Top 32 Gluten-Free Kid-Friendly Spots to Explore in Ukrainian Village, New York

Valentina Thaysa Lucas

This place was out beyond words. The risotto was the best I’ve ever had. It’s been a few weeks and my husband and I are still talking about it. Their bread is also amazing and it was gluten and dairy free. Highly recommend making a reservation. We didn’t know, and we got lucky we were squeezed in, but had to wait over an hour. We didn’t know it then, but it was totally worth the wait. Glad we decided to wait.

cassie james

mac and cheese is fantastic

Maria Hadjichristoforou

Happened to pass by this adorable gluten-free crepe shop and was surprised to find the best crepe I’ve ever had! (And I’m not even gluten-free.) Definitely a must try when visiting the East Village!

Rachel Kessler

Ten years ago, I wished for a 100 percent celiac-safe, 100 percent gluten free restaurant with incredible food, nearby. (I even wished for cloth napkins.)This gem opened up and my prayers were answered. It's the perfect place for anyone wanting consistently delicious food. Risotto, arancini, and don't get me started on the tiramisu... Italian feasts, warm, sexy ambience, kind staff. The chef is a culinary wizard. It's a trip to Italy, a block from the 9th precinct.

Siena Leone-Getten

I’ve been hunting for great gluten free places around NYC- this is the cutest little shop! The banana bread was moist and delicious and tasted just like regular banana bread. Great warm drinks too!

Hannah Habiger

love this spot! It’s awesome their crepes are gluten free. My go to is the strawberry Nutella—such a classic 🍓☺️

Kathryn Meyer

Discovered John’s of 12th Street in one of the gluten free NYC groups that I’m in and added it to my “must visit” because someone mentioned that they have gluten free and vegan cannolis. On my last trip to NYC, we stopped in several locations in Little Italy to ask if they had gluten and dairy free cannolis and while we were able to find gluten free shells, the vegan or dairy free filling proved impossible to find. Thus, you can imagine my surprise/excitement to read that John’s of 12th Street was offering this and had a separate vegan menu as well! I arrived on a Saturday evening without a reservation and they were kind enough to fit me in because I was by myself (I don’t recommend coming without a reservation; the restaurant was super busy!). The waitstaff was extremely friendly and welcoming and knowledgeable about gluten free and vegan options. I was ready to order the gluten free pasta with marinara when it occurred to me to ask what was in the marinara. Surprisingly, there is butter. I’m dairy free in addition to gluten free, so the server guided me to the vegan option which does not contain butter. The pasta arrived very quickly, and with it a container of Follow Your Heart vegan parmesan which I felt was a very thoughtful touch as I can’t remember the last time I was able to have parmesan with my pasta at a restaurant (also shows how vegan friendly this restaurant is!). The sauce itself was not what I had envisioned with marinara sauce, it was really heavy on the garlic and had green onions in it. It was okay, but I would probably try a different sauce if I went back again. Then the time came for the gluten free, vegan cannoli. Relatively pricey at ~10/cannoli, it arrived and I immediately was confused. The shell is not what I would expect for a cannoli… it was a pizzelle (a waffle cookie) rolled into the shape of a cannoli shell. The filling was also not what I expected—it wasn’t traditional, but had a mix of spices that were reminiscent of fall and pumpkin pie. It wasn’t my favorite, especially at the price point, but I have to give them major kudos for catering to a gluten free and vegan community and offering an abundance of options, including a dessert option which is so rare to find. If ever back in NYC, I would consider eating here again as it felt like a safe place to eat for someone who is gluten and dairy free like myself.

