“He eats gluten-free,” I said to our waiter. Immediately, he turned to my boyfriend, looked him dead in the eye, and said with a compassionate seriousness, “Don’t worry, we’re going to take care of you.”
My boyfriend and I were in the beautiful northern Italian city of Bolzano about to dine at a restaurant in the main square, Piazza Walther. The waiter, still holding his gaze, went on to explain that they have not one, but two kitchens–yes, two fully separate, working kitchens–one for food with gluten, and one for food without. He assured us that there would be no cross-contamination, as ingredients did not mix or touch, and that all gluten-free dishes came out with a small, red flag on them so that there was no confusion for anyone.
We were surprised and in awe, and my boyfriend even got a bit emotional. In the week we’d been traveling around Italy, this had been our experience at every restaurant. “I’ve never felt this taken care of,” he said to the waiter. “Why do Italians care so much about people who eat gluten-free? It’s not like this in the US.”
You see, my boyfriend’s psoriasis (an autoimmune disease affecting the skin) makes him gluten-intolerant. This means that, while gluten won’t land him in the hospital, the inflammation it causes will make him double over with pain, so he steers clear of it. In San Francisco, our home city, we barely eat out because restaurants don’t offer very many options and, unfortunately, it’s normal to see people roll their eyes when they hear the term “gluten-free,” since so many follow it as a fad, and not for health reasons.
Our Bolzano waiter shared with us that celiac disorder–an autoimmune disease that causes the ingestion of gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye) to damage the small intestine–is a big issue in the country. “By law, all children must be tested for celiac by the age of four. If restaurants offer gluten-free options, they must be prepared separately. We take great care of this because it’s so customary to eat out in Italy for at least one meal a day. Imagine if we didn’t offer these options… We’d lose a large part of our clientele! And we also don’t want people to get sick; we want them to enjoy our food.”
Since returning from our trip, I’ve researched the law our Bolzano waiter was referencing. In 2005, a national celiac screening program was introduced in Italy, although it has since been phased out due to cost. Yet that program helped build awareness for the disease, and so it became part of the mainstream culture. We saw gluten-free products showcased prominently in every supermarket we went to, and my research shows that even schools offer gluten-free options for kids.
So, whether you have celiac disorder, you’re gluten intolerant, or you’ve simply chosen to remove gluten from your diet, a vacation in Italy will not threaten your health nor derail your goals. In fact, choosing to vacation in Italy may very well turn out to be the best decision you could make!
And, if you’re looking for some inspiration during your time in this magnificent country, here are four phenomenal restaurants that I highly recommend, especially for gluten-free pasta and pizza:
In Rome: Salumeria Roscioli
In Amalfi: Taverna Buonvicino
In Bolzano: Walther’s
In Verona: Emanuel Cafè
Buon appetito!
Photo: Belén Alemán – Gluten-free pasta carbonara, Emanuel Cafè, Verona, Italy
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