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Visiting the Basque Country and wondering where to eat in Bilbao? From pintxos to sweets, this Bilbao Food Guide has you covered!
Bilbao is a city that I fell immediately in love with – not just for its beautiful architecture but also for its food! When people think of visiting Basque Country for gastronomy, San Sebastian tends to captivate everyone’s attention. But Bilbao has its own thriving food scene and is just as deserving to be called a culinary destination as much as its neighbor!
The city’s Old Town (the Casco Viejo neighborhood) livens up at night with people filling in and spilling out of pintxos bars. It’s also home to the largest covered market in Europe – Mercado de La Ribera – filled with food stalls and even a gastro plaza! Bilbao even has its own specialty dishes that originated right in the city that you simply must try.
You’ll also find numerous Michelin-starred restaurants here, along with food tours and cooking classes to pique the interest of any traveling foodie. There’s a lot of ground to cover!
Where to Eat in Bilbao
In this guide, I’ve listed all the spots I’ve been to in Bilbao so far and what I’d recommend at each, followed by a wish list of so many more places I want to visit!
And if you’re curious to learn more about the different foods I refer to in this Bilbao Food Guide, be sure to also read my What to Eat in Basque Country post.
Taska Beltz
Website | Pilota Kalea, 4, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
This wine bar located in the Casco Viejo neighborhood serves up small, elevated plates of traditional Spanish foods in addition to having an excellent wine selection.
It’s a little spot (like many pintxos bars), so be patient if they’re full. I recommend getting a seat at the bar if you can! The bartender (who may even be the owner) will likely be jamming to music while making the best wine recommendations to pair with your food.
Speaking of food – we ordered the txipirones encebollados, which turned out to be one of my favorite dishes in Bilbao! Little rings of squid were cooked with onions four ways and it was pure delight.
The steamed mussels with tomato sauce were equally delicious, which paired well with a glass of orange wine.
Taska Beltz is also known for serving talos, which are pretty much Spanish tacos. We tried the goat, but they also have txistorra, txipirones, and even lengua (which is highly rated but we were not quite brave enough to try it).
What to get: Txipirones encebollados, mussels with tomato sauce, talos, and different wines!
Gure Toki
Website | Pl. Nueva, 12, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Biscay, Spain
As far as pintxos bars go, Gure Toki is at the top of their game. Tucked away in one of the corners of Plaza Nueva, you’ll find unique pinxtos like their Idiazabal cheese soup – an award-winning soup that highlights the nutty sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region.
Highlights for us here also included their Gilda (it was good enough to make it high on my list of favorites), a crispy mushroom pastry, and the vieira a la plancha from the hot pintxo menu.
This is a popular place, so snagging a table will be tough. We were lucky to get a spot with a ledge just big enough to put our plates of food and wine glasses on. Such is the life when pintxos bar hopping! You won’t stay long after devouring these gourmet bites before moving on to the next spot.
What to get: Gildas, hot scallop pintxo, Idiazabal cheese soup and mushroom pastry
Cafe Bar Bilbao
Website | Pl. Nueva, 6, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Biscay, Spain
Another bustling pintxos bar in Plaza Nueva is Cafe Bar Bilbao. I wanted to come here specifically for one pintxo – the bacalao al pil pil, which is a salt cod dish that’s topped with an emulsion made from its own gelatin and olive oil.
I was on a mission to eat as many Basque foods and dishes as I could, and this pintxo checked off a box! The fish was soft and salty, and the creamy sauce on top was delicate and tasty. I highly recommend it!
They also happen to have one of best Gildas in Bilbao (according to me) and delicious squid croquettas.
To give us a break on the txakoli wine, we had a caña (small beer) while eating our pintxos standing out in front of the bar. A truly quintessential pintxos crawl experience awaits you here!
What to get: Bacalao al pil pil pintxo, squid croquettas, and Gildas
Sorginzulo
Website | Pl. Nueva, 12, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Biscay, Spain
Sorginzulo was a spot we visited on a food tour and is a pintxos bar I’d definitely want to return to! Their pintxos all look so beautiful and creative. We only had the pleasure of trying their txistorra sausage roll but if they all taste as good as that, you won’t be disappointed!
