We spent an unforgettable family vacation in Italy this summer, and Florence was a highlight. We toured the city, shopped the streets, and enjoyed some of the best gluten-free food we’ve ever tasted. Everything we tried was fresh, thoughtfully prepared, and—most important—safe for our son with celiac disease. Below I share our favorite spots, tips on dining gluten-free in Italy, and notable places we wanted to try.
Florence
We had just 2½ days in Florence, but we made the most of them. We visited the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery, and the Accademia, strolled the prime shopping streets, and browsed the leather market. But the food may have been the boys’ favorite part of the trip.
We ate exceptionally well. There were more gluten-free options than we could try, and many places took cross-contamination and labeling seriously. Below are the restaurants we visited and a few we wanted to try.
A few thoughts on dining in Italy
Before listing the venues, a quick note: always check a restaurant yourself regarding cross-contamination and preparation methods. Kitchens and staff change, and comfort levels vary. That said, we found dining gluten-free in Italy straightforward and reassuring.
When something was labeled “gluten-free” or “senza glutine,” it reliably meant the item was prepared without gluten and often with measures to avoid cross-contamination. This consistency held across restaurants, bakeries, and packaged goods in our experience.
Learning a couple of phrases helped: “senza glutine” (gluten-free) and “sono celiaco” (I am celiac — masculine; “celiaca” for feminine). Many establishments also displayed the Italian Celiac Association (AIC) sticker, indicating staff training in safe gluten-free preparation, which provided an extra layer of confidence.
Some travelers find the AIC app useful; we didn’t use it, but it’s available with English options. For a broader look at our approach to finding safe restaurants while traveling, see our post “Finding Restaurants when Traveling Gluten-Free.”
The Restaurants!
The list below is ordered roughly by when we ate at each place, based on proximity to the sights we visited.
1. Grom (Via del Campnile 2)
Grom is a well-known Italian gelateria with many locations, and its Florence shops include gluten-free options. We loved their creamy gelato and refreshing sorbets. On hot afternoons while touring, Grom was a go-to treat. Many locations offer gluten-free cones as well.
2. Starbene Bakery Senza Glutine (Via dei Neri 13/r) — 100% gluten-free
Starbene is a 100% gluten-free bakery near the Uffizi, and it exceeded our expectations. It offers a vast selection of both sweet and savory goods: Italian-style cookies, flaky croissants, tarts, incredible donuts, and a standout focaccia available plain or topped with caramelized onions, olives, rosemary, and tomatoes. They also offered focaccia sandwiches—our caprese sandwich was excellent.
The savory selection also included dairy-free labeled items, which was a plus. We returned to Starbene several times during our stay and stocked up on Schär products for the flight home.
3. Ristorante Lorenzo de Medici (Via del Giglio, 49/51r, 50123)
We chose this centrally located restaurant for our first evening when our intended plan was closed for holiday. It was far from a fallback—the food was excellent. The restaurant is large with several areas having distinct atmospheres. Most importantly for us, the entire menu could be made gluten-free, and many dairy-free options were available. The staff answered our questions and displayed AIC stickers, which increased our confidence.
We returned for lunch as well and enjoyed pastas (their homemade spaghetti was a favorite), eggplant parmigiana, pizza, lasagna, ravioli, and soups. Ordering gluten-free came with a warm basket of gluten-free bread and olive oil—a small but meaningful touch.
4. Mr Pizza (Piazza del Duomo 5)
We were on a mission to try as much gluten-free pizza as possible, and Mr Pizza lived up to expectations. Not 100% gluten-free, the restaurant uses a separate kitchen area and oven to prepare gluten-free pies, serves them on separate plates, and labels them with a gluten-free flag. The crust was thin, airy, and delightfully bready—my boys rated it their favorite pizza in Italy. They also offered a gluten-free calzone.
5. Ristorante Quinoa (Vicolo di Santa Maria Maggiore) — 100% gluten-free
Quinoa offered a refreshing alternative to traditional Italian cuisine with Asian-inspired dishes alongside Italian options. The courtyard setting was calm and pleasant on a warm evening. We sampled eggplant and millet patties with tzatziki, raw vegetable rolls with peanut sauce (a personal favorite), a vegan burger with roasted potatoes, eggplant parmigiana, and pad thai. Everything was well prepared and flavorful; Quinoa is a great choice for vegetarian and vegan diners.
6. Ciro & Son’s (Via del Giglio, 28, 50123)
Ciro & Son’s is a 100% gluten-free restaurant that was unfortunately closed for summer holiday during our visit. It comes highly recommended, so it’s on our list for the next trip.
7. Food Market at San Lorenzo Mercato (Piazza del Mercato Centrale)
The San Lorenzo market is bustling and full of fresh food stalls. We didn’t eat there on this trip, but it’s worth a walk-through to see butchers, produce, cheeses, and artisan products—an impressive scene for food lovers.
A special thanks to Becky Excell of Gluten Free Cuppa Tea for a useful Florence guide that helped shape our choices. For more about our Italy trip, see our post “Behind the Scenes on our Italy trip: All your questions, answered.”
Have you been to Florence? Any other restaurants you loved? Leave a comment and share any tips—especially gluten-free favorites.