 45th b/t 5th & 6th.

[PeterDouglas]

FreeFoods management here... we wanted to communicate that while we have introduced a number of "gluten free" (as well as vegan, raw, vegetarian, etc..) options over the last few months (all very popular) to accomodate customer requests, we are not a "gluten free" facility. We bake all our items (even the gluten free) in our own kitchen. They are not sourced from a "gluten free" off site manufacturing facility. As such, we only offer caution to customers that while we do take every reasonable precaution to ensure gluten free products do not come in contact with regular products, we are not a gluten free zone entirely and do not promote ourselves as such. For anyone interested, please feel free to stop by and try any of our gluten free items and ask for Peter or Michael if you'd like to discuss further as we are always open to learn more about what our audience is looking for in cuisine.... Pete

[jkmunchkin]

we are always open to learn more about what our audience is looking for in cuisine.... Pete

Not to be rude, but you didn't seem very open to learning anything about the gluten free needs when I stopped in...