This post is a bit of a departure from my normal travel content but it is one of the TOP questions I get when people ask me about eating gluten-free in New York City.
Where can I get a good gluten-free bagel in NYC?
It’s only recently that I can confidently give a good, but more important celiac-safe recommendation, of fresh bagels in NYC and that is Modern Bread & Bagel. Not only is the bakery totally gluten-free and Kosher, but it is so good that even the gluen-eaters in your life will enjoy these bagels. Hands down, Modern Bread and Bagel is the ONLY place I trust for a fresh gluten-free bagel in New York City.
This summer, I met Sam Silverman, the founder of both BagelFest and NYC Bagel Tours and world-leading bagel expert at Modern Bread’s Chelsea location grand opening party. We soon discovered we were literally Brooklyn neighbors who shared a love of bagels albeit on different sides of the gluten spectrum. We chatted about possibly doing a gluten-free bagel collaboration one day and VOILA, the day finally arrived.
Armed with my own toaster, knife, butter, cutting board, and tons of gluten-free bagels I went over to Sam’s apartment and we had a gluten-free bagel feast. (I know Sam has a gluten-full kitchen so I wanted to be prepared with my own supplies.) Let me tell you, there were SO MANY BAGELS. Many of the brands were familiar to me but there were a few new ones. Most were new to Sam because he obviously can eat the best bagels in the world at any given moment and they are full of gluten.
All of these bagels we tasted are available in New York City either at stores or via mail order. The good news is that most gluten-free bakeries now ship nationally which is great news for those of you in bagel deserts. During our taste test, we were looking at size, shape, toppings, taste, texture, price, and more. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it!
Today, in honor of National Gluten Free Day in the United States, we are launching part 1 of our “Ultimate Guide to the Best Gluten Free Bagels.” Based on the comments I am already receiving on Instagram, it looks like we need to work on a part two immediately! Stay tuned for more.
Read our full Ultimate Gluten Free Bagel Guide here.
I want to give a special shout-out to Sam for not only welcoming me into his home but for being kind about gluten-free bagels and not immediately writing them off as “cardboard” as many people do. We all know that gluten-eaters can eat whatever they want when they want. For Sam to take the time to even give attention to gluten-free bagels feels like a major win for the celiac disease community! Thanks Sam, see you around the hood.
