Italy Nut Allergy-Friendly + Gluten-Free Travel Itinerary

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Hi! My name is Emily, I’m allergic to peanuts and tree nuts, and I also manage a severe gluten intolerance. I spent 10 days in Italy for my 22nd birthday and had an amazing time exploring Rome, Florence, and Siena. Some of my favorite spots from the trip were Limon’é, a completely nut-free gelato shop in Rome; Mister Pizza, a celiac-friendly pizzeria in Florence; and Klass, a fantastic restaurant and cocktail bar that took amazing care of my allergies. Follow me on Spokin @emsnutfreeeats and on Instagram @emsnutfreeeats and check out my website to see more of my restaurant reviews and travel finds!

 

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DAY 1: ROME


Hotel: Hotel Archimede

Stayed here our first few days in Rome! It’s right behind the train station (less than a 5 minute walk) Staff were very friendly and spoke great English and it worked well for our group of 3 in terms of location and affordability. We heard from a few people that this is not the nicest area and not the most safe but we didn’t have any issues. There are a bunch of cute restaurants nearby and we did find safe options at a few but they weren’t our favorite restaurants of the trip (much better selection and allergy awareness in Rome city center) Would recommend though if you need a convenient and affordable place to stay!

Airline: British Airways

We flew British Airways on our trip to Italy and had a great experience! Staff are friendly and they handed out wipes to everyone (due to COVID), and the plane was very clean. I didn’t pre-board, since I was with a group, but I looked up the airline ahead of time and knew they didn’t serve nuts. They hand out gluten-free and nut-free potato chips and do standard drinks. You can also request a gluten-free meal, although I didn’t since I feel more comfortable bringing my own food. Apparently they do make announcements if you ask, but I didn’t feel it was necessary.

Dinner + Cocktails: Santa Maria Osteria – Ristorante Pizzeria

Fun and pretty affordable Italian spot right behind the big Rome Termini train station! We stayed at a hotel nearby and walked over for drinks and a late dinner. I found this place on a gluten-free Italy blog, which stated that they were well versed in gluten-free. Overall, it was a good experience but they are not the most allergy aware. The menu is labeled for the top 14 allergens, which was extremely helpful. They have only one dish with peanuts (the fried anchovy), and there were a few pine nuts and some other tree nuts on salads and in desserts. They have gluten-free pizza crust and gluten-free pasta. Gluten-wise, I felt extremely comfortable and they totally got the gluten-free thing. Nut allergy-wise, I attempted several times to explain to the waiter the severity of my allergy cross contamination but, he according to my best friends, was “not getting it.” We did flag down another waiter who said I would 100% be fine with the pizza. I was not confident but did end up getting a gluten-free margarita pizza and mojitos from the bar. Had no allergy issues and the pizza was delicious! The first waiter also brought over a bunch of free desserts including a mini gluten-free tiramisu all on the house, which was so sweet! I did not eat because of potential cross contact with nuts but my friends LOVED the dessert. Would definitely go back for drinks and pizza and it’s definitely a great option for gluten-free people but I do recommend taking a bit more caution if you do have a nut allergy!


DAY 2: ROME


Coffee: Caffè Trombetta

Grabbed coffee to go here one morning! They only had regular milk and pastries were kept pretty separate, so no huge worries. The coffee was delicious and safe!

Lunch: Il Nuovo Faro

Our favorite restaurant in Rome and on my favorite street in all of Rome! The owner is so nice—he speaks good English and has family in NYC! We chatted with him for a while before sitting down and he told me we would be totally fine with nuts. There’s nothing with peanuts and they have an extensive 100% gluten-free menu with lots of pasta, pizza, and dessert options. There were some tree nuts but I’ve been fine at most restaurants sticking with pasta! They don’t have an allergy chart like most restaurants in Rome but the menu is in English, which was very helpful. I had the salmon fettuccine (they get their gluten-free pasta from a local vendor that makes it fresh) and it was delicious! One of my favorite meals in Rome for sure. My friends had steak that they also loved. Great wine and cocktails as well, and free limoncello shots! Would definitely come back here!

Cocktails: Klass Restaurant

We came for happy hour, since they are one of the only places that do not serve peanuts! The drinks are fantastic (such fun cocktails and amazing prices!) and we got cheese and prosciutto apps. They have some tree nuts and I didn’t see any peanuts on the dinner menu. You can request an allergy menu to see the allergens present in each dish. It didn’t seem like they had gluten-free pizza crust or pasta, however they did have a bunch of entrees (chicken, seafood, etc.) and a couple fabulous-looking risottos that were gluten-free. I was really happy with the service here, especially compared to some of the other spots we visited. Highly recommend and we definitely want to return for a full dinner!

