Restaurant Review: River Edge Pizza Kitchen (River Edge, NJ)

My first Meatball Parm Sub in years!

Gluten Free / Dairy Free Meatball Parm Sub

I recently had lunch (and took home dinner) from River Edge Pizza Kitchen (830 Kinderkamack Road, River Edge, NJ 07661) and enjoyed it greatly. I first heard about the restaurant from the Northern NJ Celiac Meetup. I was particularly drawn to the fact that they also offer dairy free / vegan cheese. In addition, they have gluten free pasta, gluten free pizza crust (imported from italy), gluten free fries, gluten free fried calamari (both in a dedicated frier), gluten free heros, gluten free bread crumbs, gluten free wraps, gf garlic bread, and gluten free meatballs.

The restaurant is a store front with a couple of small tables upfront to eat in. The food is some of the best Italian food I've had but a bit expensive. The pizza crust was soft and came in its own foil lined pan. The hero rolls are Schar and the vegan cheese is daiya. There is a $3 surcharge for gluten free items (and a $5 surcharge on the gluten free dinners) [not sure if there was an up-charge for the vegan cheese].

Gluten Free French Fries

The grandchildren of the owners (husband and wife) are gluten free and dairy free and even the husband himself is now finding he has issues with gluten.

If I lived or worked closer this is somewhere I would go back to – especially for gluten free / dairy free meatball parm, gf/df chicken parm or a gf/df pizza!







Here are some other gluten free Italian/Pizza options:

Pizza Fusion for GF/DF pizza

La Riviera Trattoria (no dairy free cheese but amazing food)

All NJ Restaurants with Gluten Free Menus

Restaurant Review: eat healthy deli (Fairfield, NJ)

100% Gluten Free!

Last Friday I had lunch at the recently opened eat healthy deli (24 Little Fals Road, Fairfield, NJ 07004) [Their website may not be up yet, so here's their facebook page]. They offer three brands of gluten free breads (No Way! It's Gluten Free, Get Fresh Bakehouse, and Schär) [not all are dairy free] and Applegate Farms cold cuts. All of their soups are gluten free (one was vegan the day I was there). They have a U shaped 'bar' with seating but no tables if you want to eat in.

When was the last time you saw a sign this welcoming?!?!

They also have a 100% gluten free bakery onsite and full lists of ingredients for each of the baked good. Only some of the baked goods the day I was there were also dairy free but the baker will accommodate any request she can with advanced notice.

eat healthy is open for breakfast and lunch six days a week (closed Sundays). A lot of the breakfast items can be made dairy free and they even have vegan butter! They are looking to expand eventually to offer dinner and offer grab and go dinners as well.

Both owners (who are brothers) are gluten free which is why the entire deli is gluten free! [They both limit their dairy but aren't dairy free themselves. For dairy free they had to double check a number of items but were happy to do so and happy to accommodate however they could.]

Gluten Free Panini and GF/Vegan Cookie
at eat healthy deli in Fairfield, NJ

In addition to gluten free the owners are big on non-GMO, offer organic where they can, and even have compostable flatware and plates. There are a number of gluten free products for sale (Ancient Harvest, Bob's Red Mill, Canyon Bakehouse, Contes, Feel Good Foods, Get Fresh Bakehouse, Gratify, Jovial, Kind, Namaste, No Way It's Gluten Free, and Schär) as well as a number of grocery items.

So, how was the food? Amazing! I had 'The Butcher' a grilled ribeye steak on a No Way! It's Gluten Free sub roll. They pressed the sandwich in their panini press and the roll held together through the whole lunch. And that is the nice thing about a 100% Gf restaurant, the panini press is dedicated gf, the toaster is dedicated gf, the prep area is dedicated gf, etc, etc! This is definitely somewhere I'm hoping to go back to quite often.




Looking for other gluten free sandwich options? (None of these are 100% GF)

Try Pascarella Bros in Summit

or the Bologna Deli in Sparta

or Plum on Park in Montclair

And of course, check out the full list of restaurants with gluten free menus.

Restaurant Review: Cinders Wood Fire Grill (Mine Hill, NJ)

I had a great all around experience at Cinders Wood Fire Grill (319 Route 46W, Mine Hill, NJ 07803) last night. For starters, Cinders flags the gluten free items on their menu with a small green diamond. There were nine tapas (appetizers), eight entrees, and six sides. There is also a note that any item without the sauce or without bread would be gluten free.

Woodgrilled Half Chicken in a Cilantro Lime Marinade

Their specials list wasn't flagged but I figured I'd ask about an interesting sounding swordfish with peaches and sweet barbeque glaze since I needed to inquire about dairy free anyway. The waiter was very helpful and offered to check with the kitchen without being asked (always a good sign). They couldn't make the dish both gluten and dairy free as written but the chef offered to prepare the swordfish with a gf/df garlic wine sauce instead!

In the end, I decided to try the Woodgrilled Half Chicken (naturally both gf/df), with a side of grill asparagus and gluten free shoestring fries!

Overall a great time and somewhere with enough gluten free variety on the menu that I'm sure to go back!




Other restaurants you may like:

Opa Greek Cuisine (Wayne, NJ)

Pandan Room (Hackettstown, NJ)

Or search my full gluten free restaurant list!

Restaurant Review: China Sea of Absecon (Absecon, NJ)

On a recent day trip to Atlantic City, I decided to stop for dinner at China Sea of Absecon (662 White Horse Pike, Absecon, NJ 08201). It is fairly rare to find a chinese restaurant that has a gluten free menu and even rarer to find one as extensive as theirs. (The full gf menu is on their website.)

