Restaurants cuisine régionale Basque Country

In a very minimalist decor, the NH Collection Aránzazu hotel restaurant has forged its own identity thanks to the inventive and contemporary dishes signed by chef Martín Aristondo. Located opposite the Zubimusu Park, less than 10 minutes walk from the beautiful beach of Ondarreta, this restaurant with its uncluttered setting is very popular with the locals. In addition to its excellent tapas and raciones, Kukuarri stands out for its always innovative market cuisine. Favour the tasting menu, which offers good value for money!

The younger brother of a bar of the same name in Melbourne, this restaurant was born out of Gerald's passion, originally from Australia, for the cuisine of northern Spain. In the heart of Le Gros, it is a singular place, with its wooded decor and jazzy music, its cuisine sometimes international, sometimes rooted. Depending on the season and the market produce, you can enjoy a steak tartare of pikaña (a very tender piece of beef), sole meunière or red mullet with leeks. The most intrepid will give the chief carte blanche. A place with a soul!

Modern, in the tradition of the gastrobars that are all the rage in Spain, this restaurant is organised around two well-arranged rooms, with the right design and play of light to create an attractive setting. The menu gives pride of place to "pikoteo" (dishes to share), a good way to dine chic, but informal! A few suggestions to share? Beef carpaccio with mustard or homemade jamón ibérico croquette for carnivores; salmon tartar, octopus sautéed with potatoes or mussels for lovers of marine flavours...

A little out of the city centre and mostly frequented by locals, Bodeguilla Lanciego is a noble house where, since 1959, a local cuisine has been prepared that varies according to the seasons. Everything is very fresh and absolutely delicious, with the proposals changing according to the products on the market. However, there are always some specialities, such as sea bream (besugo) and cazuelitas with anchovies, cod or piquillo peppers, to be enjoyed in a sober and elegant setting. A gourmet address that has become an institution in Vitoria.

Situated in a pretty 600-year-old farmhouse, Zuberoa has set itself a reference of local gastronomy thanks to its cuisine and traditional products. Here, Chief Hilario Arbelaitz updates the Basque recipes inherited from his mother, to which he breathes his more modern and contemporary vision. Lovely décor in the dining room, with stones and exposed beams, to taste this half-way cuisine between avant garde and tradition.

A singular space with views over the ría, which mixes gastronomy and music, especially jazz. Located inside the Mercado de la Ribera, it is a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a music club. On site, seasonal cuisine prepared with market produce, sophisticated cocktails, and live concerts led by La Ribera Jazz Band. Its programming also includes emerging bands from the local and international scene, and once a month, concerts and activities designed for young audiences!

A great classic of the Parte Vieja, which chef Juan Mari Arzak (3 Michelin stars) recommends in all his interviews! If he loves his fried hake, the house has many other specialities: txangurro (spider crab) tarts, txistorra (sausage) crisp, and the best selection of mushrooms in the whole city! To appreciate its cuisine, prefer a meal in the restaurant area and test its seasonal wonders: truffle, elver, artichokes with foie gras, "lagrima" peas with white asparagus and soft-boiled egg...

In one of the emblematic streets of the Parte Vieja there is a restaurant dedicated to traditional Basque cuisine. Presided over by an 1820 watercolour depicting a wide panorama of San Sebastián, the restaurant room offers a pleasant setting for tasting regional recipes. A la carte, txangurro salad, fish soup a la Donostiarra, hake a la plancha, cod kokotxas (cheeks) with txakoli: these are all ancestral recipes that are embellished with a modern presentation. A nice address to get an overview of Basque cuisine.

Founded in 1956, the restaurant was taken over a decade ago by talented chef Pablo Loureiro. Here, he offers a renovated traditional cuisine, which seeks to extract the maximum flavor from each product. Depending on the season, you can enjoy Navarre asparagus with truffle mayonnaise, the traditional Kokotxa of hake grilled à la parilla, grilled artichokes and cardoons with ham cream... There are also a number of excellent pintxos on display at the counter, as well as fine à la carte tapas.

Located right next to the suspension bridge, this restaurant is run by the young chef Alvaro Martínez, trained in the kitchens of Arzak, Martín Berasategui and El Bulli. With such a culinary background, it is easy to understand the presence of some very modern dishes, such as egg cooked at low temperature, or Asian-inspired dishes, such as nigiri de txangurro (crab). Also on the menu, crispy fritters with chilli and blood sausage, shrimp gyozas, parmentier with mushrooms and oxtail... all to be enjoyed in a beautiful contemporary setting!

