Before finding Agata & Valentina, I never thought I'd walk into a grocery-style store without cautiously combing through ingredients and labels. Located on the Upper East Side, the doors to heaven await at 1513 1st Ave with over 1,000 gluten-free selections ranging from fresh pasta to baked goods and every GF item imaginable.
Agata & Valentia took gluten-free lifestyle to the next level by opening a separate store dedicated to GF items in April 2022. Their entire facility is dedicated gluten-free, including freshly made and prepackaged items available to grab and go.
"The city now has many spots that cater to celiac sufferers, but Agata & Valentina’s is the first to be launched by operators with such a high media profile and nationwide following," said New York Post, "Offerings uniquely include not only brands sold elsewhere, but gluten-free adaptations of Agata & Valentina’s own, well-regarded prepared foods and baked goods."
Agata & Valentina stand out in lots of categories, but from my experience they do best in the croissant section of the scorecard. They offer three flavors: chocolate, original, and almond. Lucky for you, I've done the favor of trying all three, and I'm here to say — they're phenomenal. Even better when dipped in a runny egg, but that may be a personal preference.
The almond and chocolate offer a sweeter taste, while also avoiding the possibility of being too sweet. The two pastries have an admirable balance of sweetness that can feel like dessert for breakfast, if that's your vibe.
A personal favorite, the almond croissant. I do love almonds, but I also adore a good powdered sugar dusting, just like the sweet aftertaste added to Agata & Valentina's pastry selection. Seriously, I didn't think it was possible to balance this texture and taste so well, but they manage to do it every time.
Their classic croissant was initially what pulled me into their doors after a detective-style search on TikTok at 6:00 AM this past summer. Before my diagnosis, I was a dedicated and obsessed croissant-lover, and Agata & Valentina rekindled this lost love.
Consistency amongst the three flavors is flakey and soft, and perfect to binge eat on a cool Monday morning (this is what I did today). If you couldn't tell by now... I love Agata & Valentina's Croissants. LOVE.
I'd also taken this opportunity to align with the Italian roots I do not have by tasting their focaccia bread that's homemade and the fluffiest crust I've ever had. (I always say this but these places keep raising my expectations and I can't help it). The margarita pizza was, as expected, producing an equal amount of satisfaction.
The bottom line is, I just love Agata & Valentina. Their vision is unmatched and changes the way gluten-free eating is appreciated for the community. 10/10 for Agata & Valentina, as expected.
AV