Gluten Free Rome: A Complete Travel Guide for Celiacs
Ah, Roma! That home of pasta, pizza, and all the other delicious things that are generally full of gluten. It can’t possibly be easy to eat gluten free in Rome, right? At least that’s what I thought before my first trip to Rome nearly a decade ago just after I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.
That trip, which was my first international trip after my diagnosis, was quite literally a life changing experience for me. I was able to find plenty of safe gluten free restaurants in Rome, and it fundamentally changed the way I viewed living with Celiac Disease.
Now, more than ten years later, I’ve quite literally traveled around the world with Celiac Disease, and Rome is near the top of the list of the best gluten free food cities in the world.
I don’t know where you are in your journey with Celiac Disease or living gluten free, but I want to take a second to let you in on a secret: eating gluten free in Rome (and the rest of Italy, too!) is much, much easier than you’d expect.
You might be wondering why that is.
Italy has a relatively high incidence of Celiac Disease (this is also a great read), and as a result they know how to cater to those who need to eat gluten free for medical reasons.
When you hear “lots of gluten free options,” I know what you’re thinking. “Great, I can’t have any of the good stuff, like pasta or pizza. There’s probably one or two options on the menu, like a boiled chicken breast and veggies.”
False.
In Italy, being a Celiac doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the quality of food in any way, shape, or form. It’s not a matter of eliminating the gluten-containing parts of meals and serving you boiled vegetables and a side of rice.
It’s about replacing it with a safely prepared gluten free alternative so that they can share their cuisine and culture with tourists like you, even if you have to eat gluten free.
In 2021, Alysha and I spent over a month in Italy, including a full 10 days in Rome (my third trip, and Alysha has lived in Rome for six months), where we ate and drank our way through the city – all gluten free, of course.
We put together this guide to eating gluten free in Rome to help you find the best safe gluten free restaurants, bakeries, and of course, gelato shops in the Eternal City. There are a bunch of them, and you’re going to eat REALLY well in Rome. Trust us.
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post, like hotel links, are affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, we make a little bit of money if you click through and book. That being said, we would never recommend something to you that we don’t stand behind 100%.
Some Helpful Travel Tips for Visiting Rome Gluten Free
Before we get into specific restaurants and bakeries in Rome, let’s quickly cover some things we think you should know before you travel to Rome gluten free.
The Italian Celiac Association (Associazione Italiana Celiachia) is Amazing
At a high level, the AIC educates restaurants in Italy on how to safely serve Celiacs a gluten free meal, from sourcing ingredients to separating equipment and surfaces in the kitchen.
It’s a revelation, coming from the USA where it’s essentially a free-for-all, and terms like “gluten-friendly” have somehow become a thing, and are popping up everywhere.
In Italy, it’s generally a good assumption that if something is AIC-accredited, they know what they’re doing.
The first thing you should do when you’re planning a gluten free trip to Italy is download the AIC app, which costs $2.99 to subscribe for two weeks to their database of accredited gluten free restaurants in Italy (you can extend for another two weeks exactly once, and after that you’ll have to get in touch with a local association to subscribe).
In that app, they have an interactive map where you can see accredited restaurants in a given area, including the user ratings (though there’s not much detail behind the ratings).
I automatically disregarded any restaurant with a rating below 4.0, for what it’s worth.
It’s a lifesaver, and it’s better than FindMeGlutenFree, I think.
Get an Italian Gluten Free Restaurant Card
A lot of people in Rome, especially in restaurants, speak English. But if you don’t speak Italian and you’re worried about communicating your needs, Jodi from Legal Nomads has a solution for you that will make eating gluten free in Italy significantly easier.
She has a gluten free restaurant card in Italian that is specifically designed for gluten free travel in Italy.
It clearly communicates our needs as Celiacs, including cross-contamination and specific hidden sources of gluten found in Italy.
It will cost you $9, which is nothing in the grand scheme of your trip, and it will save you tons of stress and anxiety and help you get safe gluten free food in Italy regardless of how much Italian you speak.
