How To Eat Gluten-Free in Naples, Italy: Naples Gluten Free Restaurant Guide

A couple of weeks after returning home from Asia, it was time for our next adventure: meeting up with my parents and my sister for a week in Naples, Italy! Not only was I excited to be visiting a new city in Italy and to see my family, but I was also interested to find out what it was like to eat gluten-free in Naples. I’d heard Italy was one of the best countries for celiacs, and it was my first visit since being diagnosed last summer! So, was it true? Is Italy really a gluten-free paradise?

Here’s what you need to know about being gluten-free in Naples, Italy.

Celiac Disease and Italy: What You Need To Know

As I’m writing this blog post, I can say that I’ve now visited nine countries while celiac. And I have to say that Italy is 100% the best country for celiacs and those with gluten intolerance. (At least from what I experienced in Naples.) But why is that?

Well, it turns out that Italy has one of the world’s highest rates of celiac disease, with an estimated 1.6% of the population affected. And similarly to in other countries, an estimated 60% (or more) of those with the disease are undiagnosed.

Due to the prevalence, and with the hope of diagnosing those who need it, Italy actually just passed a law a few years ago that requires children to be screened for celiac disease (and Type 1 diabetes) during childhood. Results from the pilot study showed a celiac prevalence rate of nearly 3% — twice the global average — which indicates that the mandatory screening is helping identify those who may have otherwise gone undiagnosed.

(Meanwhile, I got diagnosed at 32 years old, but I’ve probably had it for a long time — I just couldn’t make a connection between gluten and the symptoms I was experiencing, so it was pretty unexpected to find out I was celiac. I truly think if I’d never moved to Spain, I would have never gotten diagnosed. Imagine if I’d been screened as a kid, though? I could have prevented years of damage to my body. 🥲)

And not only is Italy great at helping people find out if they’re celiac… they also give you some help financially. Knowing that gluten-free food is more expensive than “regular” food, the Italian government provides a monthly stipend between €56-€124 (depending on age and sex) to those who have received a celiac disease diagnosis.

Dear Spain, can you start doing that too? (Though they are in the process of approving a €600 yearly tax deduction for celiacs! So I can’t complain too much.)

Anyway, with all this infrastructure to support the diagnosis and management of celiac disease… you can understand why Italy takes the cake as a gluten-free paradise. If you’re heading to Naples, you’re going to have absolutely no problem eating, and eating well. So… on to the fun stuff!

Gluten-Free Map of Naples, Italy

Map Key (Colors)

• Green: Dedicated gluten-free establishment
• Dark pink: Not dedicated gluten-free, but has a 5-heart safety rating on the FindMeGF app
• Light pink: Not dedicated gluten-free, but has a 4 or 4.5-heart safety rating on the FindMeGF app
• Dark blue: Grocery

Map Key (Symbols)

• Pizza: Pizzeria
• Pasta bowl: Pasta/Italian restaurant
• Spoon & knife: Other type of food
• Sushi: Sushi restaurant
• Birthday cake: Bakery
• Ice cream cone: Ice cream shop
• Coffee cup: Coffee shop
• Shopping cart: Shops that are more likely to sell gluten-free snacks

Notes about the Gluten-Free Map of Naples

• If you zoom out a bit, you’ll also see some options in Pompei, Sorrento, Positano, and Caserta.

• Anywhere that I personally ate will have my review in the “description” section when you click on it.

• About the “Safety Ratings” on FindMeGF: There were lots of 4- or 4.5-heart rated restaurants, even in situations where they were certified by the AIC — Italian Celiac Association. This meant that they had strict protocols such as double ovens, separate ovens, etc… so some of these places probably deserve even higher safety ratings!

• There are also lots of other restaurants in Naples offering gluten-free options that didn’t meet my “personal” requirements for the above map, such as not having enough reviews. And honestly, I probably just missed some places because there are so many! But this should be a good starting point.

The Best Gluten-Free Restaurants in Naples, Italy

Pizzeria Trianon: This was my favorite gluten-free pizza in all of Naples! All their pizzas can be made gluten-free by request. The gluten-free pizza crust was very clearly different from regular. I asked the waitress and she said they cook it in a different oven. My family also loved their regular pizzas!

Pizzeria e Trattoria del Purgatorio: Spaghetti alla Nerano was AMAZING! Best pasta I ate on the trip. There is a €4 surcharge on gluten-free food which is a little annoying but I had to eat… Also, I didn’t really ask any follow-up questions, just told them sono celiaca.

Pizzeria Errico Porzio Vomero: Separate gluten-free menu. I asked if they have a separate oven and they said “doppio” which means double, so that seems like it should be safe. Good experience and enjoyed my food!

Stuzzico by Lucius (in Pompei): I relied on the abundant Google reviews from other celiacs singing the praises of this place and wasn’t disappointed! When I told the chef I was celiac, he asked if I could eat seafood, I said yes, and he instantly went back to the kitchen to tell them about my order. Then he took the rest of my family’s orders. When he brought out bruschetta for them, he didn’t bring me a plate — which was fine with me and actually reassured that he remembered I was celiac. But then he brought me out my very own! Along with extra slices of GF bread which I then ate with my GF spaghetti and clams. It was simple but soooo tasty. The chef was so nice and attentive, and it felt like a home-cooked meal made with love.

Antica Hostaria Massa dal 1848 (in Caserta): They seem to be certified by AIC or at least follow their protocols. They do NOT have a separate oven for gluten-free pizzas but they DO use high-edged pans — they even came out to show me before they made my food after I asked about it. (High edged pans are considered to be safe under AIC protocols.) It was the best GF pizza crust I had — like focaccia with toppings. Very tasty! There is a €2 surcharge for gluten-free pizzas.

What To Do at Restaurants If You’re Celiac or Gluten-Free in Italy

You’ll notice that there aren’t too many dedicated gluten-free restaurants in Naples, so you’ll have to take it upon yourself to talk to the staff before you order.

Here are the steps I took when eating gluten-free in Naples:

1. Sit down at the table — I usually try to sit where I think I’ll have easiest access to the waiter, because we’re probably going to be talking to each other a lot and I don’t always want to do it over everyone else.
2. The waiter would bring the menus. If gluten-free options weren’t listed on the regular menu, I would tell the waiter in Italian: “Sono celiaca,” which obviously means “I’m celiac.” (Pronounced: SO-no che-li-AH-ca; change to celiaco if you identify as male.) That way, they would bring me the gluten-free menu.
3. If gluten-free options WERE on the regular menu, I wouldn’t say anything yet. Until it was time to order. So then I would say sono celiaca before I ordered my meal.
4.  At that point, it’s time to start asking questions.

Useful Questions & Phrases: Gluten Free in Italy / Gluten Free in Naples

If you’re ordering a pizza: Ask if they have a separate oven. Forno separato? Sometimes they would say yes, sometimes they would say doppio, which means double [oven] and is also safe.

If you’re ordering pasta: Ask if they are using new/clean pasta water and a clean pot. Pentola e acqua pulita?

If you’re double checking something is gluten-free: “Gluten-free” in Italian is Senza Glutine (SEN-zah GLU-tee-neh)

Just so you know, I’m not fluent in Italian or anything. We were speaking English 95% of the time. But asking the most important questions in their language made me feel more confident that I was being understood.

But not every waiter is super comfortable in English, so it could be a good idea to download a free Italian gluten-free translation card. I personally didn’t feel like I needed it — I could stumble my way through basic Italian thanks to my background in Spanish, and everywhere we went was very familiar with celiac disease. But it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have on hand.

Other Things to Know: Gluten Free in Naples

Just a few more random thoughts on things you might want to know before you visit Italy/Naples as a gluten-free traveler.

• Gluten is an “allergen” that is mandatory to be declared on any packaged food in the grocery stores. Look for senza glutine, but you also might find sin gluten (Spanish) or sans gluten (French) depending on the country the food is from.

• Even if something doesn’t say it’s gluten free, you can look for the allergy statement on the back of the label. Any potential allergens will be labeled in bold on the list. You should be looking for farina di grano / frumento (wheat / wheat flour), segale (rye), orzo (barley), farro / spelta / kamut / triticale (other types of grains), and avena (oats).  Some things also say “May contain traces of ____.”

• At most places that served gluten-free bread (in my experience), the bread was pre-packaged and individually wrapped so there was no need to worry about cross contact. If bread comes out toasted and it’s not wrapped, be sure to ask whether it’s toasted separately.

• Many places have gluten-free beer! If it’s not on the menu, you can ask:  If you want to ask a bartender if they have gluten-free beer, just ask: “Avete birra senza glutine?”

• When it comes to ordering coffee, I felt like oat milk wasn’t very common — maybe because it’s basically sacrilegious to order a cappuccino after 11 a.m.? But if you do go somewhere and want milk in your coffee, verify that their oat milk (if they have it) is gluten free — otherwise you’ll need to ask them to clean the machinery before making your drink.

• I did not verify this personally, so feel free to let me know in the comments if I’m wrong. But I heard that McDonald’s in Italy has gluten-free options certified by the AIC! (I believe this because Spain is the same way and I did check that out myself.) I know you probably aren’t going to Italy to eat at McDonald’s, but if you’re from the U.S. and been missing it for years after your diagnosis, Italy could be your place. 😉

 

Let me know what other questions you have about being gluten free in Naples or Italy! I’d be more than happy to do my best to answer — and feel free to connect with me on FindMeGF as well. 🙂

-Cathy

This site contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.