The Jersey Bites team put together this great list of restaurants for Celiac Awareness Month. If you’re looking to stick to your gluten-free diet when you go out to eat, try one of these Garden State locales. Have another one we should know about? Let us know in the comments!
Bergen County
According to owner Ida Martin, Bibi’z Restaurant & Lounge was Bergen County’s first restaurant to offer gluten-free menu items and a menu that indicated gluten-free and vegan options with ‘GF’ and ‘V’ next to dishes. Nearly all dishes can be made without gluten upon request. Most dishes use locally sourced or organic ingredients. From nibbles to a feast, the restaurant’s lively ambience caters to foodies looking for Mediterranean inspired cuisine. GF favorites include lamb meatballs, grilled salmon, skirt steak, sauteed scallops. Bibi’z Restaurant & Lounge, 284 Center Avenue, Westwood, 201-722-8600.
Essex County
Chef Francesco Palmieri’s current entrees are gluten free and some other dishes can easily be modified to gluten-free upon request. Examples of The Orange Squirrel’s gluten-free menu include their beet and spinach salads, baby octopus stew, salmon tartare, mussels, crescent duck breast, filet mignon and rib-eye steak. The Orange Squirrel, 412 Bloomfield Ave, Bloomfield, 973-337-6421.
Hudson County
Chef Anthony Pino’s Hoboken Italian-American wine bar and small plate restaurant offer a wide range of gluten free items across its menu. Wine is naturally gluten free, so eat and drink-up!
Gluten-free menu items include gluten-free pasta and bruschetta, many of their salads including the sweet potato, arugula, pancetta, gorgonzola, pumpkin seed and maple and sides such as broccolini with toasted garlic and roasted tomatoes. Small plates like the crispy calamari with hot peppers, capers and lemon and the pecorino fries with chili flakes are also gluten free. A few of Bin 14’s gluten-free entrees include grilled lamb chops, graffiti eggplant, peppers, kalamatas, opal basil and prime short ribs, truffle polenta, cipollinis, bordelaise. Bin 14, 1314 Washington Street, Hoboken, 201-963-WINE.
Chef Thomas Ferlesch offers a wonderful assortment of gluten free dishes that can be paired with their gluten-free beer option.
Gluten-free menu items include wood plank steak tartare, raw seasoned beef with cognac, arugula salad with lemon garlic and olive oil dressing, topped with shaved pecorino Romano cheese, fish of the week with rosemary potatoes, tomato fondue, king mushrooms and arugula and their 12 oz. NY strip steak (with garlic herb butter or a green peppercorn cream-sauce), parsley potatoes and arugula salad.
Monmouth County
Cave’s entire menu is gluten free, and they use all organic, grass-fed and free-range food items. With specials like Thai curry shredded lamb tacos, snow pea shoots, and avocado tzatziki on coconut tortillas and signature items like their caveman breakfast, their popular “the bison, the duck and the egg” burger, and new pesto zucchini noodles and grass-fed beef bolognese, no one is missing the gluten. Word on the street is that their flourless mocha bacon brownies and chocolate chip cookies are huge fan favorites. Cave, A Paleo Eatery, 515 Sylvania Ave, Avon-by-the-Sea, 732-776-8556.
Morris County
Mama’s & Cafe Baci in Hackettstown has a spectacular gluten-free menu. From appetizers and salads to sandwiches, to their larger gluten-free dinner menu, Mama’s food is not only gluten-free but also delicious! The best gluten-free menu items include pizza, like the gluten-free chicken Sorrento pizza, made with grilled chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, red sauce, pesto and mozzarella, as well as the Bianco pizza, made with white champagne sauce, bruschetta style tomatoes and mozzarella. To complete your dining experience, they have gluten-free desserts like chocolate cake, biscotti, brownies, almond and chocolate chip cookies as well as a delicious “Nutellini Delight” that includes Nutella layered with cannoli cream, whipped cream and chocolate chips. Mama’s & Cafe Baci, 260 Mountain Avenue, Hackettstown, 908-852-2820.
Silver Birch Kitchens in Long Valley is honoring celiac awareness month by going gluten free for an entire week. Menu items like chicken braciole with Boursin cheese, Italian rice and roasted vegetables as well as ramp soup will be featured the first week of May. Silver Birch Kitchens, 16 Schooleys Mountain Road, Long Valley, 908- 876-0160.
Passaic County
No gluten-free roundup would be complete without mention of La Riviera Trattoria in Clifton. This 30-year-old icon serves up wonderful southern Italian fare, delicately prepared with minimal butter and cream. When owner/chef Carlo’s daughter Maria was diagnosed with celiac several years ago, they made it their mission to replicate Italian favorites in a gluten-free format. The restaurant is extremely sensitive to patron food allergies. A separate menu with two pages of gluten-free offerings is provided upon request and corn-based pasta, from Italy, is incorporated. For bread crumbs, the restaurant uses Schar products. Gluten-free bread is also served upon request, as are desserts. All gluten-free dishes are prepared in separate pans and served on plates that have a brown ring to avoid cross contamination. La Riviera Trattoria, 421-27 Piaget Avenue, Clifton, 973-478-4181.
