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$$ | Centro |
Tuna carpaccio with pickled Basque peppers, battered hake cheeks, tripe and pork jowl stew—these are some of the classics you'll find on the menu at Antonio, a neighborhood standby that serves unpretentious pintxos at fair prices. Ask about specials, which vary depending on what's in season.
Calle Bergara 3, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
Known For
- No-nonsense pintxo bar
- Packed with locals
- Regional beers and wines
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | El Ensanche |
Museum restaurants tend to be underwhelming, overpriced tourist traps, but Bistró—with its exuberantly colorful dining room and meticulously prepared modern Basque cuisine served by a knowledgeable waitstaff—is a blissful exception to the rule. Tartares, roast meats, local seasonal vegetables, and top-grade seafood are the building blocks of the three set menus, the most expensive of which is a five-course degustación for a paltry €40.
Abandoibarra Etorbidea 2, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48009, Spain
Known For
- River- and museum-side dining on a budget
- Iconic interior design
- Homemade everything, including the bread
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Wed.
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$$ | Gros |
A Gros neighborhood stalwart, the ever-bumping Bodega Donostiarra is famous for its down-home dishes centered on Basque conservas such as oil-packed anchovies, pickled hot peppers (piparrak), and bonito del norte (albacore). All three of these find their way onto the "completo," a locally famous mini-baguette sandwich that's deliciously tart, juicy, and salty all at once.
Calle Peña y Goñi 13, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
Known For
- Fresh seafood dishes prepared "al minuto"
- Can't-go-wrong menu of Basque classics
- Pleasant outdoor terrace that fills up fast in summer
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$$ | El Ensanche |
Charming and cozy, this centenarian Bilbao institution is essentially a series of nooks and crannies tucked into a fine food, wine, olive oil, cheese, and ham emporium. Leave it to the affable owners to recommend specialties such as txuleton (gigantic T-bone steak), which pairs wonderfully with the house Rioja or any number of pours from the 1,000-bottle-strong wine list.
Calle Hurtado de Amézaga 5, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48008, Spain
Known For
- Deep wine list with hard-to-find selections
- Delectable txuleton de buey
- Homey dining room
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun., Reservations essential
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$$ | |
Textbook-perfect Basque classics draw a local crowd at this Ensanche restaurant run by a seasoned husband-and-wife team on the cusp of retirement—so visit while you still can! Seasonal Basque delicacies, like earthy perretxico mushrooms, meaty fresh anchovies, and tender white asparagus, round out a perennial menu whose star dishes include squid braised in its own ink and hake in salsa verde.
Calle Ramon Ortiz de Zarate 5, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01005, Spain
Known For
- Over-and-beyond service
- Varied wine list
- Basque restaurant classics done right
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$$ | Casco Viejo |
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more pleasant outdoor lunch in Bilbao than at this chic little pintxo bar with sunlit tables smack on the charming Plaza Nueva. Fried rabas (squid strips), croquetas, and locally made txistorra (smoky chorizo sausage) never come off the menu for good reason.
Plaza Nueva 12, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Known For
- Unbeatable location for people-watching
- Knockout pintxos
- Efficient service
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$ | |
This inviting white-tablecloth taberna established in 1959 serves soul-satisfying cuisine in a cabinlike dining room decorated with taupe curtains, blond-wood chairs, and original artwork. Steak frites is the go-to here with roast turbot coming in a close second.
Calle Olagibel 60, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01003, Spain
Known For
- Subtle, tasteful decor
- Excellent txuletas
- Books up weeks in advance
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
For pintxos that deftly toe the line between traditional and experimental, there is no better bar than this Parte Vieja cubbyhole renowned for its seared foie gras, braised veal cheeks, and garlicky razor clams a la plancha. Throw a few elbows, order a couple glasses of txakoli, and get ready for pintxo paradise.
Calle Santa Korda 4, San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain
Known For
- Dependably tasty—and well-portioned—pintxos
- Sardine-can digs
- Parte Vieja standby
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
This centrally located, no-frills bar is almost always crowded, drawing busloads of tour groups as well as locals, who come to try the worth-the-hype "burnt" cheesecake with an oozy core. This silky, creamy dessert pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee, while, on the savory side, the underrated pintxos—red peppers stuffed with bacalao, croquetas, veal meatballs, what have you—sing alongside a glass of Rioja.
Calle 31 de Agosto 3, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- World-famous cheesecake with a cult following
- Old-timey ambience
- Wide variety of classic pintxos
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
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$$ | |
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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$$ | |
Tondeluna has six communal tables (with 10 seats each), and all have views into the kitchen, where cooks plate dishes novel and familiar like glazed beef cheeks with apple puree and Getaria-style hake with melty panadera (thinly sliced and roasted) potatoes.
Calle Muro de la Mata 9, Logroño, La Rioja, 26001, Spain
Known For
- Balance of experimental and classic dishes
- Lively dining room
- Excellent value
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner Sun.–Tues.
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$$ | |
The unassuming interiors of this Casco Viejo standby belie a sophisticated kitchen that has won numerous awards for its knockout pintxos including txangurro gratinado (crab gratin), gildas (olive-anchovy-pepper brochettes), and rabbit ravioli. Order and pay at the bar, then carry your nibbles outside to the first-come-first-served patio.
Cuesta San Francisco 3, Vitoria, Basque Country, 01001, Spain
Known For
- Worth-the-wait creative bites
- Devoted local crowd
- Aperitivo hour rush
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$$ | Gros |
Winner of many a miniature cuisine award (don't miss the prawn-filled txalupa tartlet), this Gros neighborhood standby offers outside-the-box takes on traditional tapas and pintxos. It also serves more substantial dishes for sit-down meals.
Calle General Arteche 8, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Variety of newfangled and traditional pintxos
- Heavenly foie gras
- Lively atmosphere
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
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$$ | 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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$$ | El Ensanche |
This family-friendly restaurant off the tourist track serves a wide range of classic, lovingly prepared dishes ranging from creamy squid croquetas to griddled European lobster. The best value is the €15 weekday menú del día (prix fixe), which can be made vegetarian upon request.
Calle Particular de Estraunza 4–6, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48011, Spain
Known For
- Basque home cooking
- Locals-only vibe
- Killer prix-fixe lunch
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
This boisterous tavern established in 1948 has ceilings dangling with jamones, walls covered with old photos of San Sebastián, and a dining room packed with locals and tourists in equal measure. Everything from the Iberian ham to the little olive-pepper-and-anchovy combos called "penaltis" will whet your appetite, but those who opt for a full meal shouldn't overlook the dry-aged txuleton.
Calle 31 de Agosto 7, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Hand-cut Iberian ham
- Melt-in-your-mouth steak
- €20 prix-fixe lunch
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$$ | Parte Vieja |
You may have to throw an elbow or two to get into this teeming bar, but it's worth braving the sardine-can digs for outstanding pintxos like mushroom-and-Idiazabal risotto and seared foie gras with Basque cider compote.
Calle 31 de Agosto 28, San Sebastián, Basque Country, 20003, Spain
Known For
- Internationally inflected pintxos
- Constant crowds
- Fabulous foie gras
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | |
Rub shoulders with small-town riojanos as you tuck into a bowl of caparrones, a local stew made with Riojan red beans, sausage, and fatback. The house wine is an acceptable and inexpensive Uruñuela cosechero (young wine of the year) from the Najerilla Valley. Families will appreciate the children's play area and Saturday activities.
Ctra. de Lerma (N14), Km 42, Anguiano, La Rioja, 26322, Spain
Known For
- Caparrones
- Traditional Rioja
- Staff with big personalities
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Credit cards accepted
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$$ | Casco Viejo |
Make a beeline to this gastro bar on the ground floor of the eponymous mercado to satisfy your Basque food cravings after you've ogled all the shimmering fresh fish, plump jamones ibéricos (Iberian hams), and sweet-smelling fruit. The menú del día (price varies) is usually a good deal, and the highbrow pintxos are consistently tasty.
Calle de la Ribera 20, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48005, Spain
Known For
- Hip, young vibe
- Good prix-fixe lunch
- Wide selection of sweet and savory snacks
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon.–Wed.
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$$ | El Ensanche |
Even the bread is homemade at this wildly popular Basque restaurant on the Left Bank that's renowned for throwback dishes like goose foie gras with raspberry coulis, dry-aged T-bone steaks, and house-made morcilla (blood sausage). A list of small-production and organic wines rounds out the hyperlocal dining experience.
Calle Barroeta Aldamar 3, Bilbao, Basque Country, 48001, Spain
Known For
- House-made everything
- Natural wine
- Market cuisine
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
