As someone who’s been gluten-free for years and is from a rural area, being in NYC has opened my eyes to all of the gluten-free possibilities. The past few weeks I’ve been testing the waters of gluten-free restaurants (on a college student’s budget) and have found a few faves.
Wild
Wild is a fully gluten-free restaurant in the west village. Their dinner menu ranges from pizza and pasta to burgers, and everything is entirely gluten-free, all-natural and local. They even had mozzarella sticks on the menu—something I’ve never seen done gluten-free.
Because their food is on the pricier side (as anything gluten-free usually is) I’ve only been ordering from them through Grubhub to use my dining-dollars-plus. The first time I got their garganelli alla vodka with chicken, and when I tell you it was the best gluten-free pasta I’ve ever had, I’m not exaggerating. My not-gluten-free friend had a bite and the pasta was so good that she made me double-check that it was gluten-free. Anyone who’s had gluten-free pasta knows what a big deal this is since it’s normally impossible to cook right and either mushy or somehow crumbly.
Pure Grit
If you’re looking for something more fast-food, then Pure Grit BBQ is the perfect place. The restaurant is entirely gluten-free and plant-based. As someone who hasn’t eaten gluten since the sixth grade, I had come to terms with the fact that classic fast food just wasn’t an option for me.
Their impossible queso burger with waffle fries is my personal favorite. And the fact that it’s vegan and gluten-free almost makes it feel healthy. I was amazed during my first week here when I found this place. Who knew chicken tenders or chicken and waffles could be made gluten-free and vegan?