where to drink our wines

Small bar on Mari street, in the Old Town, with the harbour at its feet and Mount Urgull above. Imanol Basterra looks after the music and the bar, with local craft beers and natural wine, and nearly everyone ends up on the terrace overlooking the bay; no food served.

Wine bar near the Boulevard opened in 2018 by Argentinians Cynthia Pereira and Santiago Torres. A tiny kitchen turns out seven to ten market and seasonal dishes, such as roast carrot with almond, mint and local cheese cream, and the wine list, more than fourteen pages long, is almost entirely natural wine. Booking is advisable.

Germán and Anali, two Peruvian chefs, opened this twelve-seat counter in Gros, where they cook right in front of you. They start from seasonal Basque produce and add what they bring from Peru, with a short menu, a tasting menu and a good selection of wines.

Trattoria run by Marco Bellinzis and Nicola Nali, two Sardinians from Sassari, on Avenida de Zarautz, in Lorea. Homemade fresh pasta, carefully made sauces and dishes that change on the blackboard; the name, “bean” in Basque, speaks of the humble cooking of Italian trattorias and winks at Tolosa beans.

Classic Amara bar opened in 1958, with a varnished wooden counter and a sunny terrace all year round, run by its current owners since 2003. It is known for its acorn-fed Iberian pork cheek, and there is also chargrilled octopus, traditional pintxos and a good wine list; every so often they hold tastings and pairing dinners.

Family-run bar in Gros opened in 1986, away from the bustle of the Old Town, with counter pintxos such as gildas, anchovies with garlic or patatas bravas. It is famous in its own right for its txuleta burger with cheese cream in a brioche bun, and has a good selection of craft beers, from local Gross and Basqueland to Belgian lambics.

Small wine bar on San Bartolomé street, in the Centre, open in the afternoon and evening and working almost exclusively with natural wine. There is no kitchen here: you come to drink, to try bottles rarely seen at other bars and to chat at leisure, in a relaxed neighbourhood atmosphere with no fuss.

Mediterranean-rooted tavern in Ategorrieta run by Alicante-born chef Israel Martínez, with a gluten-free menu. His speciality is rice dishes, served in the very tin they are cooked in, alongside pork belly and seafood croquetas or an ensaladilla with olive foam, good wine and a quiet terrace. Open Thursday to Sunday; book by phone.

The izakaya of the Basqueland brewery, opened in 2020 in Gros, a stone's throw from the Kursaal. The menu changes with the seasons without losing its street-food spirit, with bao, dumplings and a hearty ramen, and the taps pour the brewery's latest beers; there is natural wine too. Open every day until past midnight.

Our home: the shop on Calle Nueva, in Gros, a former mechanic's workshop full of shelves of wines from small producers. Here we chat, recommend and open bottles, and it is the starting point for everything you see on this list.

Café with eclectic decor on Paseo del Árbol de Gernika, by the Urumea, with a garden terrace full of plants and flowers and a small herb garden. Open all day, with egg breakfasts, juices and smoothies, dishes from cuisines around the world with vegetarian and vegan options, a dish of the day and homemade desserts.

Delicatessen on Trueba street, in Gros, with products from around the world: Italian stracciatella, French pâté, spicy Japanese miso, artisan pasta, tinned goods, cheeses and chocolate. It also has a good selection of natural wine to take away, hot sauces for the brave and an online shop.

Korean food bar on Carquizano street, in Gros. It was opened in September 2025 by a South Korean couple who have lived in San Sebastián for more than ten years: Max Junwoo Bai, trained at the Luis Irizar cookery school, in the kitchen, and Ayoon Inés Cho, who designed the black-and-white interior. Bul means “fire” in Korean, and the menu brings Korea and the Basque Country together: Korean hot dog filled with txistorra and served with gochujang, chargrilled spring chicken, pork ribs in soy sauce and bulgogi.

Specialty coffee shop opened in 2024 on Paseo Colón, in Gros, with carefully made coffee and a brunch that changes daily, with sweet and savoury homemade dishes. Open mornings only; no reservations.

Cheese shop on Elkano street, in the Centre, a short walk from Tabakalera, belonging to a small artisan cheesemaker from Aia. They make cheeses from Latxa sheep's milk, mostly lactic-set and soft, which are sold in the shop alongside other cheeses, accompaniments and wine to take away.

Wine, tinned fish and stories bar opened in April 2024 on Marino Tabuyo street, in Gros. It is run by Carolina, a sommelier, who has more than twenty wines by the glass and some 160 labels, many of them unusual and rarely seen, to go with carefully chosen tinned seafood, in a relaxed atmosphere.

Restaurant opened in 2025 on Deba Ibaia street, in Egia, serving produce-driven seasonal cooking in a homely atmosphere. Much of the vegetables on the plate come from its own garden in Aia, and the menu changes according to what the garden and the market provide.

Pizzeria on Peña y Goñi street, in Gros, with sourdough fermented for 48 hours without commercial yeast, a high-temperature oven and ingredients that change with the seasons. To drink, Basqueland beer and wines from small producers, and for dessert, creamy homemade ice cream.

Pintxo bar in the Old Town opened in 1984 by José Ignacio Martínez and Amaia Ortuzar and now run by their children, Nagore and Amaiur. At the counter you eat standing up, with pintxos such as the spider crab tartlet or griddled wild mushrooms with egg yolk, and downstairs there is a small dining room where you can sit down.

