The Dolomites are absolutely stunning and a glorious area of Italy to visit, with majestic mountains, rolling green slopes and snowy peaks. We have visited the region multiple times, both during the winter and in summertime and I heartily recommend it any time of year.

As for being a coeliac or gluten free traveller to the Dolomites, the good news is that Italy is probably the most coeliac friendly country in the world. With is a higher occurrence of coeliac disease in the Italian population than in other countries, there is generally excellent awareness coeliac requirements and plenty of safe gluten free food on offer.

In this guide I am gradually compiling and sharing gluten free restaurant and eatery recommendations for towns and villages in the Dolomites, to help my fellow coeliac travellers. I always do a lot of pre-trip research, plus I speak Italian so am apt at asking the right questions when visiting restaurants. And it seems silly not to share what I’ve learnt.

Please bear in mind that this round up should serve as a guide only. Menus and processes at restaurants may and do change, so you must always ask your own questions to ensure an eatery is still safe. Do contact me at laura@mygfguide.com if you have any changes of additions.

Gluten Free Italy

If you are visiting other parts of Italy on your trip, do have a quick browse of my Gluten Free Italy Country Guide too. It gives great tips on how to eat safely in Italy as a coeliac, as well as round up dozens of individual gluten free city and region guides.

Coeliac Italian Phrasebook

A few handy Italian phrases to get you started. English is quite widely spoken in Rome, but at least you can communicate some key basic phrases if you are in a total jam.

Sono celiaca = I am coeliac (female) [pronounced “sono cheh-lee-ac-a“]

Sono celiaco = I am coeliac (man)

Senza glutine = gluten free [pronounced “sen-zah glue-tin-eh”]

Gluten Free Dolomites

The following areas are listed in this guide:

  • Cortina
  • Alta Badia
  • Colfosco (Sella Ronda)
  • Corvara (Sella Ronda)
  • Canazei (Sella Ronda)
  • Plan de Gralba (Sella Ronda)
  • Selva di Val Gardena (Sella Ronda)
  • Arabba (Sella Ronda)
  • Alleghe
  • South Tyrol

Cortina

Rifugio Nuvolau Ristorante – on the mountain, this restaurant has helpful staff who can advise on which dishes are suitable for coeliacs, with hearty typical mountain dishes like polenta and goulash. Plus they have gluten free beer.

Al Passetto – in the town, this restaurant has dozens of coeliac positive reviews and is certified by the Italian Coeliac Society and an extra thumbs up from me. There are a wide array of gluten free dishes on offer, including gluten free pizza, pasta and tiramisu. We visited and I absolutely loved their pizza, plus the restaurant has lovely alpine interiors.

Ristorante de Len – in town, based in the Hotel de Len, this restaurant is mentioned in the Michelin guide for its good cooking and they are able to cater for coeliac diners. The staff have undergone training in how to cater safely gluten free for guests.

Il Vizietto Di Cortina – in town, this restaurant offers various gluten free dishes, including gluten free pasta, and provides packaged bread and crackers that are gluten free. It’s generally well rated too, for quality Mediterranean cuisine and kind, helpful staff.

Ristorante Col Druscie 1778 – on the mountain, this restaurant offers gluten free beer and states that it can offer gluten free dishes. The menu is marked up to show allergens and they specialise in local Tyrolian and Italian food.

Ristorante Tivoli – a one Michelin star restaurant in Cortina, which can cater for gluten free diners. It’s located just outside of the town centre and has beautiful views over the mountains (request a table with a view when you book). A creative twist on traditional local cuisine, with a focus on local ingredients and seasonally sourced produce.

Fvsion Cortina Restaurant – in town, when you’ve had enough Italian food you could try this Asian fusion retaurant. They have gluten free soy sauce available and can provide various gluten free dishes.

Ristorante Al Camin – just outside the centre of town, they can cater for gluten free diners if you book in advance. Featured in the Michelin guide for good cooking.

Hotel Cortina – this hotel can cater for coeliac guests, reviewers say, however I have not stayed here personally.

Hotel Tofana – with a great location for skiing, this hotel can cater for gluten free guests.

Hotel Mirage – very accomodating to coeliac guests, with gluten free options always available and helpful staff who can discuss adult and child-friendly options with you. Also able to cater for dairy free guests.

Alta Badia

My husband and I went for a skiing break and it was an absolute stunning place to visit. We skied the Sella Ronda, exploring various ski resorts and slopes along the way, and I really recommend it as one for your bucket list. The scenery is incredible, the skiing excellent and we ate very well at restaurants en route.