Head over to Legal Nomads and pick up an Italian Gluten Free Translation Card to travel safely and confidently with Celiac Disease.
I personally use these when I travel, and they have helped me confidently and comfortably communicate my needs in the face of a language barrier.
I’ve used them in Germany to eat safely in Berlin and Munich, and also down in Colombia and Mexico, and they saved me several times in situations where my 2nd grade Spanish wasn’t quite cutting it.
They are well worth the small investment to help you feel more comfortable and confident traveling with Celiac Disease.
Gelato Shops are a Minefield of Cross-contamination
The gelato goes on the cone, the scoop touches the cone, the scoop goes back into the tub, repeat as needed.
Unless you are able to communicate that you’d like a fresh scooper and a fresh container that hasn’t been opened AND they’re able to accommodate that request (most places don’t have extra tubs sitting around like some ice cream shops do in the US), then I’d stick to the 100% gluten free gelato shops, which you’ll find more information on below.
SPOILER: There are four of them!
Gluten Free Groceries are Easy to Find
Almost every single main grocery store in Italy has some sort of gluten free section, usually in a whole separate area.
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 “senza glutine” on packaged foods. Carrefour Express and Pam Local were our favorites in Rome, and they have a nice selection of gluten free items in a dedicated section at most of their locations in the city.
Gluten Free Wheat Starch is Fairly Common in Pizza Crusts (and Other Baked Goods)
Another problematic ingredient! But, in my opinion, less-so than the gluten free beer example above.
In Italy, and many other E.U. countries, they use an ingredient that is essentially gluten free wheat starch, which offers some nice texture benefits when it’s used in things like pizza crust.
All of a sudden, you go from only being able to do thin crust pizzas to being able to have thick, bubbly pizza crust. MAGIC!
Admittedly, I know less about gluten free wheat starch than I do about gluten reduced beer, but I will once again refer you to Gluten Free Watchdog’s take on it (she’s so much more knowledgeable than I am on this kind of stuff) so that you can use that information to make your own decision.
However, the reason that I’m including this in its separate section is that it absolutely does matter for people with a wheat allergy! If you are eating gluten free because you have a wheat allergy, you’ll need to ask at every restaurant, particularly pizza places.
Eating Gluten Free in Rome: A Complete Guide for Celiacs
So I have some great news: there is a TON of amazing gluten free food in Rome for you to enjoy. You’ll find everything from gluten free pizza (and lots of it), to pastries, pasta, gelato, and just about anything else you can imagine.
Like I said, you wouldn’t necessarily expect that from a city in Italy, the home of pizza and pasta, but I promise, it’s true.
We’re going to organize this guide into four sections: dedicated gluten free restaurants, dedicated gluten free bakeries, dedicated gluten free gelato shops (yes, there are a bunch – all including gluten free cones!), and AIC-accredited gluten free restaurants.
While there are certainly more options in Rome, depending on your risk tolerance, this is a collection of places that we feel is the best shot at getting safe gluten free food in Rome.
Putting my cards on the table here – I think that if you’re a Celiac traveling in Italy, you should focus on either dedicated gluten free restaurants and bakeries, or restaurants that are not 100% gluten free, but ARE accredited by the AIC.
For that reason, the restaurants you will find below are either dedicated gluten free – that means no gluten in the kitchen, so the risk of cross-contamination is low – or AIC-accredited, which means that the staff has been trained on how to prevent cross-contamination and how to cater to Celiac customers. In many cases, both.
Now, is this a perfect way to avoid cross-contamination? Probably not perfect.
Eating out with Celiac Disease always carries some level of risk because it depends on the individual staff members following the procedures put in place.
It’s still up to you to communicate your needs to staff members and make sure they can meet your needs.
Is it an easy shortcut for finding places that are set up to serve Celiacs safely? I believe the answer is yes, which is why that’s how I’ve organized this guide and chosen the restaurants to include.
If you’re curious what our process for discovering and vetting gluten free spots looks like, you can read our gluten free FAQ.
