Being celiac isn’t easy. Since my diagnosis in 2014, I’ve had to adapt to gluten-free living, made even more complicated by the fact that I’m also a vegetarian.

If you know Austrian cuisine, you’ll know it’s heavily centred around meat and bread. So finding gluten-free places to eat out in and around Innsbruck has been quite the journey, as has discovering which supermarkets stock the best gluten-free products.

In this post, I’ll share my personal recommendations for where to find gluten-free food in and around Innsbruck. Because I’m also veggie, I haven’t personally eaten at all of these places, but have included them if they have received good reviews from other celiacs.

Disclaimer: This post is based on my own experience as a celiac. While many of these places have been fine for me, I cannot guarantee that they will be free from cross-contamination for every individual. Please always speak to staff about your dietary needs before ordering, and use your own judgement when dining out.

Gluten-Free Restaurants, Cafes, & Bakeries

Unfortunately, Innsbruck doesn’t have any dedicated gluten-free establishments (there used to be, but it closed down during the pandemic). However, there are an increasing number of restaurants that can offer a few items on the menu gluten-free.

Café Naiv

Café Naiv is close to Innsbruck’s exhibition centre, offering incredible vegan breakfasts, lunches, and cakes, many of which are naturally gluten-free or can be made gluten-free. You’ll be spoiled for choice with their selection of savoury and sweet breakfast options.

The cafe is also proud of its sustainable and ethical values – not just because they are plant-based, but also because of their efforts to source their products locally and ethically, and for prioritizing fair pay and working conditions in their supply chain.

Website: https://cafe-naiv.at/menue/
Opening times: Friday – Monday from 09:00 – 16:00 (closed Tuesday – Thursday)
Address: Bienerstraße 19, 6020 Innsbruck

Cafe Munding

Cafe Munding is Innsbruck’s oldest patisserie, situated in a pretty spot in the old town. They usually have 2-3 gluten-free cake options, as well as macarons.

Note: Cafe Munding only accepts cash payments

Website: https://www.munding.at/
Opening times: Tuesday – Saturday from 09.00 – 18.00 (closed Sunday + Monday)
Address: Kiebachgasse 16, 6020 Innsbruck

Vapiano

Vapiano is a fast-casual Italian restaurant chain with a unique self-service concept. Rather than ordering from a waiter, you order directly at open cooking stations where you can watch your pasta, pizza, or risotto being freshly prepared in front of you. For gluten-free dishes, there are a few safe options on the menu, including risotto, gluten-free pizza, and zoodles (zucchini noodles).

The pasta and risotto dishes are always cooked using fresh utensils, so the risk of cross-contamination is reasonably low. You also have the benefit that you can literally watch them preparing it in front of you. The gluten-free pizzas are cooked in an aluminum tray, but they are prepared in the same space and cooked in the same oven as the regular pizzas, so if you are celiac, cross-contamination can’t be ruled out.

Website: https://www.vapiano.at/en/menu/
Opening times: Daily (except holidays) from 11:00 – 22:00
Address: Leopoldstraße 1, 6020 Innsbruck

Verena’s Cafe

This is still on my must-visit list, but due to their limited open hours, I haven’t found the time to go. People rave about their gluten-free cakes, so I need to get there soon. Naturally, I’ll update this when I have.

Website:https://www.verenascafe.at
Opening times: Monday – Wednesday from 12:00 – 17:00
Address: Leopoldstraße 26, 6020 Innsbruck

Sumermarkets for Gluten-Free Products

All of the major supermarkets stock a selection of gluten-free products. Most stock Schär products, and many are also developing their own ranges. In smaller stores, you can typically find gluten-free pasta and bread. I recommend going to the larger stores, as their selections are usually much better than the smaller ones in the city centre.