A sure value of the Parte Vieja to enjoy pintxos at the counter (usually crowded!) or a good txuleta (prime rib) in the restaurant area. Don't hesitate to try the pintxos à la carte, such as the risotto with mushrooms and Idiazábal cheese, and the different brochettes with lamb, chipirons, scallops or shrimps. In the restaurant, the menu gives pride of place to the classics of Basque gastronomy. Good to know: you will find a selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes.

Zabala is one of the city's most renowned restaurants. The premises themselves are surrounded by walls over two centuries old, while the restaurant has been open since 1962. Specializing in cazuelita (stew) and all kinds of dishes related to the slaughter of pork, the address made a name for itself in 1976 with the presentation of one of the province's most emblematic desserts, the Goxua, created by pastry chef Luis López de Sosoaga and still served today at Le Zabala. Excellent wine list and pleasant service room.

This address is the little sister of Bilbao's award-winning red meat specialist, Amaren. More accessible and no less appetizing than its parent company's dishes, the menu at this Basque tavern specializing in gourmet hamburgers is sure to make all connoisseurs salivate. In addition to selected starters and succulent meat platters, there's a choice of a dozen burgers, all made with grilled beef. In short, enough to make a few people happy at a reasonable price!

Mandabide Gastroteka is in a class of its own, being the only restaurant on the Zarautz promenade to boast three beautiful dining rooms (two facing the beach and a more confidential one for private dining), as well as a vast terrace. Here, you'll eat only the finest local produce, prepared with care and, for the most part, grilled. Meat and fish are delicious, to be accompanied by some of the very fine wines on offer. Professional service and sensational location. An address worth discovering.

Located in the heart of Zarautz, Okamika is a space designed for curious gourmets wishing to discover classic Basque cuisine with a touch of the avant-garde. Pintxos and more generous rations are served here, with recipes evolving according to the produce available in the area, season after season. The atmosphere is also very pleasant - quiet music and tasteful decor - and the service warm. A good address for picnicking as well as for more honest eating, or even a glass of wine.

Welcome to this caserio - typical rural Basque house - built in 1920 on the verdant coastal hill of Talaimendiune, with a spectacular view over the mouth of the River Oria. It's here that you can savour traditional Basque cuisine: top-quality products (the txuleton is outstanding) are served with the region's best txakolis. The site also doubles as a rural hotel. Ideal for recharging your batteries.

The Barkaiztegi cider house is a benchmark in the world of traditional Basque cuisine. In fact, the same family - Irizar - has been running the place since 1930! In this vast comedor, where dark wood predominates, just a five-minute drive from the town center, you can sample the finest seasonal produce: from steak to grilled fish, from stuffed asparagus to roasted mushrooms, from Tudela artichokes to tuna breast. Barkaiztegi is also one of the few remaining traditional, family-run cider factories in San Sebastian.

Tilia Deli & Café is a rather informal concept where you can come at any time of day to enjoy dishes made exclusively from seasonal ingredients. From breakfast to weekend brunch, from the daily menu to the varied bistro menu, you're sure to find what you're looking for. What's more, the restaurant's location is not lacking in charm, with its bright dining room and wide-open terrace overlooking the Miramón forest. A fresh, local stopover for gourmets!

Discerning carnivores, rejoice! If you haven't yet had the chance to feast on a good chuleta during your visit to Bilbao, there's still time to do so, and in the nicest possible way: Amaren is a Bilbao red meat institution. The recipient of numerous awards (including ^14th place in the World' s 101 Best Steak Restaurants in 2023), it offers grilled prime rib, tartares and carpaccios, each more exquisite than the last. If protein doesn't scare you, go for it!

Welcome to the most famous pintxos bar in the city! Located in the heart of the historic center, a stone's throw from Plaza Nueva, Josean Merino's tavern has been so successful that its concept has been exported to Madrid and Logroño. A la carte or by menu, you can try an incredible selection of pintxos, from the most classic to the most original. In addition to the traditional croquetas and rabas (fried squid), try the house "vaccine" (we won't tell you more!), the liver turrón or the surprising donut de cocido (stew).