BONUS: I’ve personally eaten at every single restaurant on this list! We spent ten days in Rome on our latest Italy adventure, and most of that time was spent eating our way through the Eternal City. Come to think of it, most of our time spent anywhere involves some sort of eating.
Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurants in Rome
There are at least four dedicated gluten free “restaurants” in Rome, though the line between restaurants and bakeries is a little blurry given that bakeries generally also serve some sort of other food items like pizza, arancini (stuffed rice balls), and the like.
Mama Eat Lab
This, my friend, is the must-visit gluten free restaurant in Rome. Honestly, if you have Celiac Disease, it should be alongside the Colosseum and Vatican as places to visit in the Eternal City.
We loved our first meal at Mama Eat Lab, which consisted of a light lunch of pistachio arancini – which in this case is essentially a fried log of rice stuffed with cheese and pistachios – and a Diavola pizza with spicy salami.
In fact, we loved it so much that we decided to make it our last meal in Rome too!
We returned almost a month later on our last day in Rome before heading to Spain for one last pizza and arancini roll. And, once again, it was magical.
If you’re looking for our favorite gluten free pizza crust in Rome, this is it!
Mama Eat has two locations in Rome, and only this particular location near the Vatican is 100% gluten free. You’ll find the other one in the “AIC-accredited” category below, and it’s also worth a stop if you’re looking for dinner in Trastevere. The food is basically the same.
El Maìz – Venezuelan Street Food
If you’ve followed us – either through this site, or on Instagram – one of the things you might know about us is that WE LOVE AREPAS. We’re suckers for a good Venezuelan-style filled arepa – which is basically a sandwich between two corn cakes.
I can honestly say that I was definitely not expecting to find arepas in Rome, and the only reason I did was that I was scrolling through the AIC app looking for more restaurants to try and stumbled upon El Maìz (which is AIC-accredited and 100% gluten free).
Within four hours, we had trekked (in the rain) out to Prati (near the Vatican) for our arepa fix, which was a lovely break from pasta, pizza, and all other things Italian.
Inside is tiny – you can see through to the kitchen, where the family behind the restaurant is hard at work – but they have a little bit of outdoor seating.
Luckily, arepas are portable, so you can take them and find a nice bench or fountain to sit at and enjoy your meal if all the seats are taken.
First thing’s first – before we get to arepas, definitely order the tostones, which were hands down our favorite item of the meal. Tostones are fried green plantains, and the version here is topped with a carrot slaw and guacamole salsa. They’re fantastic. We still talk about them.
The arepas are great too, don’t get me wrong. Their flavors are roughly the same as most Venezuelan places we’ve visited.
We’re always in for the vegetarian arepa, which usually has some form of cheese, avocado, and fried sweet plantains involved. Reina Pepiada – which is kind of like a chicken-avocado salad – is another classic that we’d recommend, and the beef pabellon with plantains is one of my go-to orders if we’re not sharing.
One other thing – the cachapas, which are a sweet corn crepe, essentially – are also worth looking at. Specifically, the queso cachapa, which weighs about a pound with most of that weight coming from the cheese stuffed inside. YUM.
Seriously though, order the tostones.
Risotteria Melotti
As much as I hate to say it, this place was a little underwhelming. We showed up at dinner time (so 8:45 pm or so, at least in Rome) on a weekday without a reservation, and the host made a big show of seeing if he could fit us in (the place was basically empty, save a few people).
The food at Risotteria Melotti is rice-based, focusing on risotto which is a specialty of northern Italy. We split a coupe of risottos and some arancini to start, and I would say the food was strictly fine. Nothing amazing, nothing terrible. It was fine.
It is 100% gluten free, but I’ve definitely had better risotto elsewhere in Italy. If you’ve got limited time in Rome, we’d opt to go elsewhere.
New Food Gluten Free – Ponte Sisto
New Food Gluten Free is a great example of a place where it’s a little unclear whether they should be a restaurant or bakery. They have a bunch of baked goods, and also serve pizza.
I think the pizza is the highlight, and the baked goods are an accompaniment, so they go in the restaurant category!
