Looking for direction on where to consume gluten free in Florence? We’re two gluten free food fans – I, Matt, have Celiac Disease and was identified 10+ years ago – and we’re here to assist you in finding the best Celiac-safe gluten free dining establishments in Florence. Whether you’re hunting for gluten free pizza in Florence, or you want to eat allll the gluten free pastries, we’ve got you covered.
Florence is a city that has many advantages, which has resulted in huge tourism numbers that appear to grow every single year (with the obvious exception of 2020). There are two things that have occurred as a result.
Initially, eateries in Florence have diversified their menus to accommodate travelers who necessitate gluten-free dining as local restauranteurs aim to cater to tourists with certain dietary restrictions.
Additionally, rising rent and business costs have increasingly made it difficult for gluten free establishments to remain in Florence, resulting in some permanent closures in recent years.
Over the past few couple of years, we’ve been to Florence on two separate occasions.
First, We spent five days in Florence during our month-long Italian experience (read our guide to planning a perfect 3 day Florence itinerary), then Matt returned to Florence for a day with his mom to share the experience of Florence with her for her 60th birthday.
The vast majority of those trips – as with most of our trips – focused on discovering the top gluten-free dining options in Florence, which is what we share in this guide.
We’ll cover restaurants and bakeries entirely devoted to gluten free cuisine where the risk of cross-contamination is minimal, and eateries for gluten free diners that are accredited by the AIC (Italian Celiac Association), which is an essential resource for your trip, but we’ll explore that in a bit.
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%.
Before exploring certain places to dine gluten free in Florence, let’s cover some fundamentals regarding traveling gluten free in Italy.
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 an eye-opening experience, coming from the USA where dietary restrictions seem loosely defined, and terms like “gluten-friendly” have unexpectedly become prevalent, appearing everywhere.
In Italy, it’s usually a good presumption that if something is AIC-accredited, they are aware of what they’re doing.
The first step in planning a gluten free trip to Italyis downloading the AIC app, which costs $2.99 for a two-week subscription providing access to their database of accredited gluten free restaurants in Italy (you can extend an additional two weeks exactly once thereafter needing to contact a local association).
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 ignored any restaurant with a rating lower than 4.0 stars, for what it’s worth.
It provides relief, and in this context, I think it is superior to FindMeGlutenFree.
Be Skeptical of Any “Gluten Free” Beer (Spoiler: it’s Gluten-Reduced)
Compared to other Italian cities, there’s a wide selection of gluten free beer available in Florence. Which I was pleased about!
Until learning otherwise upon reading product labels, I had been unaware that barley, one of the grains used in brewing, contains gluten.
Literally all eight of the gluten free beers I looked at in Florence – including Greens, one of the safe beers in America – was gluten-reduced.
These beers are made from barley and include an enzyme to break down the gluten, which interferes with tests for detecting gluten. However, in both Canada and the US, they cannot be labeled gluten-free. In both Canada and the US, you can’t call these beers gluten free.
But if you’re seeking something a bit unconventional and aren’t expecting the most authentic Korean cuisine around, we enjoy this spot as an alternative.
Here are a few brief readings on the differences and why those with Celiac Disease should avoid gluten-reduced beer. Another informative piece. And I appreciated this open communication.
In Florence, Most People in the Tourism Industry Speak Decent English
The two of us, whose Italian language skills basically begin and end with “ciao” (somewhat an exaggeration but our proficiency is truly elementary), were still able to get around with relative ease.
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 pick up a few before each journey, taking them mostly as a last option. If language barriers stress you out, the $9 investment is quite worthwhile.
We feel the $9 fee is worthwhile for the peace of mind (and we purchased travel insurance for our trip to Italy).
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 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 shop in Florence – Grom – which you’ll find more information on below.
Gluten Free Wheat Starch is Fairly Common in Pizza Crusts (and Other Baked Goods)
Another ingredient requiring caution! But, in my opinion, presenting less of an issue than the gluten free beer example mentioned above.
In Italy and several other EU nations, they employ an ingredient that is essentially gluten free wheat starch, offering some fine texture benefits when used in items like pizza crust.
