Trust your gut: A guide to navigating gluten allergies in Prague

Anyone who was diagnosed with a severe gluten allergy or celiac disease understands the major lifestyle changes to avoid the swollen-shut eyes, hives, or stomach aches that take over whenever eating bread, pizza, or anything else containing gluten, a protein found in wheat. Even though it’s common for some people to tolerate gluten better in Europe than in the U.S. because the soft wheat grown here is lower in gluten content, according to HuffPost, for many, gluten remains a poison regardless of location.

The Czech Republic is a bread-heavy country forcing gluten-free visitors and residents to skip out on traditional pastries like koláčky and food like knedlíky and chlebíčky while in Prague. Additionally, anyone who is gluten-free knows the struggle of searching for a gluten-free pastry to enjoy with their coffee. Even though finding allergy-safe options is intimidating at first, especially in a place with an unfamiliar language, Prague’s gluten-free— "bez lepku"— scene is extensive.

For a quick bite with options that satisfy gluten-eaters and gluten-avoiders alike, Wokin, an Asian bistro, features a customizable menu of noodles and rice. Whether ordering online or on the computer screens inside the restaurant, visitors can choose if they want their wok dish to be vegan, gluten-free, or classic.

The computer system then automatically narrows down the choices and only offers those suitable for the selected lifestyle. Not only are the screens efficient, but they also prevent non-native Czech speakers from having to explain "Mám bezlepkovou dietu," or "I am gluten-free" to their waiter.

Babiččina spíž, which translates to grandma’s pantry, is a dedicated gluten-free bakery in the city center and a short walk from Náměstí Republiky. The three-tabled corner shop lives up to its name with wooded shelves stacked with natural goods, a bread oven, and a window filled with gluten-free, and often dairy-free, muffins, cookies, and other baked goods.

Fresh from the oven, the bread is crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. It’s hard to tell that the gluten is even missing. According to Kateřina Korandová and Žana Jegorova, two employees in their early 20s, the most popular items are the coconut and carrot cakes.

Gluten allergies not only carry the inconvenience of finding celiac-friendly food but being able to afford them as well. Jegorova described how the gluten-free industry was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic: "Less customers [came to the bakery] because of Covid-19, and the price of gluten-free food spiked because of inflation."

Simple gluten-free food does not need to be located at a niche health foods store serving only holistic ingredients with high price tags. Both Albert and Tesco, two big-box grocery stores in Prague, contain sections dedicated to gluten-free diets.

In addition to gluten-free goods, a small section of Albert contains celiac-friendly loaves of bread, bags of dry pasta, and crackers accompanied by products catering to healthy and organic diets.

A gluten-free eater can find all their desires at the British-owned grocery store Tesco, which carries a line called Tesco Free From, comprised of gluten-free staples like bread, pasta, and flour and special items, including baked goods, cereal, snacks, and more. Rather than being tasked with running errands for the day trying to collect gluten-free food from different convenience stores, grocery stores, and even drug stores, Tesco has it all in one place.

When making it to the grocery store isn’t on the agenda, dm-drogerie markt, with locations throughout the city, is equipped with basic gluten-free goods. They carry late-night cravings, such as gluten-free brownie mix, and last-minute breakfast necessities, like gluten-free granola and toast.

A cheap Czech staple, beer is a commodity many gluten-free individuals cannot indulge in. Czech beer company Celia is one of only a handful of breweries that provide people with celiac disease a taste of traditional Czech culture.

For non-celiacs, gluten-removed beers in the Czech Republic are more commonly found with companies such as Pilsner. Though it's impossible to be sure if there are no remnants of gluten in non-certified drinks, ciders are almost always a safe bet, including Kingswood, Strongbow, and Somersby.

No one wants their day, or vacation, ruined by an allergic reaction, but with some extra precautions, leading a gluten-free lifestyle in Prague is deliciously possible.