“Bilbao isn’t a city you tick off a list. It’s one you slowly understand.”
Most visitors arrive expecting the Guggenheim.
The ones who fall in love leave talking about a bartender who remembered their order, a tortilla they still think about months later, and an old market where lunch somehow stretched into the afternoon.
Bilbao isn’t trying to impress you.
That’s precisely why it does.
This guide is simply the places I’d send a friend.
Mornings in bilbao
Coffee, bakeries and breakfasts worth waking up for
Breakfast Cafés & Specialty Coffee Bilbao
- Alma: One of those places where breakfast feels intentional rather than functional. Beautiful plates, great coffee and a calm atmosphere. FAVOURITE!
- Arvo Café: Minimal, bright and quietly excellent. A favourite if your perfect morning starts with specialty coffee. FAVOURITE!
- Baristas Club: For coffee lovers who appreciate the details. Excellent espresso and a relaxed local crowd.
- Bihotz Café: Probably one of Bilbao’s most beloved specialty coffee pioneers. Expect great beans, homemade cakes and people working quietly over laptops beside neighbours catching up over breakfast.
- Bolge: Modern, comfortable and consistently good. FAVOURITE!
- Brämar: Stylish without trying too hard. Great if you’re looking for a slower breakfast.
- Charamel: Sweet breakfasts done exceptionally well.
- Cokoon Café : Worth the wait, beautiful dishes, excellent coffee, and the Guggenheim as your view. FAVOURITE!
Where Bilbao Goes for Coffee
- Dupla: Small, independent and serious about coffee. FAVOURITE
- Nokora: Thoughtfully sourced beans and beautifully made espresso.
- Otto’s Café: Warm, welcoming and consistently excellent.
- Taula: A lovely stop whether you’re starting the day or escaping an afternoon shower.
When Breakfast Becomes an Occasion
- Hotel Ercilla: An elegant hotel breakfast worth lingering over.
- Hotel Miró: Refined without feeling formal.
- Hotel The Artist: Beautiful surroundings and one of Bilbao’s nicest places to begin a slow day.
Don’t Leave Without Visiting a Bakery
- Arrese: A Bilbao institution. Come early.
- Gure Ogia: If you buy one thing, buy the extra crunchy palmera.
- CookieKukie : We have an obsession with cookies. Their white chocolate, macadamia and rum cookie is addictive, and everything is gluten-free.
Pintxos in bilbao
Less about chasing Michelin stars and more about neighbourhood bars that have been doing one thing brilliantly for decades.
That’s what makes them wonderful.
- El Globo: Ask almost anyone from Bilbao where to begin and this name comes up. Order the famous gratinated txangurro pintxo. It deserves every bit of its reputation. FAVOURITE!
- Gure Toki: Traditional Basque cooking with enough creativity to keep regulars coming back.
- Taberna Zarate: Excellent produce and quiet confidence.
- Bodega Joserra: An old-school corner bar famous for its tuna and anchovy sandwiches. Exactly the sort of place visitors rarely discover alone.
- Café Bar Bilbao: On Plaza Nueva. Classic pintxos, old Bilbao atmosphere and one of the city’s institutions.
- Motrikes (Somera): Go for the grilled mushrooms. Simple and ridiculously good. FAVOURITE!
The Pintxos Every Visitor Should Try
You can’t understand Bilbao without trying a few classics.
- Start with a Gilda.
- Order a Bilbainito.
- Never say no to a good tortilla.
- And if you see txangurro on the bar, order it.
Bilbao’s Great Bars
Some bars are worth visiting for one thing alone.
- Nashville: One of the city’s favourite tortillas.
- Eme: The legendary triangular sandwiches. Locals have been ordering them for decades.
- Bar Alameda: Come for the famous Felipadas.
- Txintxirri: Many Bilbaínos will confidently tell you this is the city’s best tortilla.
- Mr Marvelous: Great pintxos. Great tortilla.
- Estoril: Reliable classics done well.
- La Viña del Ensanche: Exceptional jamón and individual tortillas that deserve their own following. FAVOURITE!
- Wicklow Arms: Possibly the best Irish coffee in Bilbao.
- Sorginzulo: Traditional pintxos in the heart of the Old Town.
Restaurants Worth Booking
Bilbao has quietly become one of Spain’s great restaurant cities.
These are the places I’d happily plan an entire trip around.
- Traditional Basque- Iñakiren Taberna: Honest cooking; just beautiful Basque food.
- Steak- Aitaren Boulevard: A classic Basque asador where fire does most of the talking.
- Grill- Kate Zaharra: One of Bilbao’s historic grill houses and still one of the best places to understand the city’s love affair with perfectly cooked meat. FAVOURITE!
- Mediterranean- Bocoy: Fresh, seasonal Mediterranean cooking with a Basque soul.
- Wine Lovers- Gastronomía Bilbao: Come hungry and stay for another glass. FAVOURITE!
- For Sharing:
- Bitsa: Creative small plates in a relaxed atmosphere. FAVOURITE!
- Calcáreo: One of those places where every dish makes you want to order another.
- Bihotz Café: A lovely place for relaxed grazing. FAVOURITE!
- Michelin Stars & Rising Talent: Bilbao has become one of northern Spain’s most exciting dining destinations. If you’re celebrating—or simply want to experience Basque cooking at its most refined—these are the names worth knowing:
- Kimtxu: A cool Asian tavern combining contemporary technique with deep respect for Basque ingredients. Bib Gourmand, Macarfi Guide and Guía Repsol recommended. FAVOURITE!
- Amaren: Elegant, ingredient-led cooking that feels both modern and rooted in tradition.
- Zarate: One of Bilbao’s most consistently outstanding restaurants, where precision and personality go hand in hand.
- Mina: An intimate Michelin-starred experience built around seasonal tasting menus and warm, understated hospitality. FAVOURITE!
- Etxanobe: A benchmark of Basque fine dining, balancing innovation with a profound respect for local produce.
- Bascook: Chef Aitor Elizegi’s flagship restaurant, where bold flavours and global influences meet Basque tradition.
Discover Bilbao Through Its Food
The city’s best stories aren’t found inside museums. They’re told over a glass of txakoli, leaning against a centuries-old bar, in conversations with the people who have been keeping these traditions alive for generations.
That’s why we created Topa Food Tours.
Rather than taking you to the places everyone already knows, we introduce you to the neighbourhood bars, market stalls, family-run businesses, and local traditions that reveal the Bilbao most visitors never experience. Along the way, you’ll taste the dishes locals actually order, learn the stories behind them, and leave with the confidence to keep exploring long after the tour ends.
Every tour also supports Koop SF 34, a social business incubator in Bilbao’s San Francisco neighbourhood that empowers entrepreneurs of Sub-Saharan origin and promotes new narratives around migration and cultural diversity. Your visit doesn’t just support independent local businesses—it also contributes to the people shaping Bilbao’s future.
Join Us on a Bilbao Food Tour
BILBAO OLD TOWN FOOD TOUR: PINTXOS, WINE & MARKET VISIT
Spend a leisurely afternoon exploring Bilbao’s Old Town through its food, wine and stories. Visit independent bars, discover the Mercado de la Ribera, taste six carefully selected stops paired with local wines, and experience the city with a local guide who knows the people behind every counter—not just what’s on it.
Small groups, thoughtful storytelling, and no tourist traps.
Discover Bilbao through its food!
