rachelwandersVisiting Florence, Italy soon and wondering what the top gluten-free restaurants are? Be sure to keep your eye out for the country’s gluten-free symbol, AiC (Italian Celiac Association), as any restaurant with this label has been certified as gluten-free.
After extensive research and experiencing these amazing restaurants on our own, here are our recommendations for top gluten-free restaurants in Florence, Italy:
Hostaria Il Desco
My husband and I made an 8 pm reservation at this restaurant during our September 2019 visit during our honeymoon. While this is an early dinner time for the locals, we were ready to see what great gluten-free options Florence had to offer.
Immediately upon sitting at our table, we felt like we were at nonna’s (grandma’s) house. The whole staff was extremely welcoming and while it was still early for dining like the locals, there was still a good crowd of famished individuals.
Most everything on their menu can be made gluten-free, so naturally, I was in awe of all the possibilities. We began with a bottle of the house red wine, bruschetta, and the Tuscan minestrone soup. Both were delicious! Nothing is more Italian than starting off your meal with bruschetta made with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The ingredients are incredibly fresh!
For dinner, my husband ordered fresh spaghetti with tomato sauce, browned prosciutto and flakes of pecorino cheese. I ordered the Tagliolini with gorgonzola fondue and fresh flakes of truffle, and OMG! I’ve never had food speak to me so deeply as this dish right here did. So creamy, truffley, cheesy. I was in heaven.
I was determined to try their homemade gluten-free tiramisu, but unfortunately, they were out. The staff was kind enough to give us a shot each of their homemade limoncello to finish off the meal. YUM! This is definitely one restaurant you will not want to pass on!
Starbene Senza Glutine
Starbene Senza Glutine is the gluten-free bakery of your dreams! We lucked out as this was less than 5 minutes walking distance from our Airbnb in Florence, so we came here every day of our visit… sometimes twice a day.
From pastries and sweets to sandwiches and pizza, this little bakery has just about anything you could desire. They even have gluten-free beer in their fridge! Stop in here for breakfast, lunch, or dinner to grab a snack or a sweet treat.
During our multiple visits to this shop, we tried their salami sandwiches, sausage pizza, apple strudel (YUM!), apple danish, and other delicious treats.
The lovely ladies working here are so friendly and willing to help you find anything your heart desires. Everything is made fresh daily from their larger bakery just outside the city.
Ristorante Lorenzo de Medici
This gluten-free Florence restaurant is located in the heart of Florence, within a 5-minute walk from the Duomo and 2-minutes walk from the Medici Chapels.
The restaurant itself is huge with both indoor and outdoor seating, rustic furnishings, and warm lighting to help you experience the magic of old Italy. Since 1950, Lorenzo de Medici has been offering traditional Tuscan cuisine to its visitors.
We began our meal with a bottle of their house red wine and fried gluten-free dough with fresh stracchino cheese and meat. For dinner, we experienced a delicious gluten-free 4-cheese gnocchi and traditional lasagna. I was so happy to try my first gluten-free gnocchi in Italy and it did not disappoint! To top off our evening, we had their homemade gluten-free tiramisu. I hadn’t had tiramisu since becoming gluten-free, so this was a real treat.
Ciro and Sons
These guys know how to do gluten-free cuisine in Florence. A family-owned and operated restaurant, their staff will make you feel like you are at home enjoying a delicious meal. Better yet, Ciro and Sons are ranked first in the World Championship for Gluten-Free Pizza, so naturally, we tried their pizza.
We ordered the Capricciosa (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, artichokes, mushrooms, salami, and ham) and the Diavola (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil, and spicy salami). Both were cooked to perfection, had a crispy crust, and deliciously fresh ingredients. We also ordered a gluten-free beer to wash it down with.
Make sure to follow Ciro and Sons on Instagram for food inspiration and some laughs.
Da Garibardi
This gluten-free Florence restaurant was our absolute FAVORITE, which is hard to say since everything we ate during our honeymoon in Italy was amazing.
While this restaurant doesn’t date back to the 1950’s like many others, their traditional Tuscan cuisine is one you won’t want to miss. It is in the heart of Florence near the famous Mercato Centrale and San Lorenzo Basilica.
Just like most restaurant staff in Italy, these guys were extremely friendly and welcoming. We started off with the Fiorentina style bruschetta, followed by the Truffle Taglierini and Wild Boar Pici. It was hard to pass up their Florentine Steak as so many reviews raved about it, but we were on a pasta mission during our time in Italy.
For dessert, they had a gluten-free chocolate souffle (WOW!). As soon as we cut into this delectable dessert, chocolate oozed from the center. It was truly an experience I’ll never forget because I don’t know anywhere in Colorado that offers up gluten-free chocolate souffle’s.
Additional Recommendations
The above five restaurants were our favorites during our couple day stay in Florence, Italy, but we also had the time to try a few others that are also worth mentioning.
4 Leoni – While 4 Leoni is not an AiC restaurant, they do offer gluten-free penne for all their pasta dishes. The house wine here is very affordable and delicious. We tried the lasagna (not gluten-free) and the penne with mushrooms. The atmosphere at this restaurant is so quaint and great for people watching as it is located on a side street near the Ponte Vecchio.
Mister Pizza – This pizza spot is great for a quick, affordable bite. They have a few locations in Florence, but we went to one that was off the beaten path. This was our first pizza stop in Florence, so we were excited to experience it. I had the Diavola pizza since my husband raved about the first one he had in Rome and a gluten-free beer. Out of all the pizza we tried in Italy, this place was sadly our least favorite. The crust was a little too chewy for our liking and could’ve used a few extra minutes in the oven. I also had some stomach complications, so it wasn’t all the pizza’s fault.
Grom – Okay, Grom isn’t a gluten-free restaurant, but they do offer gluten-free gelato options (cones included!). Grom was one of our first gelato stops in Florence and it did not disappoint. We tried a combo of dark chocolate and coffee.
