Lisbon is a wonderful city, full of rich history featuring a diverse cast of characters who have undeniably left their mark on Portugal’s capital. One of the things that makes Portugal a great food location is their access to fresh ingredients, whether it’s the farm-fresh fruits and vegetables coming in from the fertile farmland nearby, the fish coming from the oceans and rivers within a few miles of Lisbon, or the meat coming from small family farms on the outskirts of the city.
Additionally, Portuguese wine is quite pleasurable and affordable, prompting the query of why you don`t find more of it globally (as per two local Portuguese individuals we communicated with, the reaction was “so there is additional supply for us to consume”).
We allotted an entire week to exploring Lisbon through walking and dining, experiencing the cuisine available. Here are some points about finding great gluten-free food in Lisbon, Portugal, including trusted dedicated restaurants, options at other spots, and grocery stores for self-catering.
Planning a trip to Portugal? Be sure to check out our other Portugal travel guides, which we’ve created to help you perfectly plan a trip to Portugal.
- A concise itinerary for planning a perfect three-day visit to Lisbon
- Locations to Remain in Lisbon: A Complete Guide to 4 Fantastic Areas to Stay
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%.
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Things to Know Before Traveling to Lisbon Gluten Free
Before traveling to Lisbon, here are a few things you should be aware of regarding gluten free eating in Portugal.
A second option, which is costly and likely requires about an hour from door to door, is taking a hired vehicle. Travelers can either pre-book a car to pick them up and drop them at their hotel upon arrival, or take one of London’s iconic black taxicabs from the arrivals area. Fares are generally standardized – more or less – depending on the time of day and day of the week. A general guide to estimated fares under different conditions can be found here on the government website.
At grocery stores, look for a conspicuous red symbol indicating gluten-free items that resembles the example below. Portuguese and most EU regulations mandate bolding any potential allergens like wheat, barley, rye, or even oats found in products. This means hidden gluten often obvious versus elsewhere (lead the way, FDA regulators!).
There are many naturally gluten free dishes in Portugal, whose cuisine heavily features grilled fish and meat alongside boiled potatoes, rice, and vegetables. However, there will still be a risk of accidental gluten exposure at most restaurants. Some things to be aware of include cross-contamination.
- Shared deep fryers: French fries, as an example, can often be prepared in deep fryers that also cook items containing gluten. As a general rule, I tend to avoid all deep fried foods when traveling unless I’m 100% certain it’s a dedicated fryer. You’ll have to ask about the fryer in most cases.
- Rice prepared using bouillon cubes, which commonly include wheat. You should inquire about the ingredients.
- Fish cooked over an open flame and presented alongside bread: Many Portuguese establishments happily offer some type of grilled fish – cod, sardines, etc. – that is often positioned either directly on bread or with bread as a side. Be sure to communicate if bread is unwanted.
- Alheira: I discovered this type of sausage during our walking tour in Lisbon – in the 1500’s, Jewish people faced persecution in Portugal and were forced to convert to Christianity. Many of them made sausage using meats other than pork to hang from the ceiling as a means of avoiding anger from Christians and the Inquisition and signaling “we’re Christians, we promise!”. For texture, they included bread crumbs, which of course poses a problem for those of us with Celiac disease. Steer clear of all Alheira sausage, and ask about any sausages that aren’t explicitly defined on a menu.
My friend Jodi from Legal Nomads has an exceptional guide to what is generally gluten free in Portugal, which you can read here.
Be sure to communicate any needs you have to your server in clear terms. If Portuguese is not spoken, get your points across specifically.
Invest in a Good Gluten Free Restaurant Card
I always travel with a gluten free restaurant card. And while I can manage in French, Spanish, and occasionally Italian, I quickly learned that Portuguese isn’t suited to me.
The first time I attempted to communicate in Portuguese, I tried to request “I would like a single espresso, please” and the woman began laughing. Both of my brothers, who were with us for most of our time in Lisbon, joined in.
Later in the trip when we made it up to Porto, I tried to ask if the server spoke English. She responded with “Excuse me, what?!” Which again drew smiles from Alysha and my brother.
Portuguese is a challenging language to master fully even if you speak other romance languages. There’s an aspect that feels somewhat eastern European, which confused my mind and made communicating completely impossible.
Luckily, most people we encountered spoke good English – especially when comparing their English to my Portuguese! – but there were a couple times where communication was difficult.
For those instances, I strongly recommend investing in a gluten free restaurant card that incorporates a detailed description of what you need – including cross-contamination, which is something that most cards fail to tackle. The free cards are adequate, but they completely neglect cross-contamination, which as you probably know is approximately 92% of the battle to get started with.
