Ulster County, New York

At the beginning of July, I had the good luck to spend a few days in a scenic spot a couple of hours north of New York City. New York State’s Ulster County is home to lovely hiking trails, gorgeous waterways — perfect for canoeing — and some truly fine food. I was pleasantly surprised to find how celiac-friendly local businesses are. Here are a few of the gems I visited:

The Big Cheese (402 Main Street, Rosendale, [tel] 845-658-7175): located on Rosendale’s main drag, next to its theater, this eclectic shop has an impressive assortment of cheeses from around the world. It also boasts hot sandwiches, and offers a gluten-free option (as the board on the wall says, “For gluten-free, we usually have corn tortillas available.” There are also fresh-baked goods that change daily — when I was in, there were gluten-free lemon coconut squares. At the back of the store is an eclectic collection of vintage clothing, accessories, books, and art.

The Alternative Baker (407 Main Street, Rosendale, [tel] 845-658-3355): Across the street from The Big Cheese is this sweet bakery, which offers a terrific range of desserts. There are plenty of gluten-free treats (the bakery is aware of potential cross-contamination issues and avoids them), as well as dairy-free and vegan options, and even a few sugar-free goods.

Saunderskill Farms (5100 RT 209, Accord, NY, [tel] 845-626-2676): Situated a ways outside of town, this small market offers a phenomenal array of celiac-safe groceries (from breads and bagels to snacks and frozen dinners). There’s also a fresh-baked gluten-free treat of the day — blueberry muffins, on the day I was there. There’s a wealth of fresh produce, too, plus a gorgeous greenhouse filled with blooming flowers.

The Arbor Bed & Breakfast (44 Mohonk Road, High Falls, NY, [tel] 845-687-9888): for two nights of my stay, I was at this pretty, well-maintained B&B. The owner, Nancy, was happy to whip up a gluten-free omelette for me at breakfast, which I really appreciated.

So, where are you traveling this summer? Let me know if you make any great gluten-free finds!

3 thoughts on “Ulster County, New York

  1. That’s a gorgeous spot, Hilary! Thanks for the restaurant, store, and B&B recommendations. We are always looking for great B&Bs and we are actually headed north next month on our annual motorcycle trip. Could be a place we’d visit. 🙂

    Shirley

  2. Saugerties has some great gluten free options. Lucky Chocolate has an amazing array of desserts, soups, sandwiches and baked goods with delicious gf options throughout – and of course all of the chocolates are gf as well as made locally, and socially conscious overall. Mother Earth’s in Kingston has a deli with a wide variety of gf options, including sandwiches and many salad, entree and dessert options. Some of the gf desserts are truly amazing.

  3. Hi there I am lucky enough to have exepeiencrd Udi straight from the source and Barrett is not kidding about anything he is saying. The funny thing is I dont have Celiac’s and I use to eat there at least once a week, my work would order there bc it was a skip from Westwood Denver North where I was a admin assistant. So if someone who doesnt have to be gluten free willingly chooses Udi then yeah!!! lol oh and go to the website and put in your zipcode it wll tell u where to shop for the products!

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