In the charming little port of San Sebastián, this "Basque fishermen's house" offers a space dedicated to Basque fish. Both gastronomic and educational, this place aims to make known the species fished in the waters of the Bay of Biscay, while offering delicious tastings and a grocery corner. The fish is obviously ultra fresh, and the menu changes according to the seasons. Note also that various experiences are offered on site: visits to the Pasaia fish market, excursions on board a fishing boat...

Already well known in the local gastronomic scene, Paul Arrillaga and Maite Mujika have moved their "Zazpi" from Calle San Marcial to their new location in the San Telmo Museoa. In the tavern area, the pintxos offer a festival of flavors in a mini version, such as cod with pil-pil sauce or rice with mushrooms, truffle and liver, accompanied by an excellent selection of wines. The restaurant, with only seven tables, offers refined Basque cuisine. To be noted: its large terrace, very popular on sunny days!

In the fishing village of Orio, the sea bream has been the king of fish for generations, so much so that every year in July the Sea Bream Festival is celebrated. According to tradition, the fish is grilled in a parilla, a skill that Iñaki Zendoia learned from his father, owner of the famous asador Katxiña (now closed). The bodega is perched on a hill above the Oria River and is surrounded by txakoli vineyards. The place is beautiful, and very popular with Basque families for all kinds of celebrations.

In the Zenit Convento San Martín hotel, this elegant restaurant is run by the young Aitor Santamaría, who trained in the kitchens of Arzak before launching his concept of Euskal-sushi cuisine that combines Basque and Asian flavors. Very fashionable, this modern table in a decor of old convent seduces the palates in search of new flavors. On the menu, meat and fish à la parilla are served alongside txuleta nigiri or hake and piquillo maki. Original!

San Sebastian's newest gastronomic sensation, Argentinean Paulo Airaudo's restaurant earned its^second Michelin star at the end of 2021. Housed in the beautiful Villa Favorita hotel on the La Concha promenade, this restaurant offers Italian-inspired cuisine, with influences from Argentina and Japan, and a remarkable selection of champagnes. A little more informal than its competitors, the restaurant has a large bar where the cooks serve the dishes themselves to the customers. A superb address for gourmets!

New fashionable table worn by the famous Basque chef Martín Berasategui (three times starred in his eponymous restaurant). Located on the first floor of the Tayko Hotel, the restaurant has a chic-industrial decor, with brick walls and large black windows overlooking the ría. On the menu, some classics from the Lasarte parent company, and seasonal creations dictated by market produce. Caramelised millefeuille with foie gras and smoked eel, warm oyster with apple and cucumber-txakoli granita . Divine!

Right in the centre of Gernika, chef Ettore Learreta offers the best of local produce in his restaurant. In a contemporary bistro-style decor, you will enjoy excellent pintxos and raciones, and refined regional dishes: tuna carpaccio in olive oil, hake kokotxas, scallops and pumpkin purée... In the summer months, the chef offers a "menu on the high seas" during boat trips to the Urdaibai Reserve.

A classic in the Plaza Nueva! Since 1973, Bar Charly has been serving classic pintxos to a clientele of loyal customers and passing visitors. Its large terrace is a popular meeting place to drink a zurrito (small beer) with friends and share some raciones, especially the typical rabas that Bilbao's inhabitants love, and which Bar Charly won the competition for the best rabas in Casco Viejo in 2021. These small fried squids are eaten as an appetizer on Sundays around noon: a tradition worth trying!

A stone's throw from the metro, a bar-restaurant that is a good place to go at any time of the day for a coffee in the morning, a vermouth accompanied by pintxos as an aperitif, but above all to enjoy an excellent meal in the restaurant area. In an intimate setting, you can enjoy excellent Basque recipes reinterpreted to suit the latest tastes. Broken eggs with truffles, snails Biscayan style, chipirons a la plancha, etc. are accompanied by a remarkable selection of wines. Good value for money for the tasting menu (served for lunch and dinner)!

In the heart of Bilbao La Viejo, an authentic address that showcases Galician cuisine. For despite the hipster revolution that has taken hold of the neighbourhood, this vermutería has continued to offer the same classics for more than 40 years. Galician-style octopus, served as a pintxo or ración, is the star of the place! But the cecina or lacón croquettes are also worth the detour. They are accompanied by a small glass of vermouth, a speciality of the place!