Bar run by Londoner Gerald Diffey on Iparragirre street, in Gros, in a space that keeps its original stone and wooden beams. Bistro cooking with dishes for sharing that change often and a wine list with plenty of local bottles, many of them also by the glass.

Dessert restaurant opened in August 2026 on Pedro Egaña street by Argentinian pastry chef Romina Yanarello, trained at the Basque Culinary Center. Its two counters seat ten people, who enjoy a seven-course tasting menu, “Oda a Donostia”, made only of desserts and inspired by the bites and flavours of the city's bars.

Bar and restaurant opened at the end of 2025 on Gloria street, in Gros, run by a friendly Breton couple. They cook wonderfully, halfway between Brittany and the Basque Country, with dishes for sharing, boards of French charcuterie and cheeses and, among other things, recipes inspired by their homeland; to drink, French and local wines and beer.

Sushi bar on Arrasate street, in the Centre, run by Chilean chef Sebastián Pincheira, who settled in San Sebastián after travelling through Australia, Japan and much of Spain. Refined technique and his own take on Japanese cooking: spicy edamame, tempura oysters, signature maki, sashimi and ramen, in a simple, well-kept space.

The home of Basque fishermen, in the old harbour building in San Sebastián known as “the aircraft carrier”. Its harbour cooking works only with fish from the inshore fleet bought every morning at the Basque fish markets, with bonito, anchovy and mackerel in the starring roles, and it also has a tinned fish shop and workshops on fishing in the Cantabrian Sea.

Restaurant in the Old Town, between the harbour and the Basilica of Santa María, opened in 2002 and holding a Michelin star since 2007. Daniel López cooks with Basque produce and roots, with nods to cuisines such as Japanese or Indian, and Estela Velasco, a sommelier, runs the dining room and cellar.

Cookery workshop tucked away on Calle Corta, in Gros, around a large central counter where each participant has their own station. There are some twenty classes that travel half the world, from sushi, ramen or Thai food to fresh pasta, paellas or classic Basque recipes, as well as wine and cheese tastings and themed dinners.

Gros bar opened in 2021 by four friends from the Basque Culinary Center, now run by Dani and Didac. Natural wines from small producers, craft beer and a seasonal menu with a Mediterranean feel that changes with the seasons.

Bistro opened in February 2025 on Bermingham street, in Gros, where Aloña Berri used to be, run by Lucía Rave from Patagonia and Venezuelan Aarón Castillo. Mestizo cooking made from scratch, with Latin American and Mediterranean roots and local produce: arepitas, ceviche of the day, homemade filled pasta or entrecôte with guasacaca, and a natural wine list. Dogs welcome.

Small bar in Gros run since 2022 by Lina María Álvarez, a Colombian trained at the Luis Irizar school. The blackboard changes often, with eight or ten seasonal dishes that blend tropical and Mediterranean flavours with local produce, alongside good wine and good music. Bookings by phone or WhatsApp only.

Restaurant at the Kursaal, by Zurriola beach, with Juan Vargas heading the kitchen. The grill takes up much of a kitchen open to the dining room, and over it go vegetables, fish, meat and even fruit and flowers, with seasonal vegetables in the starring role; it has a terrace overlooking the mouth of the Urumea.

Designer restaurant on the ground floor of the Hotel Arbaso, opposite the Buen Pastor cathedral, run by chef Iñigo Peña, who named it after his great-grandfather's nickname, a pala pelota player. Basque-rooted market and seasonal cooking with the odd new touch, without showing off, with an informal area for nibbles and a dining room with half portions and a tasting menu. It has two Repsol Soles and a Michelin Guide recommendation.

Tavern opened in 2021 in a basement off an alley on Matia street, in Antiguo, under a cellar vault with wooden tables and jazz in the background. More than a vegetarian place, it calls itself a vegetable restaurant, with a seasonal menu of dishes such as roast carrot in white bean sauce or beetroot with tamarind, and plenty of vegan options.

Restaurant and bar in Gros that brings together Basque and Mexican cooking with local, seasonal produce, with the grill as its main technique. At least 30% of the wine list is natural wine, and there are also mezcals and specialty coffee; on Sundays the kitchen switches to tacos.

Iñigo Lavado's restaurant at the Hotel Luze, on Mount Igeldo, surrounded by gardens and with sea views. It opened in May 2025 and earned its Michelin star within six months; it is a family project, with his wife, Arantxa Martínez, and their children in the dining room and cellar, and it offers two tasting menus of elegant, contemporary Basque cooking.

Café opened in July 2025 on San Marcial street, in the Centre, where eggs take centre stage: free-range farm eggs and, depending on the season, quail, duck or goose eggs, in brioches with bacon or trout, eggs Benedict, omelette or torrija. It revives the Basque hamaiketako (mid-morning snack) with touches of Peruvian cooking, served with specialty coffee, matcha and kombucha.

Tiny restaurant in Gros whose name means “the table” in Catalan: Carlos Guijarro and Manel Galve cook, serve and chat on the other side of a single table for up to ten diners, who eat together. There is just one surprise menu, made with what small local producers bring in, and drinks are included.

Sandwiches and New York rolls from sisters Oihana and Eli Dorronsoro, who opened in May 2023 on