Suddenly, your pizza-making abilities expand dramatically from only being capable of thin crust pizzas to having the option of thick, airy pizza dough.
To be candid, I have less familiarity with gluten free wheat starch than I do regarding gluten reduced beer, but I will once more refer you to Gluten Free Watchdog’s perspective on it (she has significantly more expertise than I do on this type of subject) so that you can utilize that information to form your own judgment.
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 owing to a wheat allergy, you’ll need to inquire at every restaurant, particularly pizza establishments.
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 look for “senza glutine” on packaged foods. Carrefour and CONAD were our favored places in Florence, having a nice variety of gluten free products in a designated area at most of their locations in the city.
Gluten Free Florence: A Guide to Our Favorite Gluten Free Restaurants and Bakeries in Florence
I’ve split up the options for eating gluten free in Florence into two different categories. There’s the restaurants fully without gluten (and gelato shops and 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 cause, the eateries you will find under went through a strict procedure to completely avoid gluten – which means no gluten in the kitchen, so the risk of cross-contamination is minimal – or AIC-accredited, which signifies that the staff has been professionally trained on how to stop cross-contamination and how to cater to Celiac patrons.
Now, is this the perfect way to prevent cross-contamination? Probably not. Eating out with Celiac Disease always poses some level of risk because it relies on individual staff following implemented procedures.
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 is how I have organized this guide.
Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurants in Florence
The following are gluten free dining locations in Florence.
There are numerous quality alternatives in Florence for those seeking gluten free options, allowing patrons to order anything on the menu from dedicated restaurants – a feeling still appreciated after many years living with Celiac Disease.
Sgrano
We enjoyed Sgrano so much that we actually ended up going back twice. Once for lunch to try their fantastic Schiaccate – which are similar (but different!) to a panini or focaccia sandwich.
We dined there once for an evening meal to try their gluten free pizza, which we thought was the best we had in Florence.
The street that it’s on – Via dei Neri – is home to a couple of the most well known dining establishments in Florence, which all serve up some version of Fiorentian street food (mostly in the form of sandwiches).
If you have Celiac Disease and want to participate in the phenomenon of hundreds seated on the curb with a huge sandwich in hand, this could be the place for you.
They provide an assortment of different fillings, though many involve cured meat, which implied Alysha wasn’t extremely keen about them.
We tried two, and much preferred the Bomba, filled with pancetta (yum), peppers (yum), and gorgonzola with a honey drizzle.
It’s worth noting that they only serve the sandwiches at lunch – pizza is not available.
For dinner, they broaden the menu to include pizza and covaccini, which is essentially pizza without sauce (similar to a dry pizza?) but with fresh toppings on top.
For dinner, we had the diavolissima, which is a spicy pizza with salami and burrata, and we tried a covaccini with crudo, pistachio cream, and fresh tomatoes, which was delicious.
Their pizza was really excellent, with a bubbly crust that had a very wood-fired taste. Their base flour blend is a mix of corn, buckwheat, rice, and multigrain flour.
Everything in the restaurant is gluten-free so the chance of cross-contamination is low (if not non-existent).
They do have gluten free beer available, but keep in mind – it’s gluten-reduced and if you have Celiac Disease, you probably shouldn’t consume it.
They also have a couple of gluten free desserts (if you still have room after the pizza) including tiramisu (which is what we got), cheesecake, and a chocolate cake.
The tiramisu was decent, not excellent, and didn’t fully live up to the high quality of the pizza and sandwiches. We’d skip it and head to Grom for gelato instead.
Bottega Artigiana del Gusto
Bottega Artigiana del Gusto is a bit outside the center of Florence, but for those with Celiac Disease who love good food and pastries, this is the place.
It’s the only dedicated gluten free bakery in Florence, and they also have a bunch of ready-to-eat options for lunch like pizzas, paninis, and other delights.
We believe the excursion there—approximately a 20 minute trip each way by bus—is entirely worth the effort.
It’s located in a charming, more residential section of the city east of the central district. And truthfully, it provides a nice change of atmosphere from the chaos of Florence’s busy center. While the center is undoubtedly beautiful, lively, and charming, it can be rather overwhelming.