I greatly appreciate the cards that Jodi at Legal Nomads has created. They’re thorough, tailored specifically to each country (for instance, the Portuguese card signifies Alheira as unsafe), and translated by a local Celiac for accuracy. It’ll cost you $9 for reassurance on your voyage, which is completely worthwhile for me. You can either print it in advance (that’s what I usually do) or access it on your phone whenever needed.
Click here to obtain a Portuguese gluten free restaurant guide for your trip.
Gluten Free Lisbon: A Complete Guide to the Best Gluten Free Restaurants in Lisbon
Now that we`ve addressed that, onward to where to find gluten free food in Lisbon.
This is not every single place that could potentially serve you a gluten free meal in Lisbon. Instead, it’s a collection of our favorite spots, with notes on what is recommended to order and the dining experience expected.
It goes without saying that restaurant menus can change constantly. You need to confirm directly with the establishment – preferably in advance via social media like Instagram DM – that they can prepare a safe meal for you.
Consuming gluten-free meals outside of the home always involves a certain amount of risk. My strategy is to minimize that risk as much as practical. You may have different needs, priorities, or vulnerability thresholds than me. These principles guide my requirements and ability to tolerate risk, to help you assess the locations below based on your own situation.
- I do not eat food cooked in a shared fryer. Actually, I nearly always avoid fried food unless I can completely confirm the fryer is not used to fry something with gluten (spoiler: it usually is).
- I don’t eat gluten free pizza at spots that aren`t solely gluten free UNLESS I`m completely certain they aren`t cooking and preparing items in shared spaces without precautions.
- I consistently check with the restaurant in advance, if feasible, to validate that they can safely accommodate my needs. Sometimes they`re upfront about limitations and say they`re unable. And that`s completely fine – I appreciate the transparency. But that does signify they won`t be featured below.
With that out of the way, off we go!
If you’re short on time, here are the five gluten free dishes / items that I think you should eat while you’re in Lisbon.
- Gluten free pastries like pastéis de nata at Zarzuela (their other gluten free baked goods are also quite satisfying).
- The pao de queijo at the Food for Real, which were the #1 pick by my two brothers, neither of whom need to eat gluten free.
- Choose from any pastry or tart at Despensa N. 6. We had a mango passionfruit tart and a salted almond cacao tart, both of which were fantastic.
- Essentially any gelato that comes out of Grom. Everything is gluten free, even the cones.
- Canned fish from the acclaimed Miss Can brand, served over some Schar bread picked up at the local marketplace.
The Best Dedicated Gluten Free Restaurants in Lisbon
There are four dedicated gluten free spots in Lisbon that I was able to find. Three of them are restaurants or bakeries, the other one is a gelato shop.
You are recommended to make these sites a priority throughout your time in Lisbon if possible.
The Food for Real
The Food for Real was chosen as our preferred gluten free meal in Lisbon by consensus. They are also accredited by the APC (the Portuguese Celiac Association)! They have two locations in Lisbon – one by the LX Factory, and one further north outside of the historical center. We ended up at the location near LX Factory for an early lunch, and had our pick of cakes and pastries. They offer various vegan options, and the entire facility is gluten free.
The eatery’s menu varies with the seasons, but it always includes pao de queijo, a Brazilian cheese bread made with tapioca commonly prepared at home, and is absolutely delicious. Theirs is undoubtedly about a hundred times superior to anything we’ve ever made ourselves, and they even have a vegan option! It’s gooey, cheesy, a little salty, and embodies everything we love about food.
In addition to the outstanding pao de queijo we sampled, we also tried a couple of their cakes (10:30 am certainly seems like an ideal time for cake). The chocolate/vanilla/coconut cake was superb. It brought to mind a German chocolate cake, although that`s not how they characterized it. The carrot cake exhibited a brilliant orange hue and was topped with a chocolate frosting. The texture was pleasing, but it didn`t fully align with our expectations of a carrot cake based on past experiences back home. Still satisfactory, but somewhat different.
The last items we tried were their empadas, which differ from empanadas. The closest comparison I can draw is to a quiche, except they aren`t made with eggs. We sampled the cheese and vegan options, receiving varying opinions from our group of four (three of whom don`t require a gluten-free diet). The cheese variety was…cheesy. The plant-based choice contained garlic, spinach, and an assortment of vegetables. Both crusts held together well and didn`t immediately crumble, which is a common issue with gluten-free pastries.
