Looking for the best gluten-free restaurants and bakeries in Milan? You’re in the right place – we’ve visited Milan twice over the past couple of years, and we spent the majority of that time exploring the city on the hunt for the top spots in the city for gluten-free options.
In this guide, we’ll provide a complete overview of eating gluten free in Milan, from some travel tips we learned during our six weeks in Italy, to the best dedicated gluten free restaurants and bakeries in Milan, plus some other Celiac-safe locations that are accredited by the AIC – Italy’s Celiac Association.
Upon arriving in Milan after spending a few weeks exploring the beautiful region of Sicily (read about our Sicilian road trip experience here), where gluten free dining options were scarce, we landed in Milan for a brief 24 hour visit prior to continuing northward through Italy.
We shifted from mainly cooking our own meals in Sicily (a delightful experience thanks to the amazing abundance of fresh produce and ingredients) to trying to figure out how we would eat at every restaurant and bakery on our list (we almost succeeded in visiting them all too!).
Then, almost exactly a year later, Matt returned to Milan for an extended trip to finish the list (among other things). We’ve made some updates below based on that trip, but most of this guide stands as written on that first food-filled trip.
Milan surprised us, and we found it to be much more of a large, modern European city than we expected given our experience in Italy. It’s charming, has a lot of important history, and perhaps most significantly, has a pretty good gluten free selection, which we’re about to explore.
Planning a brief visit to Milan but want to see the highlights? We’ve provided itineraries to spending a perfect day in Milan and 2 days in Milan with all the necessary details to assist in your trip planning. Including acquiring tickets for the Duomo and Last Supper. Plus recommendations for the best places to lodge in Milan to aid in selecting suitable accommodations.
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%.
Tips for Traveling Gluten Free in Milan (and Italy More Broadly)
Here are some helpful tips for traveling without gluten in Italybased on our own experience exploring the nation for five weeks. And most importantly, enjoying the cuisine.
One point I want to make at the outset – results may differ person to person.
These are pointers that are grounded on my experience, needs, preferences, and preconceived notions about traveling while managing gluten.
However, one`s needs and past experiences may diverge from my own.
The AIC ( Associazione Italiana Celiachia) is your new Best Friend.
The initial thing you should do when planning a gluten free trip to Italy is download the AIC app, which costs $2.99 to subscribe for a fortnight to their database of accredited gluten free eateries in Italy.
You can prolong your subscription by an additional two weeks precisely once, after which you`ll need to connect with a local organization to re-enroll.
In that application, they have an interactive map where you can see accredited restaurants in a given area, including user ratings (though there’s not much information behind the ratings).
I automatically disregarded any restaurant with a rating under 4.0, for what it’s worth. It’s a lifesaver, and it’s superior to FindMeGlutenFree in this context, I think.
Gluten Free Groceries are Easy to Find
Nearly every single major grocery store in Italy has some form of gluten free section, usually in a completely separate area.
The exception would be small convenience stores, which typically aren’t great places to find gluten free bread, pasta, and other goods.
Items are clearly labeled, and you`ll want to look for “senza glutine” on packaged foods.
Carrefour was our favorite spot in Milan, and they have a nice selection of gluten free products in a dedicated section at most of their city locations.
Our most loved grocery store brands in Italy, not in any specific request, were Schar for bread and snares, Rummio for pasta (it wasn`t close – this was our most loved gluten free pasta in Italy), and Barilla fixings and pesto (which are all named “senza glutine”).
A 100% Gluten Free Grocery Store
There is a market located in Milan that solely offers gluten free options, stocking a wide range of pastas, breads, crackers, cookies, and virtually any other food item you could possibly imagine or want in a gluten free version.
🏠 Population: 484 | 📍 Google Maps | Point Arena Website
We didn’t make it out there, but if you find yourself in the area and need some gluten free groceries, you should definitely stop by!
Gelato Shops are a Minefield of Cross-Contamination
The frozen dessert is applied onto the cone holder, the scoop makes contact with the cone holder, the scoop returns to the container, repeat as essential.
Unless you have the ability to communicate your preference for a fresh scooper and unopened container and they can accommodate the ask (most establishments don`t keep extra containers like some ice cream shops do in the US), then I`d opt for the 100% gluten free gelato shops in Milan, outlined below.
Be Skeptical of any “Gluten Free” Beer (Spoiler: it’s Gluten-Reduced).
