Top 16 Gluten-Free Italian Spots to Delight in St. Augustine

Maria Serdyuk

Pizzalley’s Chianti Room is situated in a prime location in St. Augustine, and the atmosphere is inviting and pleasant. However, our dining experience was marred by several issues that left us feeling frustrated. Service Issues: Upon arrival at 2:55 PM, a time when the restaurant was not particularly busy, we expected a timely greeting and service. Unfortunately, it took an unacceptably long time for our waiter to approach us and take our initial orders. This delay was surprising given the number of open tables around us. As our wait continued, we found ourselves having to remind the waiter about our requests multiple times, which only added to our dissatisfaction. Children’s Experience: One of the most disappointing aspects of our visit was how our children were treated. While other families at nearby tables received coloring pages and crayons to keep their kids entertained, ours did not. After noticing this discrepancy, we asked for coloring materials but ended up waiting for quite some time without any response. Eventually, one of our group members took the initiative to retrieve the coloring pages and crayons herself, which should not have been necessary. This lack of attention to families with children made the experience feel less welcoming. Plant-based Menu and Pricing Concerns As a vegan family, we were initially pleased to see that the menu offered customizable options. We ordered a vegan pizza, and while our waiter suggested a vegetarian pizza without cheese, we were able to request different vegetables to suit our preferences. However, we were taken aback when we received the bill: $27 for a 10” gluten-free pizza that contained only tomato sauce, a sprinkle of broccoli, mushrooms, pineapple, and a few pieces of eggplant. In stark contrast, friends dining with us paid the same price for a 16” pizza loaded with an impressive array of toppings—pepperoni, sausage, cheese, vegetables, and specialty ingredients (they ordered half Garbage Can half Pig’n’Fig pie). It felt as though we were being penalized for choosing healthier options. Charging extra for a simple vegan pizza with minimal ingredients is not only unreasonable but also discouraging for those seeking plant-based meals. Conclusion: While Pizzalley’s Chianti Room boasts an attractive location and a pleasant atmosphere, the combination of poor service, inadequate attention to children’s needs, and exorbitant pricing for simple vegan options left us feeling dissatisfied. This experience does not align with what one would hope for in a family-friendly restaurant. We cannot recommend this establishment based on our visit.

Tamara

Such a quaint place. Felt like I was eating in a home somewhere in Italy. Wonderful, personalized and intuitive service from Ann Marie. All four of us had seafood and were very happy. The table next to us ordered an extra large pizza. It looked so good that we called in a to go order a couple days later. One of the top pizzas we’ve ever had. I ordered a gluten free pizza, it was one of the best I’ve ever eaten! This is our go-to restaurant in Crescent Beach. Thank you Viola’s for providing such a great experience for your customers!

J J

Very good! The gluten free was pretty good!

Maggie Martin

This place is a gem! This was my second time in. I came in late with my parents on a Thursday night. We are originally from NY and have been to Italy several times. While this is a small, unassuming place, the food was fantastic. My dad had the veal parm and said it was real veal! ( Not the rubbery stuff you get elsewhere ). I have celiac disease so it can be very difficult for me to eat out but our server, Calia was so wonderful; She informed us that she has worked back in the kitchen and was extremely helpful navigating the menu. I was able to eat antipasto and clams with GF pasta which was delicious! ( and more importantly.. I didn't get sick ). The portions were tremendous and the service was wonderful. Will definitely be back. ❤️

Dawn Thomas

Fernando Callahan

Artie Rex

Karrie B

Had an excellent gluten free meal with great service.

Aubrey Palmer

This is an excellent restaurant if you love Italian food!! I am gluten free and they were able to accommodate very well with fettuccine noodles! My husband ordered the chicken Parmesan and he said it was delicious! We would absolutely be back the next time we are down here!!

Beverly Fultz

Jon Grounds

BlackGold 39 Caroline

Disappointed After Year of Good Experiences I’ve been a loyal customer of Simone’s for year, frequently bringing my grandchildren to enjoy their delicious gluten-free pizza, Calamari Fritti, and meatballs. My older grandkids especially love the Pollo E Campanelli Alla Pesto. Up until now, the food and service have always been excellent the wait staff attentive and the experience enjoyable. Unfortunately, our most recent visit was incredibly disappointing and will be our last. This time, the service was far below the standard we’ve come to expect. Our waiter seemed overwhelmed, juggling too many tables, and never once came to check on us while we were seated outside. The issue began when my 4-year-old granddaughter started screaming in distress that her mouth was burning after eating a meatball. I tasted it myself — the sauce was fine, but the meatball was extremely spicy due to an overwhelming amount of pepper. We’ve ordered this dish many times and never had this issue. My 9-year-old also couldn’t eat it. I politely asked the waiter not to charge us for the meatballs, as the kids couldn’t eat them, but we were then left waiting another 20 minutes for the check with no return visit from the server and no water or ice offered for the child who was clearly in distress. When I finally went inside with the kids to pay, the manager told me she had tasted the meatballs herself and claimed they were “not spicy.” She insisted that this is how they are always made, completely dismissing my concerns—even though we’ve ordered them many times before without any issue. She also informed me that I would be charged for the handful of chips that were on the plate with the meatballs, because the kids had eaten them while we Waited for 20 minutes about 10 chips in a small white bowel . I explained that we had been waiting an unreasonable amount of time and that I was not going to pay for the chips. After some back and forth, she finally relented and removed the charge. It’s disheartening to have such a long-standing positive relationship with a restaurant end this way. I rarely write negative reviews, but the way this situation was handled lacked both empathy and accountability. Sadly, we won’t be returning.

Gary Rice

Tew Thornste

Not authentic or high quality. Fast food American version of Italian food. I’m sorry this isn’t real Italian food. I’m guessing the five stars are all from tourists a who have never been to Italy and/or never had authentic Italian food. The menu is very small and high priced. I was thinking that maybe they really focus on a few dishes to make them spectacular and that’s why they have such few items. No not the case. The highlight is the location on an old street, but we were very disappointed with the lack of flavors in the dishes. The first sign of failure was the out of stock Pellegrino. How can an Italian restaurant not have any sparkling water? Instead we had still water served in the plastic bottles, no glasses. The food was very plain. My shrimp scampi tasting nothing of the ocean or sea. It was very bland and the pasta needed salt. The sauce was probably all butter or maybe some vegetable oil blend. Definitely not any EV olive oil. The bread was the classic American high gluten rolls bathed in a garlic oil and Parmesan powder. The spaghetti meatballs were heavy and the spaghetti again lacking any depth of flavors. No fresh grated Parmesan, just the powder style served in plastic containers. 20% tip will be included so don’t count on getting great service. To eat like this in such a beautiful charming historic town is a mistake. Save yourself the trouble and try another spot.

Alexander Colburn

James Henson