Gluten-Free Pizza and Pasta in Side: What to Order and Ask

Yes, you can get gluten-free pizza and gluten-free pasta in Side at Hawaii Restaurant & Bar in Side old town. A gluten-free pizza base and gluten-free pasta are both available. The kitchen is shared and not certified gluten-free, so coeliacs should tell the staff when ordering.

Gluten-free pizza and pasta, in plain terms

Travelling gluten-free usually means the Italian part of the menu is the first thing you lose. At Hawaii you do not have to skip it. We keep a gluten-free pizza base and gluten-free pasta, so you can sit down to the same kind of meal as the rest of your table. This page is specifically about those two dishes. For gluten-free eating more generally around town, from breakfast to grilled dishes, see our wider guide to gluten-free eating in Side.

Gluten-free pizza from the wood-fired oven

Our pizzas are thin, 33 cm, Italian-style and baked in a wood-fired stone oven. The gluten-free base goes into that same oven. When you order, ask your server which of the menu toppings can go on the gluten-free base that day. Simpler pizzas such as the Margherita (tomato and cheese), Funghi (mushroom, cheese) or the Vegetarian (tomato, paprika, onion, mushroom, olives) are easy places to start, but please confirm every topping with the team rather than assuming.

What to expect from the base

A gluten-free base behaves differently from a wheat one. It does not stretch in the same way and tends to bake to a firmer, crisper finish. Most guests who have eaten gluten-free pizza before know this and enjoy it for what it is: a proper stone-baked pizza, not a compromise you eat out of politeness.

Gluten-free pasta

Gluten-free pasta is available too. Our pasta dishes on the menu are Spaghetti Bolognese, Spaghetti Carbonara, Spaghetti Napolitan, Fettuccine Alfredo (chicken and paprika in cream) and Fettuccine Pesto (chicken and sundried tomatoes in pesto and cream). Ask your server which of these sauces can be served with the gluten-free pasta, because some sauces may be thickened or prepared in ways the team will want to check for you. If you are not sure which style you fancy, our explainer on carbonara vs alfredo vs bolognese sets out how they differ, and our pasta in Side guide covers the full pasta menu.

Important: a shared kitchen, not a certified gluten-free one

We want to be completely straight with you. Hawaii does not have a certified gluten-free kitchen or a separate gluten-free preparation area. Wheat flour is used for regular pizza dough, the stone oven is shared, and the same team works across the kitchen. That means we cannot promise a gluten-free dish is free from all traces of gluten.

• If you avoid gluten by preference, the gluten-free base and pasta should suit you well.
• If you are coeliac or highly sensitive, tell the staff clearly when you order. They will tell you what they can and cannot do on the night, and you can then decide what level of risk you are comfortable with.
• Bring a translation card if you have one. A card that explains coeliac disease is a useful backup anywhere you travel in Türkiye.

Naturally gluten-free choices beyond pizza and pasta

If you would rather avoid the oven and the pasta pot altogether, plenty of the menu is built on simple grilled food. Meat and chicken are grilled over wood fire and charcoal, and fish such as grilled sea bass, grilled black bream and grilled trout are served with fresh vegetables and potato. Salads such as the Greek salad or the season's salad are another option. These dishes are naturally free of wheat in their basic form, but sauces, marinades, dressings and fried sides can change that, and fryers may be shared. Ask the staff to keep your plate plain and to check each component.

How to order gluten-free at Hawaii

1. Mention gluten-free when you book, either through the reservation page or on WhatsApp at +90 533 930 12 83.
2. Tell your server again at the table, and say whether it is a preference or coeliac disease.
3. Ask about each topping or sauce rather than assuming the regular version is safe.
4. Check the live menu for current dishes and prices before you come.

Plan your visit

Hawaii Restaurant & Bar has been in Side old town since 2000 and is open daily from 10:00 to 02:00. Free return hotel pickup is available from selected hotels, with a paid two-way transfer from farther areas, and takeaway is available too. If gluten-free pizza or pasta is what has been missing from your holiday, message us and we will have it ready for you.