Eating Gluten Free in Madrid: Better Than You Think
You are sitting at a terrace in La Latina, biting into a crispy croqueta that happens to be entirely gluten free. No laminated allergy card, no anxious back-and-forth with the waiter, no settling for a plain salad. Just proper food, in a city that actually understands what "celiac" means.
Over 80 restaurants and bakeries in Madrid are certified by FACE (Spain's national celiac association), and a surprising number of them are fully dedicated gluten free kitchens. We are not talking about a single sad option at the bottom of the menu. These are places where wheat never enters the building: Neapolitan pizza joints, Japanese ramen spots, tapas bars, and even a churrería that has been making churros since 1902.
The Best Gluten Free Bakeries in Madrid
Madrid has more dedicated gluten free bakeries than most European capitals have gluten free menu items. Every croissant, tart, and empanada in these places is safe, and most of them taste close enough to the originals that your non-celiac travel companion will steal bites.
Celicioso: Madrid's Original Gluten Free Café
Open since 2012, Celicioso was one of Madrid's first entirely gluten free cafés. The menu runs from fluffy cheesecake and carrot cake to sandwiches and salads, all served in a cosy space near Gran Vía. They now have four locations across the city, so you are never far from a slice of their famous banana cake. Vegan, lactose free, and sugar free options are available too.
Pastelería La Oriental Sin Gluten
A family bakery founded in 1950 and now run by its fourth generation, La Oriental added a fully dedicated gluten free section that now draws people from across the city. The croissants regularly get called the best gluten free croissant in Madrid, and the range covers everything from Berliners and napolitanas to celebration cakes. The original bakery next door still serves gluten, so you can bring non-celiac friends without compromise. You will find it on Calle de Ferraz in the Moncloa neighbourhood.
Sana Locura Gluten Free Bakery
Tucked into the Salamanca neighbourhood (not far from Retiro), Sana Locura bakes 21 different types of gluten free bread using certified flours and their own quinoa sourdough starter. Beyond the bread, look for the croissants, spinach empanadas, and an apple crumble tart that sells out early on weekends. They also offer lactose free and dairy free baked goods. Note that they close on Sundays, so plan your time in Madrid accordingly.
Gluten Free Restaurants in Madrid
The restaurant scene goes well beyond bakeries. Madrid has fully dedicated gluten free spots for tapas, pizza, Japanese food, and more, each with a kitchen where wheat never enters the building.
LaLina Bravas y Tapas
If you only eat at one gluten free restaurant in Madrid, make it LaLina. With two locations in Madrid (La Latina at Plaza de la Cebada and Chueca at Calle de Gravina), this entirely gluten free tapa spot does patatas bravas, boletus croquetas, and crispy calamari, all safe. Everything is gluten-free, so there is no risk of cross contamination. Book ahead, especially on weekends.
Grosso Napoletano Senza Glutine
Grosso Napoletano is Madrid's favourite Neapolitan pizza chain, and their Senza Glutine locations are fully dedicated gluten free kitchens. The dough uses rice flour, corn, and buckwheat, fermented for 48 hours and baked at 500°C for 90 seconds. They also serve gluten free calzones, desserts, and gluten free beer. Look for the dedicated Senza Glutine locations in Chamberí, Castellana (Torre Caleido), and near Sol.
Okashi Sanda
The first dedicated gluten free Japanese restaurant in Madrid, Okashi Sanda in Malasaña serves an enormous menu of ramen, gyozas, takoyaki, and katsudon, all gluten free and dairy free. The interiors follow Japanese seasonal themes, and the vegan options are extensive too. Reservations are mandatory on weekends.
Solo de Croquetas
A restaurant that only serves croquetas sounds like a gimmick until you taste them. Solo de Croquetas makes it work. Over 30 gluten free flavours represent every region of Spain, from paella and ibérico jamón to goat cheese with caramelised pepper, and even a sweet churros-with-chocolate croquette. Head to the location on Calle de Echegaray (near the Prado) for the full experience. Vegan and dairy free options are available.
