Top 6 Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Spots to Delight in Greenwich Village, New York

Gloria Gracia

Super friendly staff, great food options! As a celiac, I had no reaction to the food :)

Pamela Rief

I'm a foody and haven't eaten meat in over 40 years. The steak special--mmmmm. I hope it becomes part of the regular menu. Please! I think they should take it to Shark Tank! :D Scrumptious. They nailed the texture, taste, and preparation. What a treat for any diner, but especially a vegetarian/vegan!!! My carnivore boyfriend said it's indistinguishable from actual steak. Best vegetarian dumplings ever in the wonton soup: full of vibrantly delicious ingredients, fresh, and great firm wrapper. I loved the broth too. I hated to part with one of the wontons, but I had to give my boyfriend the pleasure of eating one. And the desserts are incredibly moist and high-quality. I can barely eat typical American desserts b/c of the oversweet mix of poor ingredients. I savor every bite of every dessert at Peacefood. There is real food in the desserts, like what seem like just enough chopped plumped raisins as a sweetener in the gluten-free, vegan dark chocolate loaf. I also appreciate the ambience at Peacefood. It's a place to unwind and enjoy yourself and your food.

Lauren

This may our new favorite restaurant in the NYC!! In a city that is increasingly vegan-friendly but that won’t stop assaulting us with deep-fried mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower, Spring Cafe Aspen sets themselves apart by serving up vegetable-forward dishes that are healthy, delicious, and generously portioned. First, the health-conscious aspect. We came across them on a (very short) list of seed oil-free restaurants. Their website says they are free of “inflammatory oils.” Very little of their food is fried or highly processed. They use whole/sprouted grains in their wraps/bread, as well as having gluten-free options. It’s next to impossible to find restaurants in NYC or anywhere that accommodate a whole foods/plant-based diet, and even harder to find staff knowledgeable about the ingredients of their food. At Spring Cafe Aspen, the staff actually knows the ingredients of each dish and are very accommodating of questions and preferences, such as my wish to avoid coconut oil. If they don’t know the answer to a question, they have access to the ingredient lists for everything. Next, the flavor of the food. Despite being low in oil and free of overly processed ingredients, their food is delicious! Our favorite item so far has been the cauliflower risotto (warm, comforting, creamy and rich; packed with vegetables and flavor). Our other favorite is the lentil meatballs and spaghetti (incredible meatballs, excellent sauce full of basil, and pasta you would have no idea is made with brown rice). We also enjoyed the superhero tofu burrito and the blueberry pancakes. The menu is full of great tidbits such as the epic cashew mac and cheese and the tempeh that is raw and locally sourced (Barry’s). The portions - while other vegan/vegetarian restaurants in New York are serving up portions that get smaller every year, Spring Cafe Aspen actually provides generous portions that will nourish you without going overboard. (You won’t go home hungry after eating the cauliflower risotto!) It’s also worth mentioning that the vibe of Spring Cafe Aspen is a little different from the typical hippie or hipster flair of many other vegan/vegetarian restaurants in the city. The vibe hovers somewhere between hot yoga studio and business school seminar. Also slightly confusing is the setup - they have all the makings of a sit-down restaurant right down to cloth napkins, but they do not truly have table service. You wait in line to order and then bring a number to your table. Makes it harder to enjoy a cup of coffee or spontaneous turmeric latte after lunch, but definitely not a dealbreaker. Lastly, we initially wondered why they didn’t take the plunge and turn fully vegan, but when we saw the gusto with which workout couples were demolishing egg white omelettes, we understood. Overall not a real issue for us since they make the food with such care that we aren’t really worried about any stray goat cheese getting into our food by mistake. And the attention to detail in their homemade condiments like vegan sour cream and even homemade nut milk rivals that of any vegan restaurant. In conclusion, this is an epic brunch spot whipping up healthy food that manages to be both comforting and innovative; they have already become one of our regular spots.

Damien Malatino

Spot on - we went there for a holiday lunch and tried both a Latke egg special and the chicken shawarma. The flavors were well balanced and the staff was very knowledgeable with my girlfriend’s food allergies. They have good gluten free options for appetizers, entrees and desserts. The fresh mint tea was very refreshing and paired well with the flavorful dishes.

Courtney

We stopped in for dinner before seeing the show titanique around the corner and the food was amazing! I'm recently on a new (unfortunate) gluten free life change and I wasn't sure what to order (I'm also a vegetarian which of course adds additional complexity). The manager Giussepe was amazingly helpful. I appreciate him taking the time to go over the menu and help me find amazing food that was in my new dietary restriction realm. I definitely recommend this location, it was great

Kate Riddle

Completely separate full GF menu, celiac safe