We also got the opportunity to learn how to pour Basque cider, which is really an art form. Let’s just say most of it made it into my glass but I’m also the reason why this is an outdoor activity.
Sorginzulo is located in Plaza Nueva, which is the best place for a pintxos crawl. They even have extra seating out in the plaza if the bar gets too full!
What to get: Txistorra sausage roll and Basque cider
Singular
Website | Lersundi K., 2, Abando, 48009 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
You likely won’t find a lot of craft beer in pintxos bars and restaurants, but that doesn’t mean good craft beer in Basque Country doesn’t exist! Bars like Singular give us craft beer lovers a respite from the lighter cañas and offer strong beers like hazy IPAs.
And if you’re itching to try jamon iberico when in Spain, you can order a big platter of it here! It was way too much jamon for just my husband and I, so I’d recommend taking the rest away or sharing with a bigger group if possible. It was delicious though, and look at how pretty it looks on that giant plate!
Cafe Bilba
Uriortu Kalea, 10, 48007 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
One of my favorite foodie finds in Bilbao is Cafe Bilba, located just a few blocks away from the entrance to the Artxanda Funicular. I was searching for gems off the beaten path and came across this spot that was well-rated for their tortilla de patatas and torrija and knew I had to stop in. The reviews did not lie!
Their tortilla is perfect – not runny and made with caramelized onions (which is the best way to make a tortilla, in my humble opinion). Their torrija was pretty good too with a bit of cinnamon crunch on the outside and a creamy center. Between the tortilla and the torijja, it was a nice balance of savory and sweet.
And I would be remiss not to mention their Gildas, which happen to be our favorite we’ve had in all of Basque Country (particularly because the guindilla peppers had some heat to them)!
We washed all of our bites down with a super crisp, effervescent glass of Txakoli which I think was the best we had in Bilbao.
The owner was so friendly and welcoming and even though my Spanish was pretty terrible, he still tried to communicate as best as he could with a smile on his face.
Tip: Bring cash for this spot as they are cash-only!
What to get: Tortilla de patatas, torrija, Gildas, and Txakoli
Con b de Bilbao
Andra Maria Kalea, 9, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
Another stop we visited on our food tour in Bilbao was this funky spot serving up a specific Bilbao dish called mejillones tigres – chopped mussels mixed with onions, tomato, and paprika with a thick bechamel. This all gets stuffed into half a mussel shell, breaded and fried.
When you’re eating it, it might remind you a bit of a croquetta that just happens to have a shell in the middle of it (which is why you’ll want to eat this one with a fork or spoon).
I’d return here just to get the mejillones tigres but they also do serve a variety of other pintxos.
Berton
Website | Jardines K., 11, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
Berton is a restaurant in Bilbao with not just one but two spots, both located across the street from each other!
When we visited on our food tour, the dishes we tried included a mushroom with anchovy alioli (brave for me considering I’m not a big fan of mushrooms or mayo) and a seafood skewer with octopus and shrimp.
I recommend both the mushrooms and the seafood, but if you only come for one dish, let it be the mushrooms. These were surprisingly delicious, especially with the anchovy alioli. Get them with a glass of rosado!
What to get: Mushrooms with anchovy alioli, seafood skewer, and Valdelares rosado
Read my full review of our Bilbao Food Tour for more details
on why I think it’s the best intro to the city!
Lucky Baster
Instagram | Barraincúa Kalea, 4, Abando, 48009 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
Lucky Baster drew me in with their fun vibes and oxtail bikini on the menu. I mean, who can resist a pressed sandwich filled with rich oxtail and topped with truffle alioli and pickled onions?
Their croquettas, though…those little babies actually ended up being my favorite thing we had! They were piping hot and crispy with a creamy bechamel filling. The croquettas also came topped with little dollops of truffle alioli. Eating alioli multiple times in Bilbao – who am I?!