Dois Três Três
This establishment was a pleasure. It wasn’t flashy – they have a small rotating selection of homemade gluten free meals – but it was hearty, satisfying, and well worth visiting. I’d go for lunch, if possible, and get the set menu including soup, an entree, and dessert.
We sampled the feijoada, which was something that was on my list to try while we were in Portugal, and did not disappoint. It’s a stew that originates from northern Portugal (though it’s usually linked to Brazil, which I learned isn’t quite accurate) consisting of beans and various forms of pork cooked at a low heat for hours and hours until all the flavors blend together and create a savory symphony in your mouth. It’s hearty and delicious.
We also were served grilled tuna steak, which was surprisingly satisfying. When in the locale, right? Or in this case, when in Portugal, you consume seafood. It was garlicky with precisely the correct amount of citrus squeezed on top. Offered, as numerous fish dishes are, alongside boiled potatoes.
If you’re looking for a nice lunch spot in Lisbon, I recommend checking it out. And sit out on the back patio! The only downside is that it’s located farther away, but Uber is affordable and plentiful in Lisbon.
Despensa N.6
Just between us! Are you a cider aficionado? Be sure to read our guide to the top cider in Seattle.
It’s a location in a residential area approximately 15-20 minutes north of Lisbon`s historic center. They focus on “healthy pastries,” which means they avoid refined sugars, corn, refined oils, or other artificial ingredients. Most importantly, they don’t use gluten at all throughout their cooking process.
The menu is a mix of sweet and savory brunch-style selections, like crepes, toasts, and eggs, and pastries of all kinds. When we were there, they had sweet tarts, cheesecake, brownies, and more. We opted for a mango-passionfruit-peach tart, which ended up being spectacular, and a salted almond cacao tart, which reminded me of a saltier version of a peanut butter cup, but better.
Another item ordered was a crepe, which turned out to be sizable – plenty of food for two people to share (especially if a pastry or seven are alongside it). A hummus crepe was obtained, which was essentially a salad topped with hummus folded into the soft, slightly warm embrace of a French-style gluten free crepe.
Grom
I initially came across Grom, a gelateria entirely without gluten even in the cones, in Rome. Now they have essentially constructed a gluten free gelato empire with locations in New York City, numerous spots in Italy, Lisbon, and Los Angeles too. And I am completely onboard with our new gelato leaders.
There is little that requires mentioning here, since gelato automatically implies it will be fantastic. The flavors are all gluten-free (favorites include pistachio, hazelnut, and straticatella), and the cones are also gluten-free. Options include cones dipped in chocolate and different toppings to select from, among other offerings.
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
Other Restaurants with Gluten Free Options in Lisbon
Here are the locations in Lisbon where we found it possible to obtain a meal without gluten. These areas are not exclusively dedicated to being gluten-free, which means there is a higher risk of cross-contamination with gluten in their kitchens than the places mentioned earlier. Do your own due diligence and make sure you feel comfortable that each place below can meet your needs and expectations.
Zarzuela
Go to Zarzuela for the gluten free pastries, Portugal’s national snack (ish), stay for the other great gluten free baked goods.
While not entirely gluten free, they maintain APC certification with many gluten and lactose free options, plus several vegan selections too.
A full menu is available alongside the pastries – such as burgers and pizza – but the highlight is undeniably the pastries. Specifically, the pastéis de nata, which are a type of egg custard tart that are a delicacy in Portugal. Nearly every bakery and coffee shop in Lisbon offers them, and it’s constantly at the top of every “must eat in Lisbon” list I’ve ever seen.
I believe this is the only location in Lisbon where you can find a gluten free custard tart.
Upon entering, several signs inform of potential allergens, and a guide details communicating your needs to the server in six different languages. You’ll approach the counter where a wide array of pastries can be seen, ranging from croissants and pain au chocolat to other treats of assorted shapes and sizes.
We sampled the pastel de nata and pain au chocolat. With guidance from experience sampling various renditions around the city in a mini taste-test journey with my brothers to discern the ideal non-allergy version, Alysha commented the custard inside was decent in flavor and texture although the casing lacked the flakiness and crunch of options without substitutes. Which is understandable given what I know about challenges when baking with alternative flours for allergies.
I`d offer similar views on the pain au chocolat. The texture wasn`t exactly what I expect from a croissant, which makes sense given what I know about gluten free flours. But it was still delightful.
Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau
Baked cod and potatoes packed with cheese, essentially, are fried potatoes and fish infused with cheese. In other words, rather pleasant to consume. House of Portuguese Baked Cod Pies is a franchise with multiple locations in Lisbon (and numerous in Porto, too), among them near the Time Out Community and close to the Santa Justa Elevator.
This establishment specializes in serving one dish and one dish only: pastel de bacalhau. They are made using a traditional process that involves cod, potato, egg, parsley and oil, and they were able to verify that no gluten-containing ingredients are used in the kitchen. However, as other Celiacs noted before, they were not able to confirm whether the little rice wafer atop is gluten free, so asking for it without the wafer is recommended.
My brother, who doesn`t enjoy “fishy” flavors, wasn`t extremely interested in them. They do have a distinct fish taste, which isn`t necessarily bad but you should expect it going in. They also contain cheese – you must request it with cheese, by the way, which you definitely should – so that’s definitely a plus.
Technically, they offer two products, the second being port, a sweet Portuguese wine originating from northern Portugal that is quite potent. It has a very drinkable quality, a relatively high alcohol content, and natural sweetness. No fewer than four Portuguese individuals advised us to `be wary of port` during our time in Portugal.
The port here isn`t great, but it`s worth a try if you won`t make it up to Porto.
Miss Can
Miss Can is a modest boutique in Alfama that essentially offers one commodity: packaged fish. When canned seafood comes to mind, you likely envision distasteful canned tuna found in the US. This is not that. Quite unlike that.
Fish as nourishment is deeply rooted in Portuguese culture, and the people take fisheries very sincerely. Portugal consistently ranks at the top for the highest per capita fish consumption globally, and for good reason: some of the finest seafood on Earth flourishes in the coastal waters surrounding Portugal. Fundamentally, Portugal’s history and traditions have strong bonds with the ocean, and those seas yield an abundance of fresh catches unrivaled in many other locations worldwide.
Miss Can produces fantastic canned seafood using sustainably caught wild fish to protect ocean resources and utilize them responsibly. You’ll find different selections like sardines, tuna, and cod, as well as stuffed squid. There are a variety of sauces – we liked the spicy olive oil and the garlic olive oil the best – double check that any sauce you select is gluten free (at the time we visited, all were).
You can dine there – the only thing in the shop that contains gluten is the bread – or get them to go and take them back to your apartment / hotel to savor over a slice of gluten free bread from the store. The latter would be our proposed plan – you really need the bread to absorb the delicious sauces!
La Trattoria
La Trattoria is a quality Italian restaurant located just northwest of downtown. We didn’t end up visiting due to a lack of time – however, they provide a full gluten free menu and are recognized by the Portuguese Celiac Association. Customers can choose starters like focaccia along with main courses like carbonara and linguine al pomodoro, offering a wide selection of choices.
Gluten free pizza cannot be obtained, however, which I truly think is a beneficial thing. I’m highly doubtful of gluten free pizza generally, particularly when it’s ready and cooked in identical places as standard pizza. After you create pizza dough, the entire zone usually appears like a flour truck exploded in the kitchen. Which, when that flour is not gluten free, is a cross-contamination nightmare. The reality that they don’t offer gluten free pizza (despite the truth that it’s on their regular menu) makes me feel that they’re aware of the cross contamination risk and do their maximum to mitigate it.
Rice Me
Our first visit to Lisbon didn`t allow time to stop at Rice Me, but we have another trip to the city coming up where our flight will depart from Lisbon airport. Rice Me focuses on rice dishes, so most menu items will naturally be gluten-free. Allergens are clearly labeled, and gluten only shows up a couple times based on the menu at the time of this writing. The sole item noted to contain gluten was gyoza.
You can obtain foods ranging from risotto, an Italian rice-based delicacy from northern Italy, to arroz de pato, a traditional Portuguese meal that is straightforward, hearty, and delicious. They also have APC certification.
Ohlinda
An additional spot near the top of our list, we tried to go there for lunch on one of our days in Lisbon yet unfortunately they were closed despite the signage on the door stating they should be open. They specialize in tapioca crepes of all varieties. If you`ve never experienced a tapioca crepe before, they are certainly worth tasting. They commence with small tapioca balls spread out in a pan, and as you cook them they fuse together and form what looks and feels similar to a crepe (in a manner of speaking), which you can then fold over and fill with whatever pleases you most. It has a slightly crunchy yet somewhat chewy texture, and is undoubtedly worth a try.
This location has a clearly marked menu, which is why we chose it, and only a few fillings potentially contain gluten so risk of cross contamination is relatively low.
McDonalds
Although I was never a huge fan of McDonalds even before my diagnosis (except their Oreo McFlurry, which I recall being life changing), you can get a safe gluten free meal at McDonalds in Portugal. So I had to try it. For scientific purposes, of course.
Honestly, it was better than anticipated. The easiest way to order is through the electronic kiosks, which have an entire gluten free section where several burger choices can be ordered (the hamburger, cheeseburger, and double cheeseburger appeared to be APC certified, while the others – including the Big Mac – were not), fries, and more.
The potatoes in Portugal are also gluten free. The best discovery of the trip to McDonalds was their curry sauce, which is completely phenomenal for dipping potatoes.
Now that we’ve covered gluten free McDonalds, I think Portugal should consider Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme next!
Chutnify
I want to start this one out by being fully transparent – Chutnify told me that they could not guarantee a meal completely without cross-contamination because they have a small kitchen that cooks items containing gluten like naan and samosas. Most of their menu is naturally gluten-free – and clearly marked on the menu, I should mention – such as dosa and curries.
I considered that information and made the decision to stick to curries and rice, which I know to generally be safe (particularly when they’re marked gluten free on the menu, like they are here). You may feel differently about the risk, so I wanted to provide you that piece of information so you can make the right decision for yourself.
All that being said, the curries were fantastic. The butter chicken, which I appreciate yet also recognize is not exactly a traditional Indian cuisine, was among the best I’ve ever had, and my brothers concurred that it’s right at the top with our favorite restaurant in Seattle. The palak paneer was also exceptional.
While their location in Principe Real is modest, it`s in a fantastic neighborhood full of restaurants, bars, and cafes to choose from.
Grocery Stores with Gluten Free Options in Lisbon
Whenever we arrive in a new city, my initial stop is nearly always a grocery store to procure a few essentials to prepare breakfast for ourselves, and pack some snacks for our inevitably lengthy days of sightseeing. Then, each time we pass another new grocery store, I almost always divert to go inside and examine their gluten free selection, which sometimes drives Alysha to exasperation.
Several locations in Lisbon provide groceries suitable for a gluten-free diet. Here are our recommendations for shopping.
Pingo Doceis, by far, our top recommendation. Both in terms of number of locations available, and in terms of gluten free selection variety. They have a dedicated gluten free section with several products from Schar like bread and knockoff gluten free Oreos, though that’s about the full extent of options.
Contienteis an alternate option, but it’s not as straightforward to locate, at minimum in Baixa, where we stayed. The selection is roughly similar, and the shopping experience is about the same as Pingo Doce.
Go Natural is a great option offering a much more expansive selection of gluten free products, all helpfully collected in their own section of the store. They have pasta, bread, crackers, and more, all displayed together in their own area. The downside is that there are only a handful of areas – though there is one in Chiado near Convento do Carmo – and the prices are higher than other places.
BioMercado is situated in Lisbon’s financial quarter (which was our impression at least), and centers totally on natural products. They have a minor assortment of gluten free things, including bread, baguettes, and focaccia from Schnitzer, a German brand. However the selection was quite limited, and the costs were reasonably elevated too. Plus, if you just have a few days in Lisbon, you likely won’t be making it that far northward.
If you found this guide helpful, we have other gluten free travel guides that can assist you in planning your trip, discovering new things, and having an amazing time – all 100% gluten free.
- Locations to Dine Gluten Free Rome, Italy: A Complete Guide for Travelers with Celiac Disease
- A list of one hundred percent gluten free restaurants and dining recommendations for those with dietary restrictions visiting Paris, France
- Gluten Free Dining in Berlin: A Guide to Berlin’s Best Gluten Free Eateries
- A thorough guide to restaurants in Amsterdam that cater to individuals with Celiac disease
Planning a visit to Portugal?
Here are our other Portugal travel guides to help plan an incredible trip (even if gluten must be avoided!).
If there isn’t a connection noted below, it signifies we’re still working diligently on compiling it – thorough, in-depth guides require time and care. However, rest assured we are dedicating effort to the task.
Portugal:
Lisbon
- 25 Remarkable Activities to Do in Lisbon: A Complete Guide
- 3 Days in Lisbon: Planning the Perfect Itinerary for Lisbon
- Experiencing Lisbon in One Day: The Top Sites in 24 Hours
- Places to Remain in Lisbon: Our Guide to 4 Amazing Locations to Remain
- Gluten Free Lisbon: A Complete Guide to Lisbon’s Best Gluten Free Eateries
- Outstanding Coffee Establishments in Lisbon: 9 Remarkable Lisbon Coffee Houses to Add to Your List
Porto:
- Spending a Day Exploring Porto.
- Where to Reside in Porto, Portugal: The 3 Best Places to Reside
Gluten Free Options in Seattle, Washington
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The Algarve:
