UPDATE, SUMMER 2018: Krone is now closed.
I love pizza. I think this has only become really obvious after realizing that I’m a celiac and that normal pizza was now on the Verboten list. In the last few years, I’ve been willing to travel quite a distance for gluten-free food. I just like seeing how other people are making pizza or pasta or schnitzel. Many times, restaurants and bakeries offering gluten-free/wheat-free food are based in large cities but sometimes… they are pretty hard to get to.
Today we went to Grüningen, which is technically a suburb of Donaueschingen and has all of 750 people living there. It is actually six kilometers from the Donaueschingen train station to the Grüningen station, through forest and fields, so I’m not quite sure how it is classified as a suburb.
There are the hourly train that connects Grüningen with either Villingen to the north or Donaueschingen to the south, but we figured that walking would work up a good appetite. I am very glad that we walked, despite the blisters on my heels. I ordered the calzone, which at 8€ was an absolute steal. Take a look at this, it’s massive.
It’s covered in cheese, there’s more cheese and salami and ham and mushrooms baked inside of it and it was amazing. I hate to admit it, but I have never had a calzone. I didn’t know what they were for ages but now I think I’m a new convert. This was delicious and very filling. It definitely made the walk worth it. Also, even with the 1€ gluten-free surcharge, this was only 8,60e. Nothing is very expensive at Krone, it’s all very reasonably priced. It’s right next to the little train station and has ample parking. A lot of the family are celiacs, so they know very well about cross-contamination. I don’t know if lactose-free is possible as I don’t have much of a problem with lactose but gluten-free/wheat-free is definitely easy. The pizza dough they make themselves and it’s so yummy. Take a look at the gluten-free ham and salami pizza that my guy got.
My guy is not a celiac, but he’s of the opinion that this is one of the best gluten-free pizzas that he’s had and we’ve had quite a few by this point. The dough is fluffy, not brittle like some thin crust pizzas. We figure the main ingredient is corn but it likely has some other ingredients as well because it holds together very well.
As far as vegetarian options, they definitely have a few choices with pizzas like the gorgonzola-broccoli pizza. I am wishing that I photographed the entire menu, as they don’t have an online presence. It’s mostly pizza and pasta, with ice cream for dessert. It’s got to be the only place in the Black Forest where you can get a banana split, although I have yet to try it. This was our second trip to Krone and both times, I end up completely stuffed.
Highly recommend Krone, without a doubt. It is best if you call ahead of time and say that you are coming so they know that they need to prepare the dough. Both times, we just called the day before and that worked out a treat.
Don’t just take my word for it, there’s a few reviews here too.
Ristorante Krone
Dorfstraße 1
Donaueschingen-Grüningen
Phone: 0771/2117
Languages spoken: German and Italian
GlutenFree.Works 