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$$$ | El Ensanche |
Littered with used napkins and furnished with simple wood tables beneath hams hanging from the rafters, this lively, deceptively simple bar attracts locals and tourists alike for its exceptional pintxos and affordable breakfasts. Don't pass up the deconstructed Galician-style octopus on a bed of mashed potatoes laced with pimentón (paprika) or the appetizer of house-made foie gras with three preserves. For a more exclusive (and pricier) fine-dining experience, reserve a table at the abutting El Taller, and be sure to peruse the gourmet food store stocked with local conservas, cured meats, wines, and cheeses.
Diputazio 10, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48008, Spain
Known For
- Croquetas flecked with top-shelf Joselito jamón
- Loud, convivial atmosphere
- House-made foie gras
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | Lasarte |
Basque chef Martín Berasategui has more Michelin stars than any other chef in Spain, and at his flagship in the dewy village of Lasarte-Oria, it's easy to see why. Dishes are Basque at heart but prepared with exacting, French-inflected technique that comes through in dishes like artfully composed salads, elegant caviar preparations, and eel-and-foie-gras mille-feuilles—a Berasategui signature. Of all the three-stars in and around San Sebastián, Martín Berasategui—despite its rather lackluster dining room—consistently delivers when it comes to sheer hedonistic deliciousness.
Calle Loidi 4, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20160, Spain
Known For
- Once-in-a-lifetime dining experience
- Idyllic, white-tablecloth outdoor terrace
- Artful mix of classic and avant-garde
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Tues., and mid-Dec.–mid-Jan. No dinner Sun., Reservations essential
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$ | Casco Viejo |
Consistently delicious, shockingly affordable, and unapologetically old-school, Pentxo is the sort of restaurant Bilbaínos like to keep to themselves. Whether you pop in for a pintxo at the bar (the flash-fried antxoas rellenas, or stuffed anchovies, are a must) or come for breakfast or a €16 prix-fixe lunch (opt for whatever seafood main is listed), you'll leave wishing you could be a regular.
Calle Belostikale 20, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
Known For
- Local crowd
- Outstanding pintxos and coffee drinks
- Unbeatable lunch deal
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | |
Hidden in the lush, hilly countryside southwest of Tolosa—and many miles off the tourist track—is this idyllic agroturismo comprised of a restaurant and five-room bed-and-breakfast housed in a traditional caserío (Basque farmhouse) perched on a hilltop. After snapping a few pics of the jaw-dropping views, tuck into a soul-satisfying Basque feast of roast chicken (raised on the property), stewed game meats, or fresh fish.
Calle Valle Santa Marina, Albiztur, Basque Country, 20495, Spain
Known For
- Culinary gem in the middle of nowhere
- Outdoor playground for kids
- Meats and vegetables from the estate
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues., No dinner Mon.--Thurs.
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$$$ | |
A perennial local favorite, this rustic spot has been roasting lamb in wood ovens since 1877 and serves a hearty menestra de verduras (vegetables stewed with bits of ham) that is justly revered as a mandatory sidekick. With rough hand-hewn wooden tables distributed around dark stone and wood-beam dining rooms, the medieval stagecoach-inn environment matches the traditional roasts.
Calle Lucrecia Arana 17, Haro, La Rioja, 26200, Spain
Known For
- 19th-century wood-burning oven
- Succulent roast lamb and suckling pig
- Stock of some of La Rioja's best reservas and crianzas
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed 1st 2 wks in July, and last 2 wks in Nov. No dinner Sat. and Sun., Reservations essential
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | |
Tondeluna has six communal tables (with 10 seats each), and all have views into the kitchen, where cooks plate dishes novel and familiar like glazed beef cheeks with apple puree and Getaria-style hake with melty panadera (thinly sliced and roasted) potatoes.
Calle Muro de la Mata 9, Logroño, La Rioja, 26001, Spain
Known For
- Balance of experimental and classic dishes
- Lively dining room
- Excellent value
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Tues.
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$$$ | |
This traditional sagardotegi 7 km (4 miles) south of San Sebastián is where the region's top chefs—Juan Mari Arzak, Martín Berasategui, and Pedro Subijana, to name a few—ring in every cider season with a resounding ¡txotx! ("cheers" in Basque). Removed from the tourist track and open from mid-January to late April, Zelaia invites guests into its barrel-lined warehouses to chow down on an à la carte menu of bacalao-centric dishes, thick-cut steaks, and—for dessert—local cheeses with quince preserves and walnuts (vegetarian options are also available).
B0 Martindegi 29, Basque Country, 20120, Spain
Known For
- Authentic cider house
- Food that's an echelon above other sagardotegis
- Unlimited cider drinking
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and late Apr.–mid-Jan., Reservations essential
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$$$$ | El Ensanche |
Chef José Miguel Olazabalaga's Aizian is anything but a "hotel restaurant," even if it's situated inside the Meliá Bilbao. Sure, his dishes err on the staid side—you won't find tweezed microgreens and dry-ice displays here—but they're dependably delicious: think sautéed wild mushrooms topped with foie gras and a runny egg or seared venison loin with beets and smoked chestnut puree.
Calle Lehendakari Leizaola 29, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48001, Spain
Known For
- Old-school Basque with a twist
- Dreamy torrija (Spanish "French" toast)
- Good value for fine dining
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$$$ | |
The Txapartegi brothers—Mikel, Kepa, and Gorka—are the decorated chefs behind this restaurant in elegantly restored house with a sunny terrace. Count on seasonally rotated combinations of carefully chosen ingredients, from fish and duck to vegetables.
Calle Minasoroeta 1, Hondarribia, Basque Country, 20280, Spain
Known For
- Understated Michelin-starred dining
- Freshest seafood and meats
- Scenic seaside environs
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Tues., No dinner Sun.
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$$$ | Casco Viejo |
The sagardotegi experience is a must in the Basque Country, but if you can't swing a trip to one of the huge cider houses in the countryside, Arriaga is a fine urban stand-in. Expect unlimited sidra al txotx (cider drawn straight from the barrel), sausage stewed in apple cider, codfish omelets, txuleta de buey, and Idiazabal cheese with quince preserves. Reserving a table is a good idea, especially on weekends.
Calle Santa Maria 13, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
Known For
- Unlimited cider from the kupela (enormous barrel)
- Char-grilled rib eyes
- Convivial atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$$$ | El Ensanche |
With a wood-paneled dining room awash with antiques, this family operation is a longtime local favorite for top-quality fish and meats cooked over coals. In the open kitchen, wild lubina (sea bass), rodaballo (turbot), and other regional delicacies from land and sea cook to crackly perfection.
Colón de Larreátegui 12, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48001, Spain
Known For
- Masterful grilled dishes
- Familial atmosphere
- Homey, old-timey dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Reservations essential
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$$$ | Parte Vieja |
The narrow stone rooms of a defunct banana warehouse are now one of the finest spots for modern Basque dining. There's an affordable weekend tasting menu that hinges on what's in season, though dishes like seared txuleton and hake in white wine sauce with clams never come off the menu for a reason.
Calle Euskal Herria 3, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Unpretentious yet elegant Basque cuisine
- Fantastic seafood dishes
- Surprisingly good value for this part of town
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. No dinner Weds., Sun.
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$ | |
A little-known culinary gem on the ground floor of the 15th-century Torre de Anda, this down-home wine and cheese bar with three high-top tables is always stocked with smoky Idiazabal, limited-production Rioja Alavesa wines, and tart gildas.
Calle Hedegile 110, Vitoria, Basque Country, Spain
Known For
- Passionate and knowledgeable owner
- Perfect spot for an aperitivo or midday snack
- In the heart of the old town
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$$$ | |
Eleven km (7 miles) south of Mundaka and 1 km (½ mile) northwest of Gernika, you'll find this restaurant in an idyllic 18th-century caserío, or traditional Basque farmhouse. Garlands of red peppers and garlic hang from wooden beams in the cathedral-like dining area, where loyal guests tuck into hearty yet refined fish and meats cooked over a wood-fire grill.
Calle Atxondoa, Mundaka, Basque Country, 48393, Spain
Known For
- Spectacular ambience in a Basque farmhouse
- Bacalao dishes
- Personable waitstaff
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Thurs.
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$$ | Gros |
Winner of many a miniature cuisine award (don't miss the prawn-filled txalupa tartlet), this Gros neighborhood standby offers outside-the-box takes on traditional tapas and pintxos. It also serves more substantial dishes for sit-down meals.
Calle General Arteche 8, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Variety of newfangled and traditional pintxos
- Heavenly foie gras
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$ | Casco Viejo |
The kitchen is open until midnight in this unfussy Casco Viejo pintxo spot. The industrial design—think tables with a green polyethylene finish and exposed pipes—belies a comfort-food-heavy menu with star dishes like octopus brochettes and juicy grilled steaks.
Calle Jardines 8, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
Known For
- Top-quality steaks
- Terrific value
- Night-owl hot spot
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
Hiding in the basement of a timber building in the heart of the Parte Vieja, this restaurant—where world-renowned chef Martín Berasategui cut his teeth—toes the line between traditional and contemporary Basque cuisine. A recent menu included Navarran white asparagus with hollandaise, poached hake with clam-and-pea sauce, and brûléed torrijas (Spanish "French" toast).
Calle de Fermín Calbetón 4, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Affordable and delectable tasting menus
- Kilometer-zero dining
- Seasonal vegetable delicacies like de lágrima peas and white asparagus
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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$ | |
Pamplona's gentry have been flocking to this ornate, French-style café since 1888, but in 1926 Ernest Hemingway made it part of world literary lore in The Sun Also Rises. You can have a drink with a bronze version of the author in his favorite perch at the far end of the bar, or enjoy views of the plaza from a table on the terrace. Service is spotty; grab a beverage and a tapa here, but skip the food.
Pl. del Castillo 44, Pamplona, Navarre, 31001, Spain
Known For
- Major tourist attraction
- Chocolate con churros
- Grand, ornate dining area
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$$$ | |
With creaky wood floors, bare brick walls, and ancient beams and coats of arms, this 15th-century inn turns out classical Castilian and Basque specialties reflective of the region. Try the cochinillo lechal (roast suckling pig) or any of the monkfish preparations. The wine cellar is a gold mine. To reserve a tasting menu, priced at around €55, be sure to call at least two days ahead.
Calle Correría 147, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01001, Spain
Known For
- Fairytale medieval building
- Basque comfort food
- Deep wine list
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.
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$$$ | |
This warm, family-run restaurant in a stately mansion with a classically elegant interior is one of Pamplona's foremost addresses for refined cuisine. There's something for everyone on the diverse, internationally inflected menu, whose highlights include baby artichokes with langoustine tails and stewed Tolosa red beans.
Pl. Príncipe de Viana 1, Pamplona, Navarre, 31002, Spain
Known For
- Modern Navarrese cuisine
- White-tablecloth dining room
- Standout artichokes
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. (except during San Fermín). No dinner Sun.–Wed.
