BASQUE COUNTRY - BILBAO - PLAZA NUEVA PINTXO BAR CRAWL

6 days ago
3 min read

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 is bustling with locals from early evening onward. Take note of the local tradition of pacing yourself when enjoying a txikito, a small glass of wine or beer. In pintxos bars, it is common for patrons to throw paper napkins on the floor, while only shy tourists tend to leave them on tables or other surfaces. On weekends, the area becomes busy around 11:30 am.

Our favourite places and pintxos were.

ANTXOA TABERNA

Plaza Nueva, 1, 48005 Bilbao

+34 944 59 46 31

This place offers an absolutely fantastic selection of canned anchovies and beverages! You can also purchase any of the anchovies to take home. Be sure to try the Gildas and the lightly battered fried fresh anchovies—they’re delicious! The service is excellent, provided by a friendly and helpful team. The bar is spacious and immaculate, with great music playing. I highly recommend it!

LA OLLA DE PLAZA NUEVA

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

This is quite a prominent 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: Vega Sindea Chardonnay. €15

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

This place gets packed, so you’ll have to push your way to the counter to find the mouthwatering 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 can get very crowded at times. Consider trying their traditional pintxos paired with a caña, vermut, or kalimotxo, a popular drink in the Basque Country made of half red wine and half cola.

BAR NEGRESCO

Plaza Nueva 10, 48005 Bilbao +34 944 150 119

It is a small, family-run bar owned by a mother, father, and daughter, and it is popular among the locals. They have won the award for the best Gilda, which is a pintxo made with olives, anchovies, and peppers, 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 spicy and 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.