Alexis Bee

Great glutenfree Pizza and beer, our server was super nice

iyanna the model

Last night, I was ate at Caravan of Dreams. It had been my third time at the restaurant and yet AGAIN, it is still my favorite. I was introduced to the restaurant by Scott Burnhard and it has become one of my most priced vegan eateries ever since. On this special Sunday, my roommate Azali and I were fortunate enough to meet the owners. An older couple, Mercedes & Angel, DEDICATED to health and clean eating! When asking questions about the creation of the menu, Angel is the orchestrator behind it all! He gives the chefs and cooks the concepts, and they create the genius masterpieces. And by gawd, that menu IS GENIUS! Completely creative and exceptionally innovative. If you LOVE plant based food, this is a PLANT BASED HEAVEN! I quoted Angel on something that he said, that truly touched me. “[We] make food for the sick & the healthy,” he mentioned. “This food makes sick people healthy, and it keeps the healthy people healthy.” I LOVE that concept. It’s truly commitment to sustenance and healing. His wife, Mercedes, was amazing as well, when talking about the best, most optimal way to receive food, she wisely told us, “I used to think we are what we eat, now I understand we are what we absorb.” Preparation on how to receive the BEST nutrients from food is even more important than the food itself! But let’s get into the DETAILS! There is LIVE Music Daily at 7:30pm, so please come to dinner and catch a vibe. Our waiter, Christian, was AMAZING!! He first served us the Seitan Nachos, which were savory, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. Easily one of my favorite appetizers. The owner, Angel also insisted that we try the Warm Hummus & Pesto Zattar. TO DIE FOR! We were offered the Peanut Sesame Noodles which are, Gluten Free, Organic Noodles made from Quinoa! I thought that was so cool! There is of course peanut butter, made in-house and topped with sesame seeds. I’d describe this dish as very subtle! So, not my favorite, since I prefer food packed with flavor. It is a light peanut sauce, served warm and has a very very slight sweetness. There is a complimentary side Salad that comes with EVERY Entrée. And my roommate ordered the RAW Pizzetta, while I ordered the Huitlacoche and Chorizo Quesadilla. Azali said the Pizzetta was BOMB! She described the dough as a happy medium between chewy and crunchy. She described the taste of the pizza sauce as creamy with a bit of a tangy flavor. The Huitlacoche and Chorizo Quesadilla was INCREDIBLE! It was super spicy, which was a shock to me, and it’s served with a vinaigrette micro green salad, fresh diced mango, and a dipping sauce. The flavors were literally a perfect balance and the dish was BIG and incredibly filling. SO GOOD OMG! For drinks, I ordered the Hibiscus Iced Tea, of which I added a lot of agave — it comes unsweetened. And Azali ordered the Organic Piña Colada. She said it was delicious. For dessert, we chose to share the Warm Brownie Sundae which came with coconut cream based icecream & coconut whipped cream atop baked, rich dark chocolate brownies and fresh, sliced, strawberries. Angel also offered us Pancakes. Which are the most tasty Gluten Free, Sugar Free, and Dairy Free treats you will ever taste. They came with blueberries inside. And he requested a scoop of both house made strawberry & chocolate icecream, with two small mounds of coconut whipped cream. Literally so good! And that STAWBERRY ICE CREAM?! I don’t even like strawberry flavors like that… delicious. The last of a long night of treats & sweets, was their Creamy Macchiato. Their Macchiato is a health powerhouse. It’s Gluten Free, Coffee Free, Caffeine Free, and made with an array of ingredients including Chicory Root & Roasted Dandelion Root, which gives it the taste of coffee. It was a subtle sweetness from the Coconut Cream so if you want it more Dulce, request added agave. I cannot express enough how MAGICAL the night was! Third time is the CHARM! And I will be back!

Jordan Carr

Fantastic creperie. Super sweet lady. My husband is Gluten Free and he loved both his savory ham and egg and his sweet dark chocolate banana crepe. The crepe held together. My regular flour crepes were delicious. Small shop, seating for 6. Will be coming back. Price average $15 a crepe.

Digital Transformation

I normally do not eat gluten free, vegan, or vegetarian, but this place was just amazing! The food is exquisite, every dish was just right, best spring roll I've had since my grandma's, the peanut sauce was so light yet full bodied, the salad dressings brought out the flavors rather than cover them.... My friend booked the place for her birthday party, the wine selection was really nice, the owner was attentive to our requests and we had a wonderful time. The place is not big but offers a cozy and warm setting, which was perfect for our small party. I used to avoid dining out in vegan places, I thought the food was weird and tasted strange, this place totally changed that, so i will definitely bring my fussy vegan and vegetarian friends here going forward, and would recommend this restaurant to everyone for nice meal with friends or a small dinner party! Thanks Jonathan, for make this event fun and memorable.

Tim

Lovely bar/restaurant with outside/sidewalk seating and (weather permitting) wide open front allowing fresh air and the city vibe. Grab a seat under the awning and you can people watch while you eat and drink. The food was excellent as we're the drinks. The staff were friendly and super attentive. Two separate managers also made a total of 3 check-ins just to make sure we had everything, which we did. Our celiac diner was easily accommodated and the server knowledgeable about what was gluten-safe including cross-contamination (separate fryer for fries yay) and noted that all GF dishes come with little red flags.

Barbara Chin

The food wasn't bad - I like that there are plenty of vegan proteins to choose from and lots of them could be gluten-free. I got the Just Egg omelette with some vegan cheese and veggies. (Forgot to tell them that I didn't want toast but I just didn't eat it.) Nice and filling, tasted decent (though could have used more seasoning or even just a bit of salt). Then I saw MOUSE run across the base of the wall. Yes, I get that it's probably difficult to avoid rodents in these older buildings even if you're not a restaurant. But it's made me hesitate wanting to go back.

Joaquin Cavazos

This was some of the best barbecue I’ve had! We split the 3 meat platter to try as many meats as possible and everything was tender and flavor packed. All the meats we tried were gluten-free and we even tried the dirty frites which we agreed were the best part of the meal. The workers were really helpful and friendly and changed his gloves before handling our order since we have a lot of allergies. highly recommend stopping here for barbecue!

