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.