Dinner: Grill e Wine

Not our favorite spot in Rome but we were hungry and wanted to eat quickly and allergy-free. Service was lackluster and they were not friendly at all. Allergy-wise, their menu was labeled for every dish’s allergens, which was extremely helpful. They have a pretty extensive menu and there were no dishes containing peanuts and very very few with tree nuts. They have gluten-free pizza and a few different pasta options. We all got pasta (I had gluten-free penne with broccoli chicken and ham. The staff were super busy/rushed and didn’t listen to my allergy requests or take my chef card, but I did feel comfortable given the very few nuts on the menu. My pasta came on a different colored plate (I believe this was due to my gluten allergy), which I was surprised by! Food was safe and the pasta was really good (although portions are small). Also, the prices were a bit higher here than some other similar restaurants and I don’t think the service and food made up for it. You can definitely find better restaurants to eat at in Rome but allergy-wise, this definitely a pretty safe nut and gluten allergy option!

Dessert: Limon’è

This is a lemon-themed supermarket in Rome, right near the Trevi Fountain, that serves 100% NUT-FREE GELATO! Because everything in the shop is lemon-flavored, they only have lemon-flavored gelato so there are no nuts present anywhere and no risk of cross contamination! I did inquire with the staff about my nut allergies. They were so helpful and told me everything about their flavors and the allergens they contained and confirmed I would be totally safe! There are no cones—they scoop the gelato into a hollowed out lemon and serve it with a spoon! They have 5 different lemon-based flavors. I had the limoncello and it was one of the best ice cream flavors I’ve ever had! So creamy and not sorbet/icy-tasting at all! One flavor does have pieces of lemon cheesecake in it (so it’s not gluten-free), but every flavor has its own spoon and was pretty separate so I felt totally comfortable! Highly recommend! There are a ton of great allergy-friendly restaurants on this street!

Sightseeing:

The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill


DAY 3: ROME


Lunch & Treat: Le Altre Farine Del Mulino

100% gluten-free bakery and cafe in Rome close to the Vatican City! I was told by the worker, who clearly read my chef card, that nothing contained peanuts. They do use pistachios, almonds, and hazelnuts in a number of pastries. The pastries are kept separate and they have pizza and sandwiches in a different section. They did point out one item in that section that he said may contain traces of pistachios. We avoided that one but had a few different kinds of pizza. All were delicious but loved the ham and cheese best—it was on a focaccia-like pizza dough and was so good! No allergy issues either!

Dinner: Mama Eat Lab

Mama Eat is a chain of restaurants throughout Rome and a gluten-free institution! Not all locations are dedicated gluten-free but all have a separate gluten-free kitchen and everything on the menu can be made gluten-free. The Mama Eat Lab (this location) is 100% gluten-free. I was told everything is also peanut-free! They do have a few tree nuts, but everything on the menu is well labeled and the staff seemed to understand nut allergies. The menu was very clearly labeled and easy to read. I believe there was something with pistachios that goes into the fryer, so that’s something to keep in mind. I had the pasta carbonara, which was delicious, and they make their gluten-free pasta fresh! Not our absolute favorite restaurant in Rome but it was pretty good!

Sightseeing:

St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Museums


DAY 4: FLORENCE


Breakfast/Transport: Roma Termini

This is the main train station in Rome. There’s a great grocery store on the lower level that has a large gluten-free section and I found a lot of options. The station is pretty easy to navigate and staff are helpful. We rode both the bullet train (to Florence) via Italotreno and the smaller train (to other cities outside of Rome) via Italitrenni. Both were clean and easy to use. We didn’t know at the time but Italotreno does serve bags of peanuts. Not many people ate them but was a little anxiety-inducing. They do have a mask mandate on all trains, though, so I felt comfortable, sat by window, and didn’t eat anything or take my mask off. It was definitely something I wish I knew before boarding but everything worked out and I was fine.

Hotel: Toscanelli Residenza d’Epoca

I would move into this hotel if I could—easiest 5 star review I’ve ever written! The owners are lovely people (they also speak great English). The hotel is right in front of the Boboli Gardens and in walking distance of the Ponte Vecchio. It’s extremely clean, has a fridge in the room, and the ambience feels like you’re staying in someone’s home but it’s still very hotel-like in terms of amenities. The owners walked us through a map of all their favorite spots in Florence and gave us a list of restaurants to try. They don’t serve food but work with the cafe down the street and offer discounted food for hotel guests. If you stay here, ask for “the room at the very top of the stairs”—it’s 2 queen-sized beds with the best views of Florence in the whole city!