The pizza is thin crust, and it’s plenty crispy. It’s not like some of the pizzas you’ll have at sit down restaurants in Rome, but it’s actually better for quick consumption on the go, which makes this a nice, affordable lunch spot.
We also got a little mini canolo, and the friendly woman behind the counter threw in a pistachio cream puff thing (not sure what the name actually is).
Both sweets were solid, and they had plenty of other options to choose from when it came to sweets. Most notably, the little containers in the refrigerator with what looked like tiramisu and cheesecakes.
Dedicated Gluten Free Bakeries in Rome
The line between a gluten free restaurant and a gluten free bakery is a little blurry in Italy, since most places on this list serve both baked goods and some sort of bigger lunch options (pizza, focaccia, etc).
However, these are the places that I think should fall under the “gluten free bakery” category, mostly because they’re all great places to get your hands on a pastry – we love cornetti filled with pistachio cream, cannoli filled with ricotta, and bombolini filled with pretty much anything, for what it’s worth.
Le Altre Farine del Mulino
There are two gluten free bakeries that rose to the top for us, and Le Altre Farine del Mulino is the first.
We went twice, which is saying something considering it’s not exactly in a central or convenient location – and I would say it’s 100% worth the journey. Which is really only a 10-15 minute detour from Castel Sant’Angelo or the Vatican.
They have a selection of gluten free goodies that changes throughout the day, starting with sweet pastries that make up a crucial part of a traditional Italian breakfast (the other part being un caffe), and at noon the selection moves over to pizzas, calzones, and arancini (a stuffed rice ball filled with all sorts of fun fillings).
On our second trip, we knew what we wanted – PIZZA. On the first trip, we had ordered roughly one of everything, and the pizza was the highlight.
The crust is not thick and bubbly like some other crusts we had, but it was thin and crispy and the toppings were ON POINT (which means “great”).
So the second day, we showed up at 11:00 am and I asked, in broken Italian, when we would be able to eat pizza.
Between noon and 12:30 pm was the answer, and so we ordered a cornetti (filled with ricotta, but we should have done pistacchio), an espresso, and sat down and waited for an hour until we could get our hands on that sweet, sweet pizza.
The point is, if you want pastries, go early. If you want pizza and arancini (which is also delicious), go later.
The second point is, definitely go – it’s worth it.
La Pasticceria
The second part of the gluten free bakery duo in Rome that you shouldn’t miss is La Pasticceria, and we also made it here twice over the course of our ten day food-filled Rome adventure.
And, again, the selection varied based on the time of day, though the woman behind the counter remained the same.
She was very, very friendly, and spoke great English, which is always helpful in understanding what exactly everything is.
The location is convenient if you’re going to be around Termini Station, which is Rome’s main train station.
It’s just a couple of blocks north, which makes it an ideal stop either when you’re arriving or leaving Rome (though it’s a bit out of the way at other times).
The first time, we were there in the morning, so we got a cornetto (a pastry that’s kind of like a croissant, but filled with your choice of fillings like ricotta, chocolate, or pistachio cream) and a canolo, which is a tube of fried batter also filled (this time with ricotta).
It was the best gluten free cannolo (cannolo is the singular form of cannoli, which we learned in Italy) in Rome, for sure, and the cornetto (same deal here – singular vs. plural) was really, really good.
The woman, who must have been the owner or someone deeply involved in the business, was very helpful in giving us tips on where else to eat in Rome gluten free.
The second time, we showed up around lunch and were greeted by the same smiling face.
But this time, the pastries were swapped for focaccia and pizza, which we grabbed to go and enjoyed back at our hostel for a late lunch. The focaccia, in particular, was outstanding. Thick, fluffy, and with just enough salt to satisfy my salt-tooth. Is this heaven?
Pandalì
The location of Pandalì is fantastic – it’s right in the heart of the Centro Storico, which makes it a great stop for breakfast or lunch during a day of exploring.
To be frank, we weren’t super impressed with the food, but we showed up at the end of the lunch rush and it was pretty clear that they were out of a lot of things.
So I definitely wouldn’t write it off, and I would consider coming earlier in the morning (around 10:00 – 11:00 am) rather than after the lunch rush.