Compared to other Italian cities, Milan offers a wide variety of gluten free beer options.
Which I was enthusiastic about! Until, of course, I read the labels and saw “barley malt” on every single label.
Barley, as you may know, is among the grains that incorporates gluten.
Literally all eight of the gluten free beers I examined in Italy – including Greens, one of the safe beers in the United States – was gluten-reduced.
Which implies these beers are crafted from barley then an enzyme is added to break down the gluten, interfering with the test`s ability to detect gluten. Seems questionable, right? Correctly so.
In both Canada and the US, you cannot label these beers gluten free. It’s legal in the EU to identify these beers as “gluten free,” and often the only way you’d know it includes barley is by looking at the ingredients.
📍 Online Map Reference | Location Website | 🅿️ Self-pay parking area | 🐕 Dogs not permitted | 🛎️ Nearby Premier Accommodations: Cliffridge by AvantStay
In Milan, Most People Spoke Plenty of English
Unlike Sicily, where it was somewhat unpredictable, Milan more closely resembled Rome and Florence in that many individuals working in customer service spoke proficient English. So much so that we, two people who could barely say “ciao,” were able to get around fairly easily (2023 update: I spent time learning Italian and can now at minimum communicate).
However, if you’re concerned that you won’t be able to communicate your particular needs around gluten, pick up a gluten free restaurant card from Jodi through her online store, who creates the most comprehensive cards to help explain dietary requirements.
I personally purchase them before every trip, and bring them with me mostly as a last resort option. If you’re stressed about potential language barriers, the $9 investment is certainly worth it.
Get your Italian gluten free dining card here.
Expect Things to be Closed Randomly (and on either Sunday or Monday, or both!)
The lengthy construction timeframe – and involvement of multiple architects – means the architectural styles within the cathedral are diverse.
This problem is not unique to Milan – this commonly happens in many places in Italy (and in Paris,Lisbon, and Barcelona, too).
The best way to avoid this is to confirm operating hours directly with the restaurants beforehand, whether by stopping by in person, calling (if possible while abroad), or contacting them through social media or Google (they respond about 30% of the time based on my experience).
Gluten Free Milan: The Best Gluten Free Restaurants and Bakeries in Milan, Italy
I’ve separated the gluten free options in Milan into a few distinct groups. There’s the completely gluten free restaurants (and gelato shops), the completely gluten free bakeries, and the AIC-accredited restaurants.
Providing full disclosure – In my view, if you have Celiac disease and are traveling in Italy, you should focus on either dedicated gluten free restaurants and bakeries that specialize in being free of gluten, or establishments that are not entirely gluten free but are accredited by the AIC .
For that reason, the restaurants detailed below are either dedicated gluten free – meaning no gluten is present in the kitchen, so the risk of cross-contamination is minimal – or AIC-accredited, indicating the staff has received training on how to prevent cross-contamination and cater to Celiac customers.
Now, is this really the most effective way to prevent cross-contamination? Probably not.
- You`ll find numerous budget hotels and motels along Interstate 35E north of the main downtown area – it`s the most affordable location near Downtown Dallas.
It’s still up to you to communicate your needs to staff and confirm they can meet your requirements.
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.
Ultimately, you are responsible for communicating your needs to staff and confirming they can accommodate your requirements.
Luckily for you, there are plenty of options in Milan in both categories to keep you occupied for quite some time!
Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurants in Milan
There is only one dedicated gluten-free eatery in Milan, but two 100% gluten-free gelato spots (one with numerous locations), which I`ll gladly include in the dining category.
To put it bluntly, if gelato isn`t a part of your daily routine while visiting Italy, you likely aren`t making the most of your trip there (unless dairy doesn`t agree with you, in which case I have some dairy-free options mentioned below).
Bistrò and Via Dalla Spiga
Bistrò was a truly pleasant place for lunch in Milan, and the food was excellent! It becomes very busy, and a reservation is likely advisable (particularly on weekends).
A similar gathering likewise has a gluten free pastry kitchen called Via Dalla Spiga only a 15 moment stroll west, which is the place they get every one of the delectable baked products – sweet and savoury cakes and loads of focaccia – in the cases at the eatery.
We arrived when Bistrò first opened (in 2022, I had a similar experience and nearly missed seating at a counter before a space was made for me) mostly due to plans after for more baked goods and a train, finding amusement watching deliveries occur shortly after opening while waiting.
