For years, travelling gluten-free meant living in a constant state of negotiation: scanning menus, grilling servers, and packing emergency snacks “just in case.” Thankfully, a handful of cities around the globe have turned that anxiety into freedom — embracing gluten-free dining not as an afterthought, but as a vital part of their culinary culture.
A new study by InsureandGo, which analysed nearly 200 destinations worldwide for their gluten-free friendliness, crowned Barcelona the global leader. With more than 1,000 gluten-free restaurants — 82% of them rated four stars or above — the Catalan capital is as safe as it is delicious for travellers avoiding wheat. Close behind are Sydney and Lisbon, both offering an impressive density of gluten-free menus across every style of dining, from brunch cafés to fine dining.
The top 25 also includes cities closer to home. Vancouver is Canada’s gluten-free champion, ranking 23rd globally thanks to its wide range of GF-friendly restaurants, bakeries, and breweries. Meanwhile, destinations like Rome and New York City, long praised anecdotally by travellers with celiac disease, are backed up by the numbers: both scored high for the sheer number and quality of gluten-free restaurants.
What unites these cities isn’t just their food, but their philosophy: dining gluten-free should be about abundance, not deprivation. Travellers in these destinations can leave behind the stress of cross-contamination and instead focus on discovery — of flavour, of community, of cultures that have chosen to make everyone feel welcome at the table.