I would break up the types of things they offer into three groups. First, breads. Second, sweets. Third, more complete dishes that you buy by weight (think pasta, calzones, arancini, etc).
The bakery was envisioned and brought to life by Maria Fermanelli back in 2014, and after a full year closed in 2020, they are open again, and have a new vigor for testing and trying new gluten free recipes.
They are very, very committed to creating delicious foods for Celiacs, which means every ingredient that comes through the door is vetted to make sure it is not contaminated by cross-contact with wheat at some point in the supply chain. And, of course, it has to taste good!
Celiachiamo Lab
You’ll also find Celiachiamo in the “grocery stores” section below, because it’s part 100% gluten free bakery, part 100% gluten free grocery store (seriously, every gluten free bread, pasta, cookie, and cracker brand, all in one place!).
We stopped by for lunch to try the fresh baked items at their location in Prati, over near the Vatican.
It was fairly busy at lunch time, and it was pretty evident why when we walked up to the counter and saw all sorts of baked goods, from lunch items like pizza and focaccia, to sweet items galore.
We thought the food was good, but not the best we had in Rome. Still, we definitely think this place is worth a stop, both for the bakery part, and for the grocery store part.
Starbene Senza Glutine
This place is about 45 minutes away from the center by metro or bus, so it’s probably out of the way for almost everyone traveling to Rome.
But, if you find yourself north of the center, it’s a worthy stop.
We didn’t make it here, but are familiar with Starbene from other cities in Italy (we enjoyed the one in Lucca, which we did stop at), and follow them on Instagram and drool over all of their pictures.
Dedicated Gluten Free Gelato Shops in Rome
There are four 100% gluten free gelato shops in Rome, and two of them have multiple locations around the city (Grom and Fatamorgana), so you’ll never be too far away from your next gelato.
When I say “100% gluten free,” I mean it. Everything – including cones – is gluten free. Yes, even the cones dipped in chocolate and covered with pistachios.
A word to the wise – you should absolutely try pistachio, bacio (chocolate hazelnut), and anything with a ricotta base (we had both a caramelized fig and a pistachio cream with a ricotta base).
Oh, yeah – these are organized in terms of our favorite places, starting with the first places we’d recommend you go.
In Italy, we learned that there are some things to look out for to determine if the gelato you’re considering is good quality.
One of those things is tubs piled high with bright-looking gelato (warning, this actually means it might not be made with high quality ingredients), which is definitely the case at some of the places below. Grom and Fatamorgana are the real deal – we really enjoyed both.
Grom
I love Grom. I discovered them first in NYC where they have a 100% gluten free gelato shop. Even the cones!
Then, when we spent more than a month in Italy, Grom was our standby for gelato since they have locations in basically every single Italian city.
Here’s the thing about Grom – their gelato is legitimately good. Sometimes, when you eat gluten free, you have to make some compromises on taste and texture (particularly with baked goods). Not at Grom!
The story behind the cones is similar to a lot of the best gluten free brands out there. They wanted gluten free cones, but all the options they found sucked, so they made their own. I respect that.
They have a bunch of locations in Rome, so you can get gelato for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Gelateria Fatamorgana
100% gluten free gelato and cones in the heart of Rome – what more could you ask for? They also have eight locations, great flavors, and are good with other allergies. You can find sugar, egg, or dairy free options as well.
The other thing about Fatamorgana that is noteworthy is that their flavors rotate all the time (though, of course, they still have a set of mainstays), and the gelato is fresh as can be.
Ironically, the two best gelato spots are places we have been outside of Italy – Fatamorgana also has a location in Los Angeles.
I’m not so sure about some of the quotes on the lifestyle page of their website, though. “Fatamorgana Gelato is the best way to recover energy after sports.”
Fioco Di Neve
A third dedicated gluten free gelato shop? You’ve got to be kidding me. Fantastic gelato, all sorts of 100% gluten free cones, and it’s literally steps away from the Pantheon. Sign me up for more gelato.
We actually went to Fioco di Neve twice.
