The Essential Gluten Free Guide to Germany

In North America, buying flour is an easy task. You go to the supermarket, you pick up a bag of all-purpose flour, and you go home. Presto! In Germany, it’s more complicated and the varieties of flour are a surprise to those of us from the US and Canada. Type 405 is for pastries, Type 812 for breads, and then there’s Type 550, which is the closest to what we call all-purpose flour in Canada. Oh, and there’s also Type 1150 (rye flours) and Type 1800 (pumpernickel flour), as well as many others. These numbers represent the amount of ash; the higher the ash content, the “more whole grain” the flour is.

In a country seemingly enamoured with its gluten-filled flours, what’s a celiac to do? Have no fear, eating safely in Germany is possibility. During my visits, I was able to find simple meat and vegetable dishes, as well as salads. And while gluten free options aren’t as prevalent in bakeries, shops do carry many products that you can use to cook at home.

Hopefully this guide helps you find your way through a visit to Germany while eating as safely as possible. I have included links to other guides I trust as well. Safe travels, and safe eating!
-Jodi

LAST UPDATED JUNE 5, 2023


A detailed gluten free restaurant card for Germany

Already know you want a gluten free translation card? You can buy my French card here, as well as Japan, Greece, Spain, and more! 

This detailed gluten free restaurant card will help communicate your eating restrictions, and allow you to understand what is safe and unsafe from the menu. Any ingredient names and dishes within the card are also double checked for accuracy to ensure they will be understood within different regions in Germany.

Note: The card is available for purchase via Gumroad, a trustworthy 3rd party site that uses https, so you know your information is safe.

Why is this gluten free card different?

I tried different translation cards on my travels, and I still got sick. I may be more sensitive than some celiacs, but even a small amount of contaminated oil for frying, or wheat-thickened sauce in the food, is enough to make me ill for days. Let alone the joint pain later that week, and the fatigue.

This card is different because:
✅  Immediate download, sized specifically for mobile. You can save it to your phone and have it with you as you travel, or you can print it out and laminate it to take along.
✅ It uses local ingredients and lists of what you can/cannot eat help you eat safely, not just “I can’t eat gluten”.
✅ Unlike less-detailed cards, this card explains that contaminated surfaces or oils are also unsafe.
✅ It is researched by a celiac and goes through two sets of translations to ensure accuracy.

german gluten free restaurant card by legal nomads
Click to head to the purchase page

An English translation of the card will be emailed to you after you purchase.

A big thanks for translating skills to Frank, whose wife is a diagnosed celiac, and to Max for his schnitzel photo.

Eating gluten free in Germany: dishes and snacks

The following dishes are commonly wheat-free in Germany, as confirmed by translators, my travels in Germany, and German readers who are also celiac. As with any destination, at home or abroad, it’s important to confirm on a case-by-case basis that no flour was used in the sauces, or to thicken soups or stews.

  • Sauerkraut: finely shredded fermented cabbage, often served warm with pork or sausages.
  • Gurkensalat: cucumber salad, traditionally dressed with vinegar, sour cream and dill (SO GOOD).
  • Kartoffelsalat: Potato salad, usually made with a cream or mayonnaise base in Northern Germany, and a vinegar and broth base in the South. May be served warm or cold, and may include additions such as bacon, pickles, eggs or radish. For mayonnaise dressing, confirm made in house and not with wheat-added store bought mayo.
  • Rinderrouladen: Rolled beef with onions and bacon, but check gravy. Recipe traditionally calls for corn starch but as always bouillon cubes or flour may be substituted.
  • Tomatensalat: Tomato salad, usually made with freshly chopped herbs, chopped onions, oil, and vinegar.
  • Braten mit Rotkohl: Roast with red cabbage – again check gravy.
  • Erbsensuppe: split pea soup, traditionally flour-free. Confirm that is the case.
  • Fleisch: Meat, specifically meats that are grilled (gegrillt), baked (im Ofen gegart) or roasted (gegrillt/gebraten). Confirm any marinades, avoid breading and gravy.
  • Gemüse: Fresh, grilled or roasted vegetables. Ask about marinades, and avoid breading, tempura, or gravy.
  • Eisbein: salt-cured, sometimes smoked, pork knuckle. Get it without the sauce/gravy.
  • Käse: cheese, though watch out for cream cheeses (some thickened with wheat byproducts) and specialities like beer cheese (Bierkäse or Weisslacker), which aren’t safe.
  • Milchreis: rice pudding, often topped with cinnamon/sugar or fruit.
  • Frucht:  fruit.

