On my quick 3 night trip to NYC one of the obvious highlights was food. And actually, food was the only thing I spent money on besides my subway pass. True story. I didn’t buy one thing while in NYC. I was focused on friends, food, and exploring. I used air bnb to keep things cheap and found a great bedroom to rent in an apartment for $79/night. Definitely a great option instead of paying 3x that much for a hotel.

Okay, let’s talk food.

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all photos by iPhone 5

1 // candle café west {not photographed} – I ate here with my sweet friend, Gena, the first night I was in town. The entire menu is vegan and extremely gluten-free friendly. The service was excellent as was the atmosphere. For more of a fine dining restaurant in NYC I was actually surprised by the entrée prices {$20-23}, especially after seeing how plentiful the portions were and how much detail goes into each dish. This was a definite splurge but the prices aren’t uncommon to what we’d find in Denver when going out to a nicer restaurant for a special occasion. We basically ordered a buffet of food and ate it all. Highly recommend, even for non-vegans. Oh, and the raw key lime pie was phenomenal.

2 // homemade breakfast : I hung with Gena the first night in NYC and in the morning I whipped up a batch of the best ever pumpkin oatmeal ever. I did something a little different with this recipe, so be on the lookout for details.

3 // union square greenmarket : When I came to NYC two different times while researching for my thesis I visited this market a handful of times. It’s by far the best farmers market I’ve ever been to. While I didn’t eat there or buy any fresh food the venders are top notch. You’ll find tent after tent with fresh, local produce bursting with color and flavor [definitely sampled]. I was surprised by the prices in that they were about the same and some cheaper than what I find in Colorado. Check the link above for days/hours/vendors/etc. If you want to pick up fresh fruit or you’re staying somewhere you’ll be cooking at while in the city then you must make a stop here.

4 // blossom du jour : This fast-casual restaurant is 100% vegan and very gluten-free friendly. The menu is large, so the options are plentiful even if you’re gluten-free. I chose the “Karmic Wrap” on a gluten-free rice wrap. It was much thicker than the rice wraps I’ve bought in stores and held up well. The wrap was stuffed with marinated kale and basically an entire sweet potato in the center. It was filling, delicious, and fresh. Loved it for a quick and fairly cheap city lunch. {$9.45 with no sides/drink}

5 // one lucky duck : After feeling completely drained from walking at least 8 miles around the city I scoured Chelsea Market for a gluten-free snack. I landed on the gigantic raw brownie at One Lucky Duck and was not disappointed. It was thick, chocolaty, and lightly sweetened. I loved it and inhaled it. It was the exact pick me up I was looking for. {$7.00 – On the pricey side for a single brownie but quite large and made with high-quality raw/vegan/gf ingredients. Worth it.}

Speaking of Chelsea Market, you must go there. Three of the places I bought food from on this short trip were in Chelsea Market and it’s just a very unique place to walk through. At CM you’ll find bakeries, a dairy bar, a few restaurants, a legit spice and tea stand, a doughnut shop, creperie, a coffee shop, Anthropologie, and oh my gosh, so much more. It’s also home to The Food Network. I was there twice in two days if that tells you anything. You can hit so many great places all in one building, plus, it’s right below The High Line. Two must sees in New York!

6 // risotteria {not photographed} : The second night I lucked out and was able to meet up with Kathryn, from London Bakes. She lives in London but was in NYC for a business trip. Lucky me! She was absolutely the sweetest! We both enjoyed some of the best gluten-free pizza I’ve ever had at Risotteria. The meal also started with crispy, gluten-free breadsticks and possibly-maybe a glass of wine. Their menu offers a huge selection of gluten-free items including pizza, paninis, risotto, and more. They even sell GF ciabatta and other baked goods. The menu is pretty expanse and there is a great selection of vegetarian options as well. {$15.95 + $3.00 for GF crust for about a 12-inch thin crust pizza. I ate 3/4 and was stuffed!}

7 // egg : {in Brooklyn – hip diner vibe} I wouldn’t say this restaurant is overly gluten-free friendly but with my love for grits + eggs I had no problem. If you’re vegetarian it’s very easy to make work. They have an insane savory brioche french toast, hashbrowns, eggs any style, 5-grain bread, oatmeal, biscuits, pancakes, etc. I ordered the soft scrambled eggs and loved them. I’ve never tried that type of egg preparation before and couldn’t get over the creaminess. Superb. Also, these were some of the best grits I’ve ever had. The veggie side was outstanding. It was made up of zucchini, roasted fennel, spiced walnuts, parsley, and romesco sauce. The portions were extremely generous. {$11 + $2 to get the veggie side that was on special that day. Normally served with a more basic seasonal vegetable or meat.}

8 // beyond sushi : This was one of my awesome finds at Chelsea Market a few readers told me I had to stop at. All vegan sushi? I’ll be right there!! The sushi menu of my dreams. The staff was knowledgeable about which rolls were gluten-free and the price was right. I ate the “Green Machine” and “Crunch n’ Munch” which was topped with kiwi. The sushi was ready in about 5 minutes, which was perfect for dining solo and wanting to get back out to explore. {$6.65/8 roll – I thought this was very reasonable for how loaded they were with different ingredients.}

9 // bar suzette creperie – After eating a light lunch at Beyond Sushi I was still pretty hungry from walking all morning. And this is why I love Chelsea Market—there’s a crepe bar right behind the sushi restaurant! Literally, turn around and it’s right there. I scoured the menu and saw the gluten-free crepe option right away. There were a ton of vegetarian options and possibly a few vegan. I stuck to a pretty simple combo, but definitely the best ever—butter, cinnamon, sugar. I basically inhaled it while trying to savor each bite and not let butter drip down my arm. {$6.00}

10 // commodore – {in Brooklyn} Dinner was simple on the third night. I met up with a friend who works at Food52 and we ate a heaping mound of cheesy nachos. They’re for real called “Cadillac Nachos.” I wouldn’t say it’s a super vegetarian, gluten-free friendly place but there were nachos and that’s all I needed. Plus, cheap drinks! {$10.00 Cadillac Nachos – easily split between 2 for dinner}

11 // champs – {Brooklyn – vegan diner vibe} My last meal in NYC was breakfast. I was obviously on the hunt for waffles and found a gem of a place not too far from where I was staying. The staff were all very friendly and the menu was comforting, fun, and filled with plenty of GF options. I mean, how often can you find gluten-free waffles when dining out? If you’re veg/vegan you definitely need to head here! I forget what the plate was called but it included a GF waffle, tofu scramble, rosemary potatoes, and garlic kale. The perfect sweet + savory breakfast and it was HUGE. {$12.00}

So there you have it! How and where I stuffed my face while in New York City.

More photos from NYC and The Big Harvest Potluck coming soon!

Ashley