The first time we did I was hoping to get an Insta-worthy picture with my gelato cone in the foreground, and the Pantheon in the background. So we each got a small cone (which, for the record, is still massive and one cone is plenty of gelato to share between two people), and started towards the Pantheon.
Only one problem – it was 80 degrees and the gelato started melting almost immediately. So instead of getting my picture, I got a plop of gelato on my camera and pants. Close enough, I guess?
We went back a second time – because the gelato is legit good – and had an incredible ricotta and pistachio cream flavor that I’d highly recommend, if they happen to have it.
Gelato G Italiano
Gelato g Italiano is another 100% gluten free gelato shop, this time right near Trevi Fountain. Tons of flavors, all gluten free – including the cones. They’re also AIC-accredited, and have a huge “100% gluten free” sign on the door.
We opted for a waffle cone, and they serve the gelato in a cone with mickey ears using mini cone pieces. The gelato is good – not the best or the highest quality, but sometimes you need a gelato fix, and the location a block from Trevi Fountain makes it hard to beat if you’re nearby on a hot summer day.
AIC-Accredited Gluten Free Restaurants in Rome
Before going into this section, I want to point out that this is not meant to be a comprehensive list of every single place you could possibly find gluten free food in Rome.
Instead, this is a list of restaurants that are well-reviewed on the AIC app (along with other apps) AND that we had a good experience at.
That’s right, I ate at all of these restaurants. Your experience may vary, of course, because it comes down to communicating your needs to the staff and them following the protocols they have in place to prevent cross-contamination.
If you’re worried about not being able to communicate, spend the $9 on an Italian gluten free restaurant card, and you won’t have to stress about pulling up “I have Celiac Disease, is this gluten free” on Google Translate with a limited internet connection.
Mama Eat
This is the other location of Mama Eat, and it’s in an equally great location in the heart of Trastevere, our favorite neighborhood in Rome.
However, this place IS NOT 100% gluten free, though they do have separate kitchens and equipment to prepare gluten free meals and are AIC-accredited.
We had a lovely meal here on a warm fall evening, right next to an Italian couple who clearly had been there before, which is always a good sign.
They have a full menu of pizzas, pastas, and starters, and it’s all available in a gluten free version. We got carbonara – a traditional dish from Rome made with pasta, egg, and pancetta (or other forms of fatty pork) – and a pizza to share.
Both were really good – Mama Eat’s gluten free pizza crust was our favorite we had in Rome – but the unexpected star of the show was actually the house wine, which was amazing and SO CHEAP.
We really enjoyed both the ambiance, sitting along one of Trastevere’s streets and watching the world go by, and the food (and wine), and think it makes a lovely place for an evening out in Trastevere.
More Rome Travel Guides to Help You Plan Your Trip
- WHAT TO DO: The Best Things to Do in Rome
- ITINERARY: How to Plan an Amazing Rome Itinerary
- WHERE TO STAY: The Best Places to Stay in Rome
- COLOSSEUM TOUR: Our favorite Colosseum Tour in Rome (A Review)
Pantha Rei
Pantha Rei was a very pleasant surprise, because my expectations weren’t particularly high going in, knowing that you can basically see the Pantheon from their front door.
However, as soon as we entered their little courtyard nook tucked away from the madness of the piazza near the Pantheon, we settled into one of our better meals in Rome.
The outdoor seating in that little alleyway that they call home is the perfect place for a nice, romantic dinner in Rome. And, sure enough, you can see the Pantheon from the outdoor tables.
Pantha Rei is AIC-accredited, and they bring out a little gold bottle to put on your table to signify that you need gluten free food.
Then, when your food arrives, it will have a flag in it to show that it is gluten free. Always ask your server when the food shows up, just to be sure (usually, servers will say gluten free or senza glutine when they bring it, anyway).
But what about the food.
We started with an appetizer that was essentially a fried piece of dough, stuffed with zucchini flowers, anchovies, and cheese, and it was fantastic. Probably the best thing we ate that night, to be honest.