This grocery store focused solely on gluten free options, stocking numerous products like crackers, breadsticks, bread, pastas, cookies, and more that were gluten free.
In any case, returning to the pastries. They offer both savory and sweet choices.
We concentrated on the sweet options (naturally) and had a cornetto (akin to but not exactly like a croissant), a bombolini (comparable to but not the same as a filled donut), and two other pastries that appeared appetizing but I am still uncertain of what I precisely consumed.
We could enter inside the structure, but we`d instead opt to admire it from the outside without going inside.
We went around midday, and they were in the process of creating more tasty selections for us to choose from.
We ended up with a slice of buffalo mozzarella pizza, and one of our favored discoveries in Italy – scarpazzone – which is somewhat like a Hot Pocket, but truly good.
It’s a savory stuffed pastry, in this scenario filled with eggplant, tomatoes, and parmesan. We found it multiple times (like in Milan) and it’s developed as one of Alysha’s new preferred items.
Additionally, their gluten free bread was fantastic, too. We obtained a loaf to create our own cheese plate at our apartment, and it was light and airy inside, crunchy and crusty outside. As bread should be!
Access: From the city center of Florence, you will need to take either the public bus or walk to reach Bottega Artigiana del Gusto. The bus journey takes approximately 20 minutes while walking would take around 45 minutes.
To ride the bus, purchase tickets costing 1.50 Euros each from any local tabacchi shop indicated by a large `T` sign. A single ticket is valid for 90 minutes of travel, so the same ticket can likely be used for the trip there and back, as we did.
Look up directions on Google Maps searching for bus routes between your location and the shop address (or click here).
BE SURE TO VALIDATE YOUR TICKET ONBOARD THE VEHICLE. Failing to do so risks an infringement if tickets are inspected.
See this guide for riding public transit in Florence without issue (it`s straightforward, but validating is key).
Ristorante Quinoa
Ristorante Quinoa, which can be found at Ristorante Quinoa, was our initial restaurant in Florence – and also the first gluten free restaurant in Florence, opening quite some time ago in 2014, during a time period of gluten free travel that could be considered less developed (compared to the present day, at any rate) – and it undoubtedly did not cause disappointment.
Every item on the menu is gluten-free, and the fresh gluten-free bread that was brought to the table at the beginning of the meal was outstanding.
The area is spacious, specifically the outer courtyard, which is saturated with greenery (and statues of sheep and cranes) and sits in the center of a former 16th Century cloister.
The dinner menu ranges from traditional Italian dishes, like risotto and pastas, to more internationally-inspired cuisine – there was a green curry and a couple of Latin American themed dishes available when we dined there.
There was even a meatless burger without buns! The dinner menu rotates seasonally, changing every couple of months or so.
We had a lovely homemade pasta (side note – all pastas, including ravioli and gnocchi – are made in-house) with a celery / ginger / garlic sauce that was surprisingly flavorful and delicious, along with a mushroom risotto that was rich and creamy.
The standout dessert was a traditional Jewish cake comprised of oranges and almonds, which was light, moist and intensely flavored with citrus in a pleasant way.
They have several gluten-free dessert options to pick from, such as cheesecake (with two types including one that`s dairy-free) and profiteroles (essentially cream puffs). We selected the orange cake due to its uniqueness and really enjoyed it.
The lunch menu is a bit different – it changes daily supported on the ingredients they have on hand, which I think is sort of fun!
An important note here: I became very excited upon seeing they had Greens gluten free beer available, which I know from my US experience uses only naturally gluten free ingredients rather than gluten reduction.
Not so here! My beer showed up, and there was barley malt waiting for me in the fixings! Fortunate for me, I idea to take a look at the back before drinking it, but still, I was very dissatisfied.
None of the beers served are strictly gluten-free, only gluten-reduced, so those with Celiac Disease are best sticking to wine and cocktails instead.
L’Osteria Della Sgrano
If you enjoy gluten free doughnuts just as I do, I would strongly suggest you make your way down there (it`s an easy subway ride from downtown), or find them at one of their many wholesale partners in the Philadelphia area (which you can discover at the bottom of their home page).
