Review of Balena

I had high hopes for Balena given its reputation, and admittedly the food was tasty and the service (at least from the waitress) was courteous and on-point. However, it still continues to amaze me how much the dynamic changes when one is trying to dine gluten-free, and in that respect this seemingly high-end Italian restaurant ends up appearing mediocre at best. The GF menu is unnecessarily small despite the number of conventional dishes that could be made gluten-free with only minor alterations or substitutions; moreover, it is updated much less regularly and is not available online. People expecting GF pizza and pasta options will be sorely disappointed as the restaurant seems to take a particular pride in offering these only conventionally. Those craving steaks will be unhappy to know that Worcestershire sauce is used in their unavoidable marinade, thus making it completely inedible to people with Celiacs, allergies and severe intolerances. And the dessert menu is not worth offering except perhaps for a budino or gelato. I was fortunate to have a very knowledgeable waitress that could answer questions and generally keep me safe, but overall I couldn't help but feel like a second-class diner. This restaurant offers some options to help you survive if you're ever stuck here (say, as part of a social gathering); but unless they commit to improving their GF offerings, I would hardly recommend this as a conscious destination for good, GF-friendly Italian food.

Celiac friendly?

No