We also got a salad, because a month of solely pasta and pizza was starting to get to us, and we needed something green. The salad was huge!
For our main courses, we split a pizza and a pasta dish – cacio e pepe – that is a traditional Roman dish (we make it at home fairly often using this recipe).
The pizza isn’t great (thin crust, similar to what you’d get in the US), and we’d recommend sticking to their pastas, which were homemade and pretty outstanding.
The cacio e pepe had a twist that we’re definitely stealing and using at home – it had mint in it, which was an unexpected delight!
They also have gluten free desserts to choose from, and we went with the tiramisu, which I would say was good, not great.
Overall though, the friendly service (putting up with us trying to do everything in semi-broken Italian), ambiance, and awesome pasta dishes made it one of our favorite dining experiences in Rome.
One thing to know going into Pantha Rei is that you will pay 1-2 Euros extra for gluten free food PER DISH. I know that doesn’t feel great (they should really just have a gluten free menu with different prices, which is the same end result, but just…feels better than seeing an extra 6 Euros of gluten free upcharges).
La Soffitta Renovatio
La Soffitta Renovatio is kitty-corner (or across the plaza) from the southeast side of the Vatican.
Like all of the restaurants in this section, it’s accredited by the AIC, which means they have robust protocols in place to prepare gluten free meals. Your food will come out with a little flag in it to signify that it’s gluten free.
I would say that both the food and the ambiance were above average, but nothing particularly spectacular.
We would definitely eat there again – especially if we happened to be near the Vatican – but if you haven’t already been to nearby Mama Eat Lab (which is 100% gluten free), we’d recommend going there!
We got a pizza and carbonara (see a theme here?) and the pizza crust was good – not the best, but really solid – as was the pasta.
Voglia di Pizza
This place was around the corner from our apartment in Rome on our latest trip, and we checked in after arriving on a late flight and were hungry for some pizza, so we stopped by Voglia di Pizza.
The first thing they asked me was if I needed a gluten free menu (to which I replied “si”), and they sat us down in their nice little courtyard area.
They are AIC-accredited, and basically the entire menu can be made gluten free, from pasta to pizza. With the name including the word “pizza,” we figured that’s what we should try.
However, the pizza – which comes with a nice little flag in it to signify that it’s gluten free – leaves a little bit to be desired. It was fine, but it was certainly not the best gluten free pizza we ate in Rome (and it wasn’t even in the top three).
So if you’re in Rome for just a few days, we think you can probably do better at one of the many gluten free options above.
They’ll tell you they have gluten free beer, but it’s gluten-reduced (we covered why this is an issue above), so we recommend that Celiacs avoid it.
Pizza in Trevi
I know everyone loves this place and raves about it, but I’m going to keep this pretty brief and to the point.
The pizza here was some of the worst we had in Rome, the ambiance was “blah” because it’s right at Trevi Fountain, which means hundreds of people walking by your table every minute, and it was also the most expensive pizza we had in Italy.
You can, and should, do better. We generally recommend not eating within a few blocks of major tourist attractions, where you usually find high prices and mediocre food, which is exactly what is happening here.
Instead, head to Pantha Rei near the Pantheon, or Risotteria Melotti (also in the Centro Storico). If you want pizza, make the journey to Mama Eat Lab over in Prati near the Vatican, which was our favorite gluten free pizza in Rome.
Grocery Stores with Gluten Free Options in Rome
There are a handful of main grocery store chains in Rome, and all three of them have a variety of gluten free options. Most even have a separate aisle, so you don’t have to worry about digging through the gluten-filled bread to find the single gluten free bread option.
The best part? The price gap between gluten free and regular products is a lot smaller than it is here in the US. No $10 loaves of tiny gluten free bread in Rome!
Here are a few grocery store chains to grab gluten free food. All three have a variety of options, from breads to cookies and other treats. If you’re lucky, you’ll even find some store brand options that are even cheaper.
Look for the words “senza glutine.”
In addition to the major chains, there are actually two dedicated gluten free stores in Rome that you should absolutely visit.
