Bilbao: Pintxos & Basque Flavours Food Tour with 9 Tastings
Discover Bilbao through its legendary pintxos on a guided food tour. Skip tourist traps, taste authentic Basque flavors, and explore local wine, cider, and culture.
The gilda is the original pintxo: a single skewer of pickled anchovy, green olive and green guindilla pepper, named in 1946 after Rita Hayworth's film character because it was 'green, salty and a bit spicy'.
The gilda was invented in 1946 at Bar Casa Vallés in San Sebastian, when a customer named the skewer after the Rita Hayworth film 'Gilda' (1946). The pintxo migrated across the Basque country and Bilbao adopted it as a counter staple. The classic gilda combines anchoa de Cantabrico, Manzanilla olive and Ibarra guindilla pepper on a single toothpick. Bar Charly, Bar El Globo and every Bilbao pintxo counter runs a version, with debates about whether to swap a salted anchovy for a fresher Cantabrian boquerón.
4 editor picks for Pintxo Gilda in Bilbao, ranked by editorial score. All Bilbao signature dishes · Pintxo Gilda across every city.
Bar El Globo ★ 4.5
abando · Calle Diputacion 8, 48008 Bilbao
Bar El Globo on Calle Diputacion in Bilbao since 1997 anchors the Indautxu pintxo crawl with the canonical txangurro (spider crab) gratin counter.
Gure Toki ★ 4.4
Plaza Nueva 12, 48005 Bilbao
Gure Toki on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao won the Euskal Herria pintxo championship 2016 with Idiazabal cheese soup, oxtail croquettes and cheesecake.
Bar Charly ★ 4.2
Plaza Nueva 8, 48005 Bilbao
Bar Charly on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao since 1973 keeps a traditional Casco Viejo pintxo counter with bacalao croquettes, bonito and the gilda.
Sorginzulo ★ 4.1
Plaza Nueva 12, 48005 Bilbao
Sorginzulo on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao makes a 2023 Spanish Tortilla Championship finalist with Euskaber eggs, plus traditional Basque pintxos.
Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide
Pintxo Gilda makes more sense with someone from Bilbao explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Taste Pintxo Gilda with a local in Bilbao
Bilbao: Traditional Basque Pintxos Cooking Class
Learn how to cook the most traditional pintxos of Bilbao and Basque Country so you can recreate them back home. Taste the pintxos alongside wine, a cheese board, and dessert.
Bilbao Food Tour with Pintxos & Drinks with a Local
Experience the flavors of Bilbao with a knowledgeable guide on a culinary tour. Sample anchovies, local cheese, croquetas, codfish and pastelito vasco and discover its...