All Over Albany

Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free Cafe

Update: We've created a listing of Capital Region gluten-free restaurant options.
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Let's face it - food allergies and dietary restrictions kind of, well, suck. When you're eating out, you don't really want to make an issue of it -- but at the same time, being stuck with a plain iceberg salad again can get a little tedious.

So I was pretty excited about Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free , an entire cafe and store dedicated to serving food for those of us with celiac disease or wheat allergies.

I never made it out to Sherry Lynn's old place in Brunswick -- but I'd been waiting patiently for several months for this new, larger business in Latham.

The service is a little slow, but the selection is pretty impressive. And some of the gluten free treats I tasted were yummy enough to share with wheat-eating friends. If you're -- you know-- inclined to share.

When I showed up at Sherry Lynn's on opening day a few months ago, it was kind of disappointing because they didn't have much in stock. I'm glad I decided to wait a bit and give it another shot. The store offers gluten-free versions of foods like pizza and mac and cheese, and many items are available to go in the freezer case, including rolls, bagels, and pizza shells.

Be warned, as you might expect, the prices are kind of high. I couldn't bring myself to try the homemade bread at $9.99 a loaf this time, but there's always next time.

There's also a full bakery case, featuring cookies, cream puffs, donuts and more. The glazed donuts ($1.75 a piece) are pretty close to the real thing, texture-wise. I scarfed one down in the car on the way home, leaving sticky fingerprints all over my steering wheel. They were actually surprisingly tasty and not overly sweet, with a slight chewiness to the center that really replicated its wheat-filled cousin.

Perhaps most exciting was my chance to have an apple cider fritter, which was about as close to an apple cider donut as I've had in years. I could barely wait to get it home and try it. Coated in cinnamon and sugar with a slightly crispy exterior, the inside was soft with just a bit of chew and plenty of apple cider-y deliciousness.

I still need to go back and try the sit-down meals for breakfast and lunch. The menu boasts French toast, sandwiches, pizza and more. I've heard good things about that French toast. No, I'm not expecting the MAD Irish toast or anything ... but I'm willing to give it a shot.

Oh, and while you're at Sherry Lynn's, be sure to check out their selection of baking mixes, flours, pastas, ready-to-eat meals, cookies and more. If it's a gluten-free product, you'll probably find it here. here's also several shelves of various baking mixes, brown rice products, cookies, and pastas and they will ship their baked goods.