Finding gluten-free options can be a struggle and sometimes underwhelming when you do. Not everyone is interested in always having crouton-less salad, soup, or French fries. You want to be able to enjoy as much of the menu as you can and order pizza, bagels, pasta, and pancakes like everyone else. We have searched and scoured through menus, photos, and reviews to see which establishments offer gluten-free options of typically gluten dishes — the foods you’re probably really missing. We came across avocado toast, cheesecake, empanadas, and more. Read on for a guide to which Essex County restaurants have gluten-free versions of typically gluten-filled foods.
Disclaimer: Be sure to inform the staff of any dietary restrictions or allergies in order to avoid cross-contamination and stay as safe as possible.
Avocado Toast
^ Avocado toast from Zest
- The Corner | 115 Grove Street, Montclair
- Green Point Juicery | 532 Bloomfield Avenue Verona
- Mercado Montclair | 605 Valley Road, Montclair
- Samba | 7 Park Street, Montclair
- Springbone Kitchen | 321 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Read More: The Best Gluten-Free Pasta Spots in Northern New Jersey
Bagel + Bagel Bites
- Bagels by Jarrett | 451 Mount Pleasant Avenue, West Orange
- Bareburger | 480 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Belleville Bites | 500 Cortland Street, Belleville
- Beyond the Bagel | 219 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
- Ike’s Bagel Cafe | 277 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston
- Plum Bakery | 179 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair
- Seymour’s Cafe | 567 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Breads for Burgers, Sandwiches, + Toast
^ Barbacoa Sandwich from Springbone
- Blue Hippo Coffee Co. | 662 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
- Blueprint Cafe + Lounge | 369 Raymond Boulevard, Newark
- Coda Kitchen + Bar | 177 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Dan + Day’s | 598 Valley Road, Montclair
- Dutch’s Sandwich Shop | 16 Church Street, Montclair
- How Delish HD: Vegan Desserts | 55 Kingsley Street, West Orange
- Le Salbuen | 97 Walnut Street, Montclair
- Liv Breads Artisan Bakery + Coffee Bar | 184 Essex Avenue, Millburn
- Mercado Montclair | 605 Valley Road, Montclair
- Millburn Deli | 256 Park Street, Montclair + 328 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- Nevada Diner | 293 Broad Street, Bloomfield
- Park Wood Diner | 1958 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood
- Pilgrim Diner | 82 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
- Pineapple Express Barbecue | 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
- Restaurant Lorena’s | 160 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Samba | 7 Park Street, Montclair
- Smashburger | 989 Bloomfield Avenue 1C, Glen Ridge
- Sparo’s Deli and Catering | 197 B Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
- Springbone Kitchen | 321 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- Sweet Basil’s Cafe | 498 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
- The Corner | 115 Grove Street, Montclair
- The Naked Bird | 480 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Brick City Vegan | 915 Broad Street Retail 1, Newark
- West Essex Diner | 516 US-46, Fairfield
Brownies
- Green Point Juicery | 532 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
- Springbone Kitchen | 321 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- Yellow Rose Vegan | 410 Ridgewood Avenue, Maplewood
- worldFLATS | 58 Church Street
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Cheesecake
- Green Point Juicery | 532 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
- How Delish HD: Vegan Desserts | 55 Kingsley Street, West Orange
- Liv Breads Artisan Bakery + Coffee Bar | 184 Essex Avenue, Millburn
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
Chicken Bites, Nuggets, + Tenders
^ Gluten-free chicken from Bareburger
- Bareburger | 480 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Montclair House Grill | 12 Church Street,Montclair
- Pineapple Express Barbecue | 1 Lackawanna Plaza, Montclair
- Tino’s Artisan Pizza Co. | 252 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
Cookies
- How Delish HD: Vegan Desserts | 55 Kingsley Street, West Orange
- Springbone Kitchen | 321 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- The Able Baker | 187 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Yellow Rose Vegan | 410 Ridgewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Crepes
- Trend | 411 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Uncle Momo | 702 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Dessert
^ Flourless chocolate cake from De Novo
- Bareburger | 480 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Cait + Abby’s | 15 Sloan Street, South Orange
- Gigi’s Cupcakes | 1925 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood
- How Delish HD: Vegan Desserts | 55 Kingsley Street, West Orange
- Liv Breads Artisan Bakery + Coffee Bar | 184 Essex Avenue, Millburn
- Montclair House Grill | 12 Church Street, Montclair
- Nothing Bundt Cakes | 749 Bloomfield Avenue Unit B, West Caldwell
- Plum Bakery | 179 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair
- Samba | 7 Park Street, Montclair
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- The Able Baker | 187 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
- worldFLATS | 58 Church Street
- Yellow Rose Vegan | 410 Ridgewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
French Toast
- Montclair House Grill | 12 Church Street, Montclair
- Samba | 7 Park Street, Montclair
- Uncle Momo | 702 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Fully-Gluten Free Venue
- Green Point Juicery | 532 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona + 97 Baker Street, Maplewood
- Plum Bakery | 179 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair
- Nami Nori | 378 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Springbone Kitchen | 321 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- Samba | 7 Park Street, Montclair
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Granola
^ Granola from Boomchia
- Boomchia | 427 Bloomfield Avenue Suite 101, Montclair
- Fresh Coast | 1227 Raymond Boulevard, Newark
- Green Point Juicery | 532 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
- Playa Bowls | Multiple Locations
- Springbone Kitchen | 321 Millburn Avenue, Millburn
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Muesli
- Chef V | Delivery Service
- Liv Breads Artisan Bakery + Coffee Bar | 184 Essex Avenue, Millburn
Muffins
- Cait + Abby’s | 15 Sloan Street, South Orange
- Green Point Juicery | 532 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
- TasteBuddy | 515 A Millburn Avenue, Short Hills
- Yellow Rose Vegan | 410 Ridgewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
Other Dishes
- Several Flavors of Colombian Style Empanadas at Miti Miti | 10 Sloan Avenue, South Orange
- Burrito bowls at Tacoria | 367 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Homemade Ravioli at Violante + Son | 452 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
- Keto Cake Benedict at the Montclair Diner | 613 Valley Road, Montclair
- Mesob | 515 Bloomfield Avenue (Note: Mesob offers gluten-free options with its Injera and some desserts — give at least 4 hours’ notice.)
Pancakes
^ Pancakes from Original Pancake House
- Bluestone Coffee Co. | 123 Watchung Avenue #2, Montclair
- Montclair House Grill | 12 Church Street, Montclair
- Original Pancake House | 817 Bloomfield Avenue, West Caldwell
- Toast | 700 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Village Coffee | 164 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Uncle Momo | 702 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Pasta (Typically Penne)
^ Penne from De Novo
- Ah’ Pizz | 7 North Willow Street, Montclair
- Anthony Francos Pizzeria + Ristorante | 303 Pompton Avenue, Verona + 489 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
- Bella Napoli | 1640 Broad Street, Bloomfield
- Boschetto | 111 Grove Street, Montclair
- Brix Restaurant + Pizza Bar | 371 South Franklin Avenue, Belleville
- Bucco Restaurant | 61 Washington Street, Bloomfield
- Cafe Giotto | 42 Church Street, Montclair
- Calandra’s Italian Village | 234 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Cucina 355 | 355 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
- Da Pepo | 54 Fairfield Street, Montclair
- De Novo European Pub | 275 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
- Ellie’s Bistro | 20 Green Street, Newark
- Enzo’s Pizzeria + Restaurant | 150 Valley Road, Montclair
- Fanny’s Restaurant + Bar | 1109 Broad Street, Bloomfield
- Forte Pizzeria | 182 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Fresco Market | 115 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Gioia Mia | 331 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Laboratorio Kitchen | 615 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- La Rocca | 23 Midland Avenue, Montclair
- Napoli Trattoria + Pizza | 11 Park Street, Montclair
- Luigino’s Parmigiana | 173 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair
- Luna Wood Fired Tavern | 223 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
- Pappardelle Ristorante | 77 Walnut Street, Montclair
- Panevino Ristorante | 637 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston
- Pizzanda | 128 Montgomery Street, Bloomfield
- Popolari Pizza + Pasta Bar | 1047 Broad Street, Bloomfield
- Ralph’s Pizzeria | 564 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
- Restaurant Lorena’s | 160 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
- Scala del Nonna | 32 Church Street, Montclair
- Stephanie’s Italian Restaurant | 283 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Tony’s Boys | 10 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston + 8 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair
- West Essex Diner | 516 US-46, Fairfield
- Zi Zia Pizzeria + Trattoria | 80 Bay Avenue, Bloomfield
Pizza
- Ah’ Pizz | 7 North Willow Street, Montclair
- Anthony’s Cheesecake | 71 Washington Street, Bloomfield
- Anthony Francos Pizzeria + Ristorante | 303 Pompton Avenue, Verona + 489 South Livingston Avenue, Livingston
- Blaze Pizza | 280 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston + 691 Broad Street, Newark
- Brick + Dough | 110 Walnut Street, Montclair
- Brix Restaurant + Pizza Bar | 371 South Franklin Avenue, Belleville
- Brook Tap House | 811 Passaic Avenue, West Caldwell
- Calandra’s Italian Village | 234 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- California Pizza Kitchen | 1200 Morris Turnpike Unit 8270, Millburn
- Cucina 355 | 355 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
- De Novo European Pub | 275 Bellevue Avenue, Montclair
- Dough Artisan Pizzeria | 437 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Ellie’s Bistro | 20 Green Street, Newark
- Enzo’s Pizzeria + Restaurant | 150 Valley Road, Montclair
- Famous Ray’s Pizza of New York | 10 Pompton Avenue, Verona
- Forte Pizzeria | 182 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Fortissimo Osteria + Pizzeria | 484 Pleasant Valley Way ,West Orange
- Fresco Market | 115 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
- Gencarelli’s Pizzeria + Restaurant | 501 Bloomfield Avenue, Newark
- Leone’s Pizzeria | 19 South Park Street, Montclair
- Lombardi’s Bar + Restaurant | 587 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
- Luna Wood Fired Tavern | 223 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
- Maplewood Pizzeria + Family | 489 Valley Street, Maplewood
- Master Pizza | 379 East Northfield Road, Livingston + 41 Freeman Street, West Orange
- Mozzarella | 396 Valley Street, South Orange
- Mr Dino’s Pizzeria + Restaurant | 119 Watchung Avenue, Montclair
- Panevino Ristorante | 637 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston
- Pizzanda | 128 Montgomery Street, Bloomfield
- Pizzeta Italian Kitchen + Bar | 62 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston
- Popolari Pizza + Pasta Bar | 1047 Broad Street, Bloomfield
- Ralph’s Pizzeria | 564 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
- Salute Brick Oven Bistro | 173 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair
- Tony’s Boys | 10 West Mount Pleasant Avenue, Livingston + 8 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair
- Village Trattoria | 21 South Orange Street, South Orange + 2 Inwood Place, Maplewood
- Violante + Son | 452 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
- West Essex Diner | 516 US-46, Fairfield
- worldFLATS | 58 Church Street, Montclair
See More: Behind the Gluten-Free Doughnuts Taking Hoboken by Storm: Hayley’s Donut
Waffles
- Le Souk | 51 Watchung Plaza, Montclair
- Montclair House Grill | 12 Church Street, Montclair
- Original Pancake House | 817 Bloomfield Avenue, West Caldwell
- Raymonds | 28 Church Street, Montclair
- Toast | 700 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
- Zest | 418 Fairfield Road, Fairfield
After 15 Years of Vacancy, 2 Erie Street Welcomes Mexican Restaurant Oso Felipe
The building located at 2 Erie Street in Montclair has had many uses. A papermill, a supper club, and now a colorful and cozy Mexican cantina from the same team behind another Montclair favorite. Chef Damon Wise, from Pineapple Express, has teamed up with developer David Placek, who is involved with the redesign of Montclair’s Lackawanna Plaza, to open Oso Felipe — a destination for families, friends, happy hours, and date nights. Read on for more about Oso Felipe, the newest addition to Montclair’s dining scene.
Background on the Space
In 2002, local restaurateur Richie Cecere and architect John Sherman opened Richie’s Restaurant + Bar, a three-story, 14,000-square-foot swanky supper club next to Walnut Street station converted from a 2,500-square-foot paper mill at 2 Erie Street in Montclair. It was a popular place for locals to grab a cocktail and listen to live jazz. But by the time David Placek’s company, BDP Holdings, bought the building in the spring of 2023, it had been sitting empty for over 15 years.
“It's 98 percent brand new construction, and Cecere put in the best stuff. He built it well,” David shared with The Montclair Girl. “Damon's idea was ‘we don't need to fix the fatal flaws, let's just make that part of what this place is.” Between the original paper mill structure for solid bones and the beautiful accents of the supper club, there was plenty to work with.
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Translation: the entire space is full of character. The original dark wood fixtures from Richie Cecere’s Restaurant + Bar remain on the top floor, creating a romantic ambiance for a date night or special occasion. On the main floor, the atmosphere is bright, with light colors and natural wood, Mexican knick-knacks throughout, and walls adorned with paintings from local artist Santiago Cohen tying the space together for a contemporary and fun atmosphere for a night out with friends, family, or casual dates. There is also a patio off the main floor which will open in the summer for al fresco dining and happy hour.
The downstairs is reserved for private events and is complete with a bar and wine cellar. There’s even a mysterious tiny room behind the cellar. Inside the small space sits a handful of dining tables, a door to the kitchen, and an enigmatic escape hatch built into the ceiling that David has left intact.
The Menu
Oso Felipe is named after the cross streets where David grew up in Southern California. The restaurant is meant to be a homage to the Mexican-inspired flavors of David’s upbringing in Southern California and takes advantage of Chef Wise’s experiences cooking in the south and southwest. In fact, it was Chef Wise who initially had the idea to open a Mexican restaurant because he loved the flavor palate.
Chef Wise is determined to put his touch on the authentic flavors and traditional dishes of Mexico. For example, with the mole, a complex flavor profile with about 25 ingredients, Chef pairs it with salmon which is not common, but certainly not unheard of in Mexico. He draws out the flavors by first marinating the salmon with chili powder, salt, pepper, and lime, wrapping it in a corn husk, and then steaming it. The corn husk is served over a zingy mole with sesame seeds and fresh radishes and topped with Swiss chard for a bite that is earthy, spicy, and unexpectedly light.
The pozole, another traditional dish, is made with smoked ribs brought over from Pineapple Express, and the enchiladas are a favorite of both Chef and David. Another hot item on the menu is the Ultimate Nachos. Chef Wise and David spent some time going back and forth because everyone loves nachos until they pick the chip with only a bit of sour cream on it, or worse, nothing. Chef Wise solved that problem by creating a stackable version using tostadas instead of tortilla chips. He then layers the tostadas with all the regular fixings spread out in an even distribution, stacked atop each other like a tower to deliver that perfect bite every time. Pro tip: use a fork to eat it. Chef Wise recommended it. We resisted. It was futile.
Oso Felipe is both elevated dining and a casual Mexican cantina. Families with kids will feel at home as friends meeting up for dinner, co-workers catching a happy hour, or couples enjoying a date night.
Don’t sleep on the Spicy Seafood Coctel. Inspired by a dish from Mexico City, it’s a bowl of poached shrimp and grilled squid tossed with mango, jicama, lime, and a crave-able sauce served with oven-baked saltines with butter. It was easily our favorite dish of the night.
And even though it’s like choosing a favorite child, when pushed, Chef did mention that the hamachi tostada was indeed dear to him. “It's fun to eat, and it's really messy,” he said. “I'm [also] putting a yellowfin tuna dish on tonight with aqua verde – which is, cucumbers, lime, and spinach. All these things make it really bright green with Asian pears, cucumbers, and little bits of roasted jalapeno. I want to keep it light and fresh, just heighten the flavors.”
Oso Felipe uses fresh ingredients from Ironbound Farms and plans to hit the farmer’s market down the street come summertime.
Coming Soon
As of now, Oso Felipe is open for dinner service from 5PM to 10PM Wednesday to Sunday. Starting January 25th, Oso Felipe will be open for Saturday and Sunday brunch with big plans involving fresh churros, conchas, and a Bloody Maria bar. “I've been longing for that for years,” says David. “Yeah,” says Chef Wise. “Much like we do with Pineapple – where we take our barbecue sauce and we make Bloody Mary's with it – we have a rancherio sauce here that we're going to turn into a Bloody Maria mix. It's going to be so delicious.”
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The team is looking forward to being a part of the bustling Montclair restaurant scene.
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