BASQUE COUNTRY - BILBAO - PLAZA NUEVA PINTXO BAR CRAWL

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 a.m.

Our favourite places and pintxos were.

ANTXOA TABERNA

Plaza Nueva, 1, 48005 Bilbao

+34 944 59 46 31

It has an absolutely amazing selection of canned anchovies and beverages! You can also purchase any of the anchovies to go. Try the Gildas and lightly battered/fried fresh anchovies—excellent service from a pleased, helpful team. The bar is immaculate and spacious. It also has great music; I 100% recommend it.

LA OLLA DE PLAZA NUEVA

Plaza Nueva 2, 48005 Bilboa +34 946 63 00 12

This is quite a large place.

Try the lata de antxoas (tin of anchovies)

Txuleton pintxo (T-bone steak)

Atún rojo en salsa de tomate y aguacate. (red tuna in tomato sauce and avocado).

Solomillo Ibérico Bellota

Wines: Monopole Siglo XXI, 100% verdejo. €14. Light and refreshing or Vega Sindea, Chardonnay. €15

ZUGA Plaza Nueva 4, 48005 Bilbao +34 944 150 321

This place gets packed, so you must push yourself to the counter to find the mouth-watering pintxos. They are delightful, generously piled on rounds of bread, in filo, or perched on a spoon.

Foie de frutos rojos y vinagre de modena (foie gras with red fruits and Modena vinegar).

Also, try gambas gordas en salsa de mayonesa o un montículo de minúsculas gulas con Jerez (fat prawns in a mayonnaise sauce or a mound of minuscule gulas (fake elvers/baby eels) with sherry.

CAFÉ BAR BILBAO Plaza Nueva 6, 48005 Bilbao +34 944 151 671 ‎

Café Bar Bilbao has been a local institution since 1911. It does exactly what it says on the tin. Grab a table in the ceramic-tiled, faintly belle époque interior, or indulge in some people-watching from the terrace on Plaza Nueva.

It does get very crowded at times. Try their traditional pintxos with a caña, vermut, or a kalimotxo, a half-red wine, half-cola drink much loved in the Basque Country.

BAR NEGRESCO

Plaza Nueva 10, 48005 Bilbao +34 944 150 119

It is a small, literal Mum, Dad and Daughter bar with many locals. They have won the prize for the campeon de gilda (gilda es aceituna, anchoa y piparrak pintxo - gilda is an olive, anchovy and pepper pintxo) on several occasions.

This pintxo is named after the American film Gilda, one of Spain's first American pop cultural influences after World War II. "It's a little bit spicy, a little salty," just like Rita Hayworth, the femme fatale in the movie.

SORGINZULO Plaza Nueva 12, 48005 Bilbao +34 944 15 05 64

This is tucked away in the corner of Plaza Nueva. The selection of pintxos is beautiful and well-presented.