Gluten free in Rome: The best way to live

Prepare for the best feast of your life because eating gluten free in Rome is no joke. Who would have thought the land of pizza, pasta and all things gluten would actually be one of the best for gluten free food?

Hand on heart I swear this to you, you will not miss out on all of the delicious food when you’re eating gluten free in Rome. That’s a promise. You will be able to eat all of the pasta and pizza your heart desires, and we all know how much I love a gluten free pizza. So without further ado, let’s dive into the best bits about eating gluten free in Rome.

Keep your eyes peeled

One thing to keep your eyes open for when eating gluten free in Rome, is a super simple symbol. Linked with the Italian Celiac Association (AIC), it is a reliable point of reference. The symbol depicts a red circle on a white background with a cross in the middle, half of which is an ear of wheat. An easy point of reference that is easy to clock on any menu, which are often sitting street side anyway.

Additionally, it’s useful to know some basic phrases in Italian should you need them. Personally, I didn’t have to use these at all as all the menus I ordered off had a key or very clear allergy information. However here are a couple of back ups:

Senza glutine = gluten free [pronounced “sen-zah glue-tin-eh”]

Questo contiene glutine? = Does this contain gluten? [pronounced “quest-o con-ten-eh glu-tin-eh”]

Sono intollerante al glutine = I am gluten intolerant [pronounced “son-o in-tol-er-ant-ay al glu-tin-eh”]

Pasta is everywhere

There’s just an incredible amount of choice when it comes to being gluten free in Rome, and the pasta lists are definitely a part of this. Whether you fancy a carbonara, bolognaise, alla Norma or Fettuccine, you’ll be able to find it.

One thing to note is that a lot of places simply sub out the traditional pasta type used for a more basic pasta shape. For example, spaghetti was usually swapped for penne. This tends to be because it’s easier to find, as gluten free pasta having a very delicate structure and so spaghetti tends to cost more.

But as long as you’re not too bothered about this, I promise you’ll love it. I had four pasta dishes whilst in Rome (yes four in four days) and I’d say my favourite was the carbonara from Antico Carbone, set in the Trastevere district. The tagliatelle pasta was cooked perfectly, and there was extra crispy pancetta sprinkled on top for an extra crunch

What’s more, they do not hold back on the extra parmesan. A true blessing to society. So if you’re gluten free in Rome and a pasta lover like me, you won’t be disappointed.

Mamma Mia pizzeria!

Now, gluten free pizza was just as common as gluten free pasta in Rome, but not all of them quite hit the mark. In fact during my time in Rome, I had three pizzas and I would only go back to one of them.

The general pattern was the restaurants in main tourists traps such as Piazza Navona, were pretty average. Not to mention, expensive. Hands down the best gluten free pizza in Rome was Mastro Ciccia.

Served on a wooden board, these tasted absolutely divine. The crust was chewy yet crispy, the sauce was full of flavour and the base wasn’t soggy at all.

What’s more, the restaurant is set on an idyllic little street in the Sant’Eustachi district, running through the historic centre. It’s a lovely part of Rome that makes for some wonderful meandering, cocktails and shopping.

So overall, I would hand on heart say that eating gluten free in Rome is easy. Hands down I could not recommend more. You won’t struggle at all and you will enjoy some of the best pasta and pizza of your life.