We enjoyed a glorious sunny holiday on the island of Corfu (Kérkyra) in Greece this summer and I have collated all my gluten free Corfu finds for you. From restaurants and gelato to baked goods and supermarket ranges, consider this your go to coeliac friendly, gluten free guide to Corfu.
We stayed on the West coast, with a couple of visits to Corfu Town added in, however I have also included tips for other parts of the island that I came across while researching this guide. Below you’ll find a selection of restaurants that can cater for coeliacs and some accommodation options you might wish to consider. Plus information on good supermarkets to shop at if you are doing a self catering holiday.
We ate out every evening, self catered our breakfasts and had a mix of picnics and restaurant meals for lunches, and I had a great experience everywhere. I am a cautious coeliac and always ask a lot of questions about preparation. I was so impressed with how well and safely restaurants were able to cater for me.
I had done some thorough research prior to our trip, so please bear in mind not every restaurant will cater for coeliacs. However, there should be plenty of choices below for you to work through. Please double check everything and ask your own questions before visiting, because processes and menus can change at any time.
Where to Stay
We found ourself a nice little villa on airbnb, as I like to have the option to self cater. However if you prefer a hotel option here are some that I have seen recommended by fellow coeliacs:
Ikos Dassia & Ikos Odisia
Both located on the East coast of Corfu, these hotels are not cheap, but they can cater really well for coeliacs. So if you have the budget for a luxury trip (or can take advantage of the lower rates outside of the school holidays), definitely check them out.
Angshana Hotel
A reader wrote to tell me this hotel in Benitses catered really well for her on the gluten free front, including “fab sushi” at their Oribu Restaurant. She said staff were really helpful.
Self Catering – Buying Gluten Free Food on Corfu
Corfu is a big, touristy island so I found there was a really good availability of gluten free products in supermarkets and did not actually need to bring anything from home (unless you want specific products like gluten free pitta or breakfast cereal). Here are few shops I would recommend if you want to stock up on food for a gluten free self catering holiday:
Sklavenitis
Always a decent option for gluten free foods when in Greece, Sklavenitis supermarkets usually stock a good range and the one near Corfu Town is no exception. We bought gluten free bread, pasta and biscuits here. I also found gluten free tzaziki (many other brands have may contain warnings). They have helpful gluten free markers on some of the shelf stickers, to make it easy to spot safe products.
AB Supermarket
One of the main Greek supermarkets, I find AB tends to have a wide range of gluten free products. There was no gluten free section here, so you do have to search around a bit (always so annoying when you are used to a dedicated free from section, but that’s the case for most supermarkets in Greece). But, I was rewarded for my efforts with gluten free granola, beer and bread!
Lidl
We found a really nice array of gluten free products in Lidl too, also scattered around the store.
We bought the selection pictured below and everything was really good quality. The wafers in particular were a big hit with my kids!
Mpimpos Supermarket
A little local one on the West coast of Corfu, where we stayed. A great ice cream stop as they have a huge range, but you can also pick up a few gluten free items while here, such as bread, pasta and cookies.
Ionian Supermarket
For groceries in Corfu Town iteself, this shop sells a good array of gluten free products. It’s located on Palaiologou 94.
Eating Out – Coeliac Friendly Restaurants on Corfu
I found lots of restaurants that could cater really well for me as a coeliac while we were in Corfu. Below I’ve listed the eateries we enjoyed. I’ve included their location in brackets after the restaurant name.
Avli (Corfu Town)
Very close to the airport, this is a great option if you want to sit and enjoy a nice lunch before heading on to your final destination on Corfu. It is close to the waterfront with air conditioning inside and a nice outdoor terrace. The menu is not marked but the owner helpfully talked me through coeliac friendly options, of which there were plenty. There is a dedicated fryer for the chips and they have gluten free bread. The owner told me they do use flour in the kitchen to make non gluten free bread, but they clean down afterwards and I had no issues on the cross contamination front.
Pitonostimies (Corfu Town)
In Corfu Town itself, this gyros eatery is surprisingly good for coeliacs (I ended up chatting to a local coeliac who was eating at the next table – she assured me she eats there regularly with no problem). They use a dedicated part of the grill, utensils and fryer for gluten free.
They sometimes have gluten free pitta available but they often run out, so don’t get your hopes up. Even without pitta the food is delicious and they have gluten free beer available. It’s a nice casual spot for a quick bite or a family meal with kids in tow. Note they have two locations and I recommend you go to the one at Nikiforou Theotoki 150, as this one can definitely cater for coeliacs and I have seen mixed reviews about the other location.
Gran Aladino (Palaiokastritsa)
Next to the main road, we had a really nice traditional Greek meal here after a beach day. They have a fantastic and extensive gluten free menu (nearly everything can be made gluten free), including dishes like moussaka, fried courgettes and gluten free bread with dips. Plus gluten free dessert options. They have a reputation for being able to cater safely for coeliacs so this is a strong choice if you are nervous about eating out. Staff were lovely and described their processes to me (all very safe). They also have gluten free beer.
Vrachos Palaiokastritsa (Agios Spiridon Beach)
With views over this beautiful bay this is lovely spot to eat. They have a few gluten free options (marked on the menu) plus they really understood coeliac disease and staff were wonderful. They recommended a couple of dishes that could be very safely prepared and I opted for a local stuffed squid dish, which tasted amazing and I was very happy to try a local speciality. Our kids enjoyed playing on the beach while we waited for our food to arrive.
Il Pozzu (Lakones)
Up in the hills with stunning views, this restaurant has a great gluten free menu with options such as loaded flatbread and utterly epic dessert. They have a dedicated gluten free menu so it’s easy to see options, which also featured gnocchi and baked feta. One small draw back was there being a lot of wasps as we ate early, but I think later sittings wouldn’t have this issue (and it’s a pretty widespread issue on Corfu to be honest, wasps coming to visit your dinner table).
Akron Beach Bar (Agia Triada Beach)
A fancy beach bar that we visited for my birthday, which you should book in advance as it is popular. Set in a very pretty bay, you can book sunbeds or lounge areas within the bar. We ate at the restaurant for lunch and they catered for me really well. However, note that not all “gf” options on the menu are coeliac friendly, so speak with staff as they are clued up and can advise which dishes are free from cross contamination. I had a perfect pasta dish.
Below are places I have not eaten at personally, but that I found during my pre-trip research. Plus ones that have been recommended to me by readers.
- Oinos Kai Geuseis (Corfu Town) – a family-run restaurant serving authentic Greek, which caters well for coeliacs.
- Restaurant Anthos (Corfu Town) – very coeliac friendly with a wide array of gluten free dishes, including pizza, pasta and fish dishes. Can also cater for dairy free diets. The owner’s wife is coeliac and there are dozens of positive gluten free reviews about this restaurant on Tripadvisor.
- Da Giovanni Aglio e Olio (Corfu Town) – an Italian restaurant that makes it own gluten free pizza dough and can cater safely for coeliacs. They sometimes run out of gluten free dough, so book ahead and note you’d like pizza if you want them to reserve you some. They also have pasta and other dishes.
- Rosy’s Bakery (Corfu Town) – not a dedicated gluten free bakery, but this bakery offers a range of gluten free baked goods. The owner has processes in place (baking in a different location, keeping items separately) to keep the gluten free items safe for coeliacs.
- Rex Restaurant (Corfu Town) – a rather fancy looking restaurant serving elegant twists on Greek classics.
- Del Sole (Corfu Town) – located in a pretty side street, a reader recommended this spot as having catered well for them.
- Loretto Gelato (Corfu Town) – a gelateria with helpful staff, who will change gloves, change scoop etc if you tell them you are coeliac.
- Cadenza (Corfu Town) – for a gluten free ice cream stop, staff here have an understanding of coeliac disease and can help serve you safely, reviewers say.
- Captain George (Kanoni) – with gluten free bread available and safe processes, this restaurant is recommended by a number of coeliacs who have eaten there without issue.
- Alex Garden Bar (Dassia) – staff understand gluten free and coeliac needs, are very helpful and the restaurant offers a range of gluten free dishes. The restaurant focuses on traditional Greek cuisine.
- Brouklis Taverna (Arillas) – with a lovely terrace, this restaurant is also very good at catering for gluten free customers. They have a dedicated fryer so the fries are safe and plenty of coeliac friendly options. Reviewers also cite it as being good for dairy free options to and that a gluten and dairy free moussaka features on the menu.
- Lahanaki (Arillas) – reviews this is roadside eatery is fully gluten free and vegan Indian and Mediterranean food, although their poster says “vegan with gluten free options”, so do ask. Open 12-7pm daily, closed Saturdays.
- Anemos (Afionas) – a restaurant with beautiful views in Afionas. I read a couple of positive reviews about people eating gluten free here.
- Porto Timoni Restaurant (Afionas) – a reader told me she and her family have been visiting this family-run restaurant for years “the food is exceptional, the service is attentive and the aesthetics are chic”. She said they have lots of gluten free options and understand coeliac disease, taking great care when preparing dishes.
- Aragosta Beach Club (Agios Spiridon Beach)
- Snack Cafe Gefyra (Liapades Beach)
- Marineris (Liapades) – reviews say the staff at this traditional Greek taverna understand coeliac disease and can cater well for gluten free diners.
- Jimmy’s Restaurant (Pelekas)
- Sabbia Seaside Restaurant Bar (Agios Gordios)
- Oribu Asian Restaurant (Benitses)
Well, that should be plenty for you to be going on with and to get your gluten free Corfu research started. If you’ve any extra tips or updates please get in touch [email protected].
While I aim to keep guide information as accurate as possible, it is your responsibility to ask questions before you dine at any of these restaurants. Menus and processes can and do change and I cannot be held liable for any bad experiences you may have at the restaurants listed above. This is simply a guide, based on my experiences, as I wanted to share the lovely places we ate at and to help other coeliac travellers have a wonderful time on Corfu.
Happy holidays!
Laura xxx
p.s. why not check out some of my other travel guides while you are here:
