My Gluten-Free Kitchen

Granada, with its rich history and stunning landscapes, doesn’t just cater to culture-vultures. On our recent trip, we discovered the best gluten-free pasta we’ve eaten outside of Italy.

During our recent week away in Nerja, we decided to make a day trip into the mountains and visit Granada. We started with a hike around the ‘hanging bridges’ of Los Cahorros Monachil, which was hard work, but worth it for the fun bridges and gorgeous views.

Having worked up an appetite for lunch, by the time we arrived in the city centre, we’d already narrowed down our lunch options. The restaurant group, ‘Carmela’ offers a couple of completely gluten-free restaurants, as well as gluten-friendly options in their other restaurants.

We were torn between La Nonna Carmela – Granada’s first 100% gluten-free Italian restaurant, and El Pescaíto de Carmela, a fish and seafood restaurant, also with a completely gluten-free menu.

We both find it really hard to resist Italian food, so La Nonna it was – and what a treat! The restaurant was busy, and the terrace was full, but we were able to find a table for two inside. The menu reassures the diner that everything is gluten-free, and there are very clear, additional allergen details inside.

I couldn’t resist the croquettes to start with – not the most Italian dish, but definitely Italian flavours. There was Ossobucco, Porchetta, and a Goat’s Cheese and Spinach. We ordered one of each, to share, and we were not disappointed. The croquettes were huge (so plenty big enough to share), and delicious. Crisp crumb on the outside, and soft, smooth fillings. I could have eaten these croquettes all day.

For the main, we had both chosen fettuccine carbonara. It’s not often that gluten-free diners get a choice of pasta (it’s usually just the one GF option), and the beautiful setting and simple menu gave us confidence that the carbonara would be relatively authentic. The pasta was cooked perfectly, and the salty guanciale cut through the creaminess of the egg and parmesan perfectly. It wasn’t the best carbonara I’ve ever had (that award goes to Il Marchese, in Milan) – but it was very, very close.

Next time I’m in Granada, it will be very tempting to make a return visit to La Nonna – but I’m also keen to try out the other La Carmela restaurants. La Nonna is definitely worth a visit if you’re in the mood for Italian food whilst in Granada – whether you’re looking for a gluten-free option or not, there’s something for everyone at Nonna’s.