MESÓN TXISTU A Little off the beaten track, this is a very traditional Basque restaurant. With an old-school setting. Once settled in, we had Jamón Iberico de Bellota Almejas marinera (fisherman’s clams) Gambas con huevos revueltos (prawns with scrambled eggs) Calamare fritas (fried squid) You can also try, Tortilla de bacalao (cod omelette) Rape a la plancha (grilled monkfish) Solomillo (sirloin steak) Chuleta de ternera a la parrilla (grilled veal chop) Pierna de cordero (l

ZAZPI GASTROBAR SAN TELMO MUSEOA Plaza Zuloaga, 1, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain +34 943 50 67 67 www.zazpistm.com UPDATED JULY 2024 During our last visit to Zazpi, we discovered that it had relocated to a new home. Not all exceptional cooking takes place in a quiet setting with linen tablecloths and servers in waistcoats, and Zazpi was a perfect example of that. This restaurant is now situated in the avant-garde wing of the Museo San Telmo, and the cuisine crafted by the

ATELIER ETXANOBE One Michelin Star This restaurant has an unusual setting in a former glass factory in the centre of Bilbao, which has retained a few vestiges from its past. Bilbao-born chef Fernando Canales is at the helm of this culinary project, featuring an elegant and intimate gastronomic dining room where he is keen, first and foremost, to impress his guests with creative cooking based on two tasting menus (Chef Atelier and Chef Atelier Plus) and the very best raw ing

ANTONIO BAR This is a top modern pintxo bar with a restaurant in San Sebastián. It’s located a few blocks from Parte Vieja (the old town), making it worth the detour. It’s a fantastic place to visit, whether you’re alone or with friends, and it offers a casual atmosphere for socialising. Many locals stop by to have a bite to eat and catch up with friends before heading home. They serve some of the best tortillas (Spanish omelettes) in town, featuring ultra-caramelised onions,

ANDANZA Andanza (luck or fate in Spanish) comes from the same people behind The Rose Gastropub opposite. In its previous incarnation, the restaurant was a William Hill betting shop for over 30 years, so as everyone says to the owners, “I hope your gamble has paid off!” The chef worked formally in Basque restaurant Lurra, and the team carver was from restaurant Brindisa, so they have some of the best food. On a sunny Tuesday evening, we went when most of the customers were eat

BAR RESTAURANT TOKI-ALAI Heading east along the coast road from Mundaka, you will find this lovely restaurant, which is situated on a beautiful little surfers’ beach. It is a reasonably large stone restaurant/bar. One glass wall provides a fantastic view of the beach. It is an excellent spot for a nice, relaxing lunch, trying a few delicious pintxos at the bar, or having a more leisurely meal in the evening. There is a very good menu del dia for €25 (weekdays) and €30 (weeke

RESTAURANTE AMA LUR This famous restaurant has been an institution for over 35 years. Just before the COVID-19 disaster, the owners decided to close after all that time. In October 2021, new owners, whose story started in Formentera with a paradise called Can Carlos, reopened Ama Lur with the same ambitions but a new Italian style. The restaurant has had a makeover and is now in stunning blue to match the Ibicenco sky and sea. From its previous yellow. On a roundabout on the

CASA JULIAN This is an unremarkable, easy-to-miss little restaurant in the little-known Tolosa, 28 km inland from San Sebastián. Once you find it and walk in, you will think you are in the wrong place. You will see an area containing several fridges and a load of crates, and you are likely to turn around and walk out again until you are greeted warmly and seated in the old-fashioned dining room, which doesn’t look like it’s changed much in a century. The steaks are cooked to

EMBER YARD During a visit in September 2021, the food was not as good as in previous visits, and in a couple of cases, it was even poor, which was disappointing. In 2025, Chef Ricardo Sapimental updated the menu, and we believe it is now back to its best, although we haven’t been there again yet. This review is from 2019 Located in the ever-busy Soho, Ember Yard serves up excellent Spanish / Italian tapas cooked over Basque charcoal grill (embers, get it?) from the people beh

RESTAURANTE KAIA-KAIPE Michelin Plate IIO In December 2019, we returned to the fishing port of Getaria and the excellent Restaurante Kaia-Kaipe. Getaria is the typical picture postcard Basque Country fishing village. The village was home to Plácido Domingo’s mother and the famous fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. You can now visit the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa (€7 entry fee) Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa It was also home to the explorer, navigator, and mariner Juan