where I can find good gluten-free Italian food in restaurants in Milan? I’ve been “told” that some restaurants in Italy even offer gluten free pasta. I did see that you posted about the grocery shop Natura Si, which sells gluten free products and great if you live there, but I’m like to find where we can eat out as a visitor without a kitchen. ~ Jaime

Jaime,

While I’m not gluten-free myself (though I often experiment with gluten-free recipes, alternative flours, and grains like chestnut flour muffins, quinoa and the recent flourless Chocolate Nutella cake) I can imagine the difficulty in traveling to foreign countries and not being able to serenely order from a menu.

Here’s some of my advice, and I strongly welcome comments from actual celiac disease sufferers with experience eating and traveling in Italy. I’ll incorporate some of the best / most helpful comments back into this post as well.

Some people recommend just saying, “Sono celiaco/a” (a for women, o for men) when traveling in Italy but I don’t think it’s quite enough. While everyone in Italy will understand what the disease is, it’s not guaranteed that they can or will accommodate your special needs. Italian restaurants and people are normally sensitive but they won’t always rearrange their menu and cook a special order, and it’s a bad assumption to make when arriving at any restaurant. Another useful phrase to ask is “è senza glutine?” (is (it) gluten-free?)

Ideally, you would call ahead of time to check a) if there are any gluten-free options already on the menu, or b) if you bring your own gluten-free pasta, will they cook it for you. If you have even more time, and the restaurant is online/has an email address, try sending the following message (not perfect, but it’ll do):

Sono celiaca, e sto cercando informazioni sui ristoranti a (cityname). Sarebbe possibile sapere se ci sono piatti senza glutine sul menu al vostro ristorante? Altrimenti sarebbe possibile far cuocere la pasta senza glutine, che porterei io al ristorante?

or for breakfast in a hotel

Sono celiaca, e sto cercando informazioni sugli alberghi a (city name). Sarebbe possibile sapere se ci sono opzioni senza glutine per la colazione al vostro albergo?
Grazie per l’informazione.

For people suffering from celiac disease, it is possible to eat well and travel in Italy – the land of pizza and pasta.

Please note that the smaller town you visit, the fewer options you might have. Luckily Milan is a big city with a lot of options for you. You can get gluten-free pasta at many pharmacies and definitely at health food stores like Natura Sì (Porta Venezia & Centrale/Gioia metro), and some international stores like SuperPolo (Moscova metro stop) might be good options if you want to pop in and get a few packages of pasta to bring with you. Many of the larger supermercati will have rice cakes,  gluten-free crackers, and probably some sort of pasta di riso (rice pasta). In any case, I would stick a package in your luggage/purse that you can have on hand for a backup.

To find a gluten-free-friendly restaurant, I suggest you visit the Associazione Italiana Celiachia (AIC). I can’t provide a list of restaurants and hope it will stay updated on this site – but they are committed to providing one for restaurants (ristoranti), gelaterie, and even bed & breakfasts. They also give a phone number to call inside Italy: 89.24.24. The English section of the site is currently offline, but they have a Facebook page and might be a good place to get some information or possible feedback before your trip.

To use, go to the Restaurants section, click on “Seleziona un regione” (choose your region) in the drop-down – the names of the 20 Italian regions are in Italian. If you’re not sure what region the city you’re visiting is in, a quick Google search for “cityname regione Italia” and it will probably turn up the answer. For Milan, we’ll select “Lombardia” (Lombardy region) and you can further narrow down the results by selecting “Provincia” province. Google can also help you find this out “cityname provincia Italia.”

Once you get the results, click on the restaurant name and you should get an address and phone number.

Here’s some helpful direct links on the AIC website:

• Milan gluten-free restaurants
• Rome gluten-free restaurants
• Gluten-free restaurants in other regions
• Gluten-free gelaterie in italy
• Grom, one of the decent gelaterie that are a chain and found in many cities is celiac-friendly

Here are suggestions for some Italian dishes that are gluten-free, just the way they are:

• Polenta
• Patate – Potatoes
• Farinata or panelle – made with chickpea flour. For panelle, make sure they are not fried with flour/breadcrumbs.
• Gnocchi – ask if they are made with only potatoes, some have flour
• Crocchette di patate – a snack; potato balls/tots; might be covered in flour/breadcrumbs.
• Risotto – rice, ask if gluten free broth
• Zuppa di lenticchie – Lentil soup
• Insalata di riso – rice salad (more a summer dish)

Breakfast is probably the most difficult meal to eat gluten-free, as it’s mainly a piece of bread or Italian croissant with jam and of course coffee. Eggs and other savory breakfast items are not part of the normal Italian breakfast. You may try to request gluten-free crackers, fresh fruit (frutta fresca) or yogurt as alternatives, but bringing a few options from home is always a good idea if you need a hearty breakfast while in Italy.

Do you have suggestions for finding gluten-free food in Italy? What are your favorite Italian dishes that are gluten-free as they are?

