To Utica and Back – a tale of food and adventure

I recently took a trip for work up to Utica, NY fearing I would starve but I found a plethora (that’s right, I used the work plethora) of eating establishments that catered to gluten-free people. I confess, I did some planning ahead of time using Find Me Gluten Free app which I have realized is my favorite gluten-free travel app so far.

Day 1:

I came in super-late at night (at least for Utica which is 11 pm) and everything seemed to be closed but lucky enough Babe’s located at 80 N Genesee St, Utica, NY 13502 (315) 735-0777 was still serving food until midnight and saved me. The staff was friendly enough and while the customers were super rowdy, I was thankful for the table away from the bar. I had the buffalo chicken salad which was nothing fancy but the chicken was tasty, the buffalo sauce was yummy, and I was grateful to be able to eat something. They have  gluten-free menu so just ask, the staff is super friendly and well informed about gluten allergies.

Day 2:

Exploring Utica and COFFEE! I made today my mission to check out the coffee shops around Utica being that I needed WiFi juice and mental juice to finish my presentation for my conference. My first stop was Cafe Domenico located at 2011 Genesee St Utica, NY 13501 (315) 798-8077 which had a yummy cup of coffee but no air conditioning or Wi-Fi. Still I was happy to work for hours in this cute little coffee shop that seemed like a throw back to the 1950s or a place I missed and loved from Brooklyn, VOXPOP. There was a small selection of gluten free snacks to be had. The owner, an older gentlemen, apologized explaining there was usually a better selection. While I was working, his daughter came to take over for him. She brought a rock-a-billy air with her and the younger customers started to appear. Talk of roller derby and music began and I mini fell in love with this coffee shop and wish I could have brought to back with me to NYC. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for an alternative to the Starbucks drivel and want a unique coffee shop.

Next, to switch it up, I visited Utica Roasting Company located at 92 Genesee St, Utica, NY 13502 (516) 236-5954 to check out their coffee and goodies. The place is small and quaint and smells amazing because they roast their own beans in house. There are few places to sit and I think I was lucky because it was the end of the day (they close early at 4pm). The woman at the counter was super friendly and let me know there were no gluten-free goodies available but the coffee more than made up for it. At closing, she even gave me a cup to go FREE. They also sell a pretty solid selection of tee shirts, hoodies, and tank tops, which I love collecting.

My final foodie stop was Delmonico’s Italian Steakhouse located at 151 N Genesee St, Utica, NY 13502 (315) 732-2300 which happened to be right next to my hotel. Again, I am lucky to find a gluten-free menu and a knowledgeable staff. There GF menu is not limited to non-carbohydrate based foods either, they serve pasta and traditional Italian food gluten free as well. Check out their menu here. I had their Delmonico Steak and it was amazing! I didn’t try any pastas this time, maybe next; I stuck to traditional steakhouse fair. I highly recommend this restaurant as well, the steaks are out of this world.

So far, day 2, no stomach aches = no contamination!

Day 3:

I spent the morning working and had no need to find food but before I had to present, I needed something. My go to food in NY is always pizza without cheese so I found a gluten free pizza place, O’Scugnizzo Pizzeria, located at 614 Bleecker St, Utica, NY 13501 (315) 732-6149 just minutes from my hotel. I ordered a GF pie with no cheese and within minutes I hear to kitchen mess up my order. They put cheese on it! Without hesitation, the threw away the pizza and started a new one. No scraping off the cheese, no trying to redeem the expensive crust. Well done gentlemen! The pizza was pretty good (I’m sure cheese would have made it amazing) but the service and the attention to detail made this an excellent stop in Utica. I highly suggest these guys!

Due to a plague of pneumonia at my house, I had to cut my trip short and miss Crazy Otto’s Empire Diner but I was told by many people, this is a must stop for diner food, some of my favorite! They even have a gluten free menu too which has panclocks (pancakes for those who have not been reading my blog).

Overall, I was impressed with the food and accommodations in Utica, NY. Well done!