Gluten Free Sesame Chicken at China Sea Absecon

One of my favorite meals at a chinese restaurant is Sesame Chicken so I had to try their and I wasn't disappointed. It was just as good as I remember from before I gave up gluten. The food was so good I ended up ordering another two dinners to take home and eat over the following nights. Even as left overs, the gluten free chicken and broccoli and the gluten free beef with asparagus were terrific.

China Sea has a large eat in dining room and also does a brisk take out business. It is located in the Marketplace of Absecon strip mall (right past the Arby's). There's even a note on their website that for orders of $50 or more, they will deliver to AC casinos!

It's a bit far of a drive for me, but this is definitely somewhere I would return if I were in the area.



There are a couple of other chinese restaurants offering gluten free food:

Lo Fatt Chow (Lebenon, NJ)

Panda Asian Fusion (Freehold, NJ)

Pei Wei (Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Paramus)


As well as other asian cuisines:

A Taste of Asia II (Chatham, NJ)

Bangkok Kitchen (Caldwell, NJ)

Pandan Room / Pandan Asian Fusion (Hackettstown, NJ and Long Valley, NJ)

Restaurant Review: Bologna Deli (Sparta, NJ)

Who knew Sparta was so Celiac friendly?

I recently found myself in the Sparta area for lunch and was surprised to find I had a number of restaurants to choose from! I ended up selecting the Bologna Deli and Cafe (8 White Deer Plaza, Sparta, NJ 07871). It is what you'd expect from a deli, with a cold cut display case, and a handful of small tables. What you wouldn't expect is the number of gluten free options.

Sandwich on gluten free dairy free flat bread at Bologna Deli

Most of the cold cuts are gluten free and they offer a flat bread by NJ's own Sogni Dolci. The owner knew that the flat bread was dairy free but she brought me the ingredients to double check. There are also a number of gluten free snacks but these weren't all dairy free.

I had an amazing roast beef sandwich with roasted red peppers and avocado. Since I couldn't have any of the other snacks, they even included a side of seedless red grapes to round out the meal. The owner selected Sogni Dolci's flat bread as she hates gluten free bread that falls apart. The flat bread held together quite nicely and was a welcome change from most 'standard' gluten free breads.

This is definite somewhere I would go back the next time I find myself in the Sparta area!

Looking for other great lunch options in NJ?

Try gluten free burgers and more at Little Shanty

or a gluten free sandwich at The Fine Grind Coffee Bar.

And, don't forget to check out my full list of NJ Restaurants with Gluten Free Menus or my list of Gluten Free Fast Food and Chain Restaurant options!

Restaurant Review: Little Shanty (Warren, NJ)

They don't have a dedicated fryer . . . they have three!



Gluten Free Burger, Gluten Free Onion Rings, and
Gluten Free Fries at Little Shanty in Warren NJ

I had heard a rumor that Little Shanty (14 Mt. Bethel Road, Warren, NJ 07059) offered gluten free fries but needed to check it out for myself. I called them and they told me that they had four separate fryers in the restaurant and that three of them were for gluten free items, including . . . . gluten free onion rings! Of course I had to try them for myself (ah, the things I do in the name of research) so on a recent Saturday I took a drive to Warren.

The restaurant is a quick serve burger place where you order at the counter and they bring your food to the table. When I got to the counter and placed my order, as I always do I started by announcing that I have to be both gluten and dairy free.  The owner quickly rattled off everything that could be gluten free and even mentioned that their three gluten free fryers are dedicated and safe.

They offer Udi's gluten free hamburger buns for  any sandwich, gluten free wings, chicken nuggets, and three types of GF fries (only the sweet potato fries aren't gluten free)! As you can see I had a burger (on a bun!) and both gluten free fries as well as gluten free onion rings!

Other articles you may be interested in:

Full list of restaurants with gluten free fries

Full list of gluten free fast food and chain restaurants

Full list of NJ gluten free restaurants

Restaurant Review: PositiviTea (Verona, NJ)

A quirky little vegan cafe!

Gluten Free / Dairy Free Big WAC wrap

Warning: this review is mostly for my dairy free / vegan followers. PositiviTea does offer a number of gluten free options as well but they are a small tea shop with shared prep space and a shared panini press. They do offer to clean both, but caution that there still may be cross contamination.

I've eaten at PositiviTea (550 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044) twice already and since it is right around the corner from me, I hope to eat here quite a bit more as well. They offer a full menu of assorted teas (most of the herbals they mix themselves), smoothies (all gloriously dairy free), burgers, wraps, and waffles.  The wraps can be made gluten free, the waffles are gluten free, and I've had them make a burger on a wrap instead as well (sometimes they have portabello mushrooms as buns for the burgers).

Gluten Free Waffles with Dairy Free Ice Cream

The first time I went I had the Big WAC as a wrap. This is their take of a McDonalds Big Mac and the taste is pretty spot-on. Two vegan patties, special sauce (vegan of course), vegan mayo, vegan cheese, lettuce, pickles and onions. All with a side of gluten free chips. For those of you who recall how much I raved about the vegan burger I got from the Green Radish (review) this certainly gives it a run for the money!

The second time I had the Apple Pie Waffles - three apple cinnamon gluten free waffles (I suspect Van's) with raw agave nectar, vegan soft serve ice cream and a side of bananas and apples.

If you go, say hi to Abe and do be sure to take a look at the ceiling!