Celiac-safe shopping and gluten free restaurants in Germany

a
German summer days.

There are quite a few places to buy gluten free ingredients, from local supermarkets to bigger chain stores and organic shops.

Generally:

  • Reformhaus – General word for a health (food) store
  • Bioladen/ Biomarkt – Organic Store / Organic (Super)Market

The following supermarkets sell gluten free products. Note that many larger grocery chains in Germany carry gluten-free foods, marked with the words glutenfrei or the German Celiac Society (DZG) logo. The logo features the “crossed grain symbol,” an international symbol that means consumers can trust that the food is certified for celiacs. Per the Association for European Celiac Societies, “the Crossed Grain Trademark is widely recognised by members of international coeliac organisations and a high proportion of non coeliac, but gluten intolerant, consumers as a source of trust and reassurance that a product is safe to eat. Our Europe wide licensing system means that one trademark license gives producers and retailers the right to use the Crossed Grain Trademark on their gluten free sales in over 30 European countries.”

Products cannot be licensed if they hold a risk for cross contamination.

Glutenfrei symbol for Germany to show that the product you are buying is actually safe for celiacs
This is the symbol you want to look out for

EdekaThe largest supermarket corporation in Germany, with shops ranging from corner markets to massive “hypermarkets.” As is the case with each of the chains listed, the larger and more central the store, the more likely to have a broader gluten free range.

Rewe: A supermarket chain that stocks gluten-free products in their locations around the country.

Spar: A subset chain of Edeka group, sells smaller selection of gluten free products that include rice cakes, corn pastas, and more.

Kaufland: has ranges of gluten-free and organic products

Globus: at least some stores have designated gluten-free sections

DM Drogerie: A drugstore chain that has a dedicated gluten free product section, per reader Marie.

RealA hypermarket (with food and home appliances and much more) found around the country.

Germany’s Celiac Society’s website has office info and contact information in English here.

Helpful phrases for a celiac in Germany

  • Kann Spuren von Gluten enthalten: may contain traces of gluten
  • Gluten (gluten)
  • Weizen / Weizenstärke (wheat / wheat flour)
  • Gerste / Gerstenmalz / Gerstenmalzextrakt (barley / barley malt / barley malt extract)
  • Roggen (rye)
  • Hafer (oat)
  • Dinkel (spelt)
  • Grünkern (unripe spelt grain)
  • Einkorn (einkorn)
  • Kamut (kamut)
  • Bulgur (bulgur)
  • Weizeneiweiß (wheat protein)
  • Weizenkleber (wheat “glue”)
  • Seitan (seitan)

Suggested Google searches to find GF smaller stores in Germany

Reader Frank suggests using the following searches to find tinier organic or gluten free shops in Germany if you are in the rural areas:

Bioladen+Town

Biomarkt+town

Reformhaus+town

Also, check out Schar’s list of gluten free spots find eats, here. Their database includes restaurants, pizzerias, cafés, bars or ice cream parlours, as well as listings of shops that sell gluten free products.

