Bustling streets. Countless shops. Plentiful food. And endless walks. These are a few of my favorite things...about New York City!

We went to Manhattan for the long weekend following Valentine’s Day and had ourselves a sweet time filled with delicious meals, great scenery, and hours and hours of walking. I love knowing the subway is available if we need it, but for the most part we stick to the streets when we’re visiting which means lots and lots of walking. I love it!

Pro tip: make sure to wear comfy shoes if that’s your plan as well during your next trip.

As far as food goes, I felt beyond comfortable throughout our visit. There are plenty of entirely gluten free restaurants, but I must admit we didn’t go to a single one (and that was totally fine with me). Just another reason to go back soon! ;)

Here is a list of everywhere we did go for food during our short, but extremely excellent weekend in New York!

Note: each person diagnosed with celiac disease lives with it differently. I love that 100% GF places exist, but I do not limit myself to only those establishments. Others may choose to do that which is completely OK. Do what’s best for you. Celiac disease affects each person in a unique way. Be respectful of everyone’s choices.

Augustine

Located inside The Beekman (the hotel where we stayed for the weekend), this chic and popular restaurant boasts a wonderful mix of French classics and German cuisine.

We snagged bar seats early on Saturday night, but the entire restaurant filled up very quickly. There were plenty of gluten free options and the staff was well-aware of how to handle my dietary needs.

My dreams came true when I tucked into an amazing filet mignon au poivre and a mug of gloriously gluten free (no cross-contamination) pommes frites. Red wine as well, of course. :)

Fries, when safe from cross-contamination, are a must.

Succulent steak. Filet Mignon au Poivre.

Conveniently, this restaurant also offers breakfast! Monday morning, before we drove back to Boston, we had a lovely, quiet breakfast in the same room where we had dinner the night prior! Multiple egg dishes were available GF and of course, coffee. ;) A great spot for our final meal of the trip.

Omelette (crab and avocado) with side salad.

Gramercy Tavern

A stalwart on the NYC dining scene, and a national favorite, I’ve had this spot on my “must go” list for far too long. And I’m so glad we finally made it because this meal was incredible!

Walking in without reservations wasn’t the wisest, but we managed to get bar seats after a pretty short wait. The entire restaurant remained full throughout our visit (and the wait for bar seats grew exponentially).

Inventive cocktails, beyond-delicious food, and an atmosphere that made me feel like an insider and a newbie all at once, I just loved every moment of our evening at The Tavern (The Dining Room offers a more formal experience with a chef’s tasting menu).

The most delicious gluten free pumpkin bread. — The *most* delicious gluten free pumpkin bread.

The bartender eased my concerns immediately regarding dietary restrictions and let me know about each and every dish available to me. I decided on a seafood stew which was heavenly and was also given some of the best gluten free bread of my life. All in all, we can’t wait to go back. Even without a reservation. ;)

Le District: Bar A Frites

Upon arriving in the city, we were starving and had time to kill before checking into the hotel. We walked over to Brookfield Place, a relatively new “mall” located in the Financial District which was filled with many upscale shops as well as a delightful market called Le District.

Within Le District, there are a number of small eateries, grocery areas, and more. We settled on the Bar A Frites because it was a bar of just French fries. 😮

Wishes do come true because the fries were entirely gluten free and the only toppings I had to avoid were few and far between! Time to feast!

Fries with all sorts of truffle and Parmesan.

Fries with bacon, cornichones, and cheese curds.

We ordered a large bowl for each of us (#yolo) and were sufficiently stuffed after about halfway through. Whoops! However, they were so delicious - mine were topped with truffle mayo and Parmesan - that I continued and ate most of mine. Then we needed a long walk!

I’m so glad we found this savory spot with endless (safe) fries and so many wonderful flavors for topping and sauces for dipping. The herb pesto mayo was unreal. ;)

Levain Bakery

Have you heard of this place? It’s been in the back of my mind for years and while I knew they didn’t offer anything gluten free, I kind of wanted to drop in just to see it. A form of torture, but I wanted to go anyway. But, wait! Stop the presses!

