Axpe (Asador Etxebarri) ★ 4.9
Famous for: Asador Etxebarri's wood-fire tasting menu
Axpe in the Atxondo valley 50 minutes from Bilbao is home to Asador Etxebarri, the one-Michelin-star wood-fire grill run by Bittor Arginzoniz since 1990.
Food destinations within easy reach of Bilbao. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Worth the trip
Larrabetzu (Azurmendi and Eneko) ★ 4.9
Famous for: Azurmendi 3-star tasting menu and Eneko bistro
Larrabetzu in the Txorierri valley 20 minutes from Bilbao is home to Eneko Atxa's three-star Azurmendi and one-star Eneko, plus txakoli vineyards.
San Sebastian ★ 4.8
Famous for: Parte Vieja pintxos, Akelarre, Arzak day-trip
San Sebastian, 100 km east of Bilbao on the bay, is the Basque country's other food capital with the Parte Vieja pintxo crawl and three Michelin stars.
Getaria (txakoli and turbot) ★ 4.7
Famous for: Asador Elkano whole-grilled turbot, txakoli wineries
Getaria, a Gipuzkoa fishing village 1 hour east of Bilbao, is home to the whole-grilled turbot tradition at Asador Elkano and the txakoli wine zone.
Rioja Alavesa (Laguardia) ★ 4.7
Famous for: Rioja Alavesa wine cellars and asadores
Rioja Alavesa, 1.5 hours south of Bilbao on the Ebro, holds the Basque-administered Rioja DO, with Bodegas Ysios and Marques de Riscal as anchors.
Bermeo (anchoa, bonito) ★ 4.4
Famous for: Anchoa de Bermeo, bonito fishing port, seaside grills
Bermeo, the Bizkaia fishing port 40 minutes north of Bilbao, lands the canonical anchoa de Bermeo and bonito and grills them at port-side asadores.