A Local's Guide to the Gluten-Free Scene in Astoria and Long Island City

5 spots worth visiting in Western Queens

Fun fact: I’ve lived in Queens my entire life. My home borough is known for being one of the most diverse areas in the country—which means there’s a ton of incredible food from a wide array of cultures to enjoy here.

But I’ll be honest: Finding celiac-safe food in Queens over the past five years since my diagnosis has been challenging. There are very few dedicated gluten-free establishments here, and there’s just more variety in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Luckily, I’ve found a few businesses in Astoria and Long Island City near where I live that’ve been able to accommodate me. Ahead, I’m sharing the best gluten-free food I’ve eaten to date in Western Queens. (And RIP The Thirsty Koala…you’re sorely missed!)

Just a quick note: Not every establishment on this list is dedicated gluten-free. Everyone has different comfort levels when dining out with celiac disease, so always do what works best for you and know that cross-contact is possible at non-dedicated businesses. Check out my celiac dining guide for more information on how to order food safely.

Table of contents:

• Best gluten-free food in Astoria and Long Island City, Queens

  • TAP

  • Sensible Edibles

  • Maki’s Donuts

  • Pink Nori

  • Casa Enrique

  • Other notable mentions

Best gluten-free food in Astoria and Long Island City, Queens

TAP

I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that I cried tears of joy when TAP opened in my neighborhood two years ago. I’m such a frequent customer and fan of TAP that the staff referred to me as “the celiac girl from Instagram” the last time I picked up food there.

This fast casual Brazilian cafe serves up sandwiches, pão de queijo, acai bowls, and smoothies. Over the summer, my friend Alla (the content creator behind glutenfreeisallaeat) and I were invited in for lunch, and we shared traditional and pesto pão de queijo and mozzarella and tomato caprese on an egg wrap. I also had the seasonal smoothie with blue spirulina, which was very refreshing!

Read

Hilary Davidson

’s recap of the lunch we shared at TAP last year:

A Gluten-Free Brazilian Lunch in Astoria

TAP: 33-07 Ditmars Blvd

Sensible Edibles

I stumbled upon Sensible Edibles earlier this year when I saw their baked goods at a local coffee shop. I reached out to them on Instagram, and after our lunch at TAP, Alla and I headed over to the bakery’s storefront to meet the owner, Wassem, and tour the kitchen.

Over iced drinks (I had an iced hot chocolate and it was everything), I learned the bakery has actually been around since the ‘90s. Wassem took over about a decade ago and decided to switch over to being gluten-free and vegan because he saw that both diets were trending at the time. It took two years to make the switch as the staff perfected the recipes.

One of the things that sets Sensible Edibles apart from other gluten-free bakeries is they prioritize using nutritious ingredients in their baked goods. Something else cool? You can even filter by dietary needs on the website if you’re looking for baked goods that are high-fiber or low-sugar, for example.

I sampled a variety of treats here, and my favorites include the harvest muffin, frosted cookie crunch, raspberry hazelnut bar, and chocolate chunk brownie.

Sensible Edibles: 30-30 47th Ave #160 (located inside The Factory)

Maki’s Donuts

I had the pleasure of meeting Ariel, the founder of Maki’s Donuts, a few months ago at a popup in Astoria. Ariel makes the most incredible gluten-free donuts— including gluten-free mochi donuts.

She sells them at different events in the neighborhood—but just a heads up, they happen to sell out very fast so you have to get the early. Thankfully, you can also place an order for pick up on Fridays at Fern Botanica, a plant store located at 30-36 41st St.

Maki’s Donuts: Check Instagram for local availability

Pink Nori

If you’re a celiac in New York City, you’re probably familiar with Lilli & Loo, a Chinese restaurant in Manhattan with an extensive gluten-free menu. A couple of years ago, I discovered that Pink Nori is the sister restaurant of Lilli & Loo—and it quickly became one of my go-to spots to order from and dine in.

Pink Nori is known for its sushi, but they have a ton of other Japanese dishes on the menu. The kitchen takes special care to prepare gluten-free orders safely (they even have gluten-free tempura!). Some of my go-tos are the rock shrimp, sexy pink lady roll (which contains spicy salmon, cucumber, and mango), and the mango chicken.

Pink Nori: 36-06 30th Ave

Casa Enrique

This buzzy Michelin star Mexican restaurant is a must-visit in Long Island City. Almost the entire menu (save for three or four items) is naturally gluten-free. I came here for dinner for the first time over the summer with a group of celiac friends, and we were all seriously impressed.

The standouts for me were the sopecitos de chorizo (corn tortillas topped with chorizo, beans, and cream), ceviche, and chicken enchiladas with salsa verde. My group also enjoyed flan for dessert (which the staff brought over while singing happy birthday to me!).

Casa Enrique: 5-48 49th Ave

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Other notable mentions

Some other places I like for gluten-free food and treats in Astoria and Long Island City include:

• Ddee Thai (42-06 30th Ave): Small Thai eatery with a gluten-free menu

• Taim (28-17 Jackson Ave): Mediterranean platters with gluten-free falafel

• Mar’s (34-21 34th Ave): Upscale seafood restaurant with many gluten-free options including oysters

• Arepas Cafe (33-07 36th Ave): Casual Venezuelan restaurant serving up gluten-free arepas

• Bare Burger (33-21 31st Ave): Dedicated fryer for fries, fried pickles, and fried chicken; gluten-free buns available for burgers

• Sans Bakery (31-00 47th Ave): 100% gluten-free bakery

• Marvel Frozen Dairy (37-01 30th Ave): Soft serve flavors are gluten-free (just skip the cones and toppings)

And while I haven’t eaten here since before my celiac diagnosis,

Luke Pyenson

shares a review of the gluten-free options at Gregory’s 26 Taverna in Astoria:

NONGLUTEN #003: A few NYC restaurants | A few products | Craig LaBan

Let me know: What are your favorite gluten-free spots in Queens? And what neighborhoods would you like me to review next?