Gluten Free Barcelona: A Complete Guide

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Tips for Eating Gluten Free in Barcelona

After two separate tips of a week each spent eating our way through Barcelona (gluten free, of course), we have a few things that we think you should know before arriving.

One thing we noticed on this last trip is that a bunch of our favorite gluten free restaurants in other Spanish cities – namely Madrid (make sure to read our guide to eating gluten free in Madrid if you’re heading there!) – have begun to expand into Barcelona, and vice versa.  

Spain is among the easiest countries to travel gluten free thanks to good labeling laws and active local Celiac associations who arm restaurants with the knowledge they need to serve safe gluten free meals.

As you can probably imagine, there are still a few things to watch out for. 

If you’re curious what our process for discovering and vetting gluten free spots looks like, you can read our gluten free FAQ. 

Wondering what our favorite spots are in Barcelona? There’s a lot of places listed in this guide (good news for gluten free foodies!), but if we had limited time and had to choose, we’d make sure to eat at Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine (great pizza), Out of China (excellent Chinese food), fish and chips at … The Fish and Chips Shop, and Jansana (our favorite gluten free bakery in Barcelona).

Fish and Chips Shop Gluten Free (Fish and Chips)

This is a chain with several restaurants in Barcelona, and only one of them is gluten free.

Though it is 100% gluten free, which is great because it means you can get Celiac-safe fish and chips, which is not an everyday occurrence, at least where we’re from. 

We ended up here twice, which should tell you all you need to know about our thoughts on the food. 

The first time – our first night in Barcelona when we were craving some good old fashioned fried food – we ordered the standard fish and chips, which were pretty great.

However, I think the co-MVPs of the meal would have to be the coleslaw, which was outstanding, and the mango chutney, which is the perfect dipping sauce for fries (or chips, outside of the US).

As we were eating, we noticed them bringing out a fried fish burger to the people sitting behind us, and we turned to each other and said “that looks good!” But we were too full already, so we decided a return trip was in order. 

So a few nights later, we ended up returning specifically for the burger, which lived up to expectations. It comes with the slaw on a gluten free bun. I was unimpressed with the calamari, but that’s because it just wasn’t as good as the burger or the fish and chips. 

They also have natural wine on the menu to wash down your fish and chips, and a couple of gluten free desserts to choose from. 

Gluten Free Location: 

• The Fish & Chips Shop Gluten Free (Carrer de Casanova, 91, 08011 Barcelona, Spain)

Gula Sana (Cafe / Bakery for Brunch)

Gula Sana is very much a breakfast / brunch spot with a brunch-y menu with things like eggs benedicts and toasts, and they are also a 100% gluten free bakery with lots of cake and pastry options. 

Everything is gluten free, so you can order the benedicts, the toasts, the pancakes, and anything else your heart desires without having to worry about cross-contact. 

We highly recommend the brie toast – which comes with a delicious red pepper jelly – and the carrot cake, which was the best thing we ate at Gula Sana. 

They have a wide range of gluten free baked goods and desserts (or, in our case, breakfast items) like cookies, savory empanadas, tarts, and cakes (we were having trouble choosing between the carrot cake and double chocolate cake). 

One note: Some of the staff doesn’t speak English, and I had stupidly forgotten the word for piece, leaving me stumbling over my (broken) Spanish words trying to communicate that I only wanted a slice.

When I went for the tried-and-true “habla Ingles?” the server simply said “no.” Which is 100% my fault – and I eventually got the message across – but it is something you should know if you don’t speak Spanish.  

Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine (Great Pizza)

Interestingly enough, on both of my last two trips to Spain, I had come straight from Italy before landing in Spain, and was a little pizza-d out (if you can believe it). 

However, I want to make it super duper clear that this pizza is somewhere near the top of my “best gluten free pizza” list in the world, which includes extensive (we’re talking multiple month-long trips) travel in Italy, which is a great country for eating gluten free (read about it in our guide to gluten free Italy!). 

Grosso Napoletano has a couple of locations in Barcelona, and two of them are ENTIRELY gluten free (they’re called “Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine”).

There are no gluten-filled pizzas prepared in the kitchen, or cooked in the wood-fired pizza oven.