Hotel Badia Hill – we stayed here in Badia, as a treat for my 40th, and it was absolutely amazing. Firstly, a wonderful hotel with rooftop heated pool and mountain views, with easy shuttle links to the ski areas. But also SO GOOD for gluten free food, including homemade pancakes for breakfast, a great bistro and a Michelin-star rated tasting menu in their Porcino Restaurant. All coeliac friendly, PLUS amazing wines, it’s such a gem of a place. On the more expensive side, but so so so worth it.

Hotel Melodia del Bosco – this hotel can cater for coeliac guests with gluten free meals and even picnics available.

Utia Bambi – up on the mountain alongside the pistes, this restaurant has a nice outdoor sun terrace and alpine style interiors. I had a nice safe lunch of a prepackaged Schar lasagne dish, which they recommended as the safest option. They also have other gluten free dishes on the menu.

Rifugio Piz Sorega – another mountain option in the piste area, this restaurant offers gluten free options including nice big dishes of pasta.

Skihutte Las Vegas – an interesting name choice, but this is a good option if you fancy a gluten free pizza on the pistes.

Pic Pre Hutte – halfway down the red 12 slope towards San Cassiano, this restaurant offers gluten free dishes and has gorgeous views from its terrace.

Rifugio Utia Bioch – perched atop a peak where the Bioch cable car reaches, is this restaurant with wonderful views and gluten free food options marked on the menu.

I Tabla – nestled in a valley and specialising in South Tyrolean dishes, this restaurant is able to cater for gluten free and lactose free dietary requirements.

Rifugio Ütia Paraciora – I couldn’t find any coeliac reviews, but this restaurant mentions gluten free cooking online, so it may be worth checking out.

Corvara (Sella Ronda)

Taverna Posta Zirm – located in Hotel Posta Zirm in Corvara itself, this restaurant has plenty of gluten free options available, including pizza, pasta and bread. Make staff aware that you are coeliac and they will run through options with you.

Pizzeria Caterina – lovely staff who are clued up about coeliac disease, they have gluten free pizza available with safe processes in place. Note the bases are not homemade.

Piz Boè Alpine Lounge – up on the mountain at a panorama, I got too nervous to eat here as it was so busy (just one of those coeliac days, you know the feeling) BUT after re-reading about it now I see the kitchen is AIC recommended so this should actually be a very good option for coeliacs, as it’s the only one in the area that is. I will try it next time!

Rifugio Alpino Pralongià – another mountain option, with helpful staff who understand the additional needs facing coeliac diners. Some nice gluten free choices available (largely naturally gluten free dishes), I could not see any child friendly options but perhaps speak with them in advance if you are dining with a coeliac child.

Colfosco (Sella Ronda)

Restaurant Bar Mesoles – we had lunch here, just off the piste on the way down to Colfosco. The views are stunning! It’s quite an old school restaurant so prepare for very Italian, no-nonense (yet helpful and thorough) service from the staff. They were excellent at making sure my food was safely gluten free and various options were available. I had a salad and a polenta dish with giant slices of melted mountain cheese, it was amazing and I needed those calories after skiing the Sella Ronda that day!

Bistro La Scola – gluten free pizza available, cooked on dedicated aluminium trays. Have a chat to them and decide whether you are personally happy with the processes. Located at the foot of the pistes.

Ristorante Black Hill Pizzeria – no gluten free pizza here, but they do have plenty of other gluten free options, including pasta. Staff are helpful and understand coeliac needs. Located in town.

Plan de Gralba (Sella Ronda)

Restaurant Chalet Gerard – this restaurant is happy to cater for gluten free diets, simply book in advance.

Sella di Val Gardena (Sella Ronda)

Restaurant Freina – there are lots of positive reviews about this restaurant’s gluten free offering and there is a separate gluten free menu available. Gluten free bread, pasta and desserts available. Staff are kind and helpful.

Canazei (Sella Ronda)

Chalet Belvedere – a good mountain gluten free lunch option, there can even do gluten free schnitzel and fries here! Cooked in dedicated fryers. The majority of dishes are gluten free, but not marked on the menu, so speak to staff who can advise you and have an understanding of coeliac disease.

Rifugio Sass Bece – another mountain restaurant option, which offers gluten free pizza and panoramic views.

The Sora 50.12 – location in Canazei village, this bar restaurant has a wide array of gluten free choices and you can view their gluten free menu online. When I last looked dishes included homemade nettle gnocchi, burgers and tiramisu. They also have gluten free beer.

