Allergy-Friendly Rome Guide

Italy is one of the best destinations for a fun international summer trip and was the obvious choice for me and my two best friends to celebrate our college graduation! We spent 10 days in Italy and had an amazing time exploring the sites and sounds in Rome, Florence, and Siena. Rome in particular was the city where I ate the best nut-free and gluten-free food and found amazing allergy-friendly options. I even celebrated my 22nd birthday there! From dedicated nut-free gelato to celiac-friendly pizza, there were so many restaurants and gelato shops throughout Rome that accommodated my allergies. Keep reading for a guide to all the spots to stay, see, eat, and treat in Rome!

Where We Stayed

• Hotel Archimede: This was a quaint hotel near the Rome Termini train station where we stayed for the first few days of our trip. We preferred our second hotel more due to comfort and room size. Nevertheless, we did like the quiet ambience in the hotel and convenience of being near the Colosseum and train station.
• Navona Relias de Charme: We really liked this hotel! It was the perfect size for our group and had great amenities. It’s also in walking distance to the Trevi Fountain and lots of fun restaurants and tourist spots in Central Rome.

What We Saw

• Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill: We booked a self-guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill through Tiqets. While it would have been nice to have a tour guide to share historical facts, we enjoyed the flexibility of walking around and exploring at our own pace. Highly recommend making sure your tickets have “priority entrance” to avoid long lines – it was so worth the money!
• St. Peter’s Basilica: We booked a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica with the Dome Climb through GetYourGuide. I definitely think the tour was worth it, and the Dome Climb is a must do (as long as you’re not afraid of small space and heights).
• Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel: We did not book a tour for the Vatican Museums but did purchase skip the line tickets through Tiqets. I don’t think a tour is super necessary for the museums. We really enjoyed walking around and looking at the art and statues as we pleased.
• Trevi Fountain: A must see in Rome! We also found so many great restaurants in walking distance from the fountain.
• Anzio Beach: We took a day trip here on the train and had the best time! It’s a beautiful, quiet beach town without too many tourists. The water was gorgeous, and it was the perfect way to relax after a lot of bustle in the city. Locals don’t speak much English, so it was great that we packed snacks and food for lunch.

Where We Ate

We ate at a variety of restaurants and gelato shops across the city. Read the list to learn more about each spot and how they accommodate food allergies. You can also take a look at the Google map below to see where these places are located throughout Rome!

1. Pizza in Trevi

Pizza in Trevi is a 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. If you say you have a gluten allergy/celiac disease, staff bring over a separate placemat noting your allergy and dedicated utensils that are packaged separately to ensure there’s no cross contamination. The menu is extensive and clearly 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 on the trip a bit more (the crust wasn’t as fluffy), but it was still one of our favorites. Definitely recommend Pizza in Trevi for any food allergies if you’re dining in Rome!

2. Klass Restaurant

Klass Restaurant was arguably the best find of the trip! We came for happy hour the first night as they’re one of the only places that don’t serve bags of peanuts. The drinks are fantastic – they have such fun cocktails and amazing prices! We then came back later in the week for my birthday dinner. 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 at most places in Rome). I enjoyed the prosciutto and burrata app (so good!), the seafood pasta (they have gluten-free spaghetti) and the cherry ricotta dessert (they kept the almonds off to make it nut-free). The staff were so kind and made my birthday so special! Highly recommend Klass Restaurant if you’re nut-free and dining in Rome or manage other food allergies.

3. Il Nuovo Faro

Il Nuovo Faro was one of our favorite restaurants in Rome and on my favorite street of the city! The owner is so nice — he speaks perfect English and has family in NYC. He told me we would be totally fine dining with nut allergies. There’s nothing with peanuts on the menu, and they have an extensive 100% gluten-free menu with lots of pasta, pizza, and dessert options. They don’t have an allergy chart like most restaurants in Rome but the menu is in English, which was very helpful. There are some tree nuts on the menu, but our waiter clearly understood nut allergies and alerted the staff to avoid cross contamination. 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 nut-free meals in Rome! Great wine and cocktails as well, and free limoncello shots. I would definitely come back here on my next trip to Italy!

