The most gluten-free friendly cities in the world
Travelling with a gluten allergy or coeliac disease can be an intimidating experience and can even put travellers off visiting some places altogether. Whether it’s determining which menu items are ‘safe’ or simply trying to avoid gluten-packed staple ingredients like soy sauce – it can turn a fun holiday into a stressful experience very quickly.
While travel insurance for medical conditions is designed to help these travellers feel more confident when abroad, for those with serious gluten allergies or intolerances, the need to find safe food to avoid becoming ill is top priority. That’s why we’ve crunched the numbers to reveal which popular tourist cities are the most welcoming to those searching for gluten-free food – so everyone can explore the world and its cuisines with confidence.
How did we find gluten-free friendly cities?
We analysed publicly available restaurant data for major tourist cities based on three key metrics:
- Quantity of gluten-free availability: the number of restaurants in the city that offer gluten-free (GF) options
- Density of gluten-free options: the number of restaurants offering GF options per square mile
- Quality of gluten-free options: the percentage of those restaurants rated four stars and above
European cities dominated the top 10, with eight cities from the continent featuring. Awareness of coeliac disease and gluten intolerance here is relatively widespread, and thanks to strict labelling regulations and the presence of many dedicated societies and charities, those looking for gluten-free options, particularly in popular tourist cities in western Europe, shouldn’t face too much difficulty.
The world’s top 25 gluten-free cities
Global Top 25 Gluten-Free Cities
| Rank | City | Country | GF per Sq. Mile | No. of GF Restaurants | % Rated 4★+ | GF-Friendly Score / 100 |
| 1 | Barcelona | Spain | 30 | 1,177 | 82% | 87.2 |
| 2 | Sydney | Australia | 53 | 547 | 70% | 84.0 |
| 3 | Lisbon | Portugal | 21 | 568 | 87% | 82.4 |
| 4 | Melbourne | Australia | 31 | 449 | 75% | 81.0 |
| 5 | Athens | Greece | 20 | 301 | 90% | 79.4 |
| 6 | Paris | France | 15 | 569 | 85% | 79.1 |
| 7 | London | UK | 5 | 3,309 | 75% | 78.6 |
| 8 | Florence | Italy | 13 | 494 | 86% | 77.5 |
| 9 | Milan | Italy | 14 | 980 | 67% | 77.1 |
| 10 | Porto | Portugal | 14 | 225 | 96% | 76.7 |
| 11 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 9 | 575 | 85% | 75.7 |
| 12 | Dublin | Ireland | 11 | 494 | 80% | 75.2 |
| 13 | Valencia | Spain | 10 | 538 | 78% | 74.7 |
| 14 | New York City | USA | 4 | 1,099 | 91% | 74.3 |
| 15 | Dubrovnik | Croatia | 15 | 129 | 92% | 73.6 |
| 16 | Turin | Italy | 14 | 432 | 69% | 73.4 |
| 17 | San Francisco | USA | 7 | 329 | 90% | 72.3 |
| 18= | Madrid | Spain | 5 | 1,208 | 71% | 72.2 |
| 18= | Edinburgh | UK | 5 | 557 | 85% | 72.2 |
| 20 | Hoi An | Vietnam | 8 | 162 | 98% | 71.6 |
| 21 | Chiang Mai | Thailand | 9 | 136 | 96% | 71.0 |
| 22 | Rome | Italy | 3 | 1,435 | 75% | 70.5 |
| 23 | Vancouver | Canada | 7 | 297 | 84% | 70.1 |
| 24 | Split | Croatia | 11 | 95 | 93% | 69.8 |
| 25 | Granada | Spain | 7 | 234 | 81% | 68.4 |
1. Barcelona, Spain
Score: 87.2/100
Barcelona tops the list for gluten-free dining, with over 1,000 restaurants offering GF options to choose from, 82% of which are rated four stars or higher. Many mark coeliac-safe dishes clearly and are part of Spain’s Association of Coeliac and Gluten Sensitivity, meaning they adhere to its strict standards. Whether it’s patatas bravas or paella you’re hoping to sample, Barcelona offers a plethora of safe options, and there’s even a Gluten-Free Barcelona Food Tour.