It’s traditional Neapolitan-style pizza straight out of Naples. It took them four years, but now you are able to experience their pizzas even if you have Celiac Disease. 

This pizza is up there with the best gluten free pizzas we had in Italy. In fact, I’d say it would be in the top two or three if Barcelona was an Italian city. It’s legit good.

The crust, because it’s cooked in that wood-fired oven, is nice and crispy and bubbly. The toppings – which are a little skimpy in Italy – were loaded on without the crust becoming watery and soggy. 

We decided we had to try the calzone and the pizza, since calzone isn’t something we had seen much in Italy (at least offered gluten free). Both were really, really good.

The calzone was stuffed with spicy salami and ricotta cheese, and had a slightly different texture than the pizza crust – a little thicker and fluffier. 

They have two locations in Barcelona that are exclusively gluten free – you can see the current list of gluten free locations here. 

They also have some other locations in Spain – Madrid, Bilbao, and Sevilla – if you happen to be hitting those other places. 

Messié Sin Gluten (Thin Crust Pizza)

We arrived in Barcelona from Italy after gorging ourselves on gluten free pizza and pasta for over a month, so we weren’t in a hurry to get to Messié Sin Gluten, which is a group of three restaurants, two of which are 100% gluten free and safe for Celiacs (see the addresses below). 

On our last night staying in Gràcia, our favorite place to stay in Barcelona, we decided to mosey on over to Messié Sin Gluten and see how their pizza measured up to the ones we had in Italy. 

Here’s the main takeaway: the crust is more similar to the crusts we’ve had in the United States, which tend to be more thin and crispy, than it was to the ones we had in Italy, which tended to be more thick and bubbly (for lack of a better word).

That’s not necessarily a bad thing at all, just a slightly different style.

The thing that stood out, however, was the toppings, which were phenomenal and plentiful. In Italy, we found that the toppings were almost universally a little bit sparse.

Aruku (Japanese)

Between Aruku here in Barcelona and Okashi Sanda in Madrid, never have I ever seen so many dedicated gluten free Japanese places that weren’t exclusively sushi than I did in Spain!

While Aruku does have sushi on their menu, they also have okonomiyaki, which is probably my favorite single dish in Japanese cuisine. It’s essentially a cabbage pancake, and it usually contains gluten (in the form of flour).

I ate here twice on my latest trip, mostly because I wanted to try more things on the menu. For me, the highlight was the okonomiyaki, but the sushi and yakisoba I tried on my return trip were also pretty good.

They have two locations in Barcelona – one near the Sagrada Familia, and one in the heart of Gràcia – and offer something a little different than most gluten free restaurants you’ll find in Spain, or elsewhere around the world (outside of Japan, ostensibly).  

Dosa Nova (Indian Dosa) 

This was one of those discoveries that only happened because I walked by and saw the words “gluten free” on their sign, and decided to check it out.

I’m a big fan of dosa – a thin flatbread from India that gets folded over kind of like a galette from France – so after a bit of research I made sure to make a trip back here for lunch on one of my last days in Spain. 

Dosa Nova is in El Raval, just a few blocks off of La Rambla, and while the interior is relatively small, it’s impeccably designed and has a few tables to sit and enjoy a quick meal. 

They have a bunch of different options when it comes to fillings for the dosa – including vegan options – but I would strongly recommend the classic “masala” if you’ve never had a dosa before, which is what I got and would absolutely recommend.

En Ville (Upscale Spanish)

En Ville is a little fancier than most of the other places featured in this guide, but it’s probably the best place to get more traditional Spanish food made safely gluten free in Barcelona.

It’s in El Raval, the up-and-coming hipster-y neighborhood to the west of Las Ramblas. 

They have been certified by the ACC since 2014, and the entirety of the menu is gluten free.

During our first trip, I was flabbergasted to find out that despite the fact that the whole menu was gluten free, they served regular bread (with gluten), which felt like something they should probably just change. 

Well, good news! As of my trip, that’s no longer the case!

They have a range of Spanish specialties, from tapas like croquettes, patatas bravas, and various cured meats, to main dishes like paella and duck confit. Plus, of course, a pretty large selection of gluten free desserts (you should order the crema catalana).  

