Gluten Free Spain: Where to Eat in Barcelona, Madrid, Seville & Valencia

Spain is one of the easiest countries in Europe to eat gluten free, and it doesn’t get nearly as much credit as Italy. Barcelona and Madrid have huge numbers of dedicated gluten-free kitchens. Our map has more than 20 fully gluten-free places in Barcelona and 28 in Madrid, including burger joints, pizzerias, bakeries, and even tapas bars where you can eat fried croquetas and patatas bravas safely.

Spain also has a strong celiac federation, and restaurants are used to the request. Here’s where to eat in the four cities Americans visit most, and which Spanish classics hide gluten.

Photo: Jcca76, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Why Spain is easy for celiacs

The celiac federation works with thousands of restaurants. The Federation of Celiac Associations of Spain (FACE) and its member associations advise more than 5,000 restaurants, hotels, and shops on gluten-free preparation. In Catalonia, the Celiac Association of Catalonia has accredited more than 300 more.

Big chains run 100% gluten-free locations. That’s rare anywhere. The burger chain Goiko has fully gluten-free restaurants in Madrid and Barcelona, and the pizza chain Grosso Napoletano runs dedicated gluten-free pizzerias in Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville. Grosso’s gluten-free pizza even won an award from FACE.

EU rules work in your favor. Restaurants have to be able to tell you which of the 14 major allergens, gluten included, are in each dish.

Barcelona

Barcelona has the highest concentration of dedicated gluten-free places of any city in Spain: more than 30 fully gluten-free spots.

• Messié Sin Gluten is a dedicated gluten-free pizzeria with locations in Gràcia and on Carrer de Muntaner.
• Goiko Gluten Free and Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine are the 100% gluten-free locations of two popular chains, for burgers and Neapolitan pizza.
• Bloome by Sasha, Gula Sana, Glutery, and Celicioso are 100% gluten-free cafés, good for breakfast, brunch, and cakes.
• Jansana, Gluten Tag!, Cøliaki, Sana Locura, La Consciente, and Lōf Bakery are dedicated gluten-free bakeries. Barcelona is one of the few cities where you can do a gluten-free bakery crawl.
• En Ville, Gurú Taberna, Barete, ARUKU, XOPO, and Ardemos round out the dedicated restaurants, from Catalan food and tapas to sushi, fried chicken, and burgers.

In Barcelona you’ll also see sense gluten, the Catalan for “gluten free.”

For the full list, including gluten-free churros and which tapas to skip, see our gluten-free Barcelona guide (or en español).

Madrid

Madrid has 28 fully gluten-free places, and it’s the best city in Spain to try classic tapas safely.

• Solo de Croquetas makes gluten-free croquetas. Croquetas are normally off-limits because they’re made with wheat flour and breadcrumbs.
• LaLina Bravas y Tapas in La Latina serves gluten-free patatas bravas and tapas.
• Casa San Juan is a dedicated gluten-free restaurant serving traditional Spanish food.
• Goiko Gluten Free, Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine, Bastardi, and Pasta Balboa cover burgers, pizza, and pasta.
• Celicioso, Sin Gluten Sin Problema, chök, Okashi Sanda, ZITA, La Matería Café, and Pastelería La Oriental are dedicated gluten-free bakeries and cafés.
• Naked & Sated, San Fries, La Tape, WARAKU, Ardemos, and Pink’s add more options, from healthy bowls to Japanese food.

Seville

Seville has 14 fully gluten-free places, including one that solves the biggest problem in Andalusia.

• Freiduría Bahía is a dedicated gluten-free fried-fish shop. Andalusian pescaíto frito is normally dredged in wheat flour, so this is the safe way to try it.
• La Bastarda, Restaurante Jábega, Poseidón, Postigo 10, Mano De Santo, and Atávico are dedicated gluten-free restaurants.
• Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine has a Seville location, and LEON THE BAKER and chök are dedicated gluten-free bakeries.

Valencia

Valencia is the home of paella, and it has 10 fully gluten-free places.

• Broseta Sense Gluten is a dedicated gluten-free bakery with several locations.
• Celicioso Valencia, LALOLA, Tinobu, and La Papita de Leche are dedicated gluten-free restaurants and cafés.
• Sana Locura, El Obrador del Celiaco, Butter Pastelería, Pastisseria Santa Amalia, and chök are dedicated gluten-free bakeries and pastry shops.

The Spanish classics that hide gluten

Croquetas are made with a flour-thickened béchamel and coated in breadcrumbs. Only eat them at a place that makes gluten-free croquetas.

Gazpacho and salmorejo often contain bread, which surprises a lot of visitors. Traditional recipes blend stale bread into the soup to thicken it. Ask before ordering.

Fried fish (pescaíto frito, calamares) is dredged in wheat flour.

Patatas bravas can be risky. The sauce is sometimes thickened with flour, and the potatoes often share a fryer with breaded foods.

Churros are made from wheat.

Usually safe: Jamón ibérico, grilled meat and fish (a la plancha), most tortilla española (potato and egg), and paella. Paella is rice-based, but ask whether the stock comes from a bouillon cube, since some contain gluten.

Practical Tips for Eating Gluten Free in Spain

Learn the phrases. Sin gluten means gluten free (sense gluten in Catalan). Soy celíaco or soy celíaca means “I have celiac disease.”

Supermarkets are excellent. Mercadona, Spain’s biggest chain, has a wide range of gluten-free products. Look for the crossed-grain symbol on the package. For anything you’re unsure of, GF Scanner can check the barcode.

Eat on Spanish time. Lunch is around 2 p.m. and dinner after 9 p.m. Dedicated gluten-free places can get busy at those hours, so book ahead when you can.

Quick Reference: Where to Eat in Spain

For more destinations, see our list of the best gluten-free vacation spots, our Europe travel guide, and our gluten-free Italy guide.

Sources

• FACE Restauración sin gluten (Federation of Celiac Associations of Spain)
• Asociación de Celíacos de Catalunya
• Gluten Free Madrid and Gluten Free Barcelona (Goiko)
• Senza Glutine (Grosso Napoletano)