2. Sydney, Australia
Score: 84/100
Sydney boasts the highest density of gluten-free restaurants in our study, with around 53 per square mile – impressive! The popular Australian city is widely known for its shellfish, particularly Sydney Rock Oysters – which are naturally gluten-free. Spend your days sunbathing on its world-famous beaches or sipping on a cocktail in front of the Opera House, before enjoying a delicious meal at the likes of Pizza Madre or Sebastian Sans Gluten, some of the city’s top-rated restaurants and bakeries which offer gluten-free pizza and pastries.
3. Lisbon, Portugal
Score: 82.4/100
For travellers avoiding gluten, the good news is that many Portuguese dishes are naturally gluten-free, like sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines) and cozido à Portuguesa (a traditional meat stew) – so you won’t go hungry somewhere like Lisbon. But of course, no trip to Portugal would be complete without sampling pastel de nata – a Portuguese custard tart – so be sure to stop by one of the dedicated bakeries to sample a GF version.
4. Melbourne, Australia
Score: 81.0/100
Melbourne has a fun and thriving brunch culture, so here you’ll find restaurants serving up banana pancakes made with almond or buckwheat flour, and thanks to strict regulations around cross-contamination and gluten-free labelling, it’s relatively simple to find safe foods. While breakfast is a highlight in this lively city, most travellers heading to Australia won’t want to miss out on trying an Aussie meat pie – and if you’re gluten-free – simply head to Gluten Free 4 U for yours.
5. Athens, Greece
Score: 79.4/100
90% of Athens’ selection of restaurants offering gluten-free options are rated four stars or above, and with many Greek dishes being naturally gluten-free, from dolmades (stuffed vine leaves) to grilled meats and the iconic Greek salad, travellers to the Mediterranean hotspot should have a smooth time finding safe and delicious food here. What’s more, in Athens, there’s a Gluten-Free Walking Tour where visitors can try different foods while exploring the city.
6. Paris, France
Score: 79.1/100
Despite being known for pastries and baguettes, Paris serves up a surprising 569 restaurants offering gluten-free options. The Happy Celiac website advises travellers to avoid a trip to the city in August, as many restaurants in France are closed and so options will be more limited than usual, but visitors stopping by the city of love at other times of the year can easily enjoy gluten-free meals. Don’t miss out on delectable French macarons, which are naturally gluten-free and made with almond meal.
7. London, United Kingdom
Score: 78.6/100
With over 10,000 restaurants found in the heart of the UK, it’s no mean feat to boast more than 3,000 with gluten-free options, which translates to a readily available five GF restaurants per square mile: a reassuring number for visitors seeking safe dining options. Thanks to organisations like Coeliac UK, who have worked to help make gluten-free labelling and knowledge among restaurants widespread across the country, no one misses out on dining in the capital. Niche, London’s first dedicated gluten-free restaurant, which was accredited by Coeliac UK, even serves up a classic British fish and chips, minus the gluten.
8. Florence, Italy
Score: 77.5/100
Florence is one city that sits high on the wish list of many travellers. Known as the Capital of the Arts, it houses some of the most precious works of art in the world and ticking these off before sampling some of the world-famous pizzas and pastas (along with tasting iconic but also gluten-filled dishes like arancini and bruschetta) is the trip of dreams for many. Luckily, though, Florence offers many restaurants with gluten-free options – nearly 500, to be exact. And with the Italian Coeliac Society’s accreditations, you can dine with confidence while soaking up the city’s Renaissance beauty.
9. Milan, Italy
Score: 77.1/100
The second city in Italy to feature in the top 10, Milan, the fashion capital of the world, is home to even more gluten-free options than Florence. While the quality score is lower than the former city, the sheer number of options here (around 14 restaurants offering gluten-free options per square mile) should make finding safe food straightforward. From risotto to polenta, any weary traveller who has shopped till they dropped will easily find options to replenish their energy stores.