I stopped by for a solo lunch on my last trip to Barcelona, and was in desperate need of nutrient-rich food that wasn’t baked goods or pizza, so I skipped many of the more rich, exciting options (like croquettes) and went with some of their lighter, more vegetable-forward options like carrot hummus and zucchini carpaccio.

Overall, a nice place to have a meal that leans into Spanish food (with a twist) and is a little nicer than most of the places on this list.  

My F*cking Restaurant (Upscale Fine-Ish Dining)

My F*cking Restaurant was pretty easily the nicest meal we had in Barcelona, and probably all of Spain and Italy.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, we were met with the friendly smile of Donny (spelling?), who sat us at a table and gave us a rundown of the menu and the concept behind the restaurant. 

By the time we walked out of the restaurant, I was in awe of Donny’s (again, is that how you spell it?) charm, charisma, and ability to connect with us over our shared love of travel.

He had dreams of visiting the West Coast of the US, and we told him that he had to go to Portland, the best gluten free city in the world.

We weren’t quite sure if this place was 100% gluten free or not, since they rotate the menu often and have had gluten-y items on the menu in the past.

However, it sounds like everything will be gluten free going forward. Still definitely ask and double check with your server when you arrive. 

The service was fantastic from the time we sat down until the time we left, which is not something you always get in Europe based on our experience. 

Anyway, you might be wondering why the restaurant has a vulgar name. To be honest, I’m not sure. 

But my hypothesis is that they like to break the rules – for example, their version of patatas bravas has a twist that breaks all the rules that you should definitely ask about –  and try new and different things. 

They have a set menu, which involves somewhere between 9 and 13 tapas to share, and you can also order a la carte. 

The menu rotates almost constantly, which means this next part where we tell you what we ate and liked so you have an idea of what to order is likely to be outdated by the time this post goes live, but oh well!

Here’s what we tried and liked the most: 

• The burrata with pickled mushrooms and pumpkin puree was the star of the show. I could’ve eaten several plates of it if given the chance.
  
  
• The mini corn cobs were a delight to eat thanks to the contrasting textures of the corn cobs and crust of crunchy corn pieces and the slight sweetness that came with the honey.
  
  
• The gorgonzola risotto with pralines was also great, and different from any other risotto we had in Europe. 

I will say that this was also the most expensive meal we ate over the course of three months in Europe, and is definitely not a budget-friendly option. Is the food worth the price? It depends on your mindset. 

If you’re open to trying some somewhat off-the-wall flavor combinations (some of which are excellent, some of which are strictly fine) in a fun environment, we’d give it a try.

If that doesn’t sound like a “risk” (we say risk because of the cost) you want to take, there are PLENTY of other great gluten free options for you to explore in Barcelona. 

Flax and Kale Passage (Fusion)

What a pleasant surprise Flax and Kale was! A note at the top – only one Flax and Kale location (this one) is 100% gluten free and certified by the Celiac Association of Catalonia. 

They’re a very hip restaurant, featuring a “flexitarian” menu that, at least in our experiences in Europe, we’ve discovered tends to be secret code for “expensive, small portions, and okay food.”

But that’s not the case at Flax and Kale. At the end of any trip we take, we usually sit with a drink and talk through our favorite experiences and foods.

The Malaysian Curry from Flax and Kale ended up near the top of our list in Barcelona (and the truffle pizza wasn’t half bad either). 

The menu is eclectic, with influences coming in from every corner of the world from Malaysia to Mexico. 

This location is in El Born, and we got it to go and took it to the square in front of the Barcelona Cathedral, where you’ll find some of the best people watching in the city. Plus, some very talented street performers. 

We also tried the BBQ Pork Bao, which was good, but fell apart immediately, which was likely because we got it to go rather than dining in.  

Manioca (Brazilian Tapioca Crepes)

I only discovered this place because of the map on the Celiac Association of Catalonia’s website.

We love tapioca crepes, and when I saw the word “manioca” I went “YES!” It’s just east of Parc Ciutadella, about 15 minutes northeast of the Barceloneta area. 

Manioca is a Brazilian restaurant that is 100% gluten free and serves a wide variety of Brazilian specialties with a slight Spanish twist.