If you have a food-related question, contact me with “Ask Ms. Adventures in Italy” in the subject line and I might answer it online!

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• Italy & Milan Links

(Note: some emails were shortened but all spelling and grammar errors are original to the inquirer.)

Ms. Adventures,
I have been contemplating on moving to Italy for many reasons. The major one is not being fluent in the language. In Italy, is english their second language usually? If so, that should help but I have been told that if I don’t know the language fluently, it will be hard to get around for daily use and possibly finding a job (for my wife).

My other stipulations is my family. What is your advice on bringing over my wife (speaks spanish), who doesn’t work right now(company lay off) and my 2 yr. old son, over to Roma? He will probably be 4+ years old when we move there. Is it difficult to find a quality place to live, around Roma? What are your thoughts on my situation?
Thanks for your ears,
Looking for fluency

Ciao Looking for Fluency – my ears thank you for the mention,
English is not the second language of Italians. It’s pretty dangerous to use that as a crutch while living in Italy. Depending on the region/city, you may find a lot of people that speak English or no one at all. I really encourage you to learn the language – I believe Italians are more helpful when they feel you’re trying to acclimate and are trying to speak Italian!

I can’t tell you what to do about your wife – it depends on if you’ll need her salary to live, what her skills are and how adventurous you are as a family. The short rule is that the job market in Italy is much more difficult than in the US, but it depends on the industry (and city!). As for finding places to live, I don’t think it will be a big problem, though I would try to arrange for a week or two (or a month) in temporary housing if you can to find a place you really like. Check my Milan & Italy Links page for some links to classifieds and helpful sites.

Good luck,
Ms. Adventures in Italy

Hi,
Anyway, I am actual Italian citizen & will be recieving my Italian passport in 30 days. I was able to get it through my acenestry at the Italian consulate…I guess I am looking for an opinion, on how much “easier” if at all it will be for me to find work since im italian. There is almost nothing on english only speakers who are actually italian, and i suppose rightly so. Id perfer to be in big city but can be flexible, I’ve been to Italy before & feel pretty comfortable with Rome, but have not counted out Turin, Bologna & Florence. I understand salaries are typically higher in the north, but so is the cost of lliving in general. I guess im just looking for even more thoughts and ideas

My goal is to work some crap job, weather its cleaning, assembly line/manufacturing, id even consider agriculture. I can just live minimally for a year BUT, i have to be able to support myself, have a room, be able to eat, and of course be able go out on occasion. After a year or so I’d like to try searching for a better job once i have a better command of italian.

Sincerely, Italian not in Italy

Ciao Italian not in Italy,
I do think it will be easier to find work since you’re “Italian” but really the biggest advantage you have is that you’ll have working papers (the famed “permesso di soggiorno“) and/or an Italian passport. I think the biggest challenge many English native speakers face in Italy is not having the permission to work and therefore many employers refuse to work with them for skilled jobs or sometimes even any job. I don’t think you should limit yourself to working a “crap” job as you put it, but I think it’s a great idea to try to get fluent as soon as possible to find other opportunities later. Why not try to find a “crap” job where you’ll be speaking Italian, and not English, to speed up the process?
Ms. Adventures in Italy

Hi,
Thank you for putting together a very interesting, amusing, and informative website! If you have a moment, can you please let me know of any:
1) – specific recommendation for simple lodgings in Segesta, or;
2) – any suggestions you have for finding an inexpensive place to stay in general in Sicily? Budget is always a nagging concern, but we are not interested in the “hilton” experience at all anyway, and we gravitate towards the “clever”, or “steeped in history/local ambiance” kind of locale whenever possible.

I look forward to my first visit to Sicily, your website will make it way easier, thanks! Seeking Segesta

Ciao Seeking Segesta,
Here’s two things that might help:
1. Segesta is not a town! They are the name of the Greek ancient ruins in Sicily and there is no place to stay there. The closest town is Calatafimi and I don’t think it has a hotel, either. In any case, I suggest staying somewhere else (perhaps closer to the sea like Castellamare or a bigger city like Trapani or Palermo) and going to Segesta for a day trip.
2. I stayed with friends so I don’t know any hotels in that area, sorry. I suggest looking for a “pensione” which have less amenities than a hotel and are usually cheaper. Enjoy your trip! Ms. A

Hello mate,
I would like to work and live in italy. i need help finding myself a job and a place to live in. My intrest is working in a warehouse as a logistic cause that is what i am learning. I have one year left in school then i want to go. Can you help me find a job.

Ciao mate,
The short answer is no. I can’t help you find a job. You need to find a way to get a work permit so you can work in Italy. Then I suggest starting with Monster.it to find a job.
Sorry, mate. Ms. Adventures in Italy

Hello, I’m very interested in any information that I can get my hands on about living/working in Italy. I am studying Marine Environmental technology and I will be graduating in a year, or perhaps a little more, and I dream of working in Italy. However, I’ve been having a lot of trouble finding english speaking career opportunities. I would certainly appreciate any suggestions you may have for finding work in my field, or if you could redirect me to anyone else who could help. Thank you very much.
Marined Abroad

Hello Marined Abroad,
Congrats on having an ambitious dream! There are English-speaking career opportunities in every field, but if you’re looking for your particular field, why not try to find out which of those companies are present in Italy, and email them your interest? Try starting with the English websites of these companies and see if they can direct you to someone. A good understanding of Italian will probably be necessary anyway, so I encourage you to start learning it as soon as possible. I also suggest using a site like wordreference.com to help you start deciphering Italian websites for universities, research grants, etc. The easiest way to find contact information is to look for the “Contatti” or “Chi Siamo” pages.
Ms. Adventures in Italy

Hi,
My name is Christine and I’m 21 years old. I’m currently unemployed and desperately looking for a job in Italy!!! I think more than finding a job, the problem is finding accommodation. And lets face it, one needs to have a rather high income to be able to rent even the tiniest of flats!!

I would like to hear from you and if you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me by sending emails. If I could I would leave my country even in a few days time, but without having any certainties of where I’m going and what I’m going to do, this is obviously not possible. Please get back to me whenever you can, it would be much appreciated!!!!

Ciao Christine,
I will not hesitate to contact you by sending you emails. But, I think you should hesitate before making the move ‘in a few days time”: finding accommodation will be infinitely easier than finding a job, since it appears you have no permit to work here. Since you’re young enough, why not consider studying in Italy and applying to a program here? I wrote an article for Matador Travel about Where to Study Abroad in Italy with some good links to the English versions of Italian university websites.
Ms. Adventures in Italy

Good afternoon,
I have to say that I absolutely love your website. So far it has been extremely informative. Currently im living in the US but looking to move to Italy next year. It has always been a dream of mine to visit there. I don’t think I should have a hard time getting a visa. My grandfather is from italy & I am in the process of gathering all of his documents. I just ordered the book living studying & working in italy, & I am purchasing the level 1 rosetta stone after new years to learn the language. Can you offer me any advice on finding a really cheap studio apartment & finding work. I have a strong sales background. Thanks so much! Vis a vis1

Hi, i am planning on moving from the US to Italy for a few months. It will be a personal trip, but i want to be able to get a job there to support myself. How should I go about doing this with the whole Visa thing? Vis a vis2

Dear Vis a vis1 and Vis a vis2,
If you have the possibility of getting citizenship, I suggest putting all your efforts into finishing it as soon as possible. Note that it can take several years to complete this even after collecting all the documents, and they will only give you a visa to reside in Italy after a certain point in the process. This is the major hurdle in finding work in Italy – having the permit to actually work here.
Ms. Adventures in Italy

hi there,
just browsing your blog…. my girlfriend will be in milan for a week for work (some fashion thing) but shes too lazy to do research on good food or interesting cultural sites. i was wondering if you could recommend a restaurant or culture blog besides your own. or favorite places to eat…Lazy’s Lover

Dear Lazy’s Lover,
I’m sorry, you lost me at ‘she’s too lazy.’ I suggest Google – it’s what we call a “search engine”, or perhaps, check my archives or blogroll for inspiration.
Ms. Adventures in Italy

Hello Ms. Adventures,
I hope to move with my boyfriend to Torino in January08. He is a microbiologist and will be doing research at the University of Torino for 2 years. I’m 26, a professional in Seattle . I work in for a stock photography company managing media partner content, and I speak no Italian, so I don’t think my career will directly translate. I have some experience in graphics and web design, so I’m hoping to cobble together some work for myself when I arrive.

The main problem is I’m not sure how I can stay longer than 3 months, without either a work or student visa. I’m just taking a beginning Italian class now, so I won’t have enough language skills to actually attend university. Do you have any suggestions?

Also, do you have any suggestions for finding an apartment?, so far we’ve gotten as far as posting an ad on craigslist (which would make sense in Seattle), but I’m wondering if you know of any specifically Italian sites or perhaps something for the Milan/Torino region?
Shuttered in Seattle

Dear Shuttered in Seattle,
I think a career in web design and graphics could translate but you really do need to speak Italian to work in most companies in Italy. More importantly, since you’re not married to your boyfriend (since you could piggyback on his visa in that case) you will need to find a way to get a work or student visa.

Note that most student visas are usually given for full-time study programs, and not for an occasional language class as you might hope. In fact, most private language schools will not be able to get you any permits for their courses. There are, though, many courses for English speakers (I think Bocconi has some English courses in management, for example) so it’s best to check each university to see if they have something available. Prepare yourself for a time commitment and desire to complete the program, though. Check out that article I mentioned above.

As for apartments, I suggest starting with my Italy & Milan links Page as Craigslist and Kijiji all have city-specific sites.
Ms. Adventures in Italy

Legal talk: I am not an immigration lawyer or official. Please make sure to check your country’s regulations and rules for working and living in Italy.

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• Jobs, Teaching, Live, Work in Italy – Ask Ms. Adventures v.2
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