Bilbao
The 1849-built Victor Montes attracts numerous luminaries but locals also appreciate its exquisite gilding, marble and frescoes, 1000-strong wine list and…
Must-see restaurants in Basque Country
Gros
A striking contemporary wood-lined dining room with bare-bulb downlighting is the backdrop for artistically presented dishes prepared in the open kitchen…
Hondarribia
Gastroteka Danontzat's fun, creative approach to dining combines beautifully prepared market-fresh fare with highly original presentation and props. Start…
Parte Vieja
This bustling, always packed bar offers miniature nueva cocina vasca (Basque nouvelle cuisine) from a supremely creative kitchen. Unlike many San…
The Central Basque Coast
Situated 800m south of the centre, Mesón Arropain serves some of the best seafood for miles around. The chef lets the high-quality ingredients speak for…
Bilbao
With old-fashioned wood-panelled walls and framed postcards written by adoring fans over the years, La Viña del Ensanche maintains a reputation as one of…
Bilbao
Offering unexpected sophistication and fine dining in an otherwise fairly down-at-the-heels neighbourhood, this riverside restaurant has some critics…
Bilbao
Equal parts cafe, bakery, microbrewery and dining destination, this postindustrial, multiroom space has a stunning line-up of daily dishes, from vegan…
Hondarribia
Chef Jon Ayala and his maître d' sister Arantxa transformed these former stables into an open-plan dining space with glass cabinets where beef is aged for…
Basque Country
Gaze out the windows at a view over the scorched plains and distant mountain ridges while dining on sublime traditional cuisine, such as oxtail and wild…
Getaria
One of the world's most famous seafood restaurants, Elkano was founded in 1964 and embraces a 'fin-to-tail' ethos. Its speciality is seasonal fish…
Bilbao
Black-truffle and cod soup with squid-ink ice cream; plankton ravioli with apple-pepper gel; smoked hake cheeks with turmeric and watermelon jelly; spiced…
San Sebastián
With three shining Michelin stars, acclaimed chef Juan Mari Arzak is king when it comes to Basque nouvelle cuisine and his restaurant, 3.5km east of San…
Bilbao
The Museo Guggenheim Bilbao’s Michelin-starred, modernist, white and ultraminimalist restaurant is under the direction of chef Josean Alija (a disciple of…
Parte Vieja
Founded in 1956, Casa Urola has hefty stone walls, hams hanging above the bar and a blackboard menu chalking up the day's pintxos. Join the lunch and…
Biscay Province
Built into Getxo's only windmill, dating from 1726 and overlooking the Playa de Arrigunaga, this much-lauded restaurant specialises in top-of-the-line…
Gros
The whitewashed stone walls, framed prints and black-and-white photos give this place a quirky charm, though the crowds can be so thick that you might not…
Bilbao
Inside Bilbao's Azkuna Zentroa (Alhóndiga) cultural centre, Yandiola features modern Basque and Spanish fare that is as highly touted as the strikingly…
San Sebastián
Perched high up in the bucolic hills 10km southeast of San Sebastián, twin-Michelin-starred Mugaritz' calling card is chef Andoni Luis Aduriz' avant-garde…
Bilbao
With a solid reputation among locals for good-value meals that don't sacrifice quality, this is a highly recommended place for a slice of real Bilbao…
Parte Vieja
Perennially popular Bar Borda Berri is an old-school pintxo bar – with black-and-white chequerboard floors and mustard-coloured walls hung with old photos…
Gros
Melbourne-based restaurateur Gerald Diffey fell so hard for San Sebastián that he decided to open a second Gerald's in the city – never mind that the…
San Sebastián
In business since 1935, Arnoldo Heladeria makes San Sebastián's best ice cream. Alongside sorbets such as mango and passion fruit, and white peach, they…
San Sebastián
From the outside, Antonio Bar looks like the sort of cafe you'd get in a train station waiting room. Hidden downstairs, however, is its six-table basement…
Bilbao
Everyone's favourite pintxos spot on restaurant-lined Ledesma more than lives up to the hype with phenomenal pintxos and small plates made from high…
San Sebastián
When a French bartender and an English cook with Pakistani-Saudi roots teamed up, they created one of the most innovative pintxos spots in town. This…
Biscay Province
Basque chef Javier Izarra's creative contemporary cuisine earns him rave reviews. At his smart beachside premises' formal upstairs restaurant and sunny…
Basque Country
Foodies flock to this outpost of culinary creativity, one of Vitoria's best restaurants. The menu changes based on seasonal produce, and might feature…
Basque Country
This award-winning spot packs in the crowds with inspired bites such as octopus and sweet potato tacos, codfish tempura, and goat's-cheese, walnut and…
Parte Vieja
An obligatory destination for anyone interested in San Sebastián's foodie hot spots, Gandarias has a sterling reputation for its artfully prepared pintxos…
Bilbao
One of Bilbao's best pintxos bars, El Globo packs a fabulous range of creative small bites, including favourites such as txangurro gratinado (spider crab)…
Biscay Province
The blue-trimmed, wood-beamed dining room of this Puerto Viejo restaurant, atmospherically housed in a picture-perfect white fisher's cottage, sets the…
Bilbao
On a mostly pedestrian lane near the bridge to the old town, La Camelia serves up excellent vegan fare, including hijiki salad, quinoa tabbouleh, tofu or…
Parte Vieja
The bar of this traditional spot displays a wonderful array of fishy pintxos and delectable snacks, but the real highlight is the creamy baked cheesecake…
Bilbao
Colombo has real style with its big booths, vintage fixtures, oversized windows and upbeat grooves playing overhead. The food is no afterthought, however,…
Biscay Province
In a 15th-century tower that was rebuilt in the mid-20th century, market-fresh seafood is accompanied by picturesque views over the Puente Colgante from…
San Sebastián
This superlative restaurant, 9km southwest of San Sebastián, is considered by gourmands to be among the world's finest dining addresses. The chef, Martín…
Basque Country
One of the best, if somewhat underrated, pintxo spots in town, Saburdi serves gourmet morsels of perfection in its stone-walled interior or sunny outdoor…
Parte Vieja
A fun and festive eatery, Zeruko has garnered its share of awards and earns rave reviews for its creative high-quality pintxos. It's famous for its smoked…
Parte Vieja
Hidden in an overlooked Parte Vieja alley, this Michelin-starred restaurant rewards those who search. Most people opt for the menú de mercado and enjoy…
