Tuscan cooking is peasant cooking, and in the Tuscany of old, bread was never thrown away. So you find it everywhere: in soups, in salads, and even as a sandwich around tripe. For a celiac, Florence can look complicated. Yet the city has plenty of 100% gluten-free places, a few minutes' walk from the Duomo.

For general advice (pasta, pizza, supermarkets, useful phrases), read my guide to gluten-free Italy first.

I have not tried these places myself yet: I picked them among those recommended by celiacs, and checked in October 2026 that they were still open. If you go, tell me about it through the contact page or tag us on Instagram (@lesglutons)!

Tuscan food: what can you eat?

  • Bistecca alla fiorentina (a huge grilled T-bone steak) ✅ the specialty to try
  • Prosciutto toscano and finocchiona (fennel salami) ✅
  • Fagioli all'uccelletto (white beans with tomato and sage) ✅
  • Ribollita (vegetable and black cabbage soup) 🚫 thickened with bread
  • Pappa al pomodoro (tomato soup) 🚫 bread
  • Panzanella (tomato salad) 🚫 soaked bread
  • Crostini toscani (toasts with chicken liver pâté) 🚫
  • Lampredotto (tripe sandwich, sold from street kiosks) 🚫 bread
  • Pici (thick fresh pasta) 🚫
  • Schiacciata (Florentine focaccia) and cantucci (almond biscotti) 🚫, except in the gluten-free places below

Italian charcuterie board with cured ham, cheese, olives and almonds

100% gluten-free restaurants

Quinoa, Florence's first gluten-free restaurant

Opened in 2014, Quinoa was the first 100% gluten-free restaurant in Florence, and it is trained by the AIC (the Italian Celiac Association). It serves classic Italian and Tuscan food, on a small street two minutes from the Duomo.

Vicolo di Santa Maria Maggiore 1 - Google Maps

Sgrano, gluten-free schiacciata at last

Sgrano is the place to finally taste schiacciata, the Florentine focaccia filled like a sandwich, and pizza, all strictly gluten-free. One celiac reviewer even calls it the best pizzeria in town! There are two locations: the counter on Via dei Neri, near Piazza della Signoria, and the osteria (casual restaurant) on Via dei Benci, near Santa Croce, to sit down for a proper meal.

Via dei Neri 49r; Via dei Benci 30r - Google Maps

Florence addresses have two numbering systems: red numbers ("r", rosso ) for shops and restaurants, and black or blue numbers for homes. So 49r and 49 can be two different doors on the same street.

Creamy shrimp risotto

Risotteria Melotti, risotto and desserts

The Florence branch of the risotteria you also find in Rome and Milan: an entirely gluten-free menu built around rice, from risotto to dessert. It is open every day, lunch and dinner, between the Duomo and Piazza Santissima Annunziata.

Via dei Servi 65r - Google Maps

L'OV, vegetarian and gluten-free

Across the Arno river, in the Oltrarno neighborhood, L'OV is both 100% gluten-free and vegetarian. A good place for a light break after visiting the Pitti Palace.

Piazza del Carmine 4r - Google Maps

La Pépinière, also in the Oltrarno

Still in the Oltrarno, on the lively Borgo San Frediano, La Pépinière is another entirely gluten-free restaurant. It is nice to have two safe places in this neighborhood full of small restaurants, where locals like to stroll in the evening.

Borgo San Frediano 169r - Google Maps

A pizzeria with gluten-free options

Ciro & Sons, every pizza in a gluten-free version

This Neapolitan pizzeria is not entirely gluten-free, but every pizza on the menu exists in a gluten-free version, and they even serve gluten-free bread as a starter. Book ahead, ideally by phone the day before, and say that you are celiac.

Via del Giglio 28r, near Santa Maria Novella station - Google Maps

Bakery and gelato

Bottega Artigiana del Gusto

A bakery, café and grocery store, all gluten-free and trained by the AIC. You will find fresh bread, cakes, savory snacks and a big choice of packaged food. It is outside the historic center, but it is the perfect place to stock up if you rent an apartment.

Via Erbosa 12r - Google Maps

Grom, next to the Duomo

At Grom, the gelato and the cones are gluten-free. Only some ice cream cakes, displayed in a separate case, may contain gluten: ask if in doubt. The shop is right next to Giotto's bell tower.

Via del Campanile 2 - Google Maps

Florence's Mercato Centrale, in the San Lorenzo neighborhood

My tips for Florence

  • Book gluten-free restaurants, especially for dinner: the city is busy all year round.
  • Markets: at the Mercato Centrale, the cheese, cured meat and fruit stalls are perfect for a picnic. Avoid the fresh pasta and sandwich counters on the upper floor.
  • On day trips in Tuscany, bring gluten-free bread: in villages, crostini and bruschetta come with every aperitivo.
  • Tuscan wine (Chianti, Brunello) is gluten-free. Enjoy in moderation.
  • Sundays and August: some small restaurants close on Sundays, and many take their holidays in August. Check before you walk across town, and keep a gluten-free snack in your bag.

Continuing your trip? Read my guides to Rome, Venice and Milan.

Photos: cover, the Ponte Vecchio: Jebulon ( CC0 , Wikimedia Commons ); risotto: Benoît Prieur ( CC0 , Wikimedia Commons ); Mercato Centrale: Sailko ( CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons ).

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