Gluten-Free In NYC: Clementine Bakery
Babycakes, Tu-Lu's, Jennifer's Way, By The Way Bakery – the list for Manhattan gluten-free bakeries goes on and on (and is thankfully growing) but what about Brooklyn? The area where Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy overlap is not one where you would imagine finding a gluten-free gem, but if you happen to be in the neighborhood, Clementine Bakery's got you covered.
Clementine Bakery is exactly the kind of charming little bakery that you wish you had on your corner – cozy, dog-friendly, and full of light, coffee, and all kinds of sweets. Though not a completely gluten-free spot, everything is always vegan and organic, with a constantly rotating selection of items that are also gluten-free.
It's hard to choose just one treat here, so this time, we chose two: first up, a marble cupcake, which I interpreted as a vanilla-ish cake with marbled vanilla and chocolate frosting. As any gluten-free person would know, cake for our kind is hard to master – here, the cake overshadows the frosting by far, with a surprisingly moist crumb that has you wondering if it really doesn't have any gluten.
Next on the list was a peanut butter oat cookie straight from the jar – peanut butter cookies have been popping up all over the place in the gluten-free version (since the peanut butter makes it so chewy) and Clementine Bakery's doesn't disappoint. The addition of oats gives it a different, yet pleasant, texture than any gluten-free peanut butter cookie I've had so far.
Like I said before, the menu seems to rotate, so you've got that incentive to keep coming back – I'm pretty sure I spotted something along the lines of a mint blueberry brownie that I'm hoping is still there on my next visit.
Another plus? Clementine Bakery also offers a variety of sandwiches that are available on gluten-free bread, so you can pair that sweet treat with a gluten-free meal.