RESTAURANTE VICTOR MONTES After a long day and with many places closed on Sunday, we decided to stay close to the hotel and have dinner at Víctor Montes in Plaza Nueva. This famous local landmark is nicely rowdy downstairs at peak times. Locals and a few tourists prop up the bar, chat loudly, and snack on pintxos like the txangurro (spider crab in puff pastry) while downing a glass of wine or a caña. The vaulted wine cellar holds Rioja vintages dating back over a century, al

BILBAO - PLAZA NUEVA PINTXO BAR CRAWL On a recent trip to Bilbao, we had a little pintxo bar crawl around the Plaza Nueva. The arcaded Plaza Nueva heaves with locals from early evening on. Try to observe the alcoholic convention of pacing yourself with a txikito (small glass of wine or beer). In Pintxos bars, people always throw paper napkins on the floor, and only shy tourists leave them on plates or surfaces. At weekends, it gets busy around 11.30 am. Our favourite places

A Unique Experience in Old Town On our 2025 trip, we visited a bar in Old Town that was a first for us. Bar Kbzon Txiki is a hidden gem that offers a delightful culinary experience. The atmosphere is inviting, and the decor is charming. The bar serves innovative dishes made with familiar ingredients. They seem to use the sous vide method in their excellent cooking, which elevates the flavours. We settled in and ordered a couple of glasses of txakoli, a refreshing, slightly sp

If you’re anything like me, the idea of diving into a new culinary world is as thrilling as booking a spontaneous trip. And when it comes to food adventures, few places rival the Basque Country. Nestled between Spain and France, this region is a treasure trove of unique flavours and dishes that will make your taste buds dance. Today, I’m taking you on a mouth-watering journey through some of the most iconic and lesser-known delights of Basque Country cuisine. Ready to feast y

ANTONIO BAR If you sometimes need a change of pintxo bars from the Parte Vieja (old town) or the Gros area across the bridge, head to the central location and Antonio Bar. It’s an unassuming, tiny place that’s always busy, with primarily local customers. You will find a few seats inside by the bar and more outside, where the jovial waiter will serve you. Finding a space may take a minute, but the turnover is pretty quick. It is a great spot to enjoy, Txistorra (spicy sausage

BAR SPORT We returned to Bar Sport, which remains somewhat of an insider tip. True to its name, it is particularly popular during sports events, but it offers some beautifully assembled pintxos throughout the week. This authentic bar serves traditional pintxos in a vibrant atmosphere and impresses further with its more than reasonable prices. Popular with locals, it offers a rustic interior and represents a conventional Basque dining experience, perfected by its good selectio

GANDARIAS JATETXEA We returned to Casa Gandarias for our regular fill of pintxo de solomillo and red wine! We had a bottle of El Lagar de Isilla Paraje Peñalobos Tinta del Pais 2018 DOC Ribera del Duero . This was a good match with the solomillo. The famous Basque Gildas. Guindilla pepper, green olive and fresh anchovy - named after Rita Haywood (hot, tall and spicy). During this visit, we also had a sit-down lunch with a group at the restaurant. Something not done before a

For this visit to San Sebastian in June 2025, we concentrated on pintxos rather than sit-down meals. We started our pintxo tour in Parte Vieja (the old town). We always prefer hot pintxos, as they are made to order. The pintxos on the bar are not a problem, but you may eat too much bread! We tend to have no more than two pintxos and a glass of wine or beer per bar, so we don’t get too full too early. The best time to visit pintxo bars is 8.30 — 10.30 pm. Several pintxo bars a

LA CUCHARA DE SAN TELMO We returned to a favourite pintxo bar in San Sebastián's old town. It is down a side alley off 31 de Agosto Kalea at the back of the old city. It is well worth seeking out, and do not be shy about walking in, even if it is busy. Thankfully, we were now free of COVID-19 restrictions, and things were back to normal. The list of pintxos looked very inviting indeed. The small kitchen staff were hard at work, as usual. We headed for the bar and dived into

HOTELA M&UGA We stayed for three nights in the Basque Country town of Elorrio. The Town stands out for its unique medieval and modern heritage. In 1964, it was declared a Medieval Heritage Site. It is set in a green valley with the river Zumelegi running down its centre. It is a delightful walk through the streets of palaces and ancestral houses, built of stone and carved masonry from the 17th and 18th centuries. We chose to stay in the M&UGA Hotela. The hotel is a minute’s w