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Portugal

Medium celiac awareness

Certified by: APC — Associação Portuguesa de Celíacos

Portugal is naturally rice and fish heavy, which helps. Awareness is improving in Lisbon and Porto. APC lists certified venues. Be careful with sauces and pastry-based dishes.

Capital

Lisbon

Language

Portuguese

Awareness

Medium

Emergency

112

Awareness growing in cities. Always verify with staff and bring a translation card.

Generally safer choices

Arroz (rice dishes)
Grilled fish (peixe grelhado)
Bacalhau com batatas (confirm sauce)
Caldo verde (confirm thickener)
Piri-piri grilled chicken
Wine & Port

Avoid or verify carefully

Pastéis de nata (pastry)
Bifanas (bread roll)
Rissóis (breaded)
Most croquetes
Francesinha sandwich
Beer

Trusted GF brands in stores

Schär
Continente Gluten Free
Pingo Doce Sem Glúten
Longa Vida GF

Look for these in the free-from / "sans gluten" / "glutenvrij" aisle, or in the diabetic / health section.

Celiac travel tips

Lisbon and Porto have growing GF restaurant scenes.
Continente and Pingo Doce carry good free-from ranges.
Always confirm sauces and thickeners — many traditional recipes use wheat.
Vinho verde and Port are naturally gluten-free.

Words to scan on food labels (Portuguese)

Avoid products listing any of these ingredients:

trigo farinha de trigo cevada centeio aveia malte espelta cuscuz

Safe to look for on packaging:

sem glúten espiga riscada (APC)

How to order in a restaurant (Portuguese)

Ask if it's gluten-free

É sem glúten? / Têm menu para celíacos?

Ask about cross-contamination

Podem evitar a contaminação cruzada? Utensílios limpos, frigideira separada.

Say thank you

Muito obrigado/a!

Tip: show, don't tell. Generate a printable card and let the kitchen staff read it directly.

Cross-contamination red flags

Shared fryers (fries, tempura, calamari)
Same toaster used for regular bread
Shared pasta water or noodle broth
Wooden spoons and rolling pins (porous, retain gluten)
Pizza ovens dusted with semolina
Sauces thickened with wheat flour (roux, gravy, bechamel)
Soy sauce, oyster sauce and many marinades
Buffet utensils swapped between dishes
Bulk bins (cross-contact from scoops)
Flour-dusted boards for cutting fruit or cheese

Pack this before flying to Portugal

Translation card in Portuguese
GF snack bars / crackers for travel days
Travel-size tamari packets (for soy sauce countries)
List of certified restaurants near your hotel
Photo of the APC — Associação Portuguesa de Celíacos logo so you recognise it
Doctor's note mentioning celiac disease (for customs / pharmacies)
Address of the nearest hospital + emergency number saved offline
Insurance card with celiac listed as a medical condition

Eating-out playbook

1
Research before you go
Check Find Me Gluten Free, the local celiac association's restaurant finder, or our restaurant search for Lisbon.
2
Call ahead for dinner
Reserve and mention celiac disease — kitchens that aren't equipped will tell you, and good ones will prep.
3
Show your card on arrival
Hand it to the waiter before ordering, ideally to the manager or chef.
4
Confirm preparation
Ask: clean utensils, separate pan, dedicated fryer, no shared sauces, no flour dusting.
5
Eat off-peak when possible
Lunches and early dinners reduce kitchen pressure and mistakes.
6
Keep evidence
Photo of menu / packaging. If you react, you can report cross-contact and warn other celiacs in reviews.

⚠️

Emergency phrase — Portuguese

Tenho doença celíaca. Mesmo quantidades muito pequenas de glúten me deixam muito doente. Pode preparar a minha refeição separadamente, com utensílios limpos e sem contaminação cruzada?

Local emergency: 112Show this to the waiter or chef.