4. Grill e Wine

Grill e Wine is a classic Italian restaurant in Rome near the Trevi fountain. It wasn’t our favorite spot in Rome, but we were hungry and wanted to be seated quickly. The service also isn’t great, but their menu is labeled for every dish’s allergens, which we found extremely helpful. They have a pretty extensive menu, and there were no dishes containing peanuts and very few with tree nuts. They have gluten-free pizza and a few different pasta options. We all got pasta: I had a gluten-free penne dish with broccoli, chicken, and ham. My pasta came on a different colored plate (I believe this was due to my gluten allergy), which I was happily surprised by. Food was safe, and the pasta was really good (although portions are small). Something to note: 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. The drinks were quite cheap though! You can definitely find better restaurants to eat at in Rome, but this was definitely a safe spot for nut and gluten allergies!

5. Mama Eat Lab

Mama Eat is a chain of restaurants throughout Rome and well known as a gluten-free institution. Not all Mama Eat 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. 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: they make their gluten-free pasta fresh. and it was amazing! We also had drinks and a few apps! With a quiet ambience and convenient location right outside Vatican City, I definitely recommend a dinner at Mama Eat Lab if you’re in Rome!

6. Le Altre Farine Del Mulino

Le Altre Farine Del Mulino is a 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 I loved the ham and cheese best. It was on a focaccia-like pizza dough and was so good! I didn’t get any pastries but would have felt comfortable getting them (after the staff answered a few more questions). Highly recommend if you’re gluten-free and want a spot to get your pizza or pastry fix in Rome!

7. Santa Maria Osteria Romana

Santa Maria Osteria Romana is a cute 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. Overall, it was a good experience but they are not the most allergy aware restaurant of the trip. 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 also have gluten-free pizza crust and gluten-free pasta. Gluten-wise: I felt extremely comfortable, and they totally understood the need to keep my pizza separate. Nut allergy-wise: I attempted several times to explain to the waiter the severity of my allergy cross contamination, but he was not getting it. We did flag down another waiter who said I would 100% be fine with the pizza. I was not fully confident but did end up getting a gluten-free margarita pizza and a mojito from the bar. I had no allergy issues, and the pizza was delicious! The second 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 any of the desserts because of potential cross contact with nuts, but my friends LOVED the tiramisu! This is definitely a great option for those with gluten allergies, but I do recommend taking a bit more caution if you have a nut allergy.

8. Limon’é

Limon’é is a fun lemon-themed supermarket, souvenir shop, and gelataria in Rome near the Trevi Fountain. The number one reason I loved them…they serve 100% NUT-FREE gelato! This was the only dedicated nut-free gelato I found in Rome, and all of Italy. Because everything in the shop is lemon-themed, they only serve lemon flavors. There are no nuts present and no risk of cross contamination! They have five lemon-themed flavors, all are gluten-free but one (the lemon cheesecake) and one is dairy-free (the lemon sorbet). All the gelato is served in a hollowed out lemon, so there were no worries about gluten-containing cones. My favorite flavor of the trip was their limoncello gelato – it was so creamy! We got lots of fun souvenirs here and came back several times for their delicious lemony gelato. This is definitely a must stop if you’re nut-free and are visiting Rome!

9. Frigidarium

I found Frigidarium on the Spokin app and am so glad we ventured over one day of our trip for gelato. They do have flavors with tree nuts, but staff are very knowledgeable about nut allergies and are able to accommodate to ensure there is guest with nut allergies can eat safely. Each flavor has a dedicated scoop, and they always clean the machine before starting the day and make nut flavors last. Staff advised which flavors would be safe, and I had the strawberry and lemon gelato in a cup with no issues. I did not notice when ordering but found out after they had gluten-free cones, so also a great option for gluten allergies. Note: it does get very busy in the afternoon, so something to keep in mind if you want extra time to discuss your allergy needs with the staff. Still a great spot for nut-free gelato in Rome!

10. Grom

Grom is a gelato chain throughout Italy (and with some locations in the US!) that I was able to eat at safely on our trip to Rome and Florence. All their shops are 100% gluten-free! I was told almost every location is also completely peanut-free (please double check with staff if you visit). There are cones with hazelnuts, but those are kept in a separate case from the other cones and cups. They do have a few tree nut containing flavors but have a clear allergen menu online that lists which of the top allergens all their flavors contain. Each flavor has its own paddle, and staff willing washed hands before preparing my ice cream. They do say that there is no guarantee that there isn’t the chance of cross contamination, but I felt comfortable watching them make my gelato in a separate area and safely got their vanilla gelato.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to all the best spots to eat at in Rome if you’re nut-free and gluten-free! Let me know in the comments below what allergy-friendly spot you want to visit most. If you’re looking for other nut-free recommendations outside of Rome, be sure to check out all my Allergy-Friendly Restaurant Guides to stay up to date on all my travel and restaurant recommendations!