Gluten-free Prague comes down to three things: knowing the labels bez lepku and bezlepkové, a handful of fully dedicated addresses, and one local specialty no other city in this series has — gluten-free beer.
Who Certifies Gluten-Free Products in Czechia
The terms bez lepku and bezlepkové are governed by EU Regulation (EC) No 828/2014, the same rule that applies across the entire European Union, Portugal and Italy included — Czechia isn’t a special case here. What is worth knowing locally is Společnost pro bezlepkovou dietu z.s., based on Polská Street in Prague 2, the Czech member of AOECS that manages the European Crossed Grain symbol here through the European Licensing System. A product carrying that symbol has passed a rigorous test and carries a registration number tied to the country, manufacturer, and product.
The legal ceiling for a “gluten-free” label is 20 milligrams of gluten per kilogram, verified by an accredited lab. A separate term, přirozeně bez lepku, means “naturally gluten-free” and applies only to foods that never contained wheat, rye, or barley to begin with, like rice or corn — processed food can’t carry that label.
Fully Dedicated Gluten-Free Spots in Prague
Gluten-free Prague has three solid, fully dedicated addresses in the center. Alriso Risotteria Italiana on Betlémské náměstí in Prague 1 is a 100% gluten-free Italian restaurant — the entire menu, starters through dessert, is built on Carnaroli rice instead of wheat. The place also pours gluten-free beer, so a meal doesn’t have to end with sparkling water.
Bassotto on Pštrossova Street in Prague 1 is a bakery, café, and wine bar rolled into one, entirely gluten-free — beyond bread and pastries, it also serves gluten-free pizza made by an Italian chef. The second reliable bakery stop is Babiččina spíž on Revoluční Street, a dedicated gluten-free bakery with bread, baguettes, cakes, and sandwiches, with part of the menu vegan as well.
Prague’s Vegetarian Scene, Accidentally Gluten-Free
Lehká hlava in Old Town, running since 2005 on Boršov Street, is Prague’s most established vegetarian and vegan restaurant, and plenty of dishes are marked “bez lepku” right on the menu. It isn’t a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, though — wheat-based dishes are prepared there too, so cross-contamination is a real risk. Anyone with celiac disease is better off sticking with the certified addresses above; Lehká hlava is a solid fit for a mild gluten sensitivity, after confirming the specific dish with staff. The restaurant tends to fill up between 7 and 8pm, so a reservation is worth making ahead.
Gluten-Free Beer, a Local Specialty
Gluten-free beer — bezlepkové pivo in Czech — is its own well-developed category here, sold in most supermarkets. Celia from Žatecký pivovar and Bezlepkový ležák from Bernard brewery are the two leading brands, and both go through a deglutenization process: an enzyme breaks down the gluten in the barley malt down to under 20 parts per million. That’s a meaningful distinction from a naturally gluten-free beer — the barley itself never leaves the recipe, so anyone with a barley allergy specifically needs to check before ordering.
A Few Czech Phrases Worth Knowing
- Mám celiakii. – I have celiac disease.
- Jsem vegan / veganka. – I am vegan (a man says “vegan,” a woman says “veganka”).
- Jsem vegetarián / vegetariánka. – I am vegetarian (a man says “vegetarián,” a woman says “vegetariánka”).
- Je to bez lepku? – Is this gluten-free?
- Můžete mi doporučit bezlepkové a vegetariánské jídlo? – Can you recommend a gluten-free and vegetarian dish?
Grocery Shopping and Trip Prep
Beyond restaurants, gluten-free Prague also means smart grocery shopping: Albert, Billa, and Tesco all carry dedicated gluten-free sections marked with the licensed Crossed Grain symbol. Společnost pro bezlepkovou dietu also runs its own online map of gluten-free-friendly restaurants, bakeries, and shops, updated regularly and covering the entire city. The map is available on the Společnost pro bezlepkovou dietu website, along with a full list of certified products and additional travel advice.