MUST STOP FOR CELIACS. The first is Celiachiamo, the first dedicated gluten free grocery store in Rome. They have multiple locations, including one near the Vatican and one near Tiburtina Station. You’ll find a wide selection of pre-packaged gluten free groceries alongside fresh baked gluten free bread and pizza. Well worth a stop, or even a detour, for Celiacs in Rome. Check out their location at via Della Magliana 183.
The second dedicated gluten free grocery store is called l’Isola Celiaca.
They have a bunch of shops across Italy (so check them out if you’re traveling outside of Roma), including several in Rome.
Similar to Celiachiamo, you’ll find gluten free groceries, and a selection of fresh baked breads and takeaway options. Unfortunately, their locations in Rome aren’t as central as I would like, but it is worth a detour to check it out.
Between a dedicated gluten free aisle in most major supermarkets and several dedicated gluten free grocery stores scattered around Rome, it’s easy to be a Celiac in Rome.
The Highlights: The Best Gluten Free Restaurants and Bakeries in Rome
There’s A LOT of detailed information about each restaurant in this guide above, which is great if you want to dive into the details of what to expect, what to order, and more.
But what if you just want a quick list of the best gluten free food in Rome? That’s what this section is for.
Here are the five places we think you should prioritize while you’re in Rome. If you’re only in Rome for a few days, it’s not like you’re going to make it through the entire list below anyway (it took us 10 full days).
So here are the five restaurants, bakeries, and gelato shops we liked the most, and think you shouldn’t miss.
- Mama Eat Lab: 100% gluten free, and in a perfect location right near the Vatican. Mama Eat had our favorite gluten free pizza crust in Rome, and their fried arancini rolls are fantastic (get the pistachio!).
- Grom Gelato: After sampling allll the gluten free gelato shops in Rome (there are four that are 100% gluten free – cones and all!), Grom still reigns supreme. They have locations all over the world – like in Paris and Lisbon – and also in just about every city in Italy (like Milan and Florence). It’s fresh and delicious.
- Le Altre Farine del Mulino: We had two favorite gluten free bakeries in Rome, this is the first. It’s a little out of the way, tucked away on the less-visited side of the Vatican, but it’s worth the detour. Get their cornetti for breakfast, and their pizza or arancini for lunch.
- La Pasticceria: The second gluten free bakery, this is the place to go for sweets! Cornetti, cannoli, bomboloni, oh my! It’s right near Termini Station, which is probably where you’ll arrive at / leave from at some point.
- Pantha Rei: The location near the Pantheon and ambiance is what puts it on this list. It’s tucked away in a quiet courtyard, and their outdoor seating is lit nicely – perfect for a romantic evening (or just, you know, a normal dinner). Their pasta is good, their pizza isn’t as good. Stick to pasta.
It is unfortunate but on my recent trip this week to Rome (November 2021) I went to several places in the article and they had either closed down, changed hours from what’s posted online or closed certain locations. Most likely due to Covid shutdowns and low tourist numbers. Super bummed as we were so excited to try them. Grom by Pantheon is a closed location. Pandalia was shuttered, Le Altre Farine del Marino was also closed down too. So sad. Still on the hunt for a great gluten free restaurant in Rome. Thought you should know so you could change the article.
Hey Liz! That’s odd – we were in Rome for a total of 10 days in October and November and went to every single place on this list. Some had changed addresses since the beginning of the pandemic, so maybe that’s what you experienced? It’s also totally possible that places closed to go on vacation, which usually happens in November because December is a high tourist season with domestic tourists. Sorry your experience wasn’t what you were hoping for.
Amazing list of places. My wife and I went to several of these locations and had a great time. The crust and pizza and Mama Eat was the best and would highly recommend it. Thanks for putting this list together and sharing it.
We also used your Paris list and had a lot of luck. Keep up the good work 👍
Le Altre Farine del Marino has an amazing selection of pastries, along with delicious pizza and baked pasta dishes. We are fortunate to be staying on this side of town and enjoy stopping there a few times a week. This is our best find this trip.
Agree! Love their pastries. We made a detour on our last day to go back. Cheers!