Where to Eat in Bilbao: Best Pintxos, Markets & Local Restaurants

Renowned as a destination for art and architecture, the Basque capital is also a paradise for food lovers, offering a wide array of options from classic tabernas to Michelin-starred experiences.

With a rich local cuisine and access to high-quality ingredients from the fertile green fields of northern Spain and the bountiful waters of Bay of Biscay, Bilbao offers something for everyone, from humble yet delicious pintxos to highly curated, artful fine dining. Read on for a guide to some of the best places to indulge around the city.

Gure Toki

The lively Plaza Nueva is the heart of Bilbao’s historic Casco Viejo, and it is an excellent place to spend an enjoyably raucous night in the company of others. It is also home to Gure Toki, a fantastic bar and restaurant that preserves traditional Basque tastes with an innovative flair.

While other parts of Spain have tapas, the Basques have pintxos (‘thorns’ or ‘spikes’), bar snacks consisting of different savory foods ‘spiked’ onto a piece of bread with a toothpick. Pintxos are made to be eaten standing up in a crowded bar with friends; simply walk right up to the bar to order, where they will usually be on display.

Here at Gure Toki, the most popular pintxos are the croqueta de rabo de toro (oxtail croquette), vieira con patatas y migas (scallop with potatoes and breadcrumbs), foie a la plancha con manzanas y Pedro Ximénez (grilled foie gras with apples and sherry), bacalao al pil pil (traditional Basque salted cod). You can’t go wrong with anything they have on offer, so trust your eye (and your gut) and pick out whatever you like on display at the bar or from the menu.

Mercado de la Ribera

The recently-restored Mercado de la Ribera, located in the old city along the banks of Río Nervión and next to the marvelous Iglesia de San Antón, is the largest covered market in all of Europe. Since it opened its doors in 1929, this has been a great place to appreciate the fruits of the land (and sea): vendors sell all manner of fresh produce, meat, cheese, fish, and seafood from across the Basque Country. There are also plenty of stands to grab some pintxos for a bite to eat as well.

Café Iruña

Opened in 1903, Café Iruña is a landmark of the city, famous as a meeting place for artists and intellectuals like writers Pío Baroja and Miguel de Unamuno and the politician Indalecio Prieto. It remains a must-visit on the food circuit today, both for its food and its fabulous interior.

For drinks and pintxos, head to the white-tiled bar open to the street corner; for a sit-down meal, go around back and grab a table in the Moorish-inspired dining room.

La Viña del Ensanche

Located on a bustling street in Abando, the 19th-century city center, La Viña del Ensanche is another long-time establishment, opened in 1927 and now run by the third generation of the same family. They offer a wide range of pintxos but are particularly well known for their house-made jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn-fed Iberian ham), which is some of the best you will find anywhere in Spain.

La Despensa del Etxanobe

For those in search of a fine dining experience in Bilbao, look no further than La Despensa del Etxanobe.

Sharing its kitchen with the Michelin-starred Atelier Etxanobe next door, La Despensa is a more casual but still high-class restaurant serving traditional Basque cuisine with modern sensibilities.

I recommend going for one of the three tasting menus, but be sure to ask about any special dishes that aren’t listed on the menus, such as the famous cod cheeks in a traditional Basque fish stew.

Bar El Huevo Frito

One of the first establishments to open on the now-famous Calle García Rivero, this spot, as its name implies, is famous for its egg-based pintxos. Definitely try the huevito de codorniz, a delightfully delicate quail egg.

Looking for more places to explore? Visit our Spain page here.