Since 1983, Albany's El Loco Mexican Café has been known for serving Mexican and southwestern cuisine favorites. Frequently rated as one of the area's best Mexican eateries, the café is also popular for its vegetarian and vegan menu selections, as well as for their entire menu of gluten-free dishes. El Loco patrons avoiding the allergen can prelude dinner entrées by choosing among soups, nachos and corn tortilla chips with dip as starters. Gluten-free entrees include quesadilla varieties, in addition to special plates like the ancho-chipotle chicken and spinach enchiladas, chicken fajitas and tamales con puerco. For dessert, El Loco features gluten-free flan.
El Loco Mexican Cafe
465 Madison Ave.
Albany, NY 12210
518-436-1855
ellocomexicancafe.com
The New World Bistro Bar serves modern American and Latin American cuisine. Housed within an early twentieth-century building, the Hudson Valley eatery maintains many of the building's original style and architectural elements, including an Art Deco bar installed for the World Fair. New World features an expansive selection of menu items for guests with gluten allergies. For starters, gluten-free bistro patrons can indulge in cold appetizers like the marinated beet salad or the tapas plate of white anchovies or hot small plates like steamed littlenecks or the brussel sprout trio. Tandoori tofu, brown rice pasta with fresh clam sauce and hemp nut crusted salmon are among New World's gluten-free dinner entrée selections. Gluten-free sandwiches and salads are also available, in addition to after-dinner treats like crème brulee and Nutella mousse.
New World Bistro Bar
300 Delaware Ave.
Albany, NY 12209
518-694-0520
newworldbistrobar.com
Just north of Albany in the suburban community of Clifton Park is Wheatfields Bistro & Wine Bar. There is also a second restaurant location in nearby Saratoga Springs. An Italian cuisine restaurant, Wheatfields has been featured in a recent edition of "The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide" for its menu of gluten-free selections. Gluten-free starters include market salads like the beet & goat cheese salad, classic Caesar salad and the Farmer's Market salad, which is prepared with local ingredients. For dinner, guests can order from Wheatfields' sampling of woodstone pizzas made with gluten-free pizza dough, or choose among such gluten-free specialty pasta dishes as mushroom ragu, shrimp scampi or pesto. Pan fried red snapper, grilled scallops and steak are among gluten-free bistro fare dishes also available as entrées. For dessert, a flourless chocolate torte and ricotta cheesecake are only a few of Wheatfields' gluten-free treats, each of which can be topped with ice cream.
Wheatfields Bistro and Wine Bar
54 Crossing Blvd.
Clifton Park, NY 12065
518-383-4444
wheatfields.com
