ZAZPI GASTROBAR SAN TELMO MUSEOA Plaza Zuloaga, 1, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain +34 943 50 67 67 www.zazpistm.com UPDATED JULY 2024 On our last visit to Zazpi, we found it had a new home. Not all great cooking happens in a hushed room with linen tablecloths and servers in waistcoats. Zazpi is proof. This restaurant sits in the avant-garde wing of the Museo San Telmo, and the food by new-generation chef Paul Arrillaga is stunning. Zazpi started by serving upscale pintxos

LA RIOJA - LOGROÑO PINCHO BAR CRAWL On our recent trip to La Rioja, we decided to take a pinchos bar crawl down the famous Calle Laurel in Logroño. These were our favourite bars and bites on this hectic but pleasant November evening. BAR CID Travesía de Laurel, 1, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja It is quite literally a hole in the wall and easy to walk past. The traditional Bar Cid has vines and grapes dangling from the wooden beam ceiling above the same pair of men hanging out at th

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

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 Restaurante 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

ANTONIO BAR This is one of the top, more modern pintxo bars with a Restaurant in San Sebastián. It's in a not-so-busy area, a couple of blocks from the Parte Vieja (old town), but it's well worth the detour. It's a great place to visit, whether alone or with friends, to socialise in a casual atmosphere. Many locals stop by to grab a bite and chat with friends before going home. All the hot pintxos are cooked to order, so you may have to wait a while for those, or you can choo

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

Pamplona/Iruña is the historical capital of Navarre/Navara in the former Kingdom of Navarre. It was a medieval Basque kingdom until Castile annexed it in the 16th century. The city is famous worldwide for the running of the bulls during the San Fermín festival, which is held annually from July 6 to 14. This festival was brought to literary renown with the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises. We stayed at, CASA OTANO BAR RESTAURANTE Bajo, Calle de

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 TAST AVENIDAS After a long, gruelling day of shopping/exploring the old town of Palma de Mallorca, we popped into Tast Avenidas (one of the few Tast venues around town). This one is in a great location in the city centre next to La Rambla. After being seated, we chose from the mainly pincho menu (a pincho or pintxo is a small snack, typically eaten in bars, traditionally, in northern Spain and especially popular in the Basque Country, Navarre, La Rioja, Cantabria,

BAR GURE TOKI Michelin Plate IIO Tucked away in the corner of the bustling plaza Nueva in the old town, this little bar was the winner of the best pintxos in town for many years for a reason. They are the modern gastronomic type of pintxos. The top two pictures are from a previous visit. We Tried the following Patatas rellenas con mejillas de cerdo y sal de vainilla (potatoes stuffed with pig's cheeks and vanilla salt). Foie con manzana y pedro ximenez (foie gras with ap