Other vegan / vegetarian restaurants you might be interested in:

Nectar Cafe (Glen Rock, NJ)

Loving Hut (Ledgewood, NJ)

And my full list of Restaurants with Gluten Free menus is flagged with vegan/vegetarian options as well.

Restaurant Review: The Fine Grind: A Coffee Bar (Little Falls, NJ)

I've been attending the monthly Celiac Support Group called the GF Club at the Fine Grind: A Coffee Bar (101 Newark Pompton Tpk [Rt23S], Little Falls, NJ 07424) for a couple of years now. In that time, they've expanded their Gluten Free offerings from a couple of Get Fresh Bakehouse [contain dairy] individually wrapped brownies to a full gluten free menu. A good number of these items are already dairy free or can be made dairy free. Since owners Rhonda and Jon are dairy free as well, the Fine Grind even has vegan butter on hand.

Gluten Free Bagel and Gluten Free Oatmeal
at the Fine Grind in Little Falls, NJ

I stopped in for breakfast recently and had a toasted gluten free bagel with peanut butter and a bowl of gluten free oatmeal [made dairy free with almond milk]. The staff is well versed in avoiding cc [they have a dedicated prep area] and knew which items were dairy free or how best to modify them. This is one of the few places I can get a truly gluten free / dairy free breakfast but I've also been for lunch (turkey on GF/DF roll with GF chips) as well.

As mentioned above, The Fine Grind hosts a Gluten Free Support group called the GF Club [currently the second Tuesday of each month]. It is a great way to connect with others in the area who are living gluten free, share the latest gf finds, and keep up with what is coming next at the Fine Grind (we've gotten to sample most of their GF items before they've been added to the gf menu!). [This month we tried their Thanksgiving special – turkey on GF bread (or gf/df roll) with cranberry sauce and GF/DF stuffing!] There is a $10 admission but this includes a beverage and a wide array of GF snacks/treats.

Hopefully you'll check out the Fine Grind either for the food, the GF club, or both!  If you can't make their meetings, click here for more advice on finding a Gluten Free Support Group.

Restaurant Review: From Seed to Sprout

Finally, a brunch where I can eat almost anything I want!

Gluten Free Vegan French Toast at From Seed to Sprout

Recently, I met one of my Celiac Support Groups at From Seed to Sprout (410 Main Street, Avon-By-The-Sea, NJ 07717) for brunch. They're closed Monday, open for breakfast/lunch during the week, and brunch on the weekends (although they do some dinner nights by reservation only). The brunch menu is a bit different from the weekday menu so some of the items we had may not be available during the week.

The restaurant is entirely vegan and has quite a few gluten free options as well (although not all of them are marked on the menu so you'll have to ask). [Only the pancakes couldn't be done gluten free, their only other gluten items were sandwich bread, rolls and english muffins, but they have a delicious gluten free millet and flax seed bread that can be substituted in (and our non-gf waitress stated the gf bread tasted better anyway)!] The juices / smoothies were all vegan (so no worries about cc with milk) although they did offer wheat grass (which if grown/harvested correctly is gluten free).

Grilled Avocado Sandwich on Gluten Free Bread

We ordered a variety of gluten free / vegan meals as well as some freshly prepared juices / smoothies. The gluten free / vegan french toast was amazing (since I can't handle a lot of egg, I haven't had real french toast in years)! Those who ordered it, raved about the grill avocado sandwich. And everyone was enamored with the coconut bacon!

From Seed to Sprout also has two dessert cases, one is for gluten containing baked goods and the other is for their raw vegan desserts which are all gluten free! Since our entire group was gluten free we decided to order one (or two) of every dessert and sample them all. The desserts were all great but the real standout for me was the lemon goji macaroon!

Our Line of Raw, Vegan,
Gluten Free Desserts

This is definitely somewhere I plan on returning to (especially to try that grilled avocado sandwich!)

If you're looking for some other shore area restaurants try:

Via Roma

Good Karma Cafe

Papa Ganache

Or check my full NJ GF Restaurant List!

Bakery Review: Pink Frosting Bakery (Verona, NJ)

Last year a vegan cupcake shop opened up next to the barber I go to.  They had decorated their front window long before opening and announced that not only would they be totally vegan but that they would cater to gluten free customers as well.  I have had cupcakes from Pink Frosting (534 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044) a number of times since then and have been quite pleased (even though it has taken me way too long to finally review them).

Vegan / Gluten Free Cupcakes (Vanilla Spice / Banana Split)
from Pink Frosting Bakery in Verona, NJ

Their shop is a store front on Bloomfield Avenue directly across from Verona Park.  [There is no street parking directly in front of their shop but a large municipal lot down Park Place around the corner.] They have display cases of pre-made vegan cupcakes including two to four gluten free varieties (flavors vary). They are not just a cupcake shop however, they offer to make any of their cupcake flavors as cakes with advanced notice and they do special orders on flavors of cupcakes as well.  Their menu lists a dozen different cupcake flavors and states that nine of them can be gluten free!

Over the past year, I've noticed that both the number of daily gluten free offerings and the variety of flavors has increased quite a bit.  Their frosting is surprisingly light and airy / fluffy.  Truth be told, I'm not really sure how to describe it other than to say it is the best dairy free frosting I've had.

The entire shop is vegan and although they charge slightly more for vegan/gluten free cupcakes it is still a reasonable price compared to other gf bakeries.


Other bakeries you may want to try:

Papa Ganache Vegan Bakery

Or any of the others on my New Jersey Gluten Free Bakery List.

Food Truck Review: The Green Radish (vegan with gluten free options)

A vegan burger so good, I'd consider giving up meat!