We started with the pan de queso (pao de queijo, in Brazil), which are little chewy balls of tapioca and cheese, and are one of our favorite things to eat and make at home. 

We each had a tapioca crepe – I had the jamon serrano and Alysha had the goat cheese and eggplant caponata – and both were solid, though hers was the clear winner, I think. 

Pizza Natura (Pizza, But “Healthy”)

Look, we love pizza. We’ve recently gotten into making gluten free pizza here at home (our pantry now has three 25lb bags of gluten free flours that Matt mixes to make the crust). 

However, at a certain point, you kind of just have to understand that the pizza is inherently going to be somewhat unhealthy, given the crust and cheese. 

At Pizza Natura, they’re trying to make the pizza healthy while maintaining the taste, texture, and deliciousness. And, if we’re being honest, they didn’t really hit the mark on that front.

They use a combination of flours including quinoa and millet (which I use at home too!), but the crust came out thin, soggy, and fairly “meh.” 

The one thing I will say is that they have a more progressive set of toppings than you usually see at more traditional pizza places. They also have vegan options, which is another thing you usually don’t see all that often. 

I had the truffled egg pizza – a splurge that the server recommended – and could barely taste the truffle, which only added to the disappointment. 

The takeaway here is that it’s safe for Celiacs, but there are better gluten free pizzas to be had in Madrid (at Grosso Napoletano) if you’re looking for a classic Italian pizza. Go here if you also need to eat vegan, or are looking for some less traditional, more fun topping options.  

They also have locations in Madrid (read our gluten free guide to Madrid for our picks – it’s another great gluten free city!). 

We ran all around the city to make it to as many of them as we could while we were in town over our two trips (Matt was solo on the second trip). 

To be honest, all of them are good, and have different strengths, which was a VERY pleasant surprise.

We’ll go through all of them below, but know that you really can’t go wrong and if you only have a couple of days in the city, you should decide based on which is most convenient or which fits what you’re in the mood for (e.g. pastries, bread, cakes, etc). 

Jansana (Our Favorite Bakery in Barcelona)

Jansana was a few blocks away from our apartment for the first half of our previous trip to Barcelona, and we went on our first full day in the city. It’s on the border between l’Eixample and Gràcia, just off of Passeig de Gràcia. 

If it tells you anything, I made a special trip on our last morning in Barcelona across the city to restock on their pastries, and ended up picking up a loaf of bread that we used for sandwiches over the next few days. 

Jansana opened way back in 2015, making them one of the first gluten free bakeries in Catalonia. It’s also worth noting that they have their own production facility, and strictly manage ingredients and production to make sure that everything is safe for Celiacs. 

They have a mix of sweet and savory pastries and amazing bread loaves, including sliced sandwich bread and more French-style loaves and baguette-ish loaves. 

We recommend: The Caña xocolata (you can also get it filled with cream instead), the savory croissants (we had one with ham and cheese that was delish), and the empanadas (blue cheese and walnuts – yes please!). 

Also, you should probably try a xuixo (“choo-choo,” roughly), which is a traditional Catalan pastry (from Girona!) that is fried and filled with crema catalana (though we also saw them filled with chocolate on our day trip to Girona).

This is the only place I saw a gluten free version, so get it if they have it!

You can see a list of their current offerings here. 

Cøliaki (Pastries + Breads)

Cøliaki was my first stop on my latest trip to Barcelona, and I stopped by on a VERY rainy morning (I flew halfway around the world to “sunny” Spain just to end up with the same weather as we had at home in Oregon).

It’s on a busy street in Sant Gervasi, a more residential neighborhood just west of Gràcia. 

It’s pretty clearly an area that caters more to locals than tourists, because the other businesses lining the street were things like nail salons and gyms, rather than shops selling knick knacks to take home as souvenirs (which I appreciated, because it’s different from other parts of central Barcelona). 

The bakery itself is great. They have a mix of sweet and savory pastries and breads, and I got a small selection of things to try, including two types of croissants (because it’s one of the easier ways to evaluate a bakery) and a savory toast (because I was hungry). 

Overall, I’d rate this as my second favorite bakery in Barcelona, but there are so many good options to choose from that it’s hard to force rank them (a good – and rare – problem to have!). 

