My Comfort Food Fix
A Manhattan brunch spot that grew
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For years, Friedman’s was strictly a brunch spot to me. Maybe that was because its original name was Friedman’s Lunch and it closed on the early side… and it happened to serve an amazing gluten-free brunch at its original Chelsea Market location. I’m talking about fried chicken served atop cheddar waffles with hot Habanero honey, and stacks of fluffy pancakes, to name a couple of longtime favorites.
But Friedman’s has been evolving, and it’s got more to offer celiacs than ever. This family-run business dropped “Lunch” from its name a while back, and now operates seven locations across Manhattan from Battery Park up to West 72nd Street. Its tagline, “Eat good food,” sounds simple enough, but for anyone with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, that promise carries extra weight. Friedman’s has built a following on American comfort food, and they claim that 99 percent of the restaurant can be prepared gluten-free. While they don’t have dedicated GF kitchens, they do take celiac safety seriously. (Before you ask about the fried food, the answer is yes, they maintain separate GF-only fryers.)
As the business has grown, Friedman’s has maintained a pretty consistent menu across its locations. For a long time, it was the only place I trusted for comfort food like mac and cheese or fried chicken. I’m glad there are more options for this now, but that doesn’t stop me from returning to Friedman’s.
One terrific innovation in the past couple of years has been Friedman’s partnership with Wei West. Wei West began life as a pan-Asian restaurant in Battery Park with its own gluten-free following, offering sushi, noodles, dumplings, and much more — items that are traditionally off-limits for celiacs. The restaurant has since moved to 235 Murray Street and merged with Friedman’s, keeping the same chef for the pan-Asian menu while adding Friedman’s American comfort dishes. Together, they’ve created a shared space that offers both classic Friedman’s fare and hard-to-find gluten-free Asian options.
Just like the other Friedman’s locations, Wei West isn’t a dedicated gluten-free space, but staff is well-educated about cross-contamination and careful with safety procedures. My first time dining there, I had sweet-and-sour chicken, which is another comfort-food favorite of mine. But the gluten-free menu offerings run the gamut from rock shrimp tempura to Korean wings, and from sesame chicken to the vegetarian classic Buddhist Delight. While I love innovative restaurants that take bold culinary steps, I can’t deny the appeal of comfort food. When I have the craving, Friedman’s got my back.