The weekend before last, I attended the annual summer Montclair Jazz Festival in Nishuane Park.  I had found out about the Festival from a press release announcing a new vegan food truck: The Green Radish. Being dairy free and mostly egg free, vegan food can often be quite safe (unless there is a lot of wheat gluten used as a meat replacer).  

Vegan Black Bean Burger on Gluten Free bread
from The Green Radish

When I arrived at the truck, I was a little concerned that the menu doesn't mention gluten free at all.  A quick inquiry revealed that not only were a number of their menu items already naturally gluten free, they offered gluten free bread for all of their sandwiches as well!

[Just a quick note, since I'm not vegan and my issue with eggs is minor, I only confirmed the bread was gluten and dairy free, I did not confirm it was egg free as well.]

For lunch, I had the Black Bean Burger.  This was by far the best burger (beef or vegan) I have had in years (and possibly ever)!  The bread held together nicely and the vegan chipotle mayo was incredible (I can't handle mayo made from egg so this was a nice change).  I was actually too full afterwards to immediately go back for dessert.

Being both dairy and gluten free means I almost never get dessert.  There are two gluten free / vegan desserts at The Green Radish: Grilled Seasonal Fruit in a Vanilla Sauce and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunchy Quinoa Cup (which I did get to try later in the day). It is a vegan chocolate candy about the size of a large marshmallow with a hard outer chocolate shell studded with quinoa and a soft peanut butter and mint center [no not mint flavor, actual fresh mint leaves].  Their other two desserts currently contain gluten but they have trialed them using gluten free flours and hope to change over at some point in the future.

Diners lining up for some amazing
vegan fare from The Green Radish!

And now for the downside - the Green Radish is a brand new food truck and they are still working out the details of where and when you can catch up with them.  From their facebook page it appears they've been out and about for a couple of weeks now.  Hopefully their website/facebook/twitter will be filled with appearances soon!  

I'm already stalking them here: The Green Radish on Facebook and here The Green Radish on Twitter and hope to eat from them again soon!



If you're looking for some other great take-away vegan / vegetarian food in NJ try the Nectar Cafe (review) in Glen Rock. For sit down dining I've flagged the vegan friendly options on my list of NJ Restaurants with Gluten Free Menus as well.

Restaurant Review: Nectar Cafe (Glen Rock, NJ)

Best Cinnabun I've ever had!

Vegan Watermelon Cucumber Gazpacho from Nectar Cafe

I usually bring my own lunch to work.  It is a rare day the cafeteria hasn't added wheat or dairy to at least part of the two lunch options and the GF/DF options around the office can be a bit of a drive.  20 minutes is at the far end of what I'll drive for lunch, but it turns out that the Nectar Cafe (175 Rock Road, Glen Rock, NJ 07452 [behind the CVS in the far back of their parking lot]) is well worth it!  [My GPS took me to their address which is on Rock Road, I parked across the street and walked.  However, they are a good block off of Rock Road at the far end of the parking lot.]

I want to start by pointing out that Nectar Cafe is in the middle of an expansion so I'll have to re-review them once their addition is finished.  They are expanding into the store front next to them so the location will remain the same, only be bigger, with an expanded menu and even some seating.  Not sure if their hours will change but for now they are 8am-6pm weekdays and 7:30am-1pm on the weekends.

Vegan / Gluten Free Crabcakes at Nectar Cafe

Right now, it is a small juice / smoothie bar with some pre-prepared items and made to order wraps.  Sadly, the wraps are all wheat based but they are hoping to add a gluten free wrap once the expansion is complete.  Other than the wraps, the only other wheat I saw was wheat grass for the juices (which if grown and harvested correctly can be gluten free although I didn't confirm).  All of the desserts were both gluten and dairy free including surprisingly enough the one that contained oats (I asked and it turns out they used gluten free oats)!  They listed rice, cashew and almond milk for the smoothies but some also contained yogurt.

The only other dairy item I saw was goat cheese on their pizza but they are looking to offer a vegan pizza as well.  However, what they offer in their display case changes from day-to-day so double check.

Vegan Raw Gluten Free YUMM CinnaBUN! from Nectar Cafe

I ended up having the watermelon and cucumber gazpacho and vegan crabcakes (gluten free as well).  The soup was outstanding and the 'crab' cakes were quite good as well.  The tartar sauce for the crab cakes was the highlight of the dish.

Finally, I was going to have the vegan 'snickers' cup but then I asked about the oats and found out they were gluten free.  So I switched to the YUMM CinnaBUN! and am glad I did.  It was delicious and easily better (both tastier and obviously healthier) than the fat, gluten, and calorie laden mess one can get in the mall!  [The label doesn't specify gf oats so double check when you go.]

I'm already looking forward to going back and trying their other offerings (ok, ok, mostly their other desserts)!

If you're looking for other gluten free / vegan restaurants try:

Good Karma Café (Red Bank, NJ)

Papa Ganache (Matawan, NJ)

Loving Hut (Ledgewood, NJ)

Restaurant Review: Lo Fatt Chow (Lebanon, NJ)

A couple of weeks ago, I had lunch with a gluten free friend at Lo Fatt Chow (56 Payne Road, Lebanon, NJ 08833). Lo Fatt bills themselves as healthy Chinese cuisine and they have added gluten free sauces to their kitchen so that they can accommodate everyone. [They strive to be low fat and low sodium as well but I’m way too concerned about being dairy free and gluten free to worry about salt and fat!] The restaurant is a takeout store front with a decent about of seating if you choose to stay in.