Sana Locura (Pastries + Breads)

Sana Locura was one of our favorite gluten free bakeries during our visit to Madrid, and I only recently found out that they have a new-ish location in Barcelona as well (along with locations in other Spanish cities, including Valencia). 

I didn’t make it to their Barcelona outpost myself on my latest visit, but based on my multiple positive experiences in Madrid (including a stop on that latest Spain trip), I’d recommend it. 

Of all of the gluten free bakeries we’ve visited in Spain, they offer the best balance between pastries and bread that we’ve found (usually, a bakery is good at one or the other).

We’d put it on par with Jansana here in Barcelona, but the location of Jansana is MUCH more convenient, and we’d give their pastries the slight edge. 

CHOK (Sweet Treats – One Location Only)

A note up front: only one of their locations is gluten free! It’s a dedicated kitchen, and it’s certified by the Celiac Association of Catalonia.

They make a couple of things – towering cakes, cookies, and the highlight, kronuts. Which are basically a big donut covered in either vanilla or chocolate icing, and then topped with a variety of toppings.

Cèlia (Pastries + Breads)

Until recently, Cèlia was probably too far for about 95% of people who have just a few days in Barcelona to make it to. But recently they opened a shop a few blocks northeast of La Sagrada Familia, which makes visiting significantly easier!

They’re a bakery, a pastry shop, and a cake shop all in one. We got a couple of pastries – one sweet, one savory – and a baguette-adjacent loaf of bread for later.

The pastries had the best texture out of any pastry we had in Barcelona – light, fluffy, and flaky – and the bread was a nice treat on the train ride the next day, served with plenty of Spanish cheese. 

They’re really good about making sure that every ingredient that comes through the door of the bakery is safe for Celiacs, and are also accredited by the Celiac Association of Catalonia. 

Gluten Tag (Pastries)

Located in the charming part of Gràcia – which is basically anywhere two or three blocks east or west of Passeig de Gràcia – this small gluten free bakery has tons of options, ranging from traditional (croissants) to more adventurous (we’ll get there in a second). 

Everything is also lactose free, if that’s something you need. 

I asked the person working (in Spanish) what her favorite pastry was at the moment, and she eagerly pointed me towards a pastry filled with pumpkin jam/paste called Cabell’d’Angel, which led to a funny back and forth that eventually ended in English because I confused the word for pumpkin (calabaza) with the word for head (cabeza), and let’s just say I was VERY confused. 

Anyway, this pastry was basically a set of thick, fluffy layers filled with a sweet pumpkin jam, and it was delicious. It originated in Mallorca (a place we still need to visit), and has spread across Spain, finding different use cases in different places. 

I also got a savory stuffed pastry (with sausage) and a plain croissant to try, which served as my snacks for my day trip to Montserrat the next day.  

They also had cinnamon buns and apple tarts, but I decided three baked goods was enough for one person considering I had already eaten tons of gluten free baked goods on this trip, and I had many more in my future. 

Glutery (Empanadas)

This is another gluten free bakery right in the heart of one of the most charming parts of Gràcia, which is our favorite neighborhood in Barcelona. 

The unique part about Glutery, we think, is the fact that their offerings skew savory.

In particular, you’ll notice that the majority of their display case is filled with their signature empanadas, which feature both meat and meat-free flavors (I went with spinach mozzarella, but they have plenty of flavors to choose from). 

They also have other savory options – namely focaccia and quiche – but you should definitely try (at least) one empanada. 

Overall, a good spot to get a savory snack or lunch, which you can take over to nearby Plaça del Sol to enjoy with some good old fashioned people watching (it’s one of the best plazas in the city). 

Browneria (Brownies)

If you speak any Spanish at all, you might have a guess at what this place is. And you’d almost certainly be correct. 

It’s a brownie shop. That’s it. Except everything is gluten free, and they have a variety of fun flavors and styles (some with a flavored frosting/cream on top, some without) to choose from. 

They are in a small, narrow storefront in l’Eixample, and make for a nice sweet stop for a snack as you’re exploring the city (it’s a short walk from the Sagrada Familia or Passeig de Gràcia). 

I had two brownies – a passionfruit cream and a pistachio cream – and they were both delicious. Hard to mess up a brownie, if we’re being honest, but I do think this place elevates them beyond your typical brownie with their creative flavors and ingredients. 

