Come along with me as I walk you through a day of eating in Italy – dairy-free!
From breakfast through dinner with snacks in between, you’ll see that you don’t need to stress about being a dairy-free traveler in Italy.
It’s easy and simple to find delicious and wholesome dairy-free food on any corner.
So get your walking shoes on and let’s dine dairy-free in Italy!
Allergies & Dietary Restrictions in Italy: If you’re traveling in Italy and have special dietary needs, be sure to check out:
Eating with Dietary Restrictions in Italy
How to Eat Vegetarian In Italy
How to Eat Vegan in Italy
Eating Gluten-Free in Italy
Eating in Italy While Pregnant
Eating Dairy-Free in Italy
Eating Lactose-Free in Italy
Jump to Section
Dairy-Free Breakfast In Italy
The best way to experience Italy at breakfast is by heading to a bar – a quintessential part of Italian food culture. You’ll find coffee, sandwiches, sweet treats, lunch, drinks, aperitivo and more.
Get here early (before 10:00 am) to ensure they have dairy-free breakfast items available. These will usually be vegan pastry items that are whole grain or filled with honey and jam. They are actually my favorite kind to order because they tend to be less sweet than traditional Italian pastry items.
Order a coffee, and be sure to ask for dairy-free milk like soy (latte di soia) or less commonly available, oat milk (latte di avena). For example,
Vorrei un cappuccino con latte di soia e un cornetto vegano, per favore.
I would like a soy milk cappuccino and a vegan pastry, please.”
Dairy-Free Morning Snack In Italy
It’s 10:30 am: time to recharge! Stop in at literally any bakery, food market or even grocery store in Italy to pick up great dairy-free snacks such as small panino, pizza rossa or focaccia (sometimes called schiacciata).
Bread in Italy is generally dairy-free and makes a great mid-morning snack. You can ask for a small piece of bread or have them cut it into pieces for you to grab and go as you keep touring the city. Pizziccherie can also make simple panini with regional cheese and meat to eat on the street.
If a small grocery store is more convenient, choose from some of my favorite dairy-free snacks from grocery stores:
- Nuts
- Taralli
- Fruit
- Pre-sliced cured meats such as prosciutto or mortadella
- Cheese
- Yogurt
Like to Snack? To learn more about Italy’s favorite snacks, check out
Italy’s Best Kid-Friendly Supermarket Snacks
Italian Snacks – A Traveler’s Guide To 75+ Regional Snacks To Try In Italy
Dairy-Free Lunch In Italy
Lunch in Italy is served from around 12:00-2:30 pm. Restaurants and other eateries often open at this time and close at 3:30. If you would like to sit down at a restaurant, you won’t have a problem finding hot and filling dairy-free specialties such as:
- Pasta made with a tomato-based sauce, vegetables or meat/seafood based sauces (avoid stuffed pasta and lasagne) such as pesto, arrabbiata, amatriciana, pomodoro, ragù, puttanesca, alla norma, alle vongole (with clams), ai frutti di mare (with mixed seafood).
- Pasta e fagioli – pasta with beans
- Soups – including vegetable soup (minestrone), lentil soup, farro soup and bean soups.
Italians typically order primi or first courses at lunch. They will not typically eat a full course meal. But you are on vacation and you might want to so be sure to read Italian Dinner Courses.
Be sure to always notify your waiter that you are dairy-free and confirm that what you have chosen doesn’t have any hidden dairy.
Tip: Primi or first courses change depending on what region you are in Italy. Coastal areas eat seafood pasta while mainland cities tend to eat more tomato-based and heavier pasta dishes made with meat. Northern Italy eats more stuffed pasta, polenta and rice while central and southern regions eat more semolina and egg pasta.
Come Prepared: You can read all about Italian pasta sauces in
30 Most Popular Italian Pasta Sauces
Famous Italian Pasta Dishes – by Region
Dairy-Free Merenda In Italy
Merenda in Italy or afternoon snack time is really for kids but who’s to say you can’t indulge? Most travelers do, especially since they are on their feet all day, and need a break mid-afternoon around 4:30. Similarly to mid-morning snack, you can walk into bakeries, bars or cafes for cold drinks, a tea, coffee beverages or other treat such as:
Eating Dairy-Free in Italy? Check out
My Guide to Eating Dairy-Free in Italy
A Day of Dairy-Free Eating in Italy
Dairy-Free Gelato Flavors in Italy
Dairy-Free Desserts in Italy
Where to Find Dairy-Free Gelato in Florence – Venice – Rome
What is Sorbetto?
Eating Lactose-Free in Italy
Note: Food markets are usually only open in the mornings so this isn’t a good time to plan your visit and eat some regional market food.
Learn more about Italian Markets:
How to Shop at Markets in Italy
10 Rules for Shopping at Markets in Italy
Incredible Food Markets in Italy – Florence – Venice – Rome
My Favorite Markets in Florence
Top Markets In Tuscany
Rialto Market in Venice
Dairy-Free Aperitivo In Italy
It’s 6:30pm, and although a bit early for locals, you can certainly start drinking. Most Italians don’t get off of work until a bit later, around 7:00 or 8:00pm, and you can be sure bars, cafes and squares start to fill up around this time.
Order traditional Italian cocktails, a Spritz or other non-alcoholic Italian beverage such as Crodino to enjoy with chips or other small, savory nibbles before heading to dinner.
Tip: Many of the small snacks served with your aperitif are naturally dairy-free such as olives, crackers, chips and nuts. These snacks will automatically come to you when you order a drink at this time in Italy so no need to ask for them.
Dairy-Free Dinner In Italy
Last time to eat for the day! Be sure to pre-book your table if you are in a large city, usually anywhere from 7:00 onwards.
For dinner, choose from a wide selection of appetizers, first and second courses plus plenty of dairy-free side dishes. Most restaurants will likely have some form of dairy-free dessert as well (just ask if you don’t see it on the menu).
Below is a short list of some of my favorite dairy-free foods to try for dinner in Italy:
- Tagliere di salumi – charcuterie board
- Crostini neri – liver pate on toasted bread
- Bruschetta– toasted bread with fresh tomatoes
- Impepata di cozze – cooked mussels
- Insalata di polpo – octopus salad usually made with potatoes, lemon and parsley.
- Carpaccio – raw thin slices of meat or can be made with fish
- Grilled meats – including poultry, beef and pork
- Seafood – shellfish and whole fish
- Coniglio disossato – deboned rabbit
- Fried foods – may be mixed
- Spezzatino or peposo – beef stews
- Fagiolini al pomodoro – stewed green beans in tomato sauce
- Fagioli all’olio – cannellini beans with olive oil
- Caponata – sweet and sour stewed eggplant
- Patate arroste – roasted potatoes
- Verdure saltate / ripassate – sauteed seasonal greens in olive oil and garlic
- Puntarelle – chicory in an anchovy and olive oil dressing
- Peperonata – stewed bell peppers
- Cianfotta – stewed summer vegetables
- Crauti – sauerkraut
- Verdure alla griglia – grilled mixed vegetables
And that’s it! I hope all this keeps you full until tomorrow!