Black Bean Prawns from Lo Fatt Chow in Lebabon, NJ

Their menu is quite extensive with over 200 items. The menu flags items that are vegetarian, items that are hot and spicy and items that contain nuts/peanuts. The bottom of the menu notes that they have gluten free sauces available but it was trial and error to find the dishes that could be gluten free. We each picked out a couple of options and then had to run them past the woman at the counter until we found dishes that we both wanted and she was confident could be made gluten free. (As with most Chinese restaurants, dairy free was quite simple here.)

I ended up having a rice noodle dish I had never tried before, Chicken Chow Feng (it was good but just not my thing). My friend had a much more interesting Black Beans and Prawns that was quite good (and much more photogenic!).  Both items were listed as gluten free on the receipt.

While I would prefer a pre-made list of what can be gluten free the food was quite good and reasonably priced. There aren't a lot of other gluten free options out in that area and the next time I am out that way, I could definitely see myself heading back to Lo Fatt Chow!



If you're looking for some other Asian restaurants to try, there's:

A Taste of Asia II in Chatham, NJ

Pei Wei in Paramus, Cherry Hill and Moorsetown, NJ

And as always, check out the full list for dining gluten free in New Jersey!

Gluten Free Bakery List Updates

I've been quite behind on updating the gluten free bakery list but here are the latest 11 additions.  Click here for the full list of Gluten Free Bakeries, the updates are listed below:


Bashful Banana Bakery and Cafe (946 Boardwalk on Ocean Colony Walk (between 9th & 10th), Ocean City, NJ 08226) They’ve got quite a few vegan options and will substitute gluten free bread (other allergens unknown) for $.75 more. They also have gluten free/vegan muffins. I’ve never been.

CakeOver (79 N Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034)(Lake Hiawatha may appear as Parsippany on your GPS) – dedicated gluten free bakery. A number of GF items are / can be made dairy free as well. Entire facility is peanut free. I’ve gotten some desserts from here and they are quite good.

Just D’sserts in Elmwood Park has closed.

My Little Kupcake (685 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108) – this regular bakery offers GF and Vegan cupcakes as well as GF and Vegan special orders.

Vegan / Gluten Free Cupcakes
from Pink Frosting in Verona, NJ

Pink Cake Box [Specialty Bake Shop] – this specialty bake shop will do unique gluten free specialty cakes / cupcakes as well for events/weddings. (The owner is gluten free.) This is not a retail location; items are available by special order only. (18 East Main Street #101, Denville, NJ 07834)

Pink Frosting Bakery (534 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044) – a dedicated vegan cupcakery with 2-4 gluten free options as well. I’ve gotten cupcakes from here a number of times and highly recommend them. (Review coming soon.)

Posh Pop Bakery (86 Broad Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701) – I just ate here recently. This dedicated gluten free cake pop shop has a limited number of dairy free items. They will make dairy free / gluten free soft pretzels on special order in a choice of salted or with cinnamon and sugar.

SugarFlake Bakery has added a third location in Wyckoff, NJ. (397 Franklin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ 07481)

Sweet Note Bagels – is a food service provider of gluten free bagels (also dairy free). You can't buy directly from them, but they are available at eight NJ locations so far: http://www.sweetnotebakery.com/locations.html and many other locations in and around Philadelphia, PA. I got to try them at the Appetite for Awareness last year in Philly and they are the closest to a real NY style bagel I’ve ever had gluten free!

Wildflour Bakery / Cafe (2691 Main Street, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648) – new dedicated gluten free bakery and cafe. They have limited dairy free options but these include vegan crepes, coconut macarons and some other cafe items (soup, salad, smoothie). Only open for breakfast and lunch (brunch on weekends). Closed Mondays. I haven't been yet.


NY:

Flourbuds (116A Main Street, Nyack, NY 10960) – dedicated gluten free bakery with dairy free / vegan options.

Wild Flours Bake Shop (11 New Street, Huntington, NY 11743) – I just ate here a couple of weeks ago and greatly enjoyed it. They are a dedicated gluten free bake shop with a very limited number of items that are not also dairy free (95% are both GF/DF).


If I'm missing any bakeries please use the contact me form at the left and send them my way!

Restaurant Review: Opa Greek Cuisine (Wayne, NJ)

I just had dinner with a couple of gluten free friends at Opa Greek Cuisine (37 Berdan Avenue, Wayne, NJ 07470) and greatly enjoyed it.

Gluten Free Greek Beans and Gluten Free Stuffed
Grape Leaves at Opa Greek Cuisine

Opa stars the gluten friendly items on both their online and in restaurant menu. For a couple of the items there are instructions on how to make them gluten free (no pita, etc) but the majority are already gf. The starred items on the menu includes all of their salads, a soup, five out of six side dishes, nine out of ten cold appetizers, five hot appetizers, seven souvlaki options (again, without pita) and eight entrees. Dairy free was a bit more difficult to navigate but we managed (with a trip or two to the kitchen by our waitress to double check).

Gluten Free Roast Chicken and Potatoes
at Opa Greek Cuisine

We had stuffed grape leaves and greek beans as appetizers. I had the half roasted chicken with lemon potatoes while my friends each had souvlaki (one chicken, one beef). I even got to try some of the Greek fries which are fried in a dedicated fryer! [For those who haven’t been to Opa’s yet, their Greek fries are essentially perfectly cooked steak fries seasoned with herbs and lemon juice.]

Sadly, they don’t offer any gluten free desserts, but there is a Red Mango three blocks down the road!

This is definitely somewhere I’ll be back to eat!



Other restaurants you may want to try:

Gluten Free at La Riviera Trattoria (Clifton, NJ)

Gluten Free at Janice A Bistro (Hohokus, NJ)


And don’t forget to check out my full list of NJ Gluten Free Restaurants.

Restaurant Review: Kei Kabob (Montclair, NJ)

So nice to have a menu full of interesting and flavorful options!

Gluten Free Falafel with Dairy Free
Tahini Sauce at Kei Kabob

A friend of mine (who is strictly gluten free and mostly dairy free) has been raving about Kei Kabob (401 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042) for a couple of weeks now.  When she first mentioned having eaten there I checked out their website but didn't see any mention of gluten free.  In talking with her again, it turns out the owner's nephew is gluten free and while the fresh baked flat bread they serve with most meals is decidedly not gluten free, most of the rest of the menu naturally is.  (Quite a bit of the menu is dairy free as well since Persian food doesn't call for a lot of dairy.) [And the owner's daughter is lactose free so he is up on this as well!]

Yesterday, I worked from home and met her for lunch.  Kei Kebob is a small store front restaurant with Persian decorations and Persian music lightly playing in the background. 

I had the Classic Barg Kebob (grilled filet mignon) and we split an order of the Falafel (fried in its own fryer).  I was a little concerned that perhaps the sauce on the Falafel was yogurt based but it turns out to be a tahini sauce (ground sesame seed).  Everything was amazing!

Gluten Free Barg Kabob (grilled filet mignon)

Often when eating out what we are left with are some very bland items (grilled chicken, sandwiches without bread, baked potatoes) but at Kei Kabob there are plenty of interesting and tasty choices!

For dessert the owner convinced us to try the Sholeh Zard (which means Yellow Flame).  It is a Persian rice pudding, that is both gluten and dairy free.  It is a rare treat to be able to eat dessert out and even rarer for something so wonderfully flavorful (it is seasoned with saffron, cinnamon and rose water).

Gluten Free Dairy Free Sholeh Zard (Rice Pudding)

I did ask the owner why he didn't advertise or note how much of their menu was gluten free.  His response is quite common for a restaurant owner: they bake their own bread in house and he can't guarantee there is zero cross contamination.  He does take a number of steps to avoid cc (changing out all utensils / cookware that may have touched gluten when a GF order comes in) and we felt quite safe (while I don't react to small amounts of gluten my friend does and she's eaten here multiple times already).  As is true with most restaurants you'll have to double check when you go but I do highly recommend that you give them a try!

In writing this review I took another peek at their full menu and will definitely be returning for dinner as a number of the entrees sound terrific!



Other Montclair, NJ restaurant reviews:

Plum on Park

Elevation Burger

For even more restaurants with gluten free options check out my GF NJ Restaurant List!

Gluten Free French Fries Latest Update

It’s time for another update to my gluten free french fry restaurant list. I’ve added eighteen new locations: some here in NJ, a couple that I’ve personally tried in NY, and then a couple of national chains. As always, be sure to double check with the restaurant before ordering. Procedures and recipes sometimes change and their fries may not still be truly gluten free!

NJ Restaurants:

6 Brothers Diner in Little Falls, NJ – they have a dedicated fryer for gluten free fries (and gluten free chicken fingers)!

Alumni Grill in Wildwood, NJ – has gluten free fries and gluten free sweet potato fries!

Biddy O'Malley's in Northvale, NJ – last I was here they were looking into installing a dedicated fryer. No word on if that is done yet.

The Cozy End in Upper Montclair, NJ – they have a dedicated gluten free fryer for lots more than just gluten free French fries! These are some of the best fries I’ve ever had.

Gluten Free Greek Fries at Opa Greek Cuisine in Wayne, NJ

Kind Burgers in Sea Bright, NJ – offers gf fries.

Little Shanty in Warren, NJ (more coming soon) – has multiple fryers and offers gluten free french fries and gluten free onion rings. Warning: their sweet potato fries are NOT gluten free.

Opa Greek Cuisine in Wayne, NJ – has a dedicated fryer for their gluten free greek fries. (review coming soon)

Your Way Cafe in Westwood, NJ – they have a dedicated fryer for gluten free French fries and gluten free chicken fingers. (review coming soon)

NY Restaurants:

97lake in West Harrison, NY – they have gluten free onion rings and gluten free fries. As a matter of fact their kitchen is mainly gluten free, they just bring in gluten containing bread for other diners! Read my review of 97lake here.

Mama’s Italian Restaurant in Oakdale, NY (Long Island) – has a dedicated fryer for gluten free fries and a multitude of other gluten free fried items. (Review coming soon.)

Market Cafe (NYC, NY) – has a dedicated fryer for their gluten free seasoned fries. (Review coming soon.)

Perfecto Mundo in Commack, NY (Long Island) – they have a dedicated fryer for all of their gluten free options (potato frites, sweet potato frites, yuca frites, chips for salsa and guacamole, etc.) (Review coming soon.)

Chain / Fast Food Restaurants:

Burger21 (mostly in FL, but expanding) - they offer gluten free french fries and gluten free sweet potato fries!

Glory Days (no NJ locations) – has a dedicated fryer. (review coming soon)

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Restaurants – offers a dedicated fryer for gluten free fries!

Joe's Crab Shack - I'm removing this one from the master list. They used to list french fries on their gluten free menu but have removed them. I've eaten here and the boiled potatoes that come with their steam pots are gluten free but we all know potatoes were meant to be fried not boiled!

Mon Ami Gabi (no NJ locations) – they have gluten free French fries at this French Bistro.

Red Robin – some locations now have a dedicated fryer.

Ted’s Montana Grill (no NJ locations) – has gluten free fresh cut fries! (review coming soon)

White Chocolate Grill (no NJ locations) - they have gluten free shoestring fries. I ate at their AZ location years ago and enjoyed it quite a bit.


These were just the updates, see the full list here: Gluten Free Fries.

Restaurant Review: Organico (Ramsey, NJ)

I wasn't sure how to categorize this review at first. Organico’s (495 North Franklin Turnpike, Ramsey, NJ 07446) is part lunch counter, part juice bar and part health food store. They carry a small selection of gluten free products including some by Ancient Harvest, Bionaturae, Bob’s Redmill, Food for Life, Glutenfreeda, Go Raw, Kind, Kinnikinnick, Oskri, Pure!, Tinkyada, and Udi’s. [They are one of the few places to get Pure!’s cookies outside of NY.]

Gluten Free Tuna Lunch Box at Organico in Ramsey, NJ

They have a full juice bar offering various organic fresh made juices, plus dozens of organic smoothies (smoothies can be made dairy free with rice, hemp, almond, or soy milk).

I've been a couple times to grab a quick to-go lunch. They do have a small counter at the front window and everything is packaged for take-away. They offer a choice of two soups daily (you’ll need to double check on allergens) as well as prepared sandwiches (warning: on gluten containing bread).

Finally, (saving the best for last) they offer a daily gluten free lunch special! I've only ever had the Tuna Lunch box (tuna salad made with egg-free mayo, along with brown rice, alfalfa sprouts and avocado) but I am hoping to head back for the Forbidden Black Rice and Mango as well as Gina’s Rasta Rice (bamboo infused rice, with organic vegetables).

Overall, this is a great place to grab a healthy and delicious lunch! (And after today’s fresh apple carrot ginger juice, I thing I’ll be back all too often!)







Other great nearby places to eat gluten free:

Gluten Free at Gao Thai Kitchen

Gluten Free at Joe's American Grill


And of course, don't miss the full gluten free NJ Restaurant list.

Latest Gluten Free NJ Restaurant List update

I've added 33 new restaurants to my Gluten Free NJ Restaurant List and updated the map at the bottom of the page.  (Don't worry, I'm still working on an update to the Gluten Free Bakery List and Gluten Free Fast Food / Chain List.)

Due to the large number of restaurants adding GF pasta to their menus I will no longer list restaurants that only offer GF pasta.  (I won't be deleting any already on here, just not adding any new ones.)  Suddenly there are enough gluten free dining options that just boiling me some pasta isn't going to cut it anymore!


And now for the additions (and sadly a couple of deletions as well) . . .

Alumni Grill (3316 Pacific Avenue, Wildwood, NJ 08260) – has gluten free buns for burgers and other sandwiches as well as gluten free fries and gluten free sweet potato fries! I haven’t been yet.

Turkey and Avocado on a gluten free bagel
at Your Way Café in Westwood, NJ

Ariel's in Englewood has closed.

Bella Vida in Wildwood appears to have closed - but their Cape May location is still open and with a greatly expanded gluten free menu!

Boulevard Clams (2006 Long Beach Boulevard, Surf City, NJ 08008) – their website states they have a gluten free menu in the restaurant. I emailed them and they let me know that their GF menu contains grill fresh fish, Manhattan clam chowder and even crab cakes!

Bud and Bowls – has closed.

Café Spezia (349 Route 9S, Manalapan, NJ, 07726) – has gluten free pasta and a list of gluten friendly entrees. I recently ate there with four other gluten free / dairy free diners and enjoyed it. Their in-restaurant gf menu is a bit shorter than their online menu.

The Cozy End (631 ½ Valley Road, Upper Montclair, NJ 07042) – open seven days for breakfast and lunch, open Tues-Sat for dinner. They have a surprisingly large gluten free menu including gluten free pancakes, gluten free bread, corn tortillas for wraps, gf pasta and a number of gluten free entrees. They use Udi’s GF hamburger buns and have a dedicated gluten free fryer! I recently had dinner here (twice) and since it is on my way home from work, I expect to stop quite a bit in the future!

Double S Diner (154 Route 23 South, Wantage NJ) – has re-opened.

Dubh Linn Square Pub (167 Route 130, Bordentown, NJ 08505 and 482 Evesham Road, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003) – has a small Gluten Free section on their regular menu. Dairy free may require extra care here.

Earth Pizza (95 Broad Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701) - formerly a Pizza Fusion, the owner has severed his ties with PF in order to expand his gluten free and vegan offerings.  Menu includes gluten free pizzas, dairy free/vegan cheese, 6 gf desserts (only 1 is vegan too), 3 GF appetizers (including gluten free chicken fingers) and GF sub sandwich rolls.

Gao Thai Kitchen (63 West Main Street, Ramsey, NJ 07446) – flags gluten free items on regular menu. Has extensive options. Click here to read my review of Gao Thai Kitchen.

Green Cuisine (302 96t Street, Stone Harbor, NJ 08247) – On their menu under Sandwiches it says to ask about Gluten Free options, but doesn't detail what those may be. They also offer to 'try our best to accommodate special diets . . . - just ask!” There is a large section of fruit salads and regular salads as well. Open for lunch, Monday and Wednesday, lunch and dinner, Thursday – Sunday. Open mid-May through mid-September.

Hannah G’s (7310 Ventnor Ave, Ventnor, NJ 08406) – this breakfast/lunch spot has a short gluten free menu. I’ve never been.

Indiya  (612 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ 08108) – This Indian restaurant flags both vegan and gluten free menu items and has many of each. I haven't been yet.

Jason's Organic Pizza Café  (1314 Richmond Avenue, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742) – has gluten free / dairy free cheese pizza. GF pizza is getting easy to find but dairy free cheese is a welcome addition. I hope to try them out this summer!

Joe's Meat Market (28 Main Street, South Bound Brook, NJ 08880) – has both gluten free pizza and gluten free bread/rolls for sandwiches (unknown other allergens). I haven’t been yet.

Landmark Americana (1 Mullica Hill Road, Glasboro, NJ 08028 and four sites around Philadelphia, PA) – has a small gluten free menu including gluten free chicken fingers and gluten free hamburger buns. I have never been.

Little Shanty (14 Mt. Bethel Rd, Warren, NJ 07059, more coming soon) – quick serve burger place with Udi’s buns and bread for sandwiches. They also have dedicated fryers for their gluten free fries and gluten free onion rings!  (The sweet potato fries are NOT gluten free.)

Main Street Euro-American Bistro and Bar (301 North Harrison Street, Princeton, NJ 08540) – flags their Gluten Friendly items on their menu. Menu changes monthly. I've never been.

Marcello's Ristorante Pizzeria (300 East Greentree Road, Marlton, NJ 08053) - has gluten free pizza and pasta (but no dairy free cheese). Offers to substitute out gluten free linguini in any of their other menu items.

Maywood Pancake House (92 West Pleasant Avenue, Maywood, NJ 07607) – open daily for breakfast and lunch only. Their online menu notes only gluten free / vegan pancakes and waffles. See my review of the food at the Rutherford Pancake House.   I hope to try their Maywood location soon!

Mesob (515 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07042) this Ethiopian restaurant will prepare gluten free injera [Ethiopian flat bread] given 24 hour notice. They are vegan friendly, will substitute out butter and have many naturally gluten free dishes (but no specific menu). I haven’t tried here yet, but it’s only one town away so I hope to soon!

Norma's Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine (995 Route 70 East, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034) - flags gluten free menu items as well as vegetarian and vegan items on their menu (and has a good selection of all three). I haven't been yet but I hear they have a dedicated fryer for their gluten free falafel.

Opa Greek Cuisine (37 Berdan Avenue, Wayne, NJ 07470) – they star gluten friendly items on their menu (and there are quite a few)! Sadly, they don’t have gluten free pitas. Since I’m not overly familiar with Greek cuisine I’m not sure how easy dairy free will be here. I hope to try them shortly.

Organic4Life has closed.

Pacific Grill (4801 Pacific Avenue, Wildwood NJ 08260) - sister restaurant to Union Park Dining Room in Cape May, NJ. States on their menu that a gluten free version of their menu is available and requests that you let them know about any allergies and dietary requirements. However, this GF menu is not available online.

Pandan Fusion Lounge (9 West Mill Road, Long Valley, NJ 07853) – a sister restaurant to the Pandan Room in Hackettstown. Both restaurants share the same menu. Click here for my review of the Pandan Room.

Pure Taco has closed (both at the shore and in Philly)

Rack's Sports Bar (286 Whitehorse Pike, Atco, NJ 08004) – flags numerous items on their menu that can be modified to be gluten free but requests that you ask for the gluten free version. I've never been.

Ragazzi (44 Route 70 East, Marlton, NJ 08053) - has gluten free wraps, ravioli and gnocci. Unknown other allergens. I haven't been.

Sapthagiri (3151 Rt 27, Franklin Park, NJ 08823) – Indian cuisine with both GF and Vegan options flagged on the menu. Restaurant is 100% vegetarian.

Sapthagiri (804 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306) – Indian cuisine with both GF and Vegan options flagged on the menu. Restaurant is 100% vegetarian.

Steve and Cookie's By the Bay (9700 Amherst Avenue, Margate City, NJ 08402) - they have no gf information on their website, but they are listed as an NFCA-GREAT kitchen.

Surfside Coffee House (1901 Long Beach Boulevard, Surf City, NJ 08008) – includes an extensive sandwich/snack menu with dozens of gluten free options.

Union Park Dining Room (727 Beach Avenue, Cape May, NJ 08204) - sister restaurant to Pacific Grill in Wildwood, NJ. States on their menu that a gluten free version of their menu is available and requests that you let them know about any allergies and dietary requirements. Unfortunately, this GF menu is not available online.

The Wagon Wheel Restaurant (1162 Rt. 40, Pilesgrove, NJ 08098) - has short gluten free menu including a number of non-dairy free pastas (ravioli and stuffed shells) but they also have gluten free hamburger buns and gf pasta.

Wildflour Bakery / Café (2691 Main Street, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648) – new dedicated gluten free bakery and cafe. They have limited dairy free options but these include vegan crepes, coconut macaroons and some other cafe items (soup, salad, smoothie). Only open for breakfast and lunch (brunch on weekends). Closed Mondays. I haven't been yet.

Wild Oats (279 Browertown Road, Woodland Park, NJ 07424) - has gluten free bread, pancakes and wraps. Open for Lunch and Breakfast only, M-S. I haven’t been yet.

Your Way Café (22 Jefferson Avenue, Westwood, NJ 07675) – they have gluten free bread, bagels (Udi’s), English muffins (Trader Joes), and hamburger buns for $2 more. They also have a dedicated fryer for gluten free French fries and gluten free chicken fingers. I’ve been a number of times (it’s a distance but doable for lunch from work) and each time the GF offerings increase. Review coming soon.