Pizza is always a good idea, but pizza with a purpose? That’s even better.
Barclay Pies recently opened its doors in Cherry Hill, and this shop offers fan favorites — pizza, wings, fries and more — but also, a full slate of gluten-free options that don’t “sacrifice the flavor or texture.”
Owners (and South Jersey locals) TJ Hunton and Daniel Romero wanted to create an inclusive menu for those living with Celiac disease. The first-time restaurateurs both have immediate family members who have the disease, and saw a need to create a space where individuals in need of gluten-free options and equally, those without Celiac, can dine together seamlessly, without all the fuss.
The gluten-free menu here spans pizza made with Caputo flour, plus chicken wings, tenders, fries and croutons (for their list of salads.) What the owners hope is that all of their menu items can be as tasty—so it doesn’t matter if you need to order the gluten-free pie or sides, it’s all going to bring that flavor that everyone can enjoy.
Barclay Pies' opening menu includes a few salads (arugula and Caesar), wings with house-made sauces (buffalo, salt & pepper or honey), tenders and fries. All of the apps and small plates can be shared by those with Celiac, and by those who just love really good food, no discernment necessary.
The wings for example are made gluten-free (but flavorful) by being cured overnight, coated in rice flour, then baked/fried before being mixed with any of the sauce options.
The venue’s dessert option, dubbed “A Really Good Cookie” is another example of a GF offering made tasty. The sweet bite is made with only natural food coloring agents to create a sugar cookie with white chocolate, a hint of strawberry and sprinkles.
On to the pizza, Barclay offers an assortment of both red and white pies. The former includes plain, tomato, pepperoni, sausage, dairy-free margherita (featuring cashew milk mozzarella cheese by Miyokos Creamery) and pineapple. And the latter spans arugula, mushroom, broccoli and buffalo chicken.
Stand-outs include the pineapple, which has a Jersey twist (aka pork roll and pickled jalapenos peppered on top) and the buffalo chicken, which comes smothered in housemade ranch, buffalo sauce and roasted chicken.
The owners hand-picked and worked with chefs for all of the recipes coming from the kitchen, with every version of pizza, sauce and topping tested together to come up with what visitors can now find on the menu.
Any pie can be made gluten-free (for a few dollars more) by Barclay by utilizing the Caputo flour (made with a GF wheat starch base.)
Visitors will notice a difference too: the Celiac-friendly crust is smaller, thicker, and cheesier than the brand’s regular crust, so you can visually see a comparison. Barclay does note that since they make regular pizza in the same kitchen (and there may be flour in the air), they are not an entirely GF facility. Anyone with questions is encouraged to ask their servers, but all of the gluten-free goodies are prepared at a separate station, with its own set of ingredients and equipment to limit any cross-contamination.
Barclay Pies has gone all in on their mission by hosting events and fundraisers for the community as well. Recently, the Jersey shop hosted its first "Celiac Night." The evening featured a GF buffet with a handful of different pizzas, wings, chicken fingers and mozzarella sticks (an item that is rumored to be coming to the menu soon.) Proceeds from the event went to support Beyond Celiac, a non-profit dedicated to driving a cure for the disease.
The venue is also starting to dive into the realm of housing different events for the community (a bourbon/whiskey club was the first to host their own here), plus, Barclay now offers delivery for some surrounding areas.
For those who dine in, the atmosphere is family-oriented and comfortable, with the attention to detail coming from the food and the service, a model that was intentional.
At Barclay Pies, great food isn’t just the goal — it’s the common ground that can bring everyone to the table.
To learn more information and order from Barclay Pies (450 Marlton Pike E.), visit order.toasttab.com/online/barclay-pies or follow them on Instagram @barclaypies
