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 Bilbao
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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…
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Bilbao
Offering unexpected sophistication and fine dining in an otherwise fairly down-at-the-heels neighbourhood, this riverside restaurant has some critics…
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Bilbao
Equal parts cafe, bakery, microbrewery and dining destination, this postindustrial, multiroom space has a stunning line-up of daily dishes, from vegan…
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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…
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Bilbao
The Museo Guggenheim Bilbao’s Michelin-starred, modernist, white and ultraminimalist restaurant is under the direction of chef Josean Alija (a disciple of…
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Bilbao
Inside Bilbao's Azkuna Zentroa (Alhóndiga) cultural centre, Yandiola features modern Basque and Spanish fare that is as highly touted as the strikingly…
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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…
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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…
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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)…
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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…
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Bilbao
Colombo has real style with its big booths, vintage fixtures, oversized windows and upbeat grooves playing overhead. The food is no afterthought, however,…
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Bilbao
This celebrated three-Michelin-stared restaurant offers a superb setting – a contemporary steel-and-glass structure perched on a hillside 9km outside…
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Bilbao
Located on the 3rd floor of the Euskalduna Palace concert venue, Etxanobe is one of Bilbao's top restaurants. Its various tasting menus showcase…
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Bilbao
One of the best pintxo bars in the Casco Viejo, this popular place serves creative and outstandingly good bites, including tender mini steak burgers,…
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Bilbao
Going strong since 1959, Rio-Oja retains a rock-solid reputation for its traditional Basque dishes. Its cazuelitas (stews served in the clay ramekins in…
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Bilbao
Relaxed Baster serves a range of outstanding pintxos, including octopus skewers with potato, mini-quiches, house-made croquettes and delectable jamón (ham…
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Bilbao
Set over two levels, with a beautifully tiled ground floor dining room and a more contemporary space above, this welcoming restaurant excels at staples…
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Bilbao
A creaky old place full of ancient furnishings, Claudio has scarcely changed since it opened in 1948. As you'll guess from the name and the hams hanging…
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Bilbao
Near the San Antonio bridge, this easy-going spot draws mostly locals who come for hearty plates of roast chicken, salads topped with seafood or roast…
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Bilbao
Seafood stars at this backstreet bar-restaurant near Plaza Nueva, appearing in dishes such as cider-marinated sardines, chargrilled octopus, mussels…
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Bilbao
Occupying a former salt warehouse, this low-lit space with exposed stone walls and elegantly set tables makes an atmospheric backdrop for high-end cooking…
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Bilbao
In an unrivalled location on Plaza Nueva, Bar Charly lays out pintxos for garrulous afternoon and evening crowds. There are at least three vegetarian…
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Bilbao
This classy favourite in Bilbao's new town has a light, white, Scandinavian-style interior and a truly global palate. Its changing menu features…
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Bilbao
Amid rough-hewn stone walls, vintage iron columns, sleek industrial pipes and venting, and bare-bulbed lights, Singular lays out bite-size morsels of pure…
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Bilbao
Tucked in a narrow lane, rustic Berton lures you in with a long wooden bar topped with tiny delicacies and frothy pilsner on tap. Glistening slices of…
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Bilbao
Set on the banks of the Nervión, this incredibly popular restaurant (book ahead) has a polished business exterior and a stone-cottage country interior…
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Bilbao
Just off the beaten path on Casco Viejo's western side, Irrintzi is a cosy, low-ceilinged eating and drinking spot, where a mostly local crowd files in…
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Bilbao
The bar at this relaxed, casual spot is laden with bright red-and-yellow Ortiz seafood tins beneath slate tiles that display its tempting array of pintxos…
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Bilbao
Widely hailed as Bilbao's best Italian restaurant, Coppola serves excellent thin-crust pizza, which you can top with a dizzying variety of ingredients…
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Bilbao
Tucked in the back of a small deli and wine shop, Casa Rufo feels like a hidden dining spot – albeit one that's terrible at keeping secrets (reserve ahead…
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Bilbao
One of a number of cafes on Deusto's main drag, this bright spot with whitewashed and exposed brick walls serves tasty pintxos and great-value mains, such…
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Bilbao
On one of central Bilbao's liveliest eating strips, Taberna Taurino has a striking interior of soaring latticed woodwork and glowing red lamps that…
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Bilbao
From the outside this looks like quite a swanky place, but in fact it's very casual. To enjoy the bargain lunch menú you'll need to arrive early;…
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Bilbao
In the Estadio San Mamés, this cheerfully designed spot has a counter packed with appealing pintxos, plus weekday multi-course menus for €18. The red-and…
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Bilbao
On warm summer evenings, wine-sipping crowds congregate at this small bar to enjoy an oyster or six, accompanied by a glass of crisp local white wine…
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Bilbao
This matchbox-sized bar tucked into a corner of Plaza Nueva has an exemplary spread of pintxos. The house special of fried calamari is only served on…
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Bilbao
This delightful choice on Bilbao's most food-centric plaza is all cool blue southern Spanish tiles and warm northern atmosphere, with a superb array of…
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Bilbao
Inside the city's most famous building, the Bistró Guggenheim Bilbao serves beautifully executed plates of roasted lamb, oxtail with fennel purée, and…
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Bilbao
For over fifty years this widely regarded pintxos bar has been serving up over forty different kinds of pintxos. Its popularity means you might have to…
