[ES] Foodie stops for San Sebastian, La Rioja, and Bilbao
Aug 21, 2021, 8:44 am
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: London, UK
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[ES] Foodie stops for San Sebastian, La Rioja, and Bilbao
Planning a trip to this area of Spain soon, and visiting these three areas (and the places in between).
I've now sorted out where to stay in those areas, but wondering if anyone had recommendations for good restaurants? I have a car, so am relatively flexible where to drive. Quality of wine list not that important, as we've both given up alcohol.
Looking for a few splurge ones (Michelin star or thereabouts), and also above average places (mains eur25-40), and also any unusual or unique places to check out as well. We're both seafood and meat lovers, although would prefer restaurants that have a balanced menu and more refined and creative smaller dishes rather than just massive surf and turf portions.
I've now sorted out where to stay in those areas, but wondering if anyone had recommendations for good restaurants? I have a car, so am relatively flexible where to drive. Quality of wine list not that important, as we've both given up alcohol.
Looking for a few splurge ones (Michelin star or thereabouts), and also above average places (mains eur25-40), and also any unusual or unique places to check out as well. We're both seafood and meat lovers, although would prefer restaurants that have a balanced menu and more refined and creative smaller dishes rather than just massive surf and turf portions.
Aug 21, 2021, 10:49 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2008
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I’m going to San Sebastián in just over a week. I crowdsourced vía Spanish friends and friends of friends for recommendations and got A LOT of recommendations, including some places that came up over and over again. Will report back once I’ve been. There are many pintxos bars, so you could go to a number of restaurants and just try their top pintxo (a pintxo is a couple bites of food, smaller than a tapas portion).
I’ll be on that portion of my trip alone, so choosing not to do any of the Michelin **/*** restaurants, but certainly Arzak, Akelarre, Mugaritz and Martin Berasategui would be amazing on high-end options.
I’ll be on that portion of my trip alone, so choosing not to do any of the Michelin **/*** restaurants, but certainly Arzak, Akelarre, Mugaritz and Martin Berasategui would be amazing on high-end options.
Aug 21, 2021, 8:58 pm
#3
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From our research of pintxos bars. I wish that I could remember where we actually stopped during our pintxos crawls. Everything that we had was excellent.
Bilbao:
- Berton (Michelin Plate)
- Sasibil (Michelin Plate)
- Gure-Toki (Michelin Plate)
- extra creative
- El Globo (Michelin Plate)
- Irrintzi
- looks a bit more interesting than the typical pintxos
- Ganbara (Michelin Plate/recommended by multiple articles)
- Hard to tell what the food is like because there aren't really descriptions
- Menu - Restaurante Ganbara - Ganbara jatetxea
- Bar Zabaleta
- just for the tortilla
- Bar Txepetxa
- Can't find a menu, but specializes in anchovies
- Bergera (Michelin Plate/recommended by multiple articles)
- Have a menu de degustacion (6 pintxos, 1 drink, 1 dessert for 23)
- https://pinchosbergara.es/hot-pinchos.html
- La Cuchara de San Telmo
- These are plated - not served as toast like most other places
- A bit more "fine dining" style food
- very highly recommended
- Bar Nestor
- Need to put down name an hour before they open for tortilla
- Just serve tortilla, steak, tomato salad, padron peppers
- Bar Haizea
- A bit more old school
- Bar Martinez (Michelin Plate)
- interesting mix, worth a stop
- A Fuego Negro (Michelin Plate)
- some different options from other pintxos
- more veggies
- Gran Sol (Michelin Plate)
- recommend Jaizkibel, Hondarribia and Huevo Mollete
Aug 24, 2021, 12:55 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2008
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[QUOTE=TWA884;33509758]Those are way more than €25-40 for the main course. Our meal at Arzak three years ago was at the time the most expensive we've ever had and one of the most memorable. We've since had two more expensive meals, Narisawa in Tokyo and the late SOMNI in Beverly Hills.
yes, he said splurges that were Michelin star or thereabouts as well as places in range of €25-40 for main course. Those are much pricier than €25-40, but would hit the splurge criterion.
yes, he said splurges that were Michelin star or thereabouts as well as places in range of €25-40 for main course. Those are much pricier than €25-40, but would hit the splurge criterion.
Aug 24, 2021, 1:02 pm
#5
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Sorry I'm bad with names so no recommendation on restaurants, but I remember the cod and the octopus being fantastic in San Sebastien. We had a guide that was a member of a local supper club whose recommendation for Pinxtos was to try one thing at each place instead of trying to get everything from one place.