10. Porto, Portugal
Score: 76.7/100
Porto, the city where Portugal got its name, and the birthplace of Port wine, is a haven for any traveller looking for delicious food and lots of culture. Whether you’re perusing the books in the most beautiful book shop in the world, Livraria Lello, sipping on a glass of port, or visiting Porto’s famous bridges – you’ll certainly need to refuel afterwards. Porto is Portugal’s second feature in the top 10, and interestingly, received the highest quality score too, with a striking 96% of its 225 gluten-free offering restaurants rated four stars or higher.
Where is it harder to find gluten-free options?
In many countries around the world, such as Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, ingredients containing gluten are widespread in traditional meals. From handmade biang biang noodles in Xi’an to traditional burek in Mostar, it can feel difficult to find gluten-free foods. Awareness of coeliac disease and gluten intolerance is also slightly less widespread in these regions compared to parts of Western Europe, the USA or Australia.
Because of this, there also don’t tend to be as many, if any, coeliac societies or accredited restaurants like there are in countries such as Italy and the United Kingdom, so it can be harder to find certified ‘safe’ restaurants.
Travellers visiting these regions can still safely explore the countries, but some forward planning can help make this easier. Before you jet off, you can check resources such as Find Me Gluten Free and National Celiac, where you can find useful links to dedicated restaurants or advice groups which may be helpful when searching for food options abroad.
Saving down key phrases like ‘without gluten/wheat’ and ‘allergic to gluten/wheat’ in the local language on your phone or even printing them on a card you can give to the chef can help too. As can visiting restaurants outside of peak hours, ensuring that staff have more time to check ingredients and minimise the risk of cross-contamination that might be more likely to occur when kitchens are at their busiest.
The least gluten-free friendly cities in the world
Global Bottom 10 Gluten-Free Cities
| Rank | City | Country | GF per Sq. Mile | No. of GF Restaurants | % Rated 4★+ | GF-Friendly Score / 100 |
| 1 | Windhoek | Namibia | 0.002 | 4 | 50% | 26 |
| 2 | Islamabad | Pakistan | 0.030 | 4 | 75% | 32 |
| 3 | Manila | Philippines | 0.470 | 7 | 57% | 33 |
| 4 | Tashkent | Uzbekistan | 0.054 | 7 | 86% | 37 |
| 5 | Mostar | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.018 | 8 | 88% | 38 |
| 6 | Podgorica | Montenegro | 0.016 | 9 | 89% | 39 |
| 7 | Xi’an | China | 0.002 | 6 | 100% | 40 |
| 8 | Tivat | Montenegro | 0.450 | 8 | 88% | 41 |
| 9 | Dakar | Senegal | 0.195 | 6 | 100% | 41 |
| 10 | Yogyakarta | Indonesia | 0.387 | 5 | 100% | 41 |
Has all this talk of food got you hungry and imagining the next cuisine you want to explore? If you’re a traveller living with gluten allergies or intolerances – or any other medical condition – be sure to buy comprehensive Medical Travel Insurance before you set off.
Methodology
To rank the world’s most and least gluten-free friendly cities, we combined publicly available restaurant data for major tourist cities.
Each city was analysed on the following metrics:
- Quantity Score: Based on the total number of restaurants with gluten-free options in the city
- Density Score: Calculated as gluten-free restaurants per square mile, using each city’s geographical area
- Quality Score: Percentage of gluten-free-offering restaurants rated 4 stars or higher.
Each metric was weighted to reflect their shared importance:
- Quantity shows availability (40%)
- Density accounts for ease of access when travelling (30%)
- Quality ensures highly rated experiences (30%)
Weighted scores were summed to create a Gluten-Free Friendly (GF-Friendly) Score out of 100 for each city.
All data is correct as of August 2025.