Gluten free restaurants in Munich

  • Gasthof Obermaier offers a gluten free option for the majority of their menu. An excellent place to try Bavarian specialties in safe way, including millet beer.
  • Tushita Teahouse features a beautiful, inviting space with vegan and gluten free treats and a sprawling tea menu to choose from. Their menu changes daily, and if you wanted less than a meal, they have a selection of gluten free sweets and desserts to choose from, all of which are made with organic ingredients.
  • Echt Jetzt Bäckerei is a bakery and cafe with 100% gluten free breads and sweets, including soft pretzels and tasty, sweet buns.
  • Cupcake 4 You Gluten-free is, as the name suggests, a 100% gluten free cupcake shop that also sells macarons, savoury tarts, and cake pops, as well as custom cakes.
  • Another 100% gluten free spot, Palm Tree Club not only has breakfast, savoury bowls, curries, sandwiches, and (randomly) pho, but they also bake their own bread fresh every day.
  • Pizzesco has gluten free pizza, prepared on separate surfaces and cooked in a separate oven, as well as lactose free options.
  • While not fully GF, Wirtshaus am Bavariapark is a spacious Bavarian beer garden with gluten free items marked on the menu and, at the time of writing a separate fryer for them. (Please confirm when eating there that the fryer is still separate.)
  • Naxos Taverna is another not-fully GF restaurant that offers delicious Greek specialties, but their menu is clearly marked for gluten free items (even online) and the staff is knowledgeable about CC.
  • Isabella Patisserie is a family business that started a decade ago with a celiac diagnosis, and now has 9 locations in 7 different cities in Germany, including Munich. The others are in Aachen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, and Stuttgart.
  • If your non-celiac party wants beer, Hofenbraus has some food for you to eat (though no beer that’s safe). They have an allergen menu with marked notes about which items contain gluten, and a dedicated space in the kitchen. Celiac readers report that they were able to eat here safely, but that getting an allergen menu wasn’t always easy. Caveat emptor for this one.

Gluten free restaurants in Freiburg im Breisgau

  • Das Kartoffelhaus “the potato house” in Freiburg has gluten free, lactose free, and vegan menus, as well as strong emphasis on regionally sourced foods. Although the menu includes a few Asian inspired dishes, there are plenty more traditional dishes to try, including potatoes made all sorts of ways!
  • Yepa Yepa is a Mexican restaurant that offers tacos, soup, tostadas, and nachos all with 100% corn tortillas. Vegetarian options also available. Be sure to confirm knowledge of CC as they also serve some dishes with wheat flour tortillas, if customers prefer them.

Gluten free restaurants in Dusseldorf

  • As per my note in Munich, in Dusseldorf, Isabella’s Gluten Free Patisserie is as safe as it sounds, serving up beautifully-crafted sweets and pastries since 2014.
  • Backbrüder is a 100% gluten free bakery with breads and rolls, croissants, cakes, tarts and biscuits, bagels, and cinnamon rolls.
  • Also 100% gluten free is Ruthis Cafe & Bistro, named after the founder’s mother Ruth who has celiac disease. Offering breakfast bowls with granola, avocado bread, ice cream, or freshly baked waffles during brunch, the cafe is also open for lunch and dinner, with burgers, quiches, and salads on offer.
  • Reader Vera wrote in to suggest Eckmann’s Pancakes, another fully gluten free spot that offers sweet or savoury pancakes, with lactose free options. Their savoury options are quite unique, with currywurst pancakes on the menu, as well salmon, lactose-free cream cheese and herb foam pancakes, and stewed peppers and herb cheese.
  • Vera also recommends Cucina Italiana for gluten free pizza and gluten free pasta.

Gluten free restaurants in Frankfurt

  • Glutenfreie Kaffeebar by Alex is, as the name suggests, an excellent option for celiacs. Cakes, waffles, coffee, and more, it’s a perfect stop for a snack when you’re hungry and want to stay safe in Frankfurt.
  • A 45 minute drive from Frankfurt, Arici’s Cafe & Eis (an ice cream shoppe) has gluten free (and some dairy free!) treats on offer, including the elusive gluten free ice cream cone, as well as sundaes, milkshakes, and more.
  • For German food, head to Schuchs Restaurant, where their menu is clearly marked for gluten (and lactose!) free items, and staff is knowledgeable about celiac disease. Their homemade apple sausages are gluten free and delicious, as is their sparerib dish.
  • Heroes Burger has gluten free buns (as well as meat-free options too), and their menu clearly marks all allergens. Be sure to confirm no cross-contact with cooking surfaces.
  • Pizza Sicilia has gluten free crusts and will cook them on a separate pan for celiacs. It also has gluten free pastas. Kitchen is shared, however staff is knowledgeable about celiac. Confirm cross-contact needs prior to dining.
  • Other pizza options are Pizza Mille Lire, with both gluten free pizza and pasta on the menu, or Vito Pizza Pasta, with gluten free (corn and rice) pies for their pizzas available upon request. Again, please discuss cross-contact before ordering.
  • Mainkai Cafe serves breakfast and brunch, as well as other treats, and has a menu that clearly denotes gluten and vegan options. Not a huge GF selection, but a good bet if you have a mixed party of different allergen-needs.
  • Saravanaa Bhavan is a chain of South Indian restaurants that can be found in Frankfurt, as well as Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg, and more. South Indian food has many gluten free options, like idli and dosa. Best to discuss with the restaurant prior to booking in, but their extensive menu offers those dishes as well as biryani and other gluten free options. The fryer is shared, so anything deep fried will be off limits.
  • A higher-end Indian food option is Curry Club, with organic, fresh ingredients and a menu that lists each grain that contains gluten, and staff that is knowledgeable about the disease.
  • Readers report that Sachsenhäuser Feinbäckerei has gluten free breads and pastries that are kept away from gluten-containing ingredients and cooked on separate surfaces, but it is not a gluten free establishment and I have not been myself.

Gluten free restaurants in Hamburg

  • Rudolph’s in Hafencity, Hamburg offers the majority of their pizzas, pastas and Mediterranean dishes in a gluten free version, as well as gluten free beer.

Gluten free restaurants in Berlin

  • Jute Bäckerei in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg is a gluten free bread lover’s paradise. In addition to the buns and baguettes, they’ve got crispbreads, pastries, and gluten free loaves galore. If you happen to be around Berlin on a Sunday morning, they’ve even got a small breakfast menu.
  • Another bakery option is Eis Voh, which originally started as an ice cream shop. Now, they’ve expanded to offer baguettes, rolls, carrot cakes, seed breads, and their own sourdough loaves. They also have many different cakes, pies, pastries, and of course homemade ice cream—all 100% gluten free. Many vegan options on the menu, too.
  • Suzette in central Berlin is known for authentic galettes, crepes and ciders from Brittany, France. Sadly the crepes aren’t gluten free, but the 100% buckwheat galette menu is extensive and affordable at 8 euro each.
  • Gluten free schnitzel? Yes please. At Schnitzelei Mitte, you can try a gluten free version that is safely-prepared for celiacs, and staff knowledgeable about the disease. Be sure to confirm no cross contamination, as usual, but readers report that this schnitzeleria (yes I made that word up) was safe and delicious.
  • Another option for schnitzel is Ottenthal, where the menu is annotated for allergens, but the staff is knowledgeable about celiac disease. lergens are marked on the menu but when I said I’m celiacs the waiter offered the gf version of schnitzel (which is why we came), and it was delicious. Great! Reservations recommended, especially during COVID.
  • I spent many years living in Vietnam as a celiac, and Xua Quan in Berlin has many of my tried and tested favourites, alongside a clearly marked menu that accounts for allergies (and gluten), vegan dishes, and other intolerances.
  • Tribeca Ice Cream is as healthy a treat as it gets: gluten free, soy free, plant-based, and very transparent manufacturing processes. Their offerings aren’t anything to scoff at, either: don’t miss the salt maca caramel and the coconut ash, both stupendously good. You won’t be able to go just once.
  • Glutenada is a 100% gluten free café in Berlin, whose owner Lana also happily accommodates other food restrictions / allergies. Her cakes alone will make you want to return. (Don’t miss the key lime pie coconut.) Sadly, closed.
  • As the name suggests, Simply Keto is a cafe and shop for ketogenic diets, which means no gluten and lots of zoodles (zucchini noodles) and pastries made from alternative flours that are safe for celiacs. They sell gluten free products and will ship from their online shop also. During the pandemic the cafe portion of Simply Keto closed.
  • Simela in Berlin offers gluten free and lactose free pizzas in two locations, Koppenplatz and Savignyplatz, as well as by delivery. They’ve also started offering gluten free foccacia, which is hard to turn down.
  • LOVE a good dosa, and this southern Indian treat is naturally gluten free when made with the original recipe. Chutnify to the rescue in Berlin, where you can enjoy it to your heart’s content.
  • Cielo di Berlino in Berlin has gluten free pizzas also, offered in a hearty buckwheat crust and prepared separately / in a separate area from the wheat crusts so as to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Brotquelle is a fully gluten free bakery and cafe, with great breads, muffins, cakes and more to choose from, and you can stay and eat it too in their cozy wood dining area.
  • Another incredible bakery is AERA, and what a beautifully-designed site too. Their bread is as delicate and artisanal as their website, and everything they have is gluten free. They also use natural sourdough as a leavening agent, instead of artificial yeasts, which they claim makes their bread easier to digest. Base ingredients are from an organic farm in northern Germany.
One of AERA’s breads, this one fermented for 35 hours.
  • Berlin is gaining a reputation as the Europe’s vegan capital, and while that might not necessarily matter to celiacs, it does mean an overall increased awareness of “alternative” diets in the city. Many of Berlin’s vegan restaurants offer gluten free options. Attaya Cafe, for example, offers 100% Vegan Afro-Italian cuisine in Berlin.
  • Vapiano offers pastas and gluten free pizzas, but cross-contamination more of a risk from reader reports, due to shared kitchen. They are a chain, and the link here is to a full list of their restaurants within Germany.

