Bare Naked Bakery Makes Gluten Free Eating 'Normal'

Bare Naked Bakery in Bellmore is Long Island's first exclusively gluten-free restaurant. The facility does not serve food with gluten, wheat, oats, rye or barley – and doesn't allow anyone to bring any outside food in either.

Bridget Brennan, chef and owner, opened the restaurant on July 2.

"I always believed in the power of nutrition. You can heal yourself or destroy yourself by what you put in your body. I've been gluten-free for about 2 years. My sister has Chron's disease, which is also treated by the diet," Brennan said.

Brennan began the concept for Bare Naked Bakery several years ago, out of her mother's farm in East Meadow.

Friendly Farms was the site of the first version of Bare Naked, Brennan said. The East Meadow farm is completely organic, and provided Brennan with the test kitchen, feedback and "launch pad" she needed to start the restaurant as it is today, she said.

"I loved the building. I signed the lease on June 1 and opened July 2, but had all the contractors in place. I love design. I've owned a spa and other businesses in the past and always loved designing the locations. I designed the entire space myself to feel like the country kitchen we started in," Brennan said.

Brennan's recipes are a collaboration between her original creations – out of her own gluten-free needs – and new ideas with chef Ryan Lattman, of Levittown.

"I'm a diabetic, so learning about this really helped me take care of myself. I'm almost 100 percent gluten-free now. Cooking and baking gluten-free is a little challenging at first, but if you don't have a challenge, you don't learn anything," Lattman said.

"I like to be different. There was a void in the industry and I knew that from being gluten-free and in the g-free community. I didn't like feeling humiliated when I ate out. Providing the safe, 'normal' eating experience is a huge motivating factor," Brennan said.

The business, Brennan said, has many regular customers and started to gain a following after a few days.

"You know who is gluten-free and who isn't. When you see a 7-year-old come in here and scream 'Mommy, can I really have anything in here!' it's all worth it. That's what makes providing this experience great," Brennan said.

The experience of eating out with family members and of being able to sit down to have a meal is what attracts customers, like Lilli Sarantos.

Sarantos is a celiac and has been gluten-free for 3 years. She lives in Holbrook, but travels to the restaurant often for the safety and convenience, she said.

"I've been to the City, but this place is the best. To be able to sit and have a meal, it's great. I googled it and the bread is amazing, I love that I can have a panini that I don't have to thaw," Sarantos said.

Many gluten-free breads are frozen and then thawed out, but all the baked goods at Bare Naked – from the breads to bagels to cupcakes – are made on-site, daily and are never frozen.

The Bakery is currently open Tuesday – Sunday from 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Prices range and available items also change daily. Check their website for specials and other information.