Gluten Free bread spread (123RF)
If you are gluten sensitive like me, or have Celiac disease, you may know how difficult it can be to find safe foods to eat that are actually tasty. Since moving to Germany in 2021, I have been delighted to find many options while grocery shopping in Kaiserslautern, including some seasonal specialties. I’ve also found a couple of cafés and restaurants nearby that can accommodate my needs and allow me to safely participate in trying tasty regional foods.
Gluten-free products have come a long way but can still be hit or miss. So, here are a few brands I enjoy for GF pasta that doesn’t turn to mush when boiled, bread that won’t crumble as you take a first bite, and cookies that don’t turn to dust.
Most German grocery stores have gluten-free sections, some are quite large and clearly marked like at Marktkauf, Wasgau, Edeka and Globus. In other stores like Lidl, Aldi or Rewe, you may have to do a bit of hunting. However, you can always look for the word Glutenfrei or the orange-brown symbol with a slash through a sprig of wheat displayed on the product or the price label.
Schar gluten-free products (Katie Wells)
Schär was one of my favorite GF brands back in the States, and to my delight they are a German brand. Here in Germany, I’ve gotten to try a large variety of products including fresh items like, baking mixes, pasta, assortments of cookies and plenty of breads (even baguettes). They also have great frozen items like, chicken nuggets, pinza, pain au chocolat and puff pastry dough. I’ve recently been experimenting with making pistachio cream hand pies with the puff pastry dough and have found it works well and tastes fantastic! For more information, visit Schaer.com/de.
Hammermühle is another leading pioneer in gluten-free products in Germany. I’ve really enjoyed their bread for sandwiches because they have a lot of seed varieties and a specialty gluten-free sourdough. Like Schär, they have a wide variety of GF foods to try ranging from pasta to flours and regional sweet treats. I’ve been on a Himber Kekse mit Vanillacreme kick, a delicately imprinted tea biscuit filled with vanilla cream and raspberry in the middle. I also like their pre-made ricotta and spinach Tortellini. For more information, visit hammermuhle-shop.de.
Shelves full of Hammermuhle products (Katie Wells)
Fria is another brand that I really enjoy. They are a Nordic company, so not as many of their products are available in Germany; however, they still offer some unique GF products to try. At my local store I’ve only seen select frozen items. Nonetheless, my favorite item, always stocked in my freezer, is the GF Scandinavian cinnamon buns. With coffee, they create a perfect hygge moment. I’ve also enjoyed their frozen mini baguettes and pain au kaiser. Their website offers much more, including special Christmas options like saffron rolls and gingerbread muffins. For more information, visit friaglutenfree.com.
Holiday treats:
I have found limited GF holiday treats In the German grocery stores. Every year, Schär comes out with chocolate-dipped Lebkuchen (Gingerbread) and Spekulatins, which are small cinnamon-flavored shortbread cookies in the shape of a windmill. I have also found Hammermühle orangensterne, or orange stars which are cookies dipped in cinnamon chocolate. Every year, I find something different to try, and different stores will carry different holiday products.
This past Easter, KitKat had limited-edition GF chocolate bunnies, and crispy eggs. I hope to see a GF option or two for the fall or Christmas this year.
Café Selen, Kaiserslautern
Café Selen, formerly Café Susann was the first place I went offering gluten-free options when moving to the KMC area. It was delicious then and is delicious now, even with the change in ownership. A newer GF cake they have that I’ve been enjoying is the eierlikor cake. And smooth coffee or specialty teas are available to pair with it. The cakes are rotating and often change. GF offerings are kept on a separate shelf in the case. They are happy to make their breakfast sandwiches and French toast gluten-free if you bring your own GF bread. They also offer plenty of vegan and vegetarian options.
GF cake and latte from Café Selen (Katie Wells)
Hotel-Restaurant Ölmühle, Landstuhl
I have not had the pleasure of eating here yet, but this restaurant, ironically a former flour mill, is entirely GF and offers German traditional and modern regional dishes that lean towards fine cuisine. It is only 10 minutes from Ramstein and about 25 from Kaiserslautern. I spied pork schnitzel and spinach potato dumplings on their menu which I hope to try soon.
Vapiano, Kaiserslautern
A favorite Italian restaurant in Kaiserslautern, Vapiano has a menu clearly marked with a GF symbol next to items to let you know what is safe to eat. They also offer the option to let your server know if you have a gluten intolerance so they can prepare the dish gluten-free, such as with pasta dishes. For Pinza, there is an additional fee of €2.50 for GF dough. They cater to other food allergies and dietary preferences as well.
Isabella Glutenfreie Patisserie, Frankfurt
1 hour away from the KMC area, Isabella’s is a 100 percent gluten-free establishment with amazing pastry and bread options. I stopped here with my mom when I picked her up from the airport. Our eyes got big with the rows of colorful pastries, baguettes and brioche filling the display case. They also offered hot breakfast options, tarts, eclairs and so much more; they were all very tasty. If you live in Stuttgart, they have a location there as well.
Pia’s Cafebar
Formally Kaffeebar by Alex, this is another entirely gluten-free café. They offer pretzels, rotating homemade cakes, and plenty of other baked goods, snacks, and breakfast items such as quiches and waffles to try.