Stephanie Marsh

Wonderful food and a lot of fun. We all left stuffed and happy. Staff was helpful and unintrusive, even when we lingered for 2 hours. Menu includes gluten free and vegan options. Allergen menus are posted above the sauce bar.

Sarah Story

The food was very tasty. However, I ordered gluten free pasta, which is only available in one shape at this location, fusilli, and found two pieces of spaghetti in my dish. This means that there was severe cross-contamination, likely cooking the GF pasta in the same pasta water as regular, full-gluten, pasta (I have worked in restaurants, I know how pasta is typically prepared in these environments). There is no point offering gluten free pasta if they are going to clearly and irresponsibly cross contaminate like that, especially since they're charging extra money. It's great that they offer the GF option so people with Celiac disease, like myself, can have more options to eat out with friends, but you endanger customers by using the same pasta water - the dish is no longer gluten free. Luckily, I did not get sick, but that's not a reason to continue with this unsafe practice. If changes are not made, there is no point offering, or claiming that there is, the GF pasta option.

Eric Yealland

Excellent falafel, top notch for a take-out joint. The salad is a nice mix of lettuce, onions, pickles, would be nice with some more diverse greens or some mint but maybe make that an add-on. Lots of tahini dressing. Works for gluten free and vegan diets (they do serve meat here as well)

Zacharie Chentouf

This is one of my favorite places to dine at in NYC. The food is great and very unique. We got the dry pot and the rice noodles with veggies, and the Brussels sprouts as a starter. Everything was sauced very well, and there were a lot of gluten-free, spicy, and non-spicy options. The starter options are also all very unique, although a little pricier

Nancy Smith

Walked in and was happy to see gluten free on the menu, asked server about gluten free sauces and they had no clue whether any of the listed sauces were gluten free. List on your computer, and train your staff!

William Perry

If you have a gluten allergy do not go here, there are 3 items on the menu that are advertised as gluten free. The only fully gf item is the avocado sushi which has cross contamination and cannot be substituted. The kale Caesar requires 2 of the 4 items to be substituted out and they will charge you for the substitutes. The mushroom toast is fine. Service was incredibly quick, it felt like we were rushed out of the restaurant, from sitting down to leaving it was less than 45 minutes and we were in no rush ordering whatsoever. The atmosphere is nice however.

Sirintip Phasuk

Great service, very accommodating towards gluten and dairy free diets. Very thorough

Emily Wang

A hidden gem in the east village. Food is experimental and delicious to eat. The Hawaiian Asian fusion food is very unique and rare to find in the city. The gluten-free fried chicken is a must go for anyone who has dietary restrictions. It is crispy, juicy and delicious. Szechuan Bolognese is quite an interesting combination of Chinese and Italian cuisine. Heritage pork chop is a very delicious too. Not to mention the dessert!! The brûlée Hawaiian pineapple and the Chocolate Haupia Sundae are too good to miss! I love the intimate environment. Small space without too much pretentious. The service is superb. You can tell the staff generally care about if their customers have a good time there. Very spontaneous, very friendly and very observable. Will come back again!

Fernando P

Excellent coffee. Nice atmosphere, very tasty and freshly ground coffee. Some very delicious food options and gluten-free options too. Friendly service, I highly recommend it!

Gaza “GazaJimbo” Jimbo

A little costly when ordering Gluten-free pizzas, but unfortunately, this is more the norm nowadays. Food was lovely.

Charlotte T

Excellent food, gluten free accommodating and friendly helpful service.

Jessica Zhao

Delicious, good portions, healthy, and affordable! So happy to have found a danish restaurant. Got the vegetarian sandwich with smoked salmon, potato smorrebrod, and sweet potato “fries”. Also have gluten free options

Louis Gomes

Best gluten free pizza! The staff is great and they are always open. Love it!!

Saad Muhaimen

Simply amazing with the ambiance, food was top notch and worth it specially the pizzas and pasta More also if you wanna get fresh halal chicken must try. Also can get gluten free pies and pasta.

Alexandra Margarita

So good! The ambiance is very New York 80’s for those who know. The staff are like your aunties spoiling you, it’s very warm and welcoming. I have celiac and they totally accommodate, borscht and veggie stuffed cabbage in tomato sauce was very nice. It’s a hidden gem, deserves a lot more attention. Also the prices are excellent

E L

Suuuch great food! Every option is great, all vegetarian too ofc. I always get the large rice platter w 3 veg curries, “small” bag pakora, chai, and kheer (rice pudding) and it is all under $20. Incredible. Everything is great- highly suggest the pakora, a “small” bag is actually huge portion for just $3.50, and gluten free as far as I know! (Chickpea flour) *will say, I love my chai with strong flavor and this isn’t really- it but is still a nice warm drink.

Olivia Barbulescu

Great vibe excellent service gluten free options

Ionelee Brogna

As someone who is both celiac and dairy intolerant I’ve been going to confectionery for years and they never disappoint! The macaroons, chocolate and cookies are all fantastic!