Hanai Vegana (Vegan Bakery)

I ate at Hanai Vegana – a gluten free bakery that is also entirely vegan – twice, and only went back a second time to confirm what my taste buds had told me on my first visit to this gluten free bakery a few blocks outside of El Born.

This wasn’t my favorite bakery in Barcelona. It’s a convenient location, and everything is both gluten free and vegan (so if you need both of those things, you’re covered), but otherwise I’d skip it and head elsewhere.

Out of China (Chinese Food)

This was my favorite dining experience on my last trip to Barcelona because I do not think I have ever had gluten free dumplings, and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had gluten free Chinese food. 

Out of China is almost always entirely gluten free, but the server made sure to stipulate when I asked that the menu changes, and ingredients that are hard to find gluten free also might change depending on availability.

However, when I was there (spring of 2024), everything was gluten free. 

I found the ordering experience here to be interesting – you sit down and order from a QR code at your table, and you can add items as you go. On the one hand, I like the efficiency (no need to necessarily wait for a server, which can be a long wait in Spain). 

But on the other hand, I missed the interaction with the server, especially in this case where the menu is sprawling and overwhelming and I really wanted some advice (mainly, to ask if they had any recommendations). 

I ended up with the assorted dim sum, which comes with six steamed dumplings (made with tapioca), and the star of the show was the shrimp dumpling, and it WAS NOT CLOSE. 

I also had their Kungbao (I know it as Kung Pao) chicken, which was pretty good (but I wish I had tried something else – I panicked and went with the safe option). 

The highlight – aside from the shrimp dumpling – was the dessert. Both because it was delicious, and because it led to a funny interaction with the server. 

As I was perusing the menu and overthinking my dinner order, I scrolled to the dessert section of the digital menu and was immediately captivated by their filled mochi desserts.

Specifically, their layered mochi – the sacher torte and the tiramisu, which are a combination of different fillings stacked on top of one another and wrapped in that chewy rice exterior. 

I couldn’t decide between the two mochis mentioned above and was suffering from a little bit of decision fatigue… so I ordered both. When the server brought them to me, she asked if both of them were for me, and if I’d be able to finish them. 

I got through ¾ of both of them before I had to throw in the towel (fork) and quit while I was behind. 

In any case, I highly recommend this place as a unique gluten free offering, though I’d make sure to ask when you arrive (or, ideally, before that) whether their menu is still completely gluten free, or if that has changed. 

Conesa Entrepans (Quick Sandwiches)

Conesa Entrepans was actually at the top of our list of restaurants in Barcelona, which is a little surprising considering it’s a sandwich shop in a super touristy location.

We split a couple of sandwiches and an order of the bravas and took them over to a quiet plaza nearby to enjoy in peace. 

However, despite being a tiny shop with a small kitchen, they clearly have a separate gluten free preparation area in the back corner of the kitchen, and use separate tongs and equipment to prepare the gluten free sandwiches. How did this happen? Great question. 

On their website, they have a page dedicated to their gluten free offerings. On it, the owner talks about how he noticed one day that there was one guy in the kitchen that never ate the sandwiches.

So he asked him why, and ended up deep in the rabbit hole that is navigating life with Celiac Disease. Over the course of years and years, they eventually were able to develop a product that was both safe for Celiacs, and tasted good. 

As someone who has worked for a company that made products that I could not eat, I appreciated the owner’s care and empathy. 

The most important thing to know about eating here is that your sandwich will come out with a handy gluten free sticker. It looks like this. 

As their menu warns, if it does not have this sticker on it, you should take it back and double and triple check with the staff.

The sticker is meant to prevent mistakes, so make sure your sandwich has one! Most of the menu is available gluten free, with a few exceptions (that are marked on the menu). 

We really enjoyed this place, and it makes for a nice, affordable gluten free lunch in the Gothic Quarter, perfect for a break from exploring Barcelona.

I’d recommend going outside of peak times, when it’s (slightly) less hectic and easier to communicate. Though we went at lunchtime, when it was busy, and didn’t have an issue. 

There is an upcharge for gluten free sandwiches, but I think the upcharge makes sense given the care and separate equipment they’ve invested in to prevent cross-contact with gluten in their small kitchen. 