Lucky Baster is located closer to the Guggenheim Museum area, so I’d recommend a visit here after your time at the museum (unless of course you’re staying at one of the many hotels in that area).
What to get: Croquettas and Oxtail Bikini (I also hear they have a really good tortilla and calamari bocadillo!)
HDH Bilbao
Website | San Mames Zumarkalea, 34, Abando, 48010 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
If rare meat is your jam and you like a good burger, put HDH on your list! I was hesitant at first to eat something so rare, but the meat is top quality and you don’t want it to be overcooked. Basque beef/ox is prized and typically served rare or medium rare to preserve its flavor profile. Don’t be scared!
I highly recommend the Umami Burger, Bocatti de Cardinale sandwich, and the Freak, the latter of which is made with pork.
It’s hard to pick a favorite but if I had to choose, the Umami would be my choice. It really represents that umami flavor profile, especially with the addition of caramelized onions. My husband’s favorite was the Bocatti de Cardinale with its soft focaccia bread and crispy potato strips for texture.
For something sweet, get their Basque-style cheesecake which is extra creamy and just oozes out onto the plate!
Note: Reservations are required, even for lunch. You’ll have to send them a message via WhatsApp and they’ll secure your spot.
What to Get: Umami Burger, Bocatti de Cardinale, and the cheesecake
Le Chocolat
Artekale, 23, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
In my search to try all the best Basque delights, we found ourselves at Le Chocolat to get a bollo de mantequilla (a Basque butter bun), which is a sweet bun filled with buttercream. It’s a quintessential Bilbao creation that’s perfect for a nice handheld snack or breakfast.
We visited Le Chocolat since it was close to La Ribera Market so we could pop by here and continue to make our way to the market for more eats.
Le Chocolat does have a plethora of other pastries to try as well!
La Ribera Market
Erribera Kalea, s/n, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
La Ribera is the largest covered market in all of Europe with three floors filled with so many different vendors!
Visitors here will want to check out the Gastro Plaza filled with different counters serving cold and hot pintxos, Gildas, and sweets like pantxineta and Carolinas. I just love a market that has so many ready-to-eat foods!
For the sweets lovers, you’ve got to try a Carolina and slice of pantxineta – both delicious and traditional Basque desserts. Carolinas are a symbol of Bilbao and the pantxineta (created in neighboring San Sebastian) is a delicious pastry filled with custard and nuts.
For savory options, there are several pintxos counters to choose from. Each one will lure you in with their little bites on display!
We went for a couple of croquettas from Cerveceria Arambarri and chose a few different Gildas from La Bodeguilla. I prefer my croquettas a little fresher out of the fryer, but I did like the Chuleton croquetta. And the Gilda with cheese was my favorite of the ones we tried!
There is plenty of wine and beer flowing at the bar here too. Make sure you get a glass of txakoli wine to pair with your pintxos!
What to Get: Pintxos, including croquettas and Gildas; txakoli wine; Carolinas and pantxineta
Txokomex
Website | Barrenkale, 22, Melendez y Pelayo, 4, 48010 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
This is an oddball recommendation here, but if you feel a little overwhelmed by the crowds at all the pintxos bars or just want a break from pintxos, head to Txokomex for a burrito and a Mexican beer. We had a shrimp burrito and it actually hit the spot for a late night meal!
As a self-professed burrito addict, I tend to find burritos in random places around the world (I did this in Ireland, too, of all places!). So far, they have been pretty good!
What to Get: Shrimp burrito with a Pacifico or Modelo beer
Baster
Instagram | Posta Kalea, 22, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
Baster is a sister restaurant to the above-mentioned Lucky Baster and is located in the Casco Viejo neighborhood.
I read this was a great place to try a marianito in Bilbao, which is a vermouth-based cocktail similar to an Italian negroni. If you want a change of pace from the popular Txakoli, a marianito is a good place to start for a drink to have with pintxos!
