I come to NYC once a month for work and love trying out various vegan/gluten free spots for lunch and LOVED my experience at Pure Grit BBQ. Such a great find with so many exciting vegan/gluten free options, outdoor seating, and super welcoming and friendly staff. I even had a chance to meet the owner who gave me some great recommendations! Definitely a must try if you’re looking for a fun take on Vegan BBQ!
The gluten free bagel is essentially gluten free bread in the shape of a bagel. The amount of addons they put (cucumbers, etc) is literally the minimal amount. Save your money and go elsewhere.
Our family of four came here for an early lunch during our recent visit to NYC. We were served immediately and the girl on the checkout was super-friendly, letting us have a taster of their new soft drinks before deciding what to order. The burgers were great quality and the fries were cooked to perfection as well. Everything cost more than I expected it to ($70 for the four of us) but that isn’t any fault of the restaurant, as the prices were clearly advertised. Yes, McDonalds is much cheaper, but the food at Shake Shack is far better quality and it was good too that they offer gluten-free buns as well. It was nice to be able to eat in such a peaceful location too, surrounded by the small birds who call Madison Square Park home.
The email I wrote after we walked out before meal service even ended:
Dear Mr. Brown,
I wanted to reach out about our recent dinner. We came in excited for what should have been a seamless three-star experience, but unfortunately, it missed the mark on multiple levels.
We purchased the beverage pairing expecting thoughtful pairings with each course, but it felt like we were just served a selection of wines. There was no explanation from the sommelier about how each wine complemented the dish – though he may not have had the chance, given that food wasn’t arriving in sync with service.
We flagged the pacing issue to one of the attendants who said a captain would come by, but no one did. Instead, more wine was poured while we sat waiting with no acknowledgment that service was off.
When food did arrive, it lacked the consistency expected at this level. One dish in particular was so heavily salted on one side and bland on the other – it was clear the kitchen didn’t check for balance.
There was also a mix-up with dietary restrictions, where a gluten dish was placed in front of the person who doesn’t eat gluten. Small details like this are critical.
What stood out most was watching the table next to us, seated at least 30 minutes after we arrived, finish their meal while we were still on our fifth course. At that point, we asked to end the meal early because the experience felt so poor. We were told dinner would be comped.
Walking out mid-meal at a three-star restaurant should never happen and appreciate how you stepped in.
Really good spot if you want to have a healthy fast casual meal with a Chinese food vibe which is hard to find. Would definitely come back again. Decent amount of gluten free and dairy free options.
*im not celiac, just gluten free.