Baita al Parco – located in Canazei itself, this restaurant offers gluten free pizza cooked in foil trays to minimise the cross contamination risk. I saw a few positive reviews online recommending it. They also have gluten free beer.

Arabba (Sella Ronda)

Hotel Malita – the owner’s wife is gluten free so they have homemade gluten free apple strudel and filled pasta amongst their gluten free dishes, plus really good knowledge of coeliac disease and requirements. The restaurant is within the hotel, which can cater for coeliac guests – just notifying them when booking.

Bar Ristorante Pizzeria Al Tablè – gluten free pizza bases are available here, cooked in aluminium trays and the chef changes gloves when preparing them.

Alleghe

Fontana Buona – we ate here four times, because not only was the food fantastic (and coeliac friendly) but there’s a really nice little woodland next to the restaurant where our kids had fun playing in the snow. I speak Italian and would let the staff know I am coeliac so they could confirm the dish I had chosen was suitable for me. However, they also speak good English so I am sure they will look after you. I recommend the steak with rocket and parmesan, as well as the polenta with panfried cheese. It’s located on the mountain not far from the ski school at Piani di Pezze.

Chalet Col dei Baldi – a gorgeous location at the top of the Monte Civetta gondola, we sat on the terrace in the sunshine admiring the amazing views. Staff were lovely and helpful, and allergens are marked on the menu. They confirmed what was safe for me and I had an absolutely delicious dish of polenta with beef stew. Wonderful.

Sesto Grado – right in the centre of Alleghe, we had a lovely meal here and they had gluten free pasta to offer me, plus sealed packets of gluten free bread and crackers to start with. Knowledgable and helpful staff put me at ease and the food and atmosphere were very good.

The restaurant is part of a hotel – Naturae Lodge – so this could be a great accommodation option if you want a hotel in central Alleghe.

Ristorante Grande Baita – the big restaurant directly above the Piani di Pezze ski school office. We didn’t eat here (although Tripadvisor says they offer gluten free options in the restaurant, so it’s worth asking), however my son and I had thick Italian hot chocolates with cream here every day after skiing :). The kind bar staff confirmed to me that they were gluten free and they were made in a dedicated churn, so there was no cross contamination risk.

San Marco – not for coeliacs (they advised me there was a risk of cross contimation when I spoke to them), but this pizzeria offers gluten free pizzas. Good for my gluten intolerant friends. It’s just north of Alleghe in Caprile.

South Tyrol

Alpen Palace – in the Ahrntal valley, we had a glorious gifted press stay in this hotel. They catered for me so well as a coeliac – loads of gluten free options at breakfast and multi course dinners in the evening. The hotel rooms were so comfy and cosy and the outdoor pool was divine. We absolutely loved it and would heartily recommend it as a romantic getaway.

Family Rainer Resort – I haven’t stayed here but they have a big section on their website explaning how they cater safely for coeliacs (with first hand experience as their daughter is coeliac). A lovely family friendly option in the Dolomites.

Hotel Petrus – another one I found online that looks wonderful for coeliacs, being accredited by various national coeliac societies. They have extremely strict kitchen processes detailed on their website, including a dedicated oven and utensils, it sounds like they cater really well for coeliacs.

On the way to Venice Airport…

Albera di Zeus – oh my goodness what a place! I was craving a good gluten free pizza and this restaurant really delivered. They have an extensive gluten free menu and it’s accredited by the Italian coeliac society. It’s located in the middle of a business park area, so was full of various business people having their lunch when we went and the restaurant looked fairly simple…but WOW! One of the best gluten free pizzas I have ever had. Worth going out of your way for.

And Of Course…

McDonalds

And in case all that amazing gluten free Italian food isn’t enough for you, you’ll find that McDonalds in Italy offers coeliac safe gluten free buns for its burgers too.

Are you in need of even more tips? Then check out the AIC (Italian Coeliac Society). You can even download their app to help you quickly find restaurants near you when you are hunting for a safe gluten free Dolomites meal. You do have to pay to access this AIC resource now.

The Final Word

For more gluten free Italy trips, check out my extensive range of gluten free travel guides. All are coeliac friendly (as I have coeliac disease myself):

I love writing these gluten free guides to help other coeliac travellers and like to keep them free of charge for all. If you have found the guide useful and would like to buy me a virtual coffee as a tip, you can do so via my KoFi account: https://ko-fi.com/myglutenfreeguide.

Thank you and happy travels! Laura xxx

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