Lunch: Trattoria de’ Pitti

Loved this restaurant in Florence! The food is delicious and they serve great wine. It’s right across from the Boboli Gardens. They have allergens listed on the menu and a message about food allergies on the bottom of their menu—something like “we will accommodate any allergies, just ask!” Our waiter spoke really good English and checked everything with the kitchen. They did have a few of the main entrees marked as a 5 (meaning they contain peanuts) but he wrote down my allergies and I had no issues. They have gluten-free penne and spaghetti, but no gluten-free pizza crust. I had the penne with a bolognese sauce which was very good and safe! Definitely recommend!

Treat: Gallery Café

This was the only place I was able to find gelato in Florence. They have 10 flavors—2 have tree nuts (pistachio and hazelnut, which were next to each other in the far right corner). No peanuts in the shop! They do use the same scoop for all the flavors (like a classic ice cream shop) but I mentioned my allergies to the worker and she was extremely understanding and accommodating. She thoroughly cleaned a scoop for me after I asked and then scooped the flavors from the non-used part of the gelato tub. I got vanilla (it was in the opposite corner from the nut flavors) in a cup and had no allergy issues! It was also the cleanest gelato shop we’ve come across. I also had safe coffee here most mornings! We definitely want to go back for gelato!

Cocktails: Move On – Italian Pub + Record Store

This is a bar/restaurant downstairs and an amazing record shop upstairs! We got drinks here one night and then went upstairs to hang out in the record shop. It’s a wonderful venue! No peanuts served on tables (we had a lot of trouble with this in Florence) and drinks are delicious (although on the pricier side). We didn’t get food but they seemed to have classic bar food and the staff were friendly, although they were understaffed/very busy!

Dinner: Le Botteghe Di Donatello Firenze

This restaurant is right next to the Duomo and was one of our favorite meals in Florence and of our whole trip! They are AIC-certified (gluten-free) and every dish is marked for allergens. There were no peanuts listed on the menu and this was confirmed by the owner/chef (who was so nice!). Waiters were also very knowledgeable about food allergies and ingredients in dishes. The menu does note cross contamination as the dish containing that allergen (we were confused by a few nut-free, gluten-free dishes that were marked as containing tree nuts, but checked in with the staff and were told which items were safe!) I had the gluten-free bruschetta (so good!) and a steak entree! They also had gluten-free pasta and pizza and everything was listed on a separate gluten-free menu in the back of the main menu. This was the first place I was able to get dessert, too! We split the berry panacotta and creme caramel (both were nut-free and listed on the gluten-free menu) I had no allergy issues and loved our meal!

Sightseeing:

Duomo Climb and the Accademia Gallery


DAY 5: FLORENCE


Lunch: Mister Pizza

Mister Pizza has been dubbed the best gluten-free pizza in all of Italy and, in my opinion, it totally lives up to the hype! They have a separate English menu and the staff speak perfect English and totally understand food allergies. It’s right next to the Duomo so you get amazing views! They do have regular pizza dough but offer gluten-free dough (it’s like actual pizza dough!) and cook all the gluten-free pizzas in a dedicated pizza oven. Seriously the best gluten-free pizza I’ve EVER had—the crust is so fluffy and looks identical to the regular pizza! All gluten-free pizzas come with a special allergy flag. There are no nuts on the menu, other than one pizza that has pistachios on it. We’ve been 3 times and I never once saw that pizza ordered so I felt comfortable. Staff were knowledgable about cross contamination and already used separate gloves, surfaces, etc. for the gluten-free pizza. They also have vegan cheese! Definitely a more American restaurant but highly recommend if you’re in Florence!

Snack: Sgrano

100% gluten-free sandwich shop in Florence! They had no peanuts in the store, but they did have one or two sandwiches with pistachios and I believe hazelnuts. Staff prepared my order on clean paper when I asked/mentioned my allergies. It is a bit small of a kitchen, but I felt comfortable and had a classic prosciutto sandwich safely!

Dinner: Ristorante Buca Niccolini

This restaurant is pretty famous in Florence and for good reason—the menu is huge! They have gluten-free pasta and pizza and everything that’s gluten-free is clearly labeled on the menu. They are also AIC-certified (Italian Celiac Association). I didn’t see any peanuts and pretty few tree nuts, but I told our waiter my allergies and he wrote them down for the kitchen. We split prosciutto and melon as an appetizer and had a ton of drinks. I got the salmon fettuccine with certified pasta. Very good pasta sauce—I wish the pasta was cooked a little bit more (it was definitely from a box) but overall it was a very good meal and my friends loved their dishes! Definitely a fantastic allergy option in Florence.

Cocktails: Caffe Concerto Paszkowski

Super fancy restaurant and bar with live music in Piazza della Repubblica near the Duomo. They did not serve peanuts! We got some drinks here. Cocktails were pretty expensive but very strong and so fun to take pictures of. Looked like they could probably accommodate food allergies at the restaurant. The live music was also so fun!