Matt from Wheatless Wanderlust also has a thorough gluten free Berlin guide here.

Need a different translation card or country guide? Please see my landing page for all things gluten free, with guides and restaurant cards for Japan, Italy, Greece, Spain and more! 

What foods AREN’T gluten free in Germany?

what foods have gluten in germany: a guide for celiacs
Don’t eat this at home, celiacs.
  • Spätzle: Egg noodles that are made from wheat flour, eggs, water and salt. They’re often incorporated into other dishes.
  • Sauerbraten: A pot roast served and cooked with a gravy that is thickened with flour (occasionally with gingersnaps).
  • Kartoffelpuffer: Potato pancakes, with flour used to thicken the batter.
  • Gemischter Salat: Mixed salad, listed here only because processed meats or cheese may be used in the mixture.
  • Frikadellen: Meatballs, usually made with breadcrumbs.
  • Schnitzel: Tenderized, flattened meat (kalb, veal /schwein pork), dredged in flour and coated with breadcrumbs before frying. Originally from Austria, this breaded meat dish is popular in Germany also – and definitely off limits for us celiacs! However, do ask if you can get a “Schnitzel natur” or Schnitzel ohne Panade, without flour crust.
  • Wurst: This is a general term for sausage. Bread and flour are often used as fillers, so it is important to ask. Popular varieties of wurst include: (1) Currywurst – pork sausage served with curry ketchup or curry sauce; (2) Bratwurst – thicker, grey, mild sausage made of pork, veal, or beef, and (3) Wiener Würstchen (hot dogs – here often made without gluten).
  • Döner Kebab: Turkish dish of thinly-sliced meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie stuffed into pita or flatbread and served with a variety of accompaniments. Similar to shawarma or gyros. Depending on gluten sensitivity, may be okay if eaten without the bread. Cross contamination is likely, however.
  • Pan-fried fish filets: These are usually dredged in flour before frying. Ask for a grilled version, or a fried version without the flour and in a separate pan.
  • Semmelknödel: bread dumplings, definitely off limits!
  • Bienenstich: Bee-sting cake. Made with a yeast dough, baked-on almond crust, and a cream or custard filling.
  • Gravies such as Sauce, Jus, Soße, Bratensaft: these are generally thickened with wheat flour or roux base.
  • Hollandaise sauce: generally thickened with flour.
  • Mayonnaise: can contain wheat flour as thickener, especially if bought from the store (vs. made in-house).
  • Senf: mustard often contains gluten in Germany, except artisanal versions. Check ingredients.

Best books to read before visiting Germany

books to read about germany and its history, including the berlin wall

For those of you looking to visit, here are some wonderful books to help learn a little more about Germany and its food before you get there.

Historical books:

Food books:

  • The German Cookbook by Mimi Sheraton. One of the German cookbook classics, first published in 1965. Although it uses measurements and temperatures designed for an American audience, the dishes themselves are authentic and traditional.
  • The New German Cookbook by Jean Anderson. A history lesson as well as a cookbook!
  • Grandma’s German Cookbook by Linn Schmidt and Birgit Hamm. Full of anecdotes, photos, and heirloom recipes by real German grandmas.
  • Beyond Bratwurst: A History of Food in Germany by Ursula Heinzelmann. Throughout this chronological history, Heinzelmann weaves in the social, political, industrial, and geographical influences that make German food not one cuisine, but many. She not only answers the question of what Germans eat, but also how and why.
  • Culinaria Germany by Christine Metzger and Ruprecht Stempell. Full of lush photographs and in-depth background information, Culinaria Germany travels through each of Germany’s 16 states by region.
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