Top 10 Local Restaurants in Bilbao, Spain

Situated in the historic Casco Viejo or Old Quarter in the heart of Bilbao, the Restaurante Mandoya has been serving traditional Basque cuisine for more than 55 years. As much a part of the city’s history as the medieval streets surrounding it, this popular venue is well-established on Bilbao’s restaurant scene and a big favorite with locals. Mandoya sources its fish daily from the nearby ports of Lekeitio and Bermeo, and purchases its meat and vegetables from the region in order to produce some of the most authentic Basque cooking you could ask for. Of particular excellence are the seafood dishes, which include sizeable lobsters straight from the restaurant’s in-house tank, giant clams and chargrilled monkfish. Other Basque treats include the warming alubiada, a typical stew of beans, chorizo, Ibérico ham and black pudding which will definitely put to shame any stew you have eaten before.

Restaurante Arbolagaña offers what is undoubtedly one of the best views in Bilbao. Perched on the top floor of the Museo de Bellas Artes this stylish modern space overlooks the Doña Casilda Park, a little haven of calm in a busy city. The restaurant’s chef Aitor Basabe is a fervent adherent of the ‘Slow Food’ Association, a group founded in 1989 to stem the tide of fast-food infiltrating our towns, preserving threatened local cuisines and promoting an awareness of the origins and implications of the food we eat. Needless to say, the food at the Arbolagaña is always thoughtfully selected and expertly crafted. Innovation without artificiality is the order of the day here, along with very reasonable prices for the exceptional quality of the food.

Arbolagaña, Museo de Bellas Artes Bilbao, Alda. Conde Arteche, s/n, Bilbao, Spain, +34 944 42 46 57

Another historical pintxo bar, Restaurante Víctor Montes holds one of the most enviable situations (and reputations) in Bilbao, positioned right on the Plaza Nueva in the old quarter. Built way back in 1849, over the years Víctor Montes has numbered artists, film stars and statesmen among its clients. Settled sleepily underneath the stone arches on the terrace or seated inside the bar mingling with its buzzing clientele, you can enjoy and even take home a variety of excellent Iberian snacks from the lavish deli counter inside. It was in this historic cafe that Bilbao’s Guggenheim project was sealed, which important event is still recorded in marker on the cafe wall. With views over the monumental square where the Ribera Market once stood, this high-class bar is the perfect choice for a lazy late breakfast on a glorious day.

Restaurante Víctor Montes, Plaza Nueva 8, Bilbao, Spain, +34 944 15 70 67

In the heart of Bilbao’s unrivalled centerpiece, the world-famous Guggenheim art museum of Frank Gehry, we find one of the city’s finest haute cuisine establishments. The ultra-modern Nerua restaurant, not to be confused with the Bistro Guggenheim, is captained by talented young chef Josean Alija and located right next to Richard Serra’s colossal piece The Matter of Time. The venue prides itself on its innovative gastronomic creations and makes a pronounced effort to lead its diners through every stage of their culinary quest. In 2011 it received a well-deserved Michelin star and most recently the restaurant has been included in the World’s 100 Best Restaurants by the prestigious magazine Restaurant. The space is entirely minimalist, bare and neutral, with focus aimed at the color and texture of each new dish. Standing in stark contrast to the traditional pintxos and cider taverns so characteristic of the Basque Country, this revolutionary enterprise is helping to cement the city as an international center for outstanding food.

Nerua @ Guggenheim, Avenida Abandoibarra 2, Bilbao, Spain, +34 944 00 04 30

Guria is another of the city’s traditional restaurants with deep roots in the earth of the Basque Country. Created by the late Jenaro Pildain in 1948 who hailed from the tiny village of Arakaldo, the restaurant was initially located in the Old Quarter. However, it was forced by flooding to move to its current, prime location on Bilbao’s Gran Vía where it now exudes an easy elegance. Historically serving simple country fare, the restaurant has embraced contemporary trends in Basque cooking while remaining true to its roots, utilizing local, seasonal products and time-honored recipes. It specializes in affordable alubias, soups, seafood and meats. Particularly of note are the hake, squid and cod dishes, cooked in a variety of Basque styles.

Guria, Gran Vía de Don Diego López de Haro 66, Bilbao, Spain, +34 944 41 57 80