Having food intolerances or allergies makes eating out difficult. Gluten-intolerance keeps you from grabbing a pizza with friends, or going out for a romantic Italian dinner. If you’re in New York, food allergies don’t have to keep you from enjoying the local cuisine. In the city you will find some of the best gluten-free options in Italian food, burger, and desserts.

City Walker recommended Gluten Free places in NYC

Melt Shop

Gooey cheese and gluten free? The Melt Shop’s maple bacon grilled cheese is a perfect balance of salty and sweet. Friday nights are very busy, and can be up to an hour wait so reservations are highly recommended. With the option to order online and a list of shakes to quench any sweet tooth, including Nutella, Oreo and Chocolate Truffle, this place is perfect for people who are gluten-intolerant and people who are not.

Erin McKenna’s Bakery

Dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free and gluten-free alternative to traditional sweets and baked goods. The store can get a bit crowded which creates pressure to decide quickly, however the staff is very friendly and knowledgable about the  products that they are serving. The rich teacakes and vegan doughnuts have an amazing texture that even children with food allergies love.

Otto’s Tacos

Taco of the day specials and a simple menu offers a great place for a quick bite. Corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas make this a gluten-free friendly place for those who like a little spice. The meat and ingredients are high quality and the flavors are very authentic. The shrimp taco is a must and as an added bonus they deliver!

Bareburger

A new location is now open on 14th Street! Menus are clearly labeled with gluten-free items to make dining easy. All meats are free-range, pasture and humanely raised, antibiotic, gluten and hormone free. To complement the healthy, sustainable options are inventive milkshake flavors. There is mexican chocolate with cayenne, cinnamon and marshmallow  and the cococado has coconut cream, shaved coconut, avocado and lime.

Rubirosa

Italian classics that are all gluten-free like pizza, pasta, and mozzarella sticks. The large portions are perfect for sharing and they have an extensive wine list. The waitstaff can be a bit pretentious which was off putting. The gluten-free options were very good, the thin crust pizza was a decent compared to normal gluten-free crust.  

Meatball Shop

While all items are prepared in the same kitchen, the allergen chart clearly labels what allergens are in what products. Gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, eggs, black pepper, onion, garlic and chili pepper are all allergens that Meatball Shop  can help guests avoid. The vegetarian meatballs are a must try even if you aren’t a vegetarian and the ice cream cookie sandwiches can be mixed and matched by flavor to fit whatever mood you’re in.

Hu Kitchen

Zagat rated as a “paleo paradise” with it’s veggie-oriented dishes and natural chocolates. The portions are filling and the prices are reasonable.The upstairs empties out after the dinner rush and it is a great place to get to hangout and get work done. If you need a pick-me-up to get through some tough assignments, the almond butter cookie dough truffle is sure to lift your mood.

S’MAC

Sarita’s Mac & Cheese offers vegan and gluten free alternatives to the American favorite dish. Definitely a better place for take-out than dining in, the decor and ambiance is lacking. The vegan cheese is surprisingly tasty and adding bbq or buffalo sauce helps make it even more flavorful.

Food allergies come with a whole lot of other challenges, particularly digestive problems. There are several different things that can help with digestive trouble including yoga. Several yoga poses help squeeze the liver which helps detox and clean up the food we eat. Tasty food is good for the soul, but not always the body. Cleaning up the junk is key in aiding digestion.

Keeping stress levels low also can play a big role in aiding digestion. Stress causes the esophagus to produce extra acid which can cause stomach trouble. City Walker is trying to help reduce the stress of finding allergy friendly places to eat out.