Buenos Aires is Becoming More and More Celiac-Friendly with a Good Handful of Gluten-Free Options
Where does someone find gluten-free food in Buenos Aires? As a fellow Celiac, I can say with certainty that travelling and having to eat food that is only gluten-free can cause a frustrating travel experience. You can go from restaurant to restaurant asking if they serve gluten-free foods and sadly, there is no option. This is especially true in Buenos Aires where Argentinian cuisine is largely bread or pasta based. However, lucky for you, I’ve put together a list of the best Gluten-Free restaurants, supermarkets and brands along with tips that will make your eating experience in Buenos Aires one that you will never forget!
About Sin TACC
When looking through supermarkets you may notice a label on certain products with a logo containing cancel sign over wheat and the words ‘Sin T.A.C.C.’, which stands for “Sin Trigo, Avena, Cebada y Centeno” (Without wheat, oats, barley and rye); thus, signifying the product is 100% gluten-free. The celiac community in Argentina banded together and protested for more recognition of Gluten-Free food, and in 2009 a law was sanctioned so that every gluten-free food product in Argentina will have some kind of identification when it contains no more than 10 mg gluten/kg. So, when looking through supermarkets for a loaf of bread, look to see if the ‘SIN TACC’ symbol is present. Many restaurants will also include the symbol next to items on the menu that are gluten-free.
Also Read: How to Order Coffee in Argentina
GLUTEN-FREE RESTAURANTS IN BUENOS AIRES
Sintaxis
Nicaragua 4849, Palermo // sintaxisglutenfree.com
Located in the trendy Palermo Soho, Sintaxis offers popular Argentine dishes with delicious pasta, empanadas, salads, desserts and rice dishes that will leave you wanting to try everything else on the menu. My personal favourite is the Risotto de Hongos featuring a mix of tangy mushrooms, delicate risotto, and crispy nut brittle, all covered in a tempting hot mushroom sauce. Sintaxis also understands the difficulties of finding gluten-free products, so at the front of the store, you will find an array of ‘sin gluten’ snacks, bread, pasta, cakes, and other in-house-made products.
Celigourmet
4 locations in Buenos Aires City // celigourmet.com.ar
Celigourmet is like the Buenos Aires hub of gluten-free eating. Their food is broken into sweet and salty, so you can choose from a large variety of both savoury and sweet foods. The other great thing about Celigourmet is that their quality is very high, so when munching into a chicken cheese roll or carne (beef) empanada, you can expect the bread to truly taste like bread rather than cardboard. My favourite snack is their muffins; they have such a beautiful presentation of colourful icing dollops and a spongy base that will make you question whether the icing is really the best part of the cupcakes.
La Pastroneria
El Salvador 6029, Palermo // Facebook @lapastroneria
If you are looking for some Argentinian food in Buenos Aires that is authentic and gluten-free, La Pastroneria, opened up by Celigourmet, is your place. This is especially true for their pizza, which is made in the traditional Argentinian way with thick spongy crust and lots of cheese. Great place to have a grande pizza, and finish off with an alfajor (two cookies filled with dulce de leche in between) dessert. Delicioso y sin gluten!
Goût to Go
Juncal 2124, Recoleta // Montevideo 1480, Recoleta // goutglutenfree.com.ar
Lending from the French word, the name “GOÛT” is to mean flavour, pleasure and good taste, and that is exactly what Goût to Go offers, with delicious takeaway bakery treats, from macaroons and chocolate squares to breakfast bread, cakes and coffees. Presentation is definitely key for Goût as the food is not only great tasting but incredibly colourful and pretty visually. While in Recoleta, be sure to stop by Goût for an afternoon coffee and some lovely treats to take home.
Bio Solo Orgánico
Humboldt 2428, Palermo // biorestaurant.com.ar
If you’re into clean eating, this organic restaurant is a safe haven for gluten intolerant people. Bio is dedicated to mouth-watering nutritious vegan dishes, and luckily most of the menu is gluten-free too. Furthermore, Bio’s interior is calming from the time you walk in and will make you want to stay there all day and keep coming back the following days to relax with a book and enjoy some delicious gluten vegan delights.
Freddo
Many locations throughout Buenos Aires // freddo.com.ar
It’s always great to spoil yourself with a cheeky ice cream, but for many Celiacs this can be a calculated task. Luckily, the famous Argentinian chain of ice creameries ‘Freddo’ offers many delicious gluten-free options from top to bottom. There are a few ice creams that include cookies with gluten so be sure to check out the menu where every gluten-free ice cream has the glorious Sin T.A.C.C. symbol next to its name. My favourite is their ice cream with Vauquita dulce de leche, a simple but very effective blend of flavours. Check it out!
Also Read: Best Ice-cream in Argentina
Kary’s Burger Class
Thames 1971, Palermo // Facebook @karysburger
Love a delicious gourmet burger but hate that every time you want one you either have to order only fries or take the buns off and be left with the insides of the burger? Well, I do, and luckily for us Celiacs, there’s a place in Palermo Soho that does 100% gluten-free hot and juicy, fresh as hell burgers. What’s even better is Karry’s has a lovely range of gluten-free beers, so that classic burger and beer experience is never lost. Lastly, every burger on the menu is categorized by nation, so if you’re in the mood for something filled with hot juicy cheese and bacon, go for the American. Otherwise, if you’d rather connect with the local food try the Argentinian with hotly cooked asado, textured chorizo, juicy provolone cheese, a mix of classic green vegetables and spicy sauce for that exotic touch.
Where to get Gluten-Free Food in Buenos Aires:
SUPERMARKETS WITH GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS
Whilst going out to eat at these lovely ‘sin gluten’ (gluten-free) restaurants is nice every now and again, celiacs still can’t eat out every night! With more and more stores opened up, Buenos Aires now has a great range of Gluten-Free supermarkets to buy every home provision 100% clear of gluten. While it is true that any supermarket in Argentina includes a range of products with the ‘SIN TACC’ logo, there are also specialty supermarkets which offer mainly Gluten Free options throughout.
Almacén Libre – Alimentos Sin Gluten
Borges 1842, Palermo // almacenlibre.com.ar
Almacen Libre is an awesome supermarket which boasts 100% gluten-free products, so from the walk in you can completely forget about the ‘SIN T.A.C.C.’ logo and just take whatever your heart desires. Also if you love a good cerveza (beer), the store has many different beers made from corn or rice. Lastly, Almacen also has a great variety of gluten-free recipe books and kitchen objects that will help with your cooking process.
Vichenzo
Salta 529, Buenos Aires // vichenzo.com.ar
Italian restaurants not offering gluten-free pasta has always made me feel like a sad puppy not getting his dinner. To fill the void, there’s a place in BA that offers their very own crafted pasta that you can take home to make spaghetti bolognese that really tastes like spaghetti bolognese. The place is a combination between takeaway and supermarket offering their own gluten-free products such as bread slices and pasta, and then a large selection of cakes, treats, empanadas, pizzas, and sandwiches.
Rojas Gluten free
Rojas 42, Caballito // Crisólogo Larralde 1899, Nuñez // rojasglutenfree.com
Rojas is the first Gluten Free supermarket in Latin America and like Almacen, the market offers 100% Gluten Free products throughout the store. Everything you could possibly want is in the store from beer to medical products for Celiacs. And if you can’t make it to the store, Rojas offers delivery throughout South America.
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