Home Food + DrinkBrunch Before the Internet Hype, This New Jersey Cafe Drew Its Inspiration from Wicked

Before the Internet Hype, This New Jersey Cafe Drew Its Inspiration from Wicked

by Jennifer Tripucka
Jennifer Tripucka
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There’s a lot of holding space for the belting banger, “Defying Gravity,” in the new hit movie, Wicked. But for those local to New Jersey, you may already know that there’s a cafe and bakery in Pequannock, New Jersey already dedicated to its mission. Gina Cassesse, a 5th-generation Italian chef opened her shop Defying Gravitea in May of 2023, dedicated to serving gluten-free and dairy-free treats, with a mission to show that there are “no limits” to eating foods without dairy or gluten. Over the last few years, Defying Gravitea has become a staple for those looking for delicious eats in the New Jersey area — especially if gluten-free, celiac, or dairy-free. Located at 211 Newark Pompton Turnpike in Pequannock, this cozy café is entirely gluten- and dairy-free, with every dish made from scratch in small batches with locally-sourced ingredients. But long before the Wicked internet hype and press tour, Defying Gravitea was just one New Jersey woman’s dream of being limitless when it comes to allergy-friendly eating.

wicked cafe new jersey defying gravitea gluten free

The Journey to Gluten-Free 

Gina Cassesse has been gluten-free since 1993, which, in the ’90s, was a difficult feat given the lack of availability of food choices. As a 5th-generation chef, being in the kitchen with family and food had always been a prominent part of Gina’s life. Growing up, she worked in her family’s restaurant where she learned to cook, butcher, bake, and the essentials of day-to-day operations, but then moved into a corporate job in the food industry.

gina cassesse defying gravitea

^Gina with her son Nicholas, who helps run the food truck portion of the venture — a true family affair

At her corporate position, she was on a special catering team for VIPs and ran dining services for a large university, as well as cooking for many celebrities such as Phil Simms, Margaret Thatcher, as well as Governor Phil Murphy and former Governor Chris Christie.

Climbing the corporate ladder over 15 years, Gina became tired of the “limits” as she describes them, and felt her true passion was in food, having learned alongside her father for years, but also in sharing her own allergy-friendly recipes. “I was there for 15 years. During that time, I learned I was intolerant to gluten and dairy and had an autoimmune condition.” This, in part, she says, inspired her to take some of her family’s traditional Italian recipes and treats and work them into new gluten- and dairy-free versions. 

“I had learned from my father for years, so it was a natural shift. I wanted to show the world that eating dairy- and gluten-free doesn’t have to limit you,” she explained. But after leaving corporate and working in the restaurant industry in a different way, she decided she wanted a place of her own, and to show that gluten- and dairy-free eating doesn’t have to “not be cardboard-flavored,” (her words — not ours!).  Gina decided to create her own cafe, opening Defying Gravitea in Pequannock, where she resides. She now runs it with her son, Nicholas — the 6th generation.

Read More: All the Gluten-Free Eats in the Montclair Area

Why Wicked-Inspired?

defyinggraviteaexterior

The outside of Defying Gravitea when it first opened.

Fun fact, per Gina: the spatula in the logo is Elphaba’s broom, and the cup is Glinda’s bubble.

Over the last few years, Defying Gravitea has become a staple for those looking for delicious eats in the New Jersey area — especially if gluten-free or celiac. It’s an entirely dedicated kitchen, with every dish made from scratch in small batches with locally-sourced ingredients (Gina even gets gluten-free flour from Italy — it’s better and much purer, she shares). But something that those who aren’t familiar with Wicked may not know, is that it the inspiration behind Gina’s creation.

wicked cafe new jersey defying gravitea gluten free

“I saw Wicked over 20 years ago with the original cast, and it was so inspiring,” Gina shared. “Around 11 years ago, I was going through a rebuild of myself, and that song got me through every single day. I would sing and cry, and when I stopped crying while singing  — I knew I had evolved into the new version of myself.” This, she says, inspired her to want to name her cafe Defying Gravi’tea’ — a play on her favorite song.

Before All the Hype

It’s no doubt that the Wicked trendiness has become international buzz around the internet. But before all of that, Gina was already serving up a hearty breakfast and lunch menu and providing in-house catering for special events and carry-out dinners, too, all with Wicked‘s mission in mind. The cafe recently launched its new event space, The Cottage House for special and intimate events including bridal and baby showers, birthdays, and more — and a food truck launched this fall 2024.

defying gravitea food truck

Defying Gravitea has a thoughtfully crafted menu that features unprocessed, farm-fresh ingredients and is entirely gluten- and dairy-free (GF/DF). Each dish is made from scratch, using whole ingredients and old-world grains (gluten-free flour even sourced in Italy!) to create meals that are both nourishing and delectable. She also has a full Defying GraviTEA line.

gluten free food new jersey defying gravitea

“We offer foods that are always fresh, made-to-order,” Gina shared with The Montclair Girl. “Though our bakery is dairy- and gluten-free, we assure you it’s got fat, sprinkles, and taste!”

 The breakfast menu has a selection of hearty and comforting dishes. Think fluffy flourless oatmeal pancakes, savory breakfast crepes filled with house-made Goffle Farm chicken sausage crumbles, eggs, spinach, and DF cheddar cheese. You’ll also find favorites like avocado toast on house-baked bread, egg sandwiches, + house-made banana bread. For lighter options, the menu also includes sweet potato and chia seed parfaits, waffles, granola, and made-to-order omelets.

For lunch, the menu features a range of sandwiches including the Bacon + Bleu, made with turkey bacon, sautéed onions + raisins simmered into a jam, and topped with bleu cheese. Other options include a chicken cutlet sandwich, a classic parm sub, seasonal salads, and flatbread pizza with fire-roasted tomatoes, house-made ricotta, and farm pesto, as well as eggplant caponata + chicken salad.

But the real clincher is dessert — decadent cakes, breads, scones, muffins, and brownies, all that taste like you’re eating the real thing (trust us on that).  Eating here really feels limitless when you’re lactose or gluten-intolerant — a true testament  to the fact that Defying Gravitea was just one New Jersey woman’s dream coming to fruition: being limitless when it comes to allergy-friendly eating.explore the menu

Defying Gravitea is located at 211 Newark Pompton Turnpike in Pequannock. Call 862-226-9692 for any questions, email [email protected], or visit the site for more info.

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BrunchCoffeeEventsEvents + NewsFood + DrinkGluten-FreeLifestyleNorth JerseyRestaurants
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Jennifer Tripucka
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Jen is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of both The Montclair Girl and The Hoboken Girl. Before her media career started at Conde Nast and then full-time at HG + MG, she worked as a public school educator in the Bloomfield Public Schools for 5 years. Jen started the sites to discover the amazing things happening in the North Jersey area and to highlight local businesses. When not shopping small or eating her way through North Jersey, she can usually be found walking her two pups, watching Bravo TV, and ordering takeout with her husband, an Essex County native.

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