Churrería Chocolateria 1902: Gluten Free Churros con Chocolate
A fifth-generation family churrería on Calle San Martín, Chocolateria 1902 has been making churros since (you guessed it) 1902. Their gluten free churros are FACE-certified and prepared in a completely separate kitchen on the first floor, with a dedicated fryer that never touches wheat. The chocolate is also gluten free, made in-house with three types of South American cocoa. The gluten free churros also happen to be vegan, lactose free, egg free, and nut free, which covers just about every dietary need going. Open from 7am to 11pm daily.
Local tip
At Chocolateria 1902, gluten free orders arrive on black plates, while regular orders come on white. If your plate is not black, send it back before touching the food. This colour-coded system is your visual safety check.
More Gluten Free Spots Worth Finding
The list does not stop there. Naked and Sated (near Sol) serves gluten free food with a health-conscious twist, from quinoa-base pizzas to organic burgers and poke bowls, plus a popular weekend brunch. Taberna La Concha on Cava Baja in La Latina is not a dedicated gluten free kitchen, but 28 of its 30 tapas can be made gluten free, it is accredited by Madrid's Celiac Association, and they serve gluten free bread and gluten free beer. La Tape in Malasaña is entirely gluten free and doubles as a craft beer bar with a sunny terrace, worth a visit if you are exploring the neighbourhood.
Tips for Eating Gluten Free in Madrid
Learn two phrases before you land: "Soy celíaco" (or "celíaca" if you are female) and "sin gluten, por favor." Spanish waiters respond well to directness, and saying you are celiac carries more weight than asking for gluten free food. The word "celíaco" signals a medical condition, not a lifestyle preference, and staff treat it accordingly.
EU Regulation 1169/2011 requires every restaurant in Spain to declare 14 major allergens, including gluten-containing cereals. This means even non-dedicated restaurants must have allergen information available, usually printed on the menu or in a separate booklet. Look for the FACE certification symbol at the door, which means the restaurant has been independently verified as safe for celiacs.
Watch out for cross contamination at traditional tapas bars with small kitchens. The biggest risks are fried foods cooked in shared oil, picos (small breadsticks) resting on dishes, and sauces thickened with flour. When in doubt, stick to the dedicated gluten free restaurants and bakeries listed above.
For groceries during your time in Madrid, El Corte Inglés has the best gluten free selection, but Carrefour and Mercadona both stock a solid range of gluten free bread, pasta, and snacks marked "sin gluten" (fewer than 20 parts per million, the EU standard).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Madrid good for gluten-free dining?
Very. Madrid has dozens of restaurants where the entire kitchen is dedicated gluten free, not just a single option buried at the bottom of the menu. The variety catches most visitors off guard: pizza, ramen, croquetas, churros, tapas, burgers, all from kitchens that handle zero wheat.
Is Spain safe for celiacs?
Spain is one of the safest countries in Europe for celiacs, on par with Italy. Staff awareness tends to be high, the FACE certification programme is well established, and supermarkets carry extensive "sin gluten" ranges. The main thing to watch is cross contamination at small traditional tapas bars with shared fryers. Stick to dedicated or FACE-certified spots for the safest experience.
Can I get gluten free churros in Madrid?
Yes. Churrería Chocolateria 1902 is the go-to spot, with FACE-certified churros prepared in a completely separate kitchen. They are open from 7am to 11pm daily, so you can satisfy the craving at almost any hour. The chocolate is house-made and naturally gluten free too.
What does "sin gluten" mean on a menu in Spain?
"Sin gluten" means "without gluten" in Spanish. On packaged food, this label means the product contains fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten, following EU regulation. In restaurants, it indicates dishes prepared without gluten-containing ingredients, though you should always confirm cross contamination protocols if you have celiac disease rather than a mild sensitivity.
