38 mid-range places in Bilbao, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Bilbao, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Bilbao food.
Arvo Specialty Coffee ★ 4.8
Calle Barraincua 9, 48009 Bilbao
Arvo Specialty Coffee on Barraincua near the Guggenheim Bilbao opened 2021, with Basque-roasted beans, brunch, acai bowls and homemade food.
Cork ★ 4.8
Calle Licenciado Poza 45, 48011 Bilbao
Cork on Licenciado Poza in Bilbao's Indautxu is sommelier Jonathan Hernando's reference natural-wine bar, with a strong txakoli flight as a fine opener.
Tip: Ask Jonathan for the lowest-intervention pour on rotation; the txakoli flight is a strong opener.
Arvo Specialty Coffee ★ 4.8
Calle Barraincua 9, 48009 Bilbao
Arvo Specialty Coffee on Barraincua near the Guggenheim Bilbao opened 2021, with Basque-roasted beans, brunch, acai bowls and homemade food.
Xukela ★ 4.7
Calle del Perro 2, 48005 Bilbao
Xukela on Calle del Perro in Bilbao runs the city's most traditional pintxo bar, with candied-rooster-crest mushrooms and a wine list locals know.
Tip: Order the mushrooms with candied rooster crests as a starter; stay for the wine list.
Siembra Coffee ★ 4.6
Calle Henao 16, 48009 Bilbao
Siembra Coffee on Calle Henao in Bilbao's Abando runs a quiet third-wave specialty coffee bar with rotating Basque-roasted beans and pastries.
Bascook ★ 4.6
Calle Barroeta Aldamar 8, 48001 Bilbao
Bascook is inside a former bilbao salt warehouse, aitor elizegi's modern-basque kitchen sits below tourist radar despite the michelin-guide reputation.
Tip: Order the Bilbao 7 Cucharas tasting menu of old-Bilbao spoonable recipes; ask for the brick-arched cellar room.
Cafe Iruna ★ 4.6
Calle Berastegui 4, 48001 Bilbao
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.
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.
Tip: The newer Plaza Nueva location keeps later hours; the original Diputacion bar is the bigger room.
Laugar Brewery ★ 4.5
Goldarazena, 48192 Gordexola, Bizkaia
Laugar Brewery in Gordexola 18 km from Bilbao was founded 2011 by four friends, the Basque Country's best-known craft brewery with a taproom.
Basqueland Brewing ★ 4.5
Akarregi Industrialdea 4B, 20120 Hernani
Basqueland Brewing in Hernani, founded 2015 by three Americans, was named Best Brewery Spain three times, with a biergarten taproom near Bilbao.
Siembra Coffee ★ 4.5
Calle Henao 16, 48009 Bilbao
Siembra Coffee on Calle Henao in Bilbao runs a precise third-wave coffee bar between belle-epoque cafes and Indautxu pintxo bars, V60 filter or espresso.
Tip: Order a V60 filter from the seasonal Ethiopia or Colombia; the espresso is reliable too.
Arvo Specialty Coffee Deusto ★ 4.5
Plaza San Pio X 2, 48014 Bilbao
Arvo's Deusto branch in Bilbao runs the same Basque-roasted specialty coffee and brunch plate menu as its Guggenheim flagship, plus acai bowls.
La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.4
abando · Calle Diputacion 10, 48008 Bilbao
La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.
Tip: The taller (workshop room) is a more intimate sit-down service; book for the tasting menu. The deli sells the same hams to take away.
La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.4
abando · Calle Diputacion 10, 48008 Bilbao
La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.
Tip: Book the taller (workshop) for the tasting menu; the deli sells the same hams to take away.
Arvo Specialty Coffee (Deusto) ★ 4.4
Plaza San Pio X 2, 48014 Bilbao
Arvo's Deusto branch in Bilbao serves the university crowd with Basque-roasted specialty beans, plus brunch plates, acai bowls and pastries.
Cafe Iruna ★ 4.4
Calle Berastegui 4, 48001 Bilbao
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.
Cork ★ 4.4
Calle Licenciado Poza 45, 48011 Bilbao
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.
Cafe Iruna ★ 4.3
abando · Calle Berastegui 4, 48001 Bilbao
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.
Tip: The dining room takes bookings; the bar is walk-in. Closed Sunday evenings.
Baster ★ 4.3
Calle Correo, 48005 Bilbao
Baster at the corner of Correo and Cintureria below the cathedral tower in Bilbao runs made-to-order tortilla and a young marianito crowd on the terrace.
Tip: Order the made-to-order tortilla and the marianito (vermut and gin); the terrace is the spot in spring.
Bihotz ★ 4.3
Calle Aretxaga 6, 48003 Bilbao
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.
Berton ★ 4.2
casco-viejo · Calle Jardines 11, 48005 Bilbao
Berton on Calle Jardines in Bilbao's Casco Viejo runs a standing pintxo bar and a Basque dining room with rabas and hand-cut Iberian ham daily.
Tip: Open continuously from 09:00-23:00; jam-packed at txikiteo hour, calmer after 21:30 in the dining room.
Berton ★ 4.2
casco-viejo · Calle Jardines 11, 48005 Bilbao
Berton on Calle Jardines in Bilbao's Casco Viejo runs a standing pintxo bar and a Basque dining room with rabas and hand-cut Iberian ham daily.
Tip: Open continuously from 09:00-23:00; jam-packed at txikiteo hour, calmer after 21:30 in the dining room.
East Crema Coffee Ercilla ★ 4.2
Calle Ercilla 5, 48009 Bilbao
East Crema brings the Madrid-born specialty roaster to Bilbao at the corner of Ercilla and Henao, with espresso, V60 filter and whole-bean retail.
Singular ★ 4.2
Lersundi Kalea 2, 48009 Bilbao
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.
Bihotz ★ 4.2
Calle Aretxaga 6, 48003 Bilbao
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.
Bihotz ★ 4.2
Calle Aretxaga 6, 48003 Bilbao
Bihotz across the river in Bilbao La Vieja brings third-wave coffee plus craft beer to a quieter quarter, outside the standard pintxo crawl entirely.
Tip: Come for coffee before noon, craft beer after dusk; the same room shifts mood across the day.
Cafe Bar Bilbao ★ 4.2
Plaza Nueva 6, 48005 Bilbao
Cafe Bar Bilbao on Plaza Nueva since 1911 keeps a Belle Epoque tiled interior in Bilbao, with ham croquettes, peppers stuffed with cod and rabas.
Singular ★ 4.1
abando · Lersundi Kalea 2, 48009 Bilbao
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.
Tip: Beer-pairing tastings on weeknights; the kitchen runs continuously from 12:00-23:00 weekends.
La Salve ★ 4.1
Telleria Kalea 31A, 48004 Bilbao
La Salve in Bilbao was founded 1886 beneath the La Salve bridge, ceased 1978 and returned 2014 as the city's craft cerveza brewed from Bolueta.
Singular ★ 4.1
Lersundi Kalea 2, 48009 Bilbao
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.
La Camelia Vegan Bar ★ 4.1
Calle Villarias 3, 48001 Bilbao
La Camelia in Bilbao opened 2015 as the city's first dedicated 100% vegan bar, with vegetable sushi, seitan, tofu and tempeh plates and organic wines.
Garibolo ★ 4.1
Calle Fernandez del Campo 7, 48008 Bilbao
Garibolo on Fernandez del Campo in Bilbao runs a long-standing vegetarian dining room with a daily menu del dia, parallel vegan set on the board too.
Tip: Come for the daily three-course vegetarian menu del dia; vegans get a parallel set on the board.
Bihotz ★ 4.0
Calle Aretxaga 6, 48003 Bilbao
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.
Berton ★ 4.0
Calle Jardines 11, 48005 Bilbao
Berton on Calle Jardines in Bilbao's Casco Viejo runs a standing pintxo bar and a Basque dining room with rabas and hand-cut Iberian ham daily.
Berton ★ 4.0
Calle Jardines 11, 48005 Bilbao
Berton is a basque room in Bilbao. Ham cut from the 1907 machine plus a glass of Rioja at the bar; the upstairs dining room is the calmer order.
Tip: Ham cut from the 1907 machine plus a glass of Rioja at the bar; the upstairs dining room is the calmer order.
La Camelia Vegan Bar ★ 4.0
Calle Villarias 3, 48001 Bilbao
La Camelia in Bilbao opened 2015 as the city's first dedicated 100% vegan bar, with vegetable sushi, seitan, tofu and tempeh plates and organic wines.
Anboto Gastroleku ★ 3.9
casco-viejo · Calle Jardines 2, 48005 Bilbao
Anboto Gastroleku on Jardines in Bilbao runs a Casco Viejo pintxo bar downstairs and 110-cover Basque restaurant with menu del dia upstairs.
Tip: Book ahead for the upstairs dining room; the downstairs pintxo bar accepts walk-up custom from open until close.
Anboto Gastroleku ★ 3.9
casco-viejo · Calle Jardines 2, 48005 Bilbao
Anboto Gastroleku on Jardines in Bilbao runs a Casco Viejo pintxo bar downstairs and 110-cover Basque restaurant with menu del dia upstairs.
Tip: Book ahead for the upstairs dining room; the downstairs pintxo bar accepts walk-up custom from open until close.