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Foodies may never want to leave the Basque Country, where the avant-garde and home cooking mingle seamlessly. Though top restaurants are expensive in Bilbao, some of what is undoubtedly Europe's finest cuisine is served here in settings that range from the traditional hewn beams and stone walls to sleekly contemporary international restaurants all the way up to the Guggenheim itself, where superstar chef Martín Berasategui runs a dining room as superb as its habitat. San Sebastián is another enclave of delicious food, where sampling from pintxos bars is an art form.
The menu at this award-winning restaurant in the heart of the Parte Vieja hinges on chef Daniel López’s clean, innovative cuisine, which plays on traditional Basque and Spanish flavors and often adds an Asian twist. Opt for a market-driven degustación or López's signature tasting menu, which includes dishes like whole langoustine with Navarrese white beans and Sichuan-spiced squab in liver ragout.
Locals know that this nondescript salón de juegos (literally "gambling hall") slings some of the city's best potato omelets, flipped nonstop from 8 am to midnight. The basic potato-and-onion rendition, gloriously gooey in the center, will set you back just a couple euros; more deluxe versions (with crab, jamón ibérico, etc.) are a tad pricier. Minors are not allowed entry, but the staff will happily wrap food to go.
Nearly a secret, this quintessential Basque spot has big wooden tables and a monumental bar filled with cazuelitas (small earthenware dishes) and tapas of all kinds. It is in the center of town but tucked away downstairs.
Locally roasted single-origin brews and a varied brunch menu of tostas and internationally inflected eggs make this riverside café the best specialty coffee spot in town.
A favorite among local winemakers and chefs, this unassuming 10-table tavern serves inventive Spanish bistronomie fare like Wagyu cecina (air-dried beef "ham"), zucchini carpaccio, and cheesecake with blueberry compote—all complemented by some 2,000 wine bottles from far and wide.
This buzzy Latin--Spanish fusion restaurant in Gros is the brainchild of Andoni Luis Aduriz of two-Michelin-star Mugaritz. A breath of fresh air on the local dining scene serving colorful cocktails and saucy dishes to the backdrop of Cuban jazz, Topa prides itself on making everything from scratch, from its nixtamalized tortillas to its "thousand-day" mole (originally a gift of Enrique Olvera of Pujol).
This newly relocated restaurant with minimalist interiors and white tablecloths serves elevated Riojan specialties like cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and pimentón-laced potatoes a la riojana (potato and chorizo stew). La Brasa de Laurel (at Calle Laurel, 16) is run by the same team and centers on high-end grilled meats and fish.
Locals flock to this hole-in-the-wall for what might be the city's best croquetas—choose from jamón (ham), chicken, bacalao, or wild mushroom. The rabas (fried calamari) also stand out for their nongreasy, ultracrisp exterior.
In 2023, Tetsuro Maeda made waves opening this scintillating Japanese-Basque gastro-tavern six minutes down the road from his alma mater, Etxebarri, where over the course of a decade he perfected the art of open-fire cooking. In this renovated century-old caserío (farmhouse), expect an imaginative tasting menu that changes with the seasons featuring dishes such as daikon-stuffed, house-cured anchovies and beef tongue marinated in koji.
The main draw at this quirky tavern is the pintxos---imaginative, internationally inflected bites ranging from smoked Cantabrian anchovies to mushroom-foie-gras toasts. The interior feels like a professor's study, with books and magazines scattered about, and there's a sign on the wall that says "This is an Atheist establishment."
Don't be put off by the outdated plating (think sorbet served in martini glasses); book a meal here for contemporary interpretations of Basque classics, such as tempura-battered artichokes and razor clams with yuzu vinaigrette. The tasting menu (€89) changes seasonally; beware there is only one dinner service, on Saturday.
