Gluten Free Southern Spain

Andalucia Edition

Hello Dear Friends,

Today I bring you more lovely bites and recommendations from the very gluten free aware country of Spain. I’ve already given you some fun ideas for your next trip to Madrid. (And sent you to the lovely Hilary at

Gluten-Free Guidebook

for your Barcelona needs)

But, what about the beach?

Much of our recent family adventure to Spain was spent beachside. The beautiful coast begs for sunseekers and we joined the throngs of mostly northern Europeans and inland Spaniards on the sun-soaked mountainous Costa del Sol.

We even made a little weekend jaunt across the sea to Morocco and escaped without glutening, a small miracle. I’ll tell you how in another travel post coming soon!

Next Level Gluten Free is full of gluten free info you can use, like these travel recommendations, gluten free product tests to save you money, monthly live baking workshops, and recipes that are tested over and over and scientifically work! I walk you through them in an approachable way, so that you succeed in the kitchen and are way less sad at dinner time. Upgrade to a paid membership and live a more delicious gluten free life.

Would you mind hitting the heart on this email? I love staying out of the dreaded spam folder!

Before I get started, I’ll say that even though there are tons of restaurants here you can also eat safely and well from local grocery stores. We found amazing bread, pastries, cakes, pizzas, tapas, prepared entrees, pasta, jamon, chorizo, produce and much more widely available in groceries throughout Spain. The EU labeling tends to be much stricter than what I’m used to in the U.S.A. making grocery shopping FAR less stressful than at home.

But now, onto the restaurants listed by town:

Malaga - The largest city in Andalucia and the gateway via airport or train station to all of the little towns dotting the coast or further up the mountains. It’s likely that you’ll stop in this beautiful tropical feeling city if you visit Andalucia.

Taberna la Plancha - This totally gluten free tapas stop is quite near the train station, so if you are coming in that way, plan on stopping here! The patatas bravas (crispy potatoes with a slightly spicy sauce) were probably our favorites of the trip. Don’t sleep on the spiced meat skewers or plancha cooked vegetables either!

El Pasteleria Real - This gluten free bakery (with 2 locations) makes some hard to find favorites! We really enjoyed the croisants, cheesecakes and most of all the very difficult to find baklava! Unfortunately we visited the location that does not make churros, but we got our fix in Madrid for that!

The Gluten Free Company This dedacated gluten free coffee and sandwich shop just off the main drag is a lovely little stop in a crowded downtown with few safe options. We loved the sandwiches and the unique shredded beef croquettes!

YUMMY Heladeria this is a dedacated gluten free ice cream store that also has waffles and empanadas! Great downtown stop for snacks and treats!!

Bico de Xeado this chain of ice cream shops is so natural and lovely. They have wonderful gluten free protocol, scooping from fresh ice cream bins and they have gluten free cones available. You can visit them across the country.

Nerja - A small coastal town north of Malaga was our base for the trip. Known for is beautiful coasts and fabulous caves this was a wonderful place for family base. We rented a house so that we could have access to a kitchen when we needed it.

La Fuente - This Italian restaurant in the old city near the “Balcony of Europe” takes gluten free seriously. Separate prep area, allergy sticks in the food, and a certification by the Andalucia FACE. We loved the pizza, fresh seafood, and decadent gluten free dessert options.

Restaurante Dona Lola - You’ll find paella everywhere along the beach, mostly cooked over open fires and it smells amazing! When you ask what’s in it however, it often contains broth that has gluten. Luckily we found Dona Lola. This downtown Nerja restaurant has a separate kitchen area, separate equipment and all gluten free ingredients for the famous rice dish. We had a large seafood paella and a small chicken and chorizo one for the sea creature averse. This is one of my favorite spanish dishes and I really enjoyed it!

INITA Cafe- This cafe was a little confusing. The sign in front of the restaurant says gluten and lactose free cafe, leading you to believe that it is a dedicated space. It is not, many items like croissants are not gluten free. We did enjoy safely prepared sandwiches and crepes, but I’m glad I asked questions as we could have easily made some mistakes here!

Ronda - A beautiful inland town boasting gorgeous bridges and is the birthplace of modern bullfighting (which I’m not a huge proponent of, but still).

Las Campanas is a fabulous taperia that can make everything gluten-free in downtown Ronda. They have wonderful affordable options and even desserts! Unfortunately, our wandering through bullfighting rings and churches ran a little long and we were just a bit late for lunch (we only got to SEE the food) This is a smaller town, so pay attention to the mealtimes!

Not to worry, as I mentioned in my Madrid article, Spain actually has celiac-safe fast food options. Even in small towns.

I was a little deflated to miss a beautiful Spanish meal for fast food, my children were absolutely THRILLED.

Granada - This gorgeous city full of pomegranates (hence the name) is one I need to spend a lot more time in. High in the mountains it is home to the Alhambra - a fortress filled with beautiful muslim palaces.

La Nonna Carmela - The restaurant group Carmela in Granada boasts several 100% gluten free restaurants around town. There is a seafood centric one, a tapas stop, we ate at the Italian downtown location. This was maybe the best meal of the trip. From the incredible pastas to the coffee frappe’s this restaurant was delicious and the service was impeccable. I’d go to every restaurant in the group if I had more time in Granada!

All across this beautiful country there are so many more delicious gluten free bites to explore!

Happy Traveling,

Rachel