Basque Country Restaurants Picks

If you like food, you’ll love the Basque Country, with the highest concentration of Michelin starred restaurants, it is a magnet for foodies.

Better yet, if you don’t need your wallet lightened considerably by dining in a Michelin-rated restaurant, it is hard to get a bad meal in the region, whether tapas bar hopping (no, not topless!) in San Sebastian, eating at seafood shacks near Biarritz, or heading up into the Basque hills to small towns for down-home cooking.

Below are a few of our favorites:

San Sebastian

San Sebastian has undoubtedly the best collection of tapas bars of any city in Spain. In the Old Quarter there are more than 100 tapas bars which cover their counters daily with delectable bites to be savored. The idea of tapas hopping is just that, you go from bar to bar tasting one or two tapas in each bar, going from one to another, usually only staying 15 minutes or so in each bar, enough time for several tapas and a short drink of either a beer or perhaps Txakoli, a fuzzy local white wine. This is a moveable feast and it happens every day in San Sebastian both for lunch and dinner. Tapas bars in general open at 12:00 noon for lunch and at 7:30 pm for the evening.

Old Quarter Tapas Bars

Tamboril, located on the northeast corner of Constitution Plaza. No you’re not seeing double, twin brothers run the place!
La Cepa, be sure to get your Pata Negra ham here.
Bar Martinez, beautiful tapas spread, good photo op and tasty!
La Cueva, just a funky hole-in-the-wall. There is a Basque Pelote fronton next door (where they play jai lai).
A Fuego Negro, a modern version of the Tapas Bar. Why not?
Aralar, good tapas but don’t feel obligated to fill the huge plate they’ll thrust into your hands as soon as you get up to the bar. Take 2 tapas and move on to enjoy another bar.

Michelin Starred Restaurants- San Sebastian has a big cluster of starred Michelin rated restaurants, a gourmand’s dream.

Arzak***
Akelarre***
Berasategi ***
Mugaritz**
Zuberoa**
Berasetegi*
Casa Nicolasa*
Arbelaitz*

Biarritz

Bistrot de l'Huître, tucked off a bit behind and to the side of the Biarritz Casino this is a fun little spot to sit and have oysters down by the Grande Plage, the main beach in Biarritz.
Bar Jean, this small (and often quite crowded) bistro is located right next to the Halles de Biarritz (food market) and is a great place to stop and have a morning coffee, a glass of wine & some tapas at the bar or lunch out on their tiny terrace. A place to see and be seen.
Chez Albert, a Biarritz institution, located in the old fisherman’s port. Locals and visitors alike find themselves elbow deep in shellfish platters. The strawberry tart is their signature dessert and their house wine, a Pouyanne, is quite nice.
Bar du Jardin, a preferred lunch spot for the locals. Nothing fancy, just a local bistro with a sunny terrace a good plat du jour made with fresh products, homemade desserts.
Baleak, one of the nicer, hip restaurants near the Biarritz market (Les Halles). Exposed brick walls décor with open kitchen and contemporary cuisine.

St. Jean de Luz

Le Kaïku, located in the oldest building in St. Jean de Luz dating back to 1540 with wonderful seafood and fish specialties.
Bar Basque, since 1920, this mythical restaurant has been graced with the likes of Hemingway and some renowned painters. It is a great place to have a drink and an affordable regional meal.
Restaurant Txalupa, located on the Louis XIV center square, with its terrace offering views to the fishing port. They are known for their impressive seafood platters. That - along with a chilled bottle of Sancerre - is just this side of heaven!

Bayonne

Cidrerie Bodega Chez Txotx, in old Bayonne, a Spainish style Cidreie or cider mill. A good option for a fun night if you don’t feel like driving to Spain.
La Garburada Rose, a restaurant specialized in Garbure, a traditonal Basque soup. It’s at the end of rue d’Espagne which is an all pedestrian shopping street with lots of fun boutiques to poke around in.
Restaurant Au Cheval Blanc, a Michelin starred restaurant. A classic in Bayonne.
L’Amarre au Canard, as you can imagine, this restaurant is all about the canard duck, and any fan of France’s myriad duck dishes simply must visit this restaurant. The menu features a mix of duck foie gras, honey duck breast, duck confit, méli-mélo of smoked and salted duck, the list goes on and on.
La Chunga, a lively spot to dance, experience a Latin cabaret, listen to live Flamenco music or simply nibble on traditional cuisine in a pleasant setting. This place is just too much fun.

Bilbao

Café Iruna, located across the street from a pretty little park, this is Bilbao’s oldest café having opened in 1903. It’s highly ornate tiled dining rooms are a feast for the eyes. The food is simple and very reasonable. The service is swift. A great little lunch spot.
Victor Montes, located on an elevated plaza where locals and visitors alike gather to enjoy the sunshine. Every Sunday morning there is a market here that specializes in old books, coins, minerals and, for some reason, the occasional canary or two. This café-bar-restaurant-institution located in one of the corners of the square. It’s great to sit on the terrace and watch the people while enjoying a drink.

Michelin Starred Restaurants:

Goizeko-Kabi
Zortziko
Etxanobe

Pamplona

Hartza, located near the bullring, this has been a popular spot for locals and visitors alike since the 1870’s. The menu is not extensive but each dish is well thought out and inventive. In nice weather, try to dine outdoors; there is a street level bar, too.
Casa Otano, on a narrow street in the old quarter near the Plaza del Castillo, this bustling tavern has been feeding hungry locals since the 1950’s.
Erburu, talk about authentic, this is it. For more than 30 years, this down to earth establishment has been serving uncomplicated old-fashioned food. It’s a small place, only 40 some seats, many of which fill up daily with the regulars who don’t ever seem to look at a menu.

Country Menu