Detailed Gluten-Free Restaurant Card — Israel

Awareness here is genuinely strong

Celiac affects about 1 in 100 people, and Israeli awareness is among the strongest I’ve seen: Tel Aviv has dedicated gluten-free restaurants and bakeries, supermarket GF sections are extensive, and the everyday table — hummus, grilled meats, salads, rice — is full of naturally gluten-free options. Falafel and salatim still need the questions. And remember: kosher certification says nothing about gluten.

What’s on the card

• A clear explanation of celiac (צליאק) in Hebrew, so the kitchen treats it as medical
• What I can’t eat and where gluten hides: falafel that sometimes uses wheat flour as a binder (in a shared fryer), salatim that may include bulgur or couscous, ptitim, and regular matzah — which is wheat
• What’s usually workable: shakshuka ordered without bread, and shipudim (grilled skewers) after verifying the marinade
• The kitchen questions — including “Is the falafel chickpea flour only, and is the fryer shared?” and a glove-change request

What’s in the travel companion (page 2)

• How I pick restaurants: “ללא גלוטן” (lelo gluten) on menus, the question “יש לכם תפריט ללא גלוטן?”, Tel Aviv’s dedicated GF spots, and verifying separately from kosher status every time
• Dishes worth ordering (mujadara with no bulgur; sabich as a plate, no pita), shopping notes (Schär widely stocked, extensive supermarket GF shelves, GF matzah around Passover — check the label carefully), and where options cluster — Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Eilat
• If you get glutened: the pharmacy phrase “יש לי צליאק ואכלתי גלוטן,” with most pharmacists speaking English, and 101 for a Magen David Adom ambulance

The honest certification picture

Israel has a national patient organization — the Israeli Celiac Association — which publishes gluten-free information and listings. The “ללא גלוטן” label is common on packaging. What doesn’t exist is any overlap between kosher and gluten-free: they are unrelated, and during Passover much of the food is matzah-flour based. GF options exist — still verify, every time.

Format

Instant download: 2-page PDF, printable or phone-ready.

This card helps communicate your dietary needs. It does not guarantee a gluten-free meal or eliminate cross-contact risk. Always use your judgment, and when in doubt, do not eat. Not medical advice.