Pintxo bar
Baster on Calle Correo at the foot of the cathedral tower in Bilbao runs a Casco Viejo pintxo bar with made-to-order tortillas, quiches and vermut.
Signature drink: Vermut, craft beer, marianito
Food: Made-to-order tortilla, quiches, bocadillo de calamares
Pintxo bar
La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.
Signature drink: Spanish wines by the glass
Food: Joselito ham on crystal bread, croquetas de jamon, bonito
Pintxo and craft beer bar
Singular on Calle Lersundi in Bilbao runs six craft beer taps with 50 weekly bottles and 50 wines, plus Iberian ham rolls as the house pintxo.
Signature drink: Six rotating craft beer taps, 50 weekly bottles
Food: Iberian ham rolls, salmon rolls, beer-paired tapas
Wine bar
Cork on Licenciado Pozas in Bilbao, run by sommelier Jonathan Hernando since 2014, pours 80 wines by the glass with a natural and low-intervention focus.
Signature drink: 80 wines by the glass, 300 by the bottle
Food: Wine-paired pintxos, Iberian charcuterie
Coffee and craft beer bar
Bihotz in Bilbao La Vieja runs a coffee-and-craft-beer hybrid south of the Ribera market, with third-wave coffee mornings and a beer-led evening.
Signature drink: Specialty coffee, craft beer
Food: Breakfast plates, cakes, light pintxos
Belle epoque cafe-bar
Cafe Iruna on Jardines de Albia in Bilbao opened in 1903, with 300 square metres of Mudejar tiles and pinchos morunos at the corner charcoal grill.
Signature drink: Vermut, cafe con leche
Food: Pinchos morunos, traditional Basque pintxos