As with Lucky Baster, their tortilla and calamari bocadillo are also popular menu items. We unfortunately got there a little too late in the evening on our visit, but I’d love to stop in again to try these with our next round of marianitos!
Lurrina
Website | Barrenkale Barrena, 16, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
Lurrina, another restaurant in the Casco Viejo neighborhood, was our favorite stop on the food tour we took in Bilbao. We got to try both a savory and sweet dish here – a pork rib yakitori and delectable slice of Basque cheesecake!
The pork rib yakitori is from the hot pintxos menu and the meat is just melt-in-your-mouth tender! The umami-forward sauce is expertly balanced with light and creamy whipped potatoes, which also help with the richness of the fatty pork.
The Basque cheesecake here is absolutely delicious and worth a visit alone! Our creamy slice of cheesecake was paired with a sweet custard but it does look like they switch up the preparation from time to time.
What to get: Pork rib yakitori hot pintxo and the Basque cheesecake
El Globo
Website | Pl. Nueva, 1, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Biscay, Spain
El Globo has something special when it comes to their pintxos: gratinados. They’re known for their creamy gratin pintxos that are served on little pieces of bread and topped with cheese or sauces.
The txangurro (spider crab gratin) is one of their most popular pintxos and it was delicious! However, the beef and cheddar gratinado actually ended up being my favorite. I just loved the way the beef flavor came through and mixed in with the sharpness of the cheddar cheese! We also had a really good fried txipirones pintxo here too.
On my wish list for my next visit here: the potato gratinado and the txipirones gratinado with squid ink that’s a take on a popular Basque dish called Chipirones en su tinta.
What to get: All the gratinados! (But definitely at least the txangurro and beef & cheddar)
La Olla
Website | Nueva Plaza, 2, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
La Olla was another food tour favorite! This restaurant is full-service with a sit down menu, but we came here for the pintxos.
While you might be tempted to order something from the cases on the bar, it’s the hot scallop pintxo you want to come here for! Our scallop was expertly cooked and paired with a thick mushroom foam that did not overpower the delicate scallop.
It was also here that we tried a really interesting pintxo called the False Egg, which even won in a pintxos competition for being so unique! This was smoked salmon with cream cheese and a mango sauce served in a little egg-shaped cup. Visually, it’s meant to mimic an egg but there’s no actual egg product in the dish.
As a lover of salmon and cream cheese, I really enjoyed this but what made it even better was the mango sauce. I’d never think to pair all of those ingredients together but they worked so well!
What to get: False Egg and the hot scallop pintxo
Hotel Tayko Bar
Website | Erribera Kalea, 13, Ibaiondo, 48005 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
And lastly, a great place for a nightcap is the little bar in the bottom of Hotel Tayko, which is where we stayed in Bilbao.
They have little small bites available that come from the same kitchen as the Michelin-starred Ola but we popped in to try their Gildas! We had one with octopus and it was fabulous with a glass of cava.
Bilbao Foodie Wish List
There are so many great restaurants, bakeries, and bars to try in Bilbao! I’ve hardly scratched the surface at this point and have so many more spots I want to try.
My Bilbao restaurant wishlist is way too long to put here, so I picked 10 off my endless list. I could spend so much time here just restaurant hopping!
- La Viña del Ensanche
- Antxoa Taberna
- Mio Basque Urban Food
- Rongorri Restaurante
- Mugarra
- Cafe Iruna
- Origen
- Revole
- Kali Orexi a la brasa
- Arvo
I can’t wait to return to eat my way through the city (again)!
Read Next:
- Searching for the Best Gilda Pintxos in Basque Country
- 5 Must-Try Desserts in Spain’s Basque Country
- What to Eat in Spain’s Basque Country: Must-Try Basque Foods, Dishes & Drinks!
- Bilbao Food Tour Review – The Best Intro to Bilbao & the Basque Food Scene
- Best Things to Do in Bilbao, Spain for Food, Art & Architecture Lovers!
- 3-Day Bilbao Itinerary: Discover the City’s Best Pintxos, Museums & Architecture
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