Spar/Interspar/Eurospar

As well as stocking Schär products, Spar has developed their own gluten-free range, including pasta, breads, cereals, and assorted snack items. Their gluten-free pasta range is one of the best I’ve come across, and it’s cheaper than the bigger-name brands. My favourite products from Spar include:

• Nut granola (Knuspermüsli mit Nüssen)
• Kaiserschmarrn mix
• Cheese, rosemary & onion mini crackers
• Seeded bread rolls (Bio-Körnerweckerl)
• Gluten-free lasagne sheets

Spar Website

Mpreis

MPreis has the smallest selection out of the major Austrian supermarket brands. They stock the basics (gluten-free bread and pasta) but not much else.

Mpreis website

DM Drogerie Markt

While DM is technically a drugstore, I recently discovered that they also have a pretty decent selection of gluten-free products. Unfortunately, they don’t have a dedicated gluten-free section, so you have to search for the gluten-free products among the normal ones. However, the packaging for the GF products is pretty well labelled, so you can spot them on the shelves. My favourite discovery is GF chocolate-covered pretzels.

DM Website

Reformstark martin

Reformstark Martin is a small chain of health food stores with one of the best selections of gluten-free products in Innsbruck. They stock the largest range of Schär products of the grocery stores in Innsbruck, as well as a number of other brands.

Hofer (Aldi) & Lidl

I’ve bundled the two famous discount stores together, as they both offer pretty much the same thing. Both have their own brand of gluten-free bread rolls (which are actually really nice); however, that’s it. Sometimes they have other dedicated GF products in their seasonal ranges, but that’s only a couple of times a year.

Mountain Restaurants & Nearby Towns

Patscherkofel – Das Kofel Restaurant and Die Gipfelstube

Both the summit restaurant and the restaurant at the top station of the lift on the Patscherkofel have a gluten-free buckwheat cake (Buchweizen Torte) on the menu.

L5 Restaurant – Seefeld

L5 in Seefeld is where I head to if I’ve been adventuring in that area. The restaurant offers gluten-free schnitzel and kaiserschmarrn.

Website: https://www.lfive.at/
Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday from 11:30 – 22:00 (closed Monday + Tuesday in April & May).
Address: Innsbrucker Str. 12, 6100 Seefeld in Tirol

Viktor Kaffeehaus – Seefeld

This cafe by the train station in Seefeld usually offers a selection of 3-4 different gluten-free cakes. While they are usually in the same display unit as cakes with gluten, most are packaged individually with plastic wrap to help prevent cross-contamination.

Website: https://www.viktor-kaffeehaus.at/
Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday from 9am – 6pm
Address: Bahnhofstraße 389, 6100 Seefeld in Tirol

Tips for Eating Gluten-Free in Austria

Eating gluten-free in any foreign country can feel daunting, but with a little preparation, it’s very manageable in Innsbruck. Here are some tips that have helped me navigate gluten-free dining in Austria as a celiac.

Always communicate your intolerance clearly. While many restaurants label allergens on their menus clearly, if you are unsure, please check. I’ve seen restaurants label dishes as containing gluten when they should have been gluten-free, and mislabel them as being without gluten when they clearly were with gluten. Make sure staff understand that you have a medical intolerance, not just a preference – and if you are worried, I recommend calling ahead. In my experience, once staff understand it’s a health issue, they take it much more seriously.

Call ahead. Even when restaurants advertise that dishes can be prepared gluten-free, many prefer to be notified in advance, usually so that they can keep a part of the kitchen separated or pre-prepare the gluten-free items.

Be cautious with deep-fried dishes. Many restaurants will label items that are technically gluten-free as such, for example, fries or falafel. However, many restaurants only use one fryer, which may also contain breaded products like schnitzel. Ask the staff to confirm.

Look for naturally gluten-free dishes. Dishes like risotto, polenta, or grilled meat and vegetables are safer bets than dishes that have been adapted to be gluten-free, where the risk of a mix-up in the kitchen is higher.

Useful German Words & Phrases

Whilst English is widely spoken in Innsbruck, knowing a few important German words can make life much less stressful. Here are some key terms and phrases to have on hand: