30 basque rooms worth the trip across Spain, editor-ranked. All cuisines in Spain.
Azurmendi ★ 4.9 · Bilbao
Barrio Legina, 48195 Larrabetzu
Azurmendi in Larrabetzu 20 minutes from Bilbao holds three Michelin stars for Eneko Atxa's sustainable-Basque tasting menu and kitchen garden.
Arzak ★ 4.9 · San Sebastián
Avenida Alcalde Jose Elosegi 273, 20015 Donostia-San Sebastian
Arzak on Avenida Alcalde Jose Elosegi in San Sebastian is a 19th-century family mansion that has held three Michelin stars since 1989, the New Basque Cuisine.
Tip: Book through arzak.es 6 to 8 weeks ahead; the dining room sits 40. Closed Sundays, Mondays and late June plus most of November.
Ganbara ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town has run the Martinez-Ortuzar family kitchen since 1984, anchored by an autumn mushroom counter.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. The bar counter is walk-in; the basement dining room takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
Ganbara ★ 4.8 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town has run the Martinez-Ortuzar family kitchen since 1984, anchored by an autumn mushroom counter.
Tip: Counter walk-in, basement takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
Mina ★ 4.7 · Bilbao
indautxu · Calle Ercilla 37, 48011 Bilbao
Mina has held one Michelin star since 2013 for Alvaro Garrido's modern-Basque tasting menu, now a 25-cover Indautxu room on Calle Ercilla. Priced at €€€€.
Tip: Two services, lunch and dinner, menu only. Book three weeks ahead; closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Mina ★ 4.7 · Bilbao
Calle Ercilla 37, 48011 Bilbao
Mina has held one Michelin star since 2013 for Alvaro Garrido's modern-Basque tasting menu, now a 25-cover Indautxu room on Calle Ercilla. Family-friendly.
Arriaga ★ 4.7 · Granada
centro-sagrario · Avenida de la Ciencia 2, 18006 Granada
Arriaga in Granada is Basque chef Alvaro Arriagas Michelin Guide room atop the Museo de la Memoria, panoramic over Granada and the Sierra Nevada.
Tip: Tasting menus are served per table; ask the sommelier for the Vinos de Granada flight if you want regional pairing over Andalusian-wide.
Galerna Jan Edan ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
gros · Paseo Colon 46, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Galerna Jan Edan in San Sebastian's Gros, run since 2016 by Jorge Asenjo and Rebeca Barainca, cooks a short modern-Basque tasting menu in a 30-cover room.
Tip: Two services, lunch and dinner, both menu-only. Book a fortnight ahead in season; the dining room is small and full.
Bar Nestor ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 11, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Nestor on Pescaderia in San Sebastian's Old Town has cooked exactly four things since 1981: txuleta of old-cow ribeye, tomato salad, pimientos de Padron.
Tip: Tortilla is two per day, twelve to seventeen slices; show up an hour before service. Txuleta needs a list-name on arrival.
La Vina ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Calle 31 de Agosto 3, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
La Vina on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian invented the burnt Basque cheesecake in 1990, when Santiago Rivera blasted a crustless cheesecake.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Get the cheesecake at the counter; the dining room behind serves a sit-down lunch with the same wedge for dessert.
Galerna Jan Edan ★ 4.7 · San Sebastián
Paseo Colon 46, 20002 Donostia-San Sebastian
Galerna Jan Edan in San Sebastian's Gros, chef-partners Jorge Asenjo and Rebeca Barainca's modern Basque room since 2016, runs a focused tasting menu.
Tip: Two services, lunch and dinner; both small. Book a fortnight ahead. The lunch menu del dia is the best value.
Zarate ★ 4.6 · Bilbao
indautxu · Calle Licenciado Poza 65, 48013 Bilbao
Zarate in Bilbao's Indautxu holds one Michelin star for Sergio Ortiz de Zarate's whole-baked Cantabrian fish, sea bass and turbot served plainly.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead for dinner; lunch midweek is the calmer service. Closed Sunday night and Monday.
Zarate ★ 4.6 · Bilbao
Calle Licenciado Poza 65, 48013 Bilbao
Zarate in Bilbao's Indautxu holds one Michelin star for Sergio Ortiz de Zarate's whole-baked Cantabrian fish, sea bass and turbot served plainly.
Eneko ★ 4.6 · Bilbao
Barrio Legina, 48195 Larrabetzu
Eneko Atxa's one-star bistro in Larrabetzu near Bilbao sits beside his three-star Azurmendi, with a shorter Basque tasting at half the price.
Casa Urola ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 20, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian has cooked Basque market food since 1956, with pintxos downstairs and the dining room upstairs.
Tip: Eat pintxos at the ground-floor counter or book upstairs for a full meal. The kokotxas are the surest order in the city.
Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 5, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies since 1972 by a guarded family recipe, served on toasted baguette with a dozen toppings.
Tip: Walk in only, stand at the bar. The blackboard lists 12 toppings; pick three and shout your order to the barman.
Bar Txepetxa ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Pescaderia Kalea 5, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies since 1972 by a guarded family recipe, served on toasted baguette with a dozen toppings.
Tip: Counter standing only. The blackboard lists 12 toppings; shout your order.
Mirador de Ulia ★ 4.6 · San Sebastián
Ulia Pasealekua 193, 20013 Donostia-San Sebastian
Mirador de Ulia at the summit of Monte Ulia in San Sebastian, third-generation chef Ruben Trincado's hilltop room, holds Michelin Plate recognition.
Tip: Drive up the Ulia hill or get a taxi; the view at sunset is the room's reason. Book a window seat.
Askua ★ 4.6 · Valencia
leixample · Calle Felipe María Garín, 4, 46021 Valencia
Askua on Carrer del Felip Maria Garin in Valencia is a Basque-style grill founded 1994 by Ricardo Gadea, with rotating local-fish specials, chuleton from old.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Reserve 10 days ahead. The fish-and-chuleton menu changes daily on a small chalkboard.
Boroa ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
amorebieta · San Pedro de Boroa 11, 48340 Amorebieta-Etxano, Bizkaia
Boroa in a 15th-century Bizkaian farmhouse 20 minutes from Bilbao holds one Michelin star for Javier Gartzia's tradition-and-avant-garde Basque cooking.
Tip: Twenty minutes by car from central Bilbao; closed Sunday night and Monday. Book the farmhouse upstairs room for the quietest seating.
Ola Martin Berasategui ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
casco-viejo · Calle Ribera 13, 48005 Bilbao
Ola Martin Berasategui in the Tayko hotel by the Nervion in Bilbao holds one Michelin star for Raul Cabrera's reading of the Berasategui canon.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays plus Sunday dinner; book two weeks out.
Casa Rufo ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
abando · Calle Hurtado de Amezaga 5, 48008 Bilbao
Casa Rufo on Hurtado de Amezaga in Bilbao since 1955 grills the canonical Bilbao txuleta over open flame, between deli counter and dining room.
Tip: Lunch 13:30-16:00, dinner 20:30-23:00; closed Sundays. The deli counter sells the same hams and cheeses.
Casa Rufo ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
abando · Calle Hurtado de Amezaga 5, 48008 Bilbao
Casa Rufo on Hurtado de Amezaga in Bilbao since 1955 grills the canonical Bilbao txuleta over open flame, between deli counter and dining room.
Tip: Lunch 13:30-16:00, dinner 20:30-23:00; closed Sundays. The deli counter is worth a look.
Boroa ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
San Pedro de Boroa 11, 48340 Amorebieta-Etxano, Bizkaia
Boroa in a 15th-century Bizkaian farmhouse 20 minutes from Bilbao holds one Michelin star for Javier Gartzia's tradition-and-avant-garde Basque cooking.
Ola Martin Berasategui ★ 4.5 · Bilbao
Calle Ribera 13, 48005 Bilbao
Ola Martin Berasategui in the Tayko hotel by the Nervion in Bilbao holds one Michelin star for Raul Cabrera's reading of the Berasategui canon.
Bodegon Alejandro ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
parte-vieja · Fermin Calbeton Kalea 4, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
Bodegon Alejandro on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian is the underground Old Town room where Martin Berasategui won his first Michelin star in 1986.
Tip: Book the 14:00 lunch slot for the calmer service. The staircase entry is easy to miss; the door is set below street level.
Casa Urola (Dining Room) ★ 4.5 · San Sebastián
Fermin Calbeton Kalea 20, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
The upstairs dining room of Casa Urola in San Sebastian's Old Town runs a Basque carte and tasting menu under chef Pablo Loureiro Rodil, a Michelin Guide.
Tip: Pintxos at the ground-floor counter or book upstairs for the full meal. Closed Mondays.
Atelier Etxanobe ★ 4.4 · Bilbao
abando · Calle Juan de Ajuriaguerra 8, 48009 Bilbao
Atelier Etxanobe in Bilbao's Abando is a 20-cover Canales-and-Poblacion gastronomic room in a former glass factory holding one Michelin star.
Tip: Closed Sundays; book three weeks ahead for the smaller dining room.
Victor Montes ★ 4.4 · Bilbao
casco-viejo · Plaza Nueva 8, 48005 Bilbao
Victor Montes on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao keeps the spirit of the 1849 grocery, with grilled mushrooms with foie, charcuterie and a deep wine cellar.
Tip: The terrace facing Plaza Nueva is the spot in summer; the back dining room takes reservations.
Atelier Etxanobe ★ 4.4 · Bilbao
Calle Juan de Ajuriaguerra 8, 48009 Bilbao
Atelier Etxanobe in Bilbao's Abando is a 20-cover Canales-and-Poblacion gastronomic room in a former glass factory holding one Michelin star.