Other Places in Barcelona with Gluten Free Options 

Think of this as a section of places that showed up in my research, but I didn’t personally eat at while I was in Barcelona for whatever reason (usually time constraints). 

Because Barcelona is a big city, there are way too many gluten free restaurants and bakeries to visit in a single trip. 

Or, in this case, even in multiple trips that span more than two weeks. 

So I’m going to use this section as a place to house other recommendations I’ve gotten (or found myself) for gluten free restaurants in Barcelona that I haven’t personally made it to yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t!

Plus, that will make it easy for me next time I’m in Barcelona, because I’ll have my “must-do” list in one place.

A Vocados (100% GF): My hackles go up when a restaurant claims to be super healthy (which is A Vocados whole schtick), mostly because it usually correlates with making tradeoffs between taste and nutritiousness. I already make plenty of taste vs dietary restriction tradeoffs on a daily basis, so I’m not particularly interested in doing that MORE often. Their menu is made up of bowls, salads, and pizzas (among other things). They have one location that is entirely gluten free (it’s this one in l’Eixample), which is nice, but I’d probably choose to eat elsewhere (clearly, because that’s exactly what I did). 

M2 Gluten Free (100% GF): We didn’t actually make it to M2 Gluten Free, but the menu is 100% gluten free and features all sorts of things from burgers, to pizza, to pan con tomate. It’s just east of Gràcia, towards the more lowkey neighborhood of Les Corts. 

Pötstot (100% GF): If you’re looking for a place to eat gluten free and vegan, Pötstot is a good option (if not the best option in the city)! The entire menu is both gluten free and vegan, and has some pretty creative takes on Spanish classics (like their paellas), along with influences from elsewhere around the world. It’s a short walk west of Passeig de Gràcia, which is a convenient location for a dinner out. 

Bloome By Sasha (100% GF): I ate breakfast at Bloome by Sasha one day on my latest trip, and it was VERY brunch-y and VERY Instagrammable. Think avocado toast with poached eggs and white walls. It was fine, but it was a little expensive for what it was. It’s dedicated gluten free, though!

Manduca & Manduca Corner (100% GF): These two restaurants are a few blocks away from each other on the northern edge of El Born (near Mercat de Santa Caterina and the Barcelona Cathedral). The original is a cute and cozy little cafe where you can sit and eat, the “Corner” is a takeaway only joint with a rotating selection of bowls. I went to both, and enjoyed them as a good on-the-go option (particularly Corner – the curry I had was legit really good). 

Thai Barcelona: Thai food is usually a good bet for gluten free food when traveling, particularly curries. In Barcelona, you’ll want to head straight to Thai Barcelona if you want a break from tapas and Catalonian cuisine. We didn’t personally make it here, but had heard and read good things, which is why it’s on this list. They are accredited by the ACC, and have a clearly marked menu that shows which dishes are naturally gluten free, and which dishes can be modified to be gluten free. Personally, I’d stick to the former – the naturally gluten free dishes – to avoid mix ups in the kitchen, but that’s my point of view and risk tolerance, which may be different from yours. 

Where to Find Gluten Free Groceries in Barcelona

Almost every single major grocery store in Spain has some sort of gluten free section, usually in a whole separate section. The exception would be small convenience stores, which aren’t usually a great place to find gluten free bread, pasta, etc. 

Things are well-labeled, and you’ll want to look for “sin gluten” on packaged foods (in some cases in restaurants, it’ll be “sense gluten” which is the Catalan version).

In the EU (and therefore, Spain), this means that the product must have less than 20 ppm of gluten, which is similar to labeling laws in the United States and Canada (among other places). 

El Corte Inglés, Carrefour Express, and Mercadona were our favorites in Barcelona, and they have a nice selection of gluten free items in a dedicated section at most of their locations in the city (Mercadona has their gluten free items mixed in with regular items, though). 

In terms of brands, we gravitate towards Rummo Pasta (the best gluten free pasta we ate in Europe, hands down), Schar breads and crackers, and Barilla pasta sauces and pesto.

Though you’ll find all sorts of different brands – domestic and international – at most of the supermarkets listed above. 

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