After reviewing the truly extensive menu featuring everything from pasta and baguettes to crepes, we struggled to decide due to the vast options.
Fortunately, our server had Celiac disease herself, and gave us a few recommendations. Namely, the handmade ravioli, which we got with a pumpkin-sage sauce.
The other thing we shared was a sandwich with goat cheese spread, fig jam, and some type of cured meat (possibly pancetta? I’m not completely certain).
This gluten free restaurant began as a concept and workshop in 2013, and expanded a few years later to include the restaurant in central Milan.
The extensive menu, which I mentioned, is designed to be perfect for all times of day, whether you’re looking for lunch or an appetizer after a day of work.
All the baked goods and pastas are made fresh on-site (or in their nearby gluten free bakery / market, Villa della Spiga).
2023 Update: Returned, ordered the ossobuccco, which is a specialty dish in Milan. Was it the best meal I`ve ever had? Probably not. But I couldn’t find another good option for trying it, and the baked goods are truly excellent here.
Grom Gelato
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (720) 258-3000 | Website
Every item is gluten free – even the cones. Yes, even the cones rolled in chocolate. And yes, even the cones rolled in chocolate and pistachios. Or hazelnuts. All of the options are gluten free!
You know how, sometimes, you’re willing to compromise a little on the “quality” aspect when a place is dedicated gluten free, so you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination?
Well, this isn’t that.
Grom’s gelato is truly delicious. Very good. In Lisbon, my brother had visited a non-gluten free gelato establishment across the road from Grom the day before, and he was completely in agreement with Grom being much, much better after trying it the next day.
Grom offers various traditional flavors – the stracciatella, hazelnut, and pistachio are our regularly suggested flavors – and a rotating assortment of flavors that vary with the seasons.
The best part is there are multiple locations in Milan. If you happen to be situated somewhere in Milan and think to yourself “I could go for some gelato right now,” there is a decent chance that you’re within a 15-20 minute walk of one of Grom’s locations in Milan.
Out of the Box (Gluten Free with Dairy Free Options)
Yes, Milan is blessed with yet another gelato shop that is 100% gluten free. And this one has vegan and dairy free choices too!
When I entered Out of the Box, I initially asked “tutto e senza glutine?” The server smiled and informed me that all products are gluten free, and some things are dairy free. Heaven on earth? Basically, yeah.
The gelato was just as good as – and we would argue even better than Grom – which is saying something as we view Grom as the best outside of Rome.
I had a ricotta / fig flavor that was amazing – if you ever see ricotta flavors and you tolerate dairy, do yourself a favor and just order them – and the other person discovered chocolate hazelnut flavored frozen treat here, which is chocolate hazelnut.
The gluten free cones are superb too – you’d never detect they were gluten free if unaware.
They have two locations in Milan – one near Milano Centrale, and one near Porta Romana in the southeastern corner of the city center.
Dedicated Gluten Free Bakeries in Milan
Multiple bakeries without gluten exist in Milan, and we did our utmost to go to all of them over the course of our day in Milan.
Glufree
Glufree was the gluten free bakery in Milan that I was familiar with before doing research for the trip, having seen multiple pictures of delicious gluten free pastries on Instagram over the years. We went just before lunch, and the selection was great.
They offer a nice variety between pastries – both sweet and savory – and more conventional lunch selections like pizza, sandwiches, and even arancini.
Everything is gluten free, and they’re accredited by the Italian Association for Celiacs.
When I visited previously, I truly struggled to decide what I wanted to select due to having too many excellent options.
Items are sold by weight here, so I insisted the female worker behind the counter reweigh everything twice because I did not realize what was happening until I saw her roll her eyes and discard the original price tag (2023 Update: I committed the exact same error one year later. Oops).
My bad, I apologize.
The good news is that their products are great.
For breakfast, choices included brioches (which are essentially croissants, and we learned they`re the same item as “cornetti” – the name for the pastry in southern Italy), muffins, and various other pastries.
Enjoy it at the bar with a caffe (a shot of espresso) to do your best impression of a real Italian.
Like I mentioned, we really enjoyed the parigina – which is like a stuffed pastry, filled with sausage, tomato, cheese, and broccoli rabe (in this case).
We had it multiple times in Italy, and it was fantastic every time. The crust is nice and buttery, and the fillings bring a little contrast in flavor and texture.
We opted to pick up two stuffed brioche pastries – available with fillings like nutella, chocolate, ricotta cheese, and pistachio cream – to enjoy for breakfast the next day in the northern Italian city of Verona.
We ended up choosing one pistachio (if you see a brioche filled with pistachio, get it!) and one with crema. Not the finest brioches / cornetti we had in Italy, but quite satisfactory.
The bread from this location is also quite savory, which we know because we ended up with a bread that resembled a baguette and a regular loaf, both of which were enjoyed as part of a cheese selection the following day.
Pan Per Me
Pan Per Me was our final stop on our Milan bakery tour, which means we decided to purchase items to enjoy later that evening following our train ride.
It’s just a short walk north of Glufree, so it makes a nice one-two punch if you make your way to the eastern side of Milan.
Again, everything here is gluten free, and they are also accredited by the Italian Association for Celiacs.
I would say that they have two different offerings. The first is their quickserve items, like pizza, pastries, and breads, that are sold by weight at the counter.
They offered a nice selection of tarts that looked delicious (but likely would not have traveled well), and we were disappointed to see they had run out of brioche at the time of our visit.
We chose a thick slice of pizza with a crust almost like focaccia and a pastry item we don`t know the name of but was like a pizza puff. Here is a picture of both the pizza and the pizza puff.
For breakfast, if you make it here earlier in the day than we did, you’ll be able to grab a coffee and a pastry – a brioche is our suggestion – and have an Italian-style breakfast.
The second offering is their sit-down brunch and lunch menus, which provide table service and are more akin to a regular restaurant than a bakery. You can find the menu, posted weekly, on their Facebook page.
Given we were somewhat rushed to catch our train by the time we arrived, this would likely be our first stop on a return trip to Milan.
Update for 2023: We returned here for a portable breakfast that consisted of brioche con crema and slices of pizza, all of which were great. Highly recommend stopping here – it’s worth the detour.
Officina Zero
📚 Related Reading: Where to Remain in Golden
Facilities here include restrooms, showers, a concession stand, beach wheelchairs, a playground, volleyball nets, and a bike path. Lifeguards are on duty during daylight hours.
We came across an incredibly thin and crispy flatbread topped with sea salt and rosemary that was absolutely delectable, though sadly I neglected to record its name after the fact (it was `Cecina` originating from Tuscany – thanks to the insightful reader who clarified!).
We also got a pair of sandwich cookies – one with red fruit marmalade, one with pistachio cream that were delicious, but crumbled to dust almost as soon as they went in the bag.
We’re looking forward to our return trip, when we’ll stop by earlier in the day and make sure to get our hands on a bombolone (similar to a filled pastry) and a brioche (or three).
Renewal for 2023: Matt did, actually, make it back here on his extended trip, and he did actually get a bomboloni and a few of brioches that he relished over the course of a day. YUM.
This establishment pleasantly surprised us. It’s a small shop with no seating, and it lacks an elaborate online presence like the three previous bakeries, but the quality of food matches those places
For us, the impressive variety of mini biscotti (i.e. cookies) in numerous shapes, sizes, and flavors stood out.
We ended up with a couple of buckwheat-chocolate cookies, and a pair of marmalade cookies. All of them were spectacular (and the lovely woman behind the counter offered to let us try the buckwheat cookie before we bought one).
However, while the cookies were good and probably our favorite of the bunch, we also had two Sicilian specialities that we hadn’t been able to easily find while we were actually in Sicily. First, a canolo, which is a piece of fried dough stuffed with cream.
Second is a casatina, which is a Sicilian specialty that is fundamentally a sponge cake topped with ricotta and fruit juice, then topped with a cherry.
It’s somewhat difficult to explain, but it tastes somewhat like marzipan in the balance of sweetness and fruitiness. Here are a couple of pictures, which will hopefully illustrate it a bit better.
The point is that you should stop by if you’re looking for a nice range of pastries and cookies, all made in a dedicated gluten free bakery.
Additional Gluten Free Travel Guides for Europe
Planning a trip to Europe, but need to eat gluten free? We’ve spent a fair amount of time in Europe over the past few years, and have written a bunch of in-depth travel guides to the best gluten free restaurants and bakeries in many of our favorite European cities.
Gluten Free Dining Locations in Rome
A guide to gluten free dining and shopping options in Amsterdam
Gluten free restaurant recommendations for celiacs visiting Madrid
A list of gluten free friendly restaurants for celiacs traveling to Lisbon
AIC Accredited Gluten Free Restaurants in Milan
Now, this is NOT a complete list of AIC-accredited gluten-free restaurants in Milan. This is a list that we put together for our own trip depending on what interested us, and the rankings for each place on the AIC app.
As a general rule, we didn’t dine at locations that don’t receive above a 4/5 on the AIC app (though their evaluation system leaves a bit to be desired, to be honest, because you can’t see any detail).
Like I expressed above, your mileage may vary. Continually communicate your needs to the server when you sit down (make sure to tell them you’re a Celiac, if you are), and use an Italian gluten free restaurant card if you’re anxious about being able to communicate your needs.
Ò Peperino
This establishment showed up as being open across several listings of their operating hours, however upon arrival after looking forward to dinner there, we discovered they were unexpectedly closed despite the indications of being open.
Which was disappointing, particularly because I could feel hunger pangs after a long day of travel, and I was craving pizza.
Fortunately for me, they were open when I returned with my mom and brother in tow a year later, and it was worth the wait. The cuisine is good, but I will note the atmosphere is LOUD and the service leaves something to be desired.
Still, I’d recommend it for the pizza.
Ò Peperino focuses on pizza – specifically, the Neapolitan version of pizza. And it’s done in a manner that allows Celiacs to enjoy it, with dedicated gluten free equipment, ovens, and fryers and an accreditation from the Italian Celiac Association.
Here’s a short description from their website: `In fact, an entire section in the oven, mixer, fryer and kettle areas as well as fridge and pantry spaces and the total pastry section are dedicated to gluten-free options.’
When being seated, the initial step should be informing the server about having Celiac Disease and needing to eat “senza glutine.” And reconfirm upon the food being brought by saying “Is this without gluten?”
A few items on the menu are not available gluten-free, but most of the menu like all pizzas and calzones can be prepared gluten-free.
Their beers which they label gluten free actually contain gluten residues meaning people with celiac disease should avoid them.
Mama Eat
Mama Eat is a highly renowned gluten free restaurant in Rome (at least among the Celiac community) for their capability to cater to Celiacs with two separate kitchens and an extensive gluten free menu.
They also have a location in Milan!
My mom and brother, after hearing me rave about the Rome location, wanted to see what the hype was all about, so we came here for an early dinner before a Milan game at San Siro.
For me, the highlights are the pasta (especially the rigatoni which seems to possess a magical quality) and the pizza (the crust has a magical element).
Maison Bretonne
This was a frustrating experience, because we arrived for an early lunch only to find that their hours had changed and they weren’t open yet, but it worked out in the end because missing out on Maison Bretonne meant we had more capacity for the gluten free bakeries above.
Maison Bretonne is renowned for their savory galettes, which unlike their crepe cousin (which is usually made from wheat flour,) are traditionally gluten free because they’re made with buckwheat flour (which IS gluten free, despite “wheat” being in the name).
However, that does not always apply – some places use a wheat and buckwheat blend – but not Maison Bretonne!
Another thing to watch out for is cross-contamination, where crepes and galettes are prepared on the same griddle. Again, not at Maison Bretonne! They’re AIC-accredited, and have separate preparation areas for the buckwheat galettes and the sweet crepes they create.
There exists a small potential for cross-contamination with a couple of non-gluten free galettes they prepare (one contains a bechamel sauce which isn’t gluten free), but I believe that risk is relatively low.
Where to Find Gluten Free Groceries in Milan
If you’re staying in an apartment or hostel with a kitchen in Milan and want to cook for yourself, you’ll have plenty of options when it comes to grocery stores.
Firstly, there are two places where you can find a wide range of gluten free groceries – and ONLY gluten free groceries. Imagine them as dedicated gluten free grocery stores.
The first is Via Dalla Spiga, which is a gluten free bakery / supermarket in western Milan, just a few blocks from where you’ll find the Last Supper.
The second option appropriately carries the name Milano Senza Glutine, which if short on time in Milan may be slightly farther than ideal, but accommodates a wide assortment of gluten free products such as breads, pastas, sweets, and more.
In addition to their extensive pre-packaged selection, they offer some freshly made products like breads, pizza, and more.
Grom, how deeply we care for you, Grom. Our introduction to Grom occurred in New York City a few years ago, and ever since we’ve found them around the globe and make it our mission to reach their shops wherever they exist.
Still, the selection at Carrefour was the best in our experience.
Pam Local represents the second typical supermarket I’d point towards, and they hold two areas in central Milan.
