Bilbao
Seafood stars at this backstreet bar-restaurant near Plaza Nueva, appearing in dishes such as cider-marinated sardines, chargrilled octopus, mussels…
Must-see restaurants in Basque Country
San Sebastián
At the foot of Monte Igueldo in the San Sebastián Royal Tennis Club, this restaurant has a white-dressed dining room and al fresco terrace overlooking the…
Bilbao
In an unrivalled location on Plaza Nueva, Bar Charly lays out pintxos for garrulous afternoon and evening crowds. There are at least three vegetarian…
San Sebastián
Well away from the tourist hustle and bustle is this timber-panelled locals' institution with long communal tables, which serves some of the new town's…
San Sebastián
The Café de la Concha is inside a wonderful art deco building that recalls San Sebastián's aristocratic heyday. As regal as the history are the views –…
San Sebastián
An urbane crowd gather at this fashionable spot near the ritzy Hotel Maria Cristina to feast on eight different varieties of oysters and refined pintxos,…
Hondarribia
A modern set-up on Hondarribia's main bar strip with black-grey decor and a great selection of local wines and ciders (over two dozen by the glass). The…
San Sebastián
For a break from pintxos and classic Basque cooking, search out this modern New York–style setup a block back from the beach. A restaurant-cum-lounge bar,…
San Sebastián
You can eat a full sit-down meal at this bar, but you're best following the locals' lead and concentrating on pintxos such as cuttlefish miniburgers,…
Bilbao
This classy favourite in Bilbao's new town has a light, white, Scandinavian-style interior and a truly global palate. Its changing menu features…
Basque Country
Set in a photogenic 15th-century building in the historic district, El Portalón is easily the most atmospheric restaurant in town, with a series of rustic…
Bilbao
Amid rough-hewn stone walls, vintage iron columns, sleek industrial pipes and venting, and bare-bulbed lights, Singular lays out bite-size morsels of pure…
Basque Country
A marvellous pintxo bar and sidrería (cider house) that has one of the most creative menus around and an atmosphere to go with it. The house specials,…
Bilbao
Tucked in a narrow lane, rustic Berton lures you in with a long wooden bar topped with tiny delicacies and frothy pilsner on tap. Glistening slices of…
Hondarribia
As with many trendsetting Basque restaurants, Arroka Berri takes high-quality local produce and refines old-fashioned recipes with a dash of invention…
Bilbao
Set on the banks of the Nervión, this incredibly popular restaurant (book ahead) has a polished business exterior and a stone-cottage country interior…
Bilbao
Just off the beaten path on Casco Viejo's western side, Irrintzi is a cosy, low-ceilinged eating and drinking spot, where a mostly local crowd files in…
Bilbao
The bar at this relaxed, casual spot is laden with bright red-and-yellow Ortiz seafood tins beneath slate tiles that display its tempting array of pintxos…
Hondarribia
Wine barrels double as tables out the front of Gran Sol, one of Hondarribia's best-known addresses for pintxos. Standouts include mushrooms filled with…
Bilbao
Widely hailed as Bilbao's best Italian restaurant, Coppola serves excellent thin-crust pizza, which you can top with a dizzying variety of ingredients…
Bilbao
Tucked in the back of a small deli and wine shop, Casa Rufo feels like a hidden dining spot – albeit one that's terrible at keeping secrets (reserve ahead…
Hondarribia
Michelin-starred Alameda helped pave the way to Hondarribia becoming the culinary hotspot it is today. What started life as a simple tavern is now a…
Basque Country
There are two types of asador (restaurants specialising in barbecued meat): smoky old farmhouse-like places, and sleek new urban remakes. This one falls…
Bilbao
One of a number of cafes on Deusto's main drag, this bright spot with whitewashed and exposed brick walls serves tasty pintxos and great-value mains, such…
Basque Country
Very much a neighbourhood haunt, this traditional-looking eatery serves high-quality Basque dishes from behind a busy bar that serves equally good pintxos…
Bilbao
On one of central Bilbao's liveliest eating strips, Taberna Taurino has a striking interior of soaring latticed woodwork and glowing red lamps that…
Bilbao
From the outside this looks like quite a swanky place, but in fact it's very casual. To enjoy the bargain lunch menú you'll need to arrive early;…
Bilbao
In the Estadio San Mamés, this cheerfully designed spot has a counter packed with appealing pintxos, plus weekday multi-course menus for €18. The red-and…
Bilbao
On warm summer evenings, wine-sipping crowds congregate at this small bar to enjoy an oyster or six, accompanied by a glass of crisp local white wine…
Bilbao
This matchbox-sized bar tucked into a corner of Plaza Nueva has an exemplary spread of pintxos. The house special of fried calamari is only served on…
Hondarribia
In a beautiful historic building in the middle of the old quarter, the regarded (and rather self-regarding) Restaurante Sebastián serves perfectly…
Basque Country
The range of pintxos at this discreet bar in the new town is good though the combinations are not overly complex. Favourites include the creamy tortilla…
Basque Country
This bar has won awards for its creative pintxos; the house specials often involve creative takes on local mushrooms. It's a large bar, so there's…
Bilbao
This delightful choice on Bilbao's most food-centric plaza is all cool blue southern Spanish tiles and warm northern atmosphere, with a superb array of…
Basque Country
Taking its cue, in terms of both decoration and food, from the steamy southern region of Andalucía, this is an ever-busy, ever-reliable pintxo bar. Come…
Hondarribia
Housed in a traditional white-and-blue cottage, this institution dating to 1938 serves an array of seafood classics. It's best known for its sopa de…
Bilbao
Inside the city's most famous building, the Bistró Guggenheim Bilbao serves beautifully executed plates of roasted lamb, oxtail with fennel purée, and…
Basque Country
A fantastic pintxo bar hidden away under the shadows of the church spires. Many locals consider it the best in town.
Basque Country
Facing the cathedral in the prettiest part of the old town, this is an informal and stylish poppy-red restaurant. For the price, the food is magnificent…
Bilbao
For over fifty years this widely regarded pintxos bar has been serving up over forty different kinds of pintxos. Its popularity means you might have to…