They offer authentic Tuscan cuisine, and on our initial attempt to dine here, Alysha invested at minimum an hour (Alysha would like it noted that it was more than a half hour – she was excited!) on a Monday using Google to research the menu items to determine her selection when we stopped by for dinner.
The sole issue, we realized, was that they were only open on weekends at that time, so we didn’t make it there. Instead, we ended back up at the original Sgrano for pizza, which was excellent (as detailed above).
Matt finally made it to L’Osteria della Sgrano for lunch with his mom after a morning exploring the Uffizi Gallery, and had a lovely experience.
The menu includes items like handcrafted pasta and ravioli, which is somewhat different from their other, more casual location just a few blocks away, which as mentioned above focuses on pizzas and focaccias.
As you visit Tuscany, there are a few dishes we propose you order.
First, assuming you’re okay with wild boar, was the pasta with a wild boar ragu known as tagliatelle al Cinghiale. This dish ended up being Matt’s (and his mom’s, who isn’t a particularly adventurous eater) favorite discovery on that birthday trip to Tuscany.
Second is a dessert – cantucci with a dessert wine. Cantucci are essentially biscotti, but they originate in Tuscany rather than Emilia-Romagna. They`re served with a small glass of dessert wine (vinsanto), which you dip the biscuits into before eating.
Third, and our favorite of the three, is their pappa al Pomodoro, which is a specialty from Tuscany made with juicy tomatoes, crusty bread, and basil. According to one of our tour guides in Tuscany, the English interpretation is “bread soup.” In this case, it’s topped with a soft cheese. YUM.
It opened in the summer of 2021, and is located in the Santa Croce neighborhood, just a few blocks away from the namesake church of the neighborhood.
Grom Gelato
Any list of gluten free dining spots in Italy could never be considered finished without discussing Grom! Grom is an Italian gelato chain present in basically every significant Italian city, and it’s 100% gluten free.
Sometimes when being 100% gluten-free, one has to choose between taste and safety. However, at Grom, this is not the case. Grom gelato is legitimately really good. My older brother tried Grom the day after another well-known gelato chain, and Grom was clearly superior.
They offer a selection of base flavors (like pistachio and hazelnut, our two favorites) along with rotating specials (like candied chestnut when we visited Florence in the fall).
They have gluten free cones too, and by that, I mean every single cone in the place is gluten free.
Yes, the chocolate-covered cones are gluten free. Yes, the ones covered in chocolate and dipped in pistachios are too. It’s all gluten free – no cross-contamination here!
The hotel is situated near the Duomo in Florence, making it an ideal spot to grab an afternoon or mid-morning gelato snack to break up the day while exploring the city landmarks.
L’OV Osteria Vegetariana
This dedicated gluten free location in Florence was something we intended to visit, but ended up not going due to being too full from other amazing gluten free meals in the city to fit it into our trip schedule.
It is owned by similar operators as Ristorante Quinoa (discussed above), and has a like atmosphere.
Except this one lies across the river in Oltrarno, a very charming area of Florence feeling far from the madness of the historic center, though just a 10-15 minute walk over the river.
L’OV Osteria Vegetariana is completely gluten free AND vegetarian. They’re open for lunch and dinner, and the experiences differ somewhat depending on the time of day.
The rotating lunch menu takes full advantage of the bountiful fresh produce sourced from the surrounding region of Florence.
The evening menu is somewhat more settled, though it still alternates seasonally. We were eyeing the Mozzarella in Crosta (Fried cheese? Yes please!) and the fresh pasta with garlic and chili sauce, but like I said, we didn’t quite make it.
One thing to keep in mind going in is that portions are relatively small for the price, which isn’t entirely surprising for a 100% gluten free and vegetarian restaurant in Italy, but is worth noting in advance. Starters will cost around 9 Euros, main dishes will cost 12-15 Euros.
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 Florence
I want to remind you, before delving into this section, that this isn`t meant as an exhaustive list of every restaurant in Florence that maybe could potentially serve you a gluten free meal safely.
Instead, this is a list of restaurants that are well-reviewed on the AIC app (along with other apps) AND that we had a positive dining experience at.
