Because I am allergic to eggs and nuts and don’t eat meat, I rarely find options at restaurants that meet my requirements. I’m tired of the same slice of pizza or fries, so I often look for a fun drink and skip dessert. But things are changing. I have found places with foods I can try and enjoy, and I’m going to share them. In addition to looking for options for myself, I am constantly looking for gluten-free and non-dairy foods for friends who adhere to those diets.
Modern Bread and Bagel
When my mom suggested going there and my sister, Hannah, looked at the website, she said it was all healthy food and I lost interest. We still went and I’m glad we did. They had an amazing chocolate zucchini cake that was both vegan and gluten-free. It was soft and moist and tasted amazing. They also had hot chocolate, a carbonated lemonade drink that we bought in bulk afterward, and a matcha latte. My mom, who had the matcha, said that even though it is not her preferred way of drinking matcha, it was enjoyable. The hot chocolate was great and the lemonade drink is San Pellegrino Limonata. We loved the cake so much that we ordered another loaf to have as dessert on Friday night. You can try it yourself at 45 East Palisade Avenue, Englewood, New Jersey, or at modernbreadandbagel.com. They also have many other locations in Manhattan.
La Cucina Di Nava
I had wanted to go to La Cucina because I had heard they started selling boba and had just changed locations. The menus were tablets that they apparently share with the Humble Toast. I ordered the Napoli Pizza, a strawberry mango smoothie with strawberry popping boba, and shared the french fries that my brother, Asher, had ordered. The smoothie was more like a slushy, but it was still amazing. Hannah and I shared the pizza, and it was great. We all loved the fries. I wanted to get the zeppole (which is egg-free), but I was full. The next time my mom and I went, she tried a strawberry lemonade slushy with strawberry boba, which she enjoyed. We also tried the zeppoles, which are Italian donuts. They were delicious. You can find La Cucina at 461 Cedar Lane, Teaneck, New Jersey.
Crush Cookie Bar
Crush Cookie Bar is one of the most inclusive places I have been to. They always have at least one vegan cookie. When I was there recently I had the Death by Chocolate cookie, which is a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips, which I enjoyed a lot. I doubt anyone would have known the difference between it and a normal cookie with eggs. Another option is the OG Chunk, which has the option to be dairy-free. They also have great ice cream. It is at 14 Engle Street, Englewood New Jersey.
Cafe DeMi
Cafe DeMi has a few options for those with dietary restrictions. There is a vegan chocolate chip cookie with sea salt on it, a gluten-free pumpkin loaf, a brownie that was both gluten- and dairy-free, and a dairy-free peanut butter cookie, the last of which we did not try. According to the menu, all bread can be substituted for gluten-free bread. The cookie was pretty good, except for the salt, which wasn’t bad but I think there should be a cookie with or without salt. Eliana Birman, the assistant digital editor for The Jewish Link, who adheres to a gluten-free diet, thought the brownie was nothing special and that it was OK. Both she and my mom tried the pumpkin loaf, and they both loved it. My mom said it was moist with a chewy crumb. Meir Popowitz, who also works at The Jewish Link, also loves the pumpkin loaf even though he is not gluten-free. He has even ordered a whole loaf to bring as a Shabbat gift. Cafe DeMi is at 1400 Palisade Avenue, Teaneck, New Jersey.
Zippy Kratz is graduating eighth grade at The Moriah School and plans to attend The Frisch school in the fall.
