For families with strict dietary requirements, choosing a holiday destination is not straight forward….. In addition to the universal debate of what there will be to do when you get to wherever you end up (which may mean trying to fit in (or compromise) the needs of several age bands and interests), the ultimate choice may in part be driven by the likelihood of getting a good meal…… Will we be able to eat safely and how easy will it be to find lunch or dinner without hours of traipsing and enquiring?
I have been meaning to write this post for ages, but for various reasons which are far too complicated or boring to go into, it has taken months to get around to it. With the summer fast coming round again however and the need to start planning holidays, I wanted to share a little Spanish gluten free wisdom….. and to share one or two other photos too.
Whenever we go away, I research my intended destination and work out whether the local diet is likely to be friendly to us and I make a note of any recommended eateries that are likely to cater for gluten freedom. One of my favourite sources is other bloggers, because I trust that they will be sharing the gems and be honest about where to avoid.
Let’s face it…… If you can’t just walk into any restaurant and eat, then someone else’s leg-work could just save you a lot of disappointment (which becomes really really important when you have a hungry child in tow…).
With that in mind, I have decided that whenever I go away (which admittedly is not as often as I would like), I will endeavour to share my favourite finds with you too….. just in case you ever head for the same neck of the woods. Be sure to check out and follow my Instagram Account too, as this will always be ahead of any blog posts when I come across somewhere (or something) that blows me away.
But back to Barcelona…… which we visited last summer (2017)….. It was a last minute booking, to a city which I have wanted to visit for years. I wasn’t disappointed. It was incredibly diverse, compact, colourful, welcoming, creative and with such a wealth of culture and history that I could have been occupied for months just wandering around the streets. Apart from the misfortune of being caught up in a major terror attack, our time in Barcelona was amazing and I will be returning for sure….
A word of warning for summer gluten free travellers though…… August can create some frustration! When I set about my foodie research ahead of our trip, I was incredibly excited that the city was reported to have a number of specifically gluten free bakeries…… Turns out most of them are closed at some time during August for their annual holiday.
Either way, because I really really wanted to visit them, I have included a bit of information about them below in case anyone else is lucky enough to get there.
I don’t know about you, but when I think food of Spain and Catalonia, I think Tapas, Paella and plenty of Mediterranean fruit and veg. Fruit and veg is straight forward for gluten avoiders and most Paella is also likely to be fine (depending on added stock, which you need to be sure to check)….. What about Tapas? If you avoid any breads and batters and stick to cheeses, hams, shrimp, olives, omelettes and potatoes, you should be fine. Right?
No! Apparently not!
I was genuinely shocked at how many Tapas restaurants turned us away, being constantly told that (despite being in separate counter areas with no other obvious contaminants) even the ham and cheese weren’t safe. Frankly I suspect that some restaurants simply couldn’t be bothered, but if their attitude is that unhelpful, then they cannot be trusted to prepare food safely. I am more than willing to take my custom and hard earned cash elsewhere…. and gluten-safety is always top priority.
Sadly, my very favourite Patatas Bravas (potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) seemed to be off the menu too….. I didn’t find one restaurant that could offer them gluten free….. and trust me, I asked at dozens.
We did manage to find several Paellas however….. although they varied in quality, most were relatively cheap and pretty satisfying.
Anyway….. to where we ate and loved……
Eating Out :
Jansana Bakery – Carrer Balmes, 106; Barcelona 08008
This was by far our favourite find of the trip, possibly because it was the only dedicated 100% gluten free bakery that was open during our August visit (opening the day after we got there). Being relatively central in the L’Eixample district on Carrer Balmes, it was (for us) a 15 minute stroll in the morning to pick up a stash of gorgeous gluten free goodies for a picnic lunch or to enjoy a leisurely, late, sit-in breakfast.
Il Piccolo Focone – Carrer Dos de Maig, 268; Barcelona 08025
Located just round the corner from the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, this is a family-run Italian restaurant that offers an extensive menu of fresh gluten free pasta, pizza, risotto, breads, salads, meat and fish dishes. They have over eight years experience in preparing gluten free food, with a separate menu specifically for Celiacs and gluten-avoiders.
We tied lunch here with a visit to the Cathedral (which is a must see) and weren’t disappointed. The pasta (I had traditionally filled Cannelloni) was one of the best I have eaten. Miss GF had Pizza which was also extremely good. You even have the option of GF Tiramisu for dessert, although sadly the last piece had been sold just before I ordered…. I settled for a creamy, Italian Panna Cotta instead.
If you love Italian eating, you have to visit this place….. you won’t be disappointed. Although the surroundings are quite basic, the food is exceptional.
Lolita Barceloneta – Passeig de Joan de Borbo, 38, 08039, Barcelona
If you are looking for an easy, low-key, relaxed meal, we found Lolita Barceloneta down near the seafront. Although not a specifically gluten free restaurant, the staff were friendly and knowledgable and were able to offer a variety of safe gluten free tapas and a selection of gluten free paellas. We ate here a couple of times and although both meals were great, on our second visit, the staff were a bit slow…. Nonetheless worth a visit if you are in the area.
