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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 internatio
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 h
Foodies may never want to leave the Basque Country, where the avant-garde and home cooking mingle seamlessly. Though top
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.
Rest your legs at this third-wave coffeehouse that uses a sleek La Marzocco machine and is furnished with cushy armchairs and floor lamps. There are also small-production vermouths and local craft beers to try alongside soups, sandwiches, and other snacks.
This historical Bilbao haunt (est. 1903) in the Ensanche's most popular garden and square has azulejo-lined walls, dreamy murals of rural scenes, and a painted artesonado ceiling. Stick to tried-and-true classics like Basque steak frites or bacalao al pil pil. The room overlooking the square is the place to be—if they try to stuff you in the back dining room, resist or come back another time.
This legendary tavern (est. 1968), which remains surprisingly calm even during San Fermín, serves some of the city's best tapas. Choose between classics like garlicky mushroom brochettes and jamón-filled croquetas, or spring for more modern creations such as seared goose liver toasts or almond-encrusted morcilla. It opens at 9 am.
Calle Espoz y Mina 7, Pamplona, Navarre, 31001, Spain
In 2022, Spain's oldest churrería—perhaps Pamplona's top culinary attraction—rang in 150 years. In this hole-in-the-wall resembling a medieval foundry, hypnotic whorls of dough fry to crackly perfection in vats of Navarran extra-virgin olive oil set over beechwood flame. La Mañueta keeps bizarre hours: 7–11 am on Sundays in October, 8–11:30 am on the two Saturdays prior to San Fermín, and 6–11 am during San Fermín week.
This bright, modern bar is a great spot to try seasonal, market-fresh tapas like heirloom tomato salad with chilies and raw onion or cheesy mushroom "carpaccio," but locals flock here for one dish in particular: oreja a la plancha, griddled pig's ear swimming in punchy brava (spicy) sauce. Shatteringly crisp and unapologetically rich, it's one of the best versions you'll have in Spain.
Calle de San Agustín 10, Logroño, La Rioja, 26001, Spain
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.
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.
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.
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
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 €2; 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.
Calle General Concha 1, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
A Calle del Laurel standby, this refined taberna with wood-paneled walls serves Riojan specialties like cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and pimentón-laced potatoes a la riojana (potato and chorizo stew). The neighboring La Brasa de Laurel (at No.16) is run by the same team and centers on high-end grilled meats and fish.
Calle del Laurel 3, Logroño, La Rioja, 26001, Spain
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 non-reasy, ultracrisp exterior.
Calle Santa Maria 13, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
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."
Calle de El Perro 2, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
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