Tigella's - Milan's Best Gluten Free Restaurant

Tigella (or crescentine): Round pieces of bread that you fill with cheese and/ or cold cuts of meat, plus an assortment of sauces (garlic, rosemary, lard, etc…)

Having read that, do you not find your mouth positively watering at the thought?

Although pizza and pasta seem to be the staple Italian fare that citizens of foreign countries seem to crave when thinking of Italy, another type of food worthy to be on that list would be tigella.

Now, the word “bread” generally strikes fear into the hearts of any gluten-intolerant individual. However, after some research, I came across Tigella’s in Milan.

Tigella’s is a fabulous establishment in Milan that not only offers fantastic wheat tigelle and gnocco fritto (fried. dough. LOVE. IT.) but equally scrumptious gluten-free alternatives. It’s incredibly difficult to feel blue in the yellow-hued restaurant.

The staff are incredibly accommodating, and when I went, they insured that my order (gluten free) wasn’t on the same plate as the wheat-based one.

The real pièce de résistance of Tigella’s, however, are the toppings. The day I went, me and my friends ordered one servings of “Il classico” (salami, ham, and bacon), and “Il vegetariano” (assortment of cheeses, vegetables, and fig jam (this stuff is incredible). We also ordered a regular cheese plate that came with more fig jam and hazelnuts.

Now, in the photos below, you see a 14 cups that looks liken what you’d normally put an ice-cream scoop. However, that’s not what they kept, and I daresay what was inside was better.

Blue cheese. Garlic creamy sauce. Some other cream sauce that was incredible. Jams. (Various types of lard and meat if that’s your thing but it isn’t mine, eh.)

Whether you think that sounds enticing or not, let me tell you, it was incredible. And when spread on top of the warmed up tigelle and gnocco fritto? My tastebuds felt transported to a new Italian dimension. I cannot comprehend why tigelle aren’t more popular outside of Italy, because I feel as though they are definitely something I could get on board with eating as much as I eat pasta. Just wow.

Enough chit-chat, here’s some photos:

nigella and gnocco fritto

Above all, the fact that I had such a magnificent culinary experience that was gluten-free impressed me beyond compare. I really cannot stress the wonderful experience I had at this restaurant, and I hope if you choose to go, you leave as happy in heart and in stomach as I was that day!