Conesa Sandwich Shop – Llibreteria 1, Placa Sant Jaume, 08002, Barcelona (Bari Gotic)
Centrally located in the city, Conesa has a fantastic range of gluten free sandwiches and rolls, hot and cold, that have been certified by the Coeliac Association in Catalonia. Quick, easy and convenient, these sandwiches are really good and with a vast range of gluten free filling options, the whole family is guaranteed to be gluten-free happy.
McDonalds – All over the city
Ice Cream Parlours
Dino Gelato – Passeig de Gracia 4, 46015, Barcelona
Gelaaati Di Marco – Llibreteria 7, 08002, Barcelona
Gluten Free Supplies :
Supermarkets
Barcelona is great for grabbing gluten free staples and goodies in supermarkets and you will find a varied selection in most stores (although some will be better stocked than others). Specifically gluten free products are clearly labelled and are found on gluten free shelves and aisles signed ‘Sin Gluten’/’Sense Gluten’, much as they are in the UK. Go explore!
Pharmacies
Barcelona Markets
Our favourites :
Where we wanted to try, but weren’t able to :
Bakeries
Celiadictos Bakery – Carrer Pobla de Lillet 5, 08028, Barcelona
Pasticelia Bakery – Carrer de Paris, 165, 08036, Barcelona
Baci d’Angelo Bakery
Pastelosofia Bakery – Carrer Ferran Tume, 12-16, Barcelona
Restaurants
Messie Sin Gluten Pizza – Carrer de Siracusa, 15, 08012, Barcelona
Note : Site no longer accessible – Not sure this venue still exists
Copasetic Restaurant – Carrer de la Diputacio, 55, 08015, Barcelona
Note : Site no longer accessible – Not sure this venue still exists
Nice write up…. beautiful Barcelona.. Bacarra club Barcelona
Great post with some fantastic info for GF eaters. I don’t have gluten allergy but often opt to go GF. I’m so glad you found a GF bakery that was open In August! Everything looks delicious!! Love Barcelona. Thanks for linking #citytripping
Thank You. Me too! It's a great city x
Wow, what a selection of places! It's amazing there is actually so much in Barcelona! I'm not surprised about most bakeries being closed in August, It's exactly the same thing in France: everyone is on holiday 🙂 I'm impressed about the 100% GF bakery you found, and I'd heard about McDonald's having a GF bun, but had no idea they had them in Spain too. Makes me wonder why that global company hasn't yet managed to bring GF buns to the UK… Thanks for joining in with #FreeFromFridays.
Thank you. I always forget that if you head South, August holidays are sacrosanct.
The problem with McD's is that although it is a global company, it seems to be geographically managed and each country has its own rules on how food is prepared and what they offer with lots of local quirks. The world seems to be split on GF fries and also on buns, so I always check ahead of any travel, particularly when I have Miss GF in tow x
So much stunning food! I remember seeing some of these on instagram and it all looked so amazing.
Thanks Kat….. The food was so 'instagramable', it had to be shared then and there! x
What a nice post! I visited Barcelona so long time ago now.. before the children came along. It is not far and I would love to visit it again. I love Spanish food, so fresh and so Mediterranean. Thank you, I really enjoyed the post x
Thank you Alida. It is a fantastic city. You should definitely return…… I think your kids would love it too x
I went to Barcelona nearly 2 years ago and also found it very difficult to find anywhere safe to eat. I once wandered in and out of restaurants for over an hour with my sister looking for somewhere that would serve me something safe. Everything was either on bread, deep fried or battered. One night for dinner I even bought and ate some food from the supermarket, before sitting with my sister in a restaurant while she ate a nice dinner. I was really disappointed.
The highlight for me was Jansana Bakery too. It was so good I went twice.
Goodness….. it must have changed so much in just a couple of years. It's such a shame that eating was so difficult for you….. If I have a hard time, it really puts me off a place. But when you find somewhere like Jansana, it at least feels like moving in the right direction! x
That is very comprehensive – I hope it holds you in good stead when you return to barcelona. I visited there before it was the thing to go online and find vegetarian places and had a miserable time of eating out there – though I was there a week or so and my experience improved with time. So I appreciate how helpful the internet is to travellers with dietary restrictions. The bakery looks superb. I did a double take at macdonalds – will need to check about them here in Australia though I am sure they don't do GF buns. And the Gaudi buildings are amazing too.
Thanks Johanna. Travelling with food requirements (whatever they are) is always an interesting challenge and the responses you get can be so different from country to country and city to city. There's always someone who's been there before you though and there wisdom can save so much time. x
Oh wow – Barcelona looks amazing!!! I've never been and now I really want to go!!! I am fascinated by the varying levels of gluten free helpfulness (I presume it's a similar story in the UK)…and equally amazed that McD's can do GF bread in Spain but not in the UK, eh? Super glad to see how many happy pics and fun times you managed to have despite the awfulness of the attack. Eb x
Thanks Eb. It was an amazing city and if you get a chance, you must visit! When you are gluten free, you get all sorts of strange responses….. some less helpful than others. There is a cafe in our high street where I once asked about GF food. They responded 'we don't get much call for that!' Needless to say I have boycotted them since.
As for McD's…. they went right up in my estimation after we became GF….. They are actually much more switched on than many places….. But it does depend on which country you're in. In the States, you can't even eat the fries! Head to Scandinavia and the range of GF options widens even further! x