Levain Bakery recently announced they would be making a gluten free version of their famous chocolate chip walnut cookie! 😮😍😮 My heart stopped. We had even more reason to go!

After much research, I learned that the cookies being sold were gluten free, but that they weren’t prepared in an entirely separate GF space. I was slightly perturbed, and wary, but honestly, I still had to go and try it for myself.

These GF wonders are only offered at one of their locations so amidst our million-mile walk on Sunday, we made it to this acclaimed bakery, waited in line, and purchased two of their original cookies (for Seth) and two of the gluten free ones for me. A bit of a gamble you could say, due to the preparation method, but I just had to try it.

The result? One awesome cookie. Giant, thick, filled with chocolate, and stayed fresh for a few days, I was quite impressed with the Levain Bakery’s gluten free version of their renowned chocolate chip walnut cookie. It was decadent, ultra-sweet, and the perfect amount of sugar to propel us through the rest of our walk that day. I’d definitely buy these, and thoroughly enjoy them, again.

Note: I felt fine from eating these GF cookies that were prepared in a non-GF kitchen. Your reaction may be different.

Sarabeth’s

Partway through our massive Sunday walk and before we indulged in those cookies (see above), we paused for brunch! It seems that brunch is a requirement in the New York City weekend experience and we had to go along with that as any law-abiding city visitor would do.

Again, this restaurant has been on my “must go” list for a while and I was so glad we finally made it to this well-known, packed brunch spot on the Upper West Side (several other locations exist, too).

After a short wait, we were seated at a cute corner table and promptly reviewed the big menu. I discussed my dietary restrictions with the waiter and learned that while I couldn’t have any of the classic Sunday carbs (waffles, pancakes, bagels), I was able to choose from a number of omelettes and other goodies. Fine by me!

We ordered bloody marys, big plates of brunch food, and settled in for a break amidst our marathon walking day. My meal was delicious (scrambled eggs with lox, scallions, and cream cheese) and was served with a light salad which was strangely welcome alongside the eggs.

Often, when a long walk is ahead, it feels better to not have a super heavy meal first. 🙂 However, that thought process was before I ate that giant cookie. Whoops. After that cookie, all bets were off. And there was a lot of walking left to do!

Overall, I’d definitely go back to Sarabeth’s for yummy eggs and a fun atmosphere. Everyone around us was having a good time, relaxing and chatting away. It felt like the epitome of a Sunday brunch scene.

Temple Court

Part of why we decided to stay at The Beekman was due to the fact that this restaurant was on the main level. During our previous visit, staying at another hotel nearby, we ventured into this spot for breakfast and were immediately sold.

A beautiful space that’s calm and quiet in the mornings, this restaurant offers a tranquil atmosphere and delicious dishes; the best combination in the city before a busy day.

With plenty of gluten free options and a knowledgeable waitstaff, I decided on a baked egg dish with a side of avocado. And there was GF toast! I had everything I needed for a full breakfast and was ready for the day in no time.

Of note, this restaurant also serves lunch and dinner. I am sure those meals are just as great as our morning one and I’m sure we will need to go back soon to find out. ;)

Beyond Food

In terms of activities, we simply walked, and walked, walked! Part of what I find most enjoyable about the city is the fact that you don’t need a plan or a destination. Just put on your favorite sneakers and get going! We walked an hour to our dinner Saturday night and walked the hour back to our hotel afterward.

On Sunday we walked for over five hours! Sure, we were exhausted and our feet did hurt at the end, but I’d say it was totally worth the aches and complaints. ;)

Most of my shopping in New York tends to be browsing (so many choices! So many stores!), but this time around I did a little shopping right before we left!

New York has literally everything so sometimes it can take a while to find exactly what you’re looking for as a special something to bring home. :)

Until next time...see you soon, New York!

Mollie and Seth

PS: If you’re interested in reading about the last time we went to NYC, click here.

PPS: I’ve been traveling to New York for most of my life and have spent time there for school as well as living there for a bit after college. If you ever need any suggestions for activities or other info for an upcoming visit, feel free to reach out! I would be happy to assist.

Bar Bites Beyond: NYC Volume II