Gluten Free Portugal: Where to Eat in Lisbon, Porto & the Algarve

Portugal is a great trip for celiacs, though not for the same reason as Italy or Spain. It has fewer dedicated gluten-free kitchens than either. But a lot of Portuguese food is naturally gluten free: grilled fish, grilled meat, seafood rice, potatoes, and soups. There’s also a certification program from the national celiac association, and Lisbon has one thing every visitor wants: a gluten-free pastel de nata.

Photo: Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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The certification to look for

The Portuguese Celiac Association (APC) runs a certification program with Biotrab. Restaurants that pass display the APC/Biotrab symbol, which means their gluten-free procedures have been checked. The association recommends choosing a certified place first, and it publishes the list on its website.

Lisbon

Lisbon has 9 fully gluten-free places on our map, plus many shared kitchens with good gluten-free options.

• Rice Me is a rice-based restaurant certified by the Portuguese Celiac Association. Its sister bakery, Rice Me Deli, makes a gluten-free pastel de nata, the custard tart Lisbon is famous for. Regular pastéis de nata are made with wheat pastry, so this is the safe way to try one.
• Despensa N.6 and Happy Cookie are dedicated gluten-free bakeries.
• Café do Rio Craft Burgers is a dedicated gluten-free burger spot.
• Tapioca World is a dedicated gluten-free spot built around tapioca, a naturally gluten-free starch.
• Gelataria Scoop and Grom are dedicated gluten-free gelato shops.

Shared kitchens with good gluten-free options include Maiz do Mar, Open Brasserie Mediterrânica (also APC certified), Honest Greens, and Coyo Taco (corn tortillas).

Porto

Porto has fewer dedicated places than Lisbon, but enough for a long weekend.

• 100 Culpa is a dedicated gluten-free café.
• Tasquinha do Bé is a dedicated gluten-free restaurant serving Portuguese food.
• Com Cuore is a dedicated gluten-free bakery.

Shared kitchens rated well for celiac safety include Musubu Café, Amorino (gelato), and Honest Greens. daTerra, Espécie, Black Mamba Burgers, and O Bacalhau Em Prato also have gluten-free options.

Skip the francesinha. Porto’s famous sandwich is layers of bread, meat, and cheese in a beer-based sauce, so it’s off the table unless a restaurant makes a dedicated gluten-free version.

The Algarve

The southern coast is the hardest part of Portugal for dedicated gluten-free food, but it’s still workable.

• In Faro, True Food is a dedicated gluten-free and lactose-free pizzeria and restaurant.
• In Lagos, there are no fully gluten-free kitchens on our map, but Abigail’s Vegetarian Café, Casa do Prego, O Ninho, and Chicca’s all have gluten-free options.

Grilled fish is the Algarve’s specialty, and it’s one of the safest things you can order anywhere in Portugal.

Portuguese food: what’s safe and what isn’t

Usually safe:

• Grilled fish (peixe grelhado) and grilled sardines
• Grilled meat and piri-piri chicken
• Caldo verde, the potato and kale soup
• Arroz de marisco, a seafood rice stew (ask about the stock)
• Bacalhau à Brás, salt cod with potatoes and egg (ask how it’s thickened)

Avoid or ask first:

• Pastéis de nata are made with wheat pastry, except at gluten-free bakeries like Rice Me Deli.
• Prego and bifana are steak and pork sandwiches on wheat rolls.
• Pastéis de bacalhau (cod fritters) sometimes contain flour and are usually fried in shared oil.
• Francesinha is bread with a beer-based sauce.

Practical Tips for Eating Gluten Free in Portugal

Know the couvert. Many Portuguese restaurants bring bread, olives, and cheese to the table before you order. It isn’t free, and you only pay for what you eat. Send the bread back right away so it doesn’t sit on the table.

Learn the phrases. Sem glúten means gluten free. Sou celíaco or sou celíaca means “I have celiac disease.”

Look for the APC/Biotrab symbol. It’s the clearest sign a kitchen knows what it’s doing.

Supermarkets help. Continente and Pingo Doce, the two big chains, carry gluten-free products. GF Scanner can check a barcode if you can’t read the Portuguese label.

Quick Reference: Where to Eat in Portugal

Heading to Spain on the same trip? See our gluten-free Spain guide. For more ideas, see the best gluten-free vacation spots.

Sources

• Pontos de venda e estabelecimentos certificados APC/Biotrab (Portuguese Celiac Association)
• Cuidados a ter na restauração (Portuguese Celiac Association)
• Gluten-Free Lisbon: A Travel Guide for Celiacs (Happy Celiac)