That`s correct, as I dined at all three of these eateries. Naturally, individual experiences may vary depending on effectively communicating dietary needs and the protocols implemented by staff to prevent cross-contamination being followed.
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Mister Pizza
Upon reaching our final day before catching the train out of town, we finally visited Mister Pizza in Florence at midday after walking past it multiple times throughout our time there.
I had learned about it through the AIC app, and read glowing reviews regarding their gluten free pizza crust, which made it a must-eat on our trip.
We arrived as the establishment opened its doors, and the server Sharon greeted us warmly, updating us that the ovens were still warming up and it would be a few minutes before our order could be prepared.
We were excited to check out the outdoor rain shower attached to the side of the cabin. The bedroom was located on the second floor, which was an open loft above the rest of the structure accessible only by a ladder.
Although she contended that the finest pistachios originate from Iran, where she was from.
I suppose we`ll have to visit someday to test this out, but pistachios from Sicily are said to be rather remarkable.
They focus on one thing only, and they have perfected it through experience. That single thing is pizza, and they have separate equipment and ovens exclusively for the gluten free pizzas they prepare.
The dough was excellent – somewhat airy (though not quite, naturally, as it was gluten free), thin, and it held up well under the toppings.
While the toppings could have been more varied, we enjoyed the Calabria pizza anyway thanks to its nice spicy kick.
The gluten free pizzas come marked with a small “gluten free” flag, but it`s always best to double check with staff when delivered to be completely sure it`s gluten free.
They have two locations – one directly next to the Duomo on the cathedral’s northern side, and one farther east towards Santa Croce (and therefore much less busy).
The coffeehouse located near Santa Croce happened to be a block away from where we stayed in Florence, which is how we ended up there.
Da Garibardi
One thing we sometimes find about needing to eat gluten free is that you can miss out on certain regional specialties that simply aren’t readily accessible gluten free.
In the case of Tuscan cuisine, I had read extensively about wild boar ragu and some of the region’s other famous pastas, but all the research I had conducted had generated primarily listings of pizza establishments in Florence.
Enter Da Garibardi.
The Da Garibardi is an authentic Tuscan restaurant located in a busy coastal area known for its tourist attractions. It has earned certification from the AIC, meaning guests can safely sample regional specialties there.
I had their wild boar ragu which was great, and Alysha had an interesting pasta made with cabbage cream.
I wouldn’t say that the food amazed us, exactly, though it was a pleasant evening out, and service was fine, nothing particularly exceptional.
Ciro & Sons
Ciro and Sons earns sizable renown when it comes to wheat free pizza in Florence, and my expectations were fairly elevated after reading that they had won a wheat free pizza competition. Therefore, I made a reservation for a Saturday night, and prepared all day to consume my fill of delectable Neapolitan-style pizza.
We arrived right on time for our reservation, ready to be seated, and found a line outside the entrance, with people hoping to either put their name down or be seated for their booking.
Except, I don’t know if you’ve ever visited Italy, but the notion of lining up is generally foreign to Italians.
Instead, it transformed into every person independently seeking seating, devolving into an all-out free-for-all, which clearly overwhelmed the gracious hostess, who was the hero that evening, swiftly clearing dishes, recording names, and accommodating patrons.
It took nearly an hour after our reservation before we were seated, and we quickly learned that the list in the hostesses’ hand meant little, and it was truly about who was standing at the front of the line (whether they had waited in it or not).
Sure enough, we made it to the front and got seated!
So, my first tip is to go either for lunch, or get there early for dinner. We were there around 8:00 pm on a Saturday, and it was busy from then until around 10:00 pm. Also, probably don’t go on a Saturday if you can avoid it.
We sat, I explained having Celiac Disease and wanting gluten free pizza, and the server took our order while ensuring the pizzas would be “senza glutine.”
The pizza crust possessed decent quality, though the central regions of both pizzas were rather disorganized, and the crust had basically dissolved underneath the moisture emanating from the toppings.
Which brings me to my second tip, which is first to reduce your expectations for Ciro and Sons, then visit Mister Pizza or Sgrano instead. Is this place satisfactory? Yeah, it’s pretty decent. Is it exaggerated? I think so. Can you do better in Florence? Yes, undoubtedly.