Sightseeing:

The Galileo Museum, Uffizi Gallery, and the Boboli Gardens


DAY 6: SIENA


Hotel: Hotel Minerva

One of the biggest hotels in Siena! We loved staying here. The views are amazing, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the amenities are great. They do have breakfast included, but we didn’t end up going since we had other plans that day. I definitely think staff would be able to help with food allergy questions and there likely were some safe certified and nut-free options!

Lunch: Pizzeria Ristorante di Nonno Mede

Came here for lunch in Siena because they are an AIC-certified restaurant and apparently make all the certified dishes in a separate kitchen. Staff didn’t speak great English but totally understood gluten-free. I didn’t see many nuts on the menu—they had all allergens labeled and a separate certified menu. I got lasagna, which was really good and safe! We went to the bathroom afterwards and noticed they had a big jar of peanuts near the bar. No one was eating them, since it wasn’t happy hour, but it’s something to keep in mind!

Dinner: Alla Speranza

This was the only restaurant in all of Siena that doesn’t serve open peanuts for happy hour. The peanuts are in sealed bags. We were so hungry and pretty unsuccessful at finding peanut allergy-safe restaurants. This restaurant is in the Piazza del Campo (main area in Siena) so it’s a big happy hour spot. We spoke to one hostess, who was actually a study abroad student at the University, and she spoke perfect English, totally understood nut allergies, and was so sweet! The patio/outdoor dining is pretty open but she seated us away from the happy hour tables, which was very sweet. They have gluten-free pasta (penne) but no gluten-free pizza. The other staff don’t speak English very well but she jumped in when we were ordering to make sure our server wrote my allergy down for the kitchen. I had gluten-free pasta carbonara and it was one of the best pasta of the trip! Siena is definitely not a very allergy-aware city but we were saved by our waitress and that this was the one restaurant that didn’t have peanuts out in the open!

Treat: GROM

Had another great experience at GROM, a 100% dedicated gluten-free gelato shop. Staff are very knowledgable about nut allergies. I got vanilla in a cup and the staff washed hands before making my order. Each flavor has a dedicated bin and spoon so I felt safe!

Sightseeing:

The Siena Cathedral and Piazza del Campo


DAY 7: ROME


Hotel: Navona Relias de Charme

This hotel was great in Rome! It’s in the city center so it’s within walking distance of everything from the Trevi Fountain to the Pantheon. They had a fridge in the room and the staff always stock water and beverages. It’s also near lots of safe restaurants! Breakfast is included and you can order things from a menu ahead of time and have them delivered to your room. They didn’t have any gluten-free options but I had safe cappuccinos and juice delivered every morning!

Lunch: Pizza in Trevi

Super popular pizza spot right next to the Trevi Fountain. We LOVED this restaurant! They are an AIC restaurant and have gluten-free pizza crust and pasta and a dedicated gluten-free menu. When you say you have a gluten allergy/celiac, staff bring over a separate placemat noting your allergy and separate utensils that are cleaned separately and packaged to ensure there’s no cross contamination. The menu is extensive and labeled for the top 14 allergens. There is only one thing with peanuts (the hamburger) and few tree nuts on the menu. I let the staff know about my nut allergies and they wrote down my allergies for the kitchen. I got a gluten-free pizza with my favorite toppings (parmesan, prosciutto, and arugula) and it was safe and delicious! We liked some of the other gluten-free pizza more (the crust wasn’t as fluffy) but it was still one of our favorites! Fantastic for any allergies in Rome!

Treat: Frigidarium

Went because of previous Spokin reviews and had a great experience! The staff spoke good English and were knowledgeable about nut allergies. They also had gluten-free cones! There are a few flavors with tree nuts but they are kept on one side of the display case. I stuck with the fruit flavors (on the opposite side) and got strawberry and lemon. Each flavor has a dedicated scoop so I felt comfortable. The staff did say that they occasionally have seasonal flavors with peanuts and other tree nuts, but they always clean the machine before starting the day and make the nut flavors last. There were only 2 out of over 20 flavors that day with nuts so I felt pretty safe and had gelato with no allergy issues!

Dinner + Cocktails: Klass Restaurant

Came for my birthday dinner and had the prosciutto and burrata app (so good!), the seafood pasta (they did have gluten-free spaghetti) and the cherry ricotta dessert (they kept the almonds off to make it nut-free)! Staff were so kind and made my birthday so special! Highly recommend! It’s also on my favorite street in Rome right near the Trevi Fountain! We had a fantastic experience at this restaurant food, service, and allergy-wise! Staff were very knowledgable about food allergies and one got the manager, who confirmed everything and even explained she would write a special note down for the kitchen (which I’ve found is rare in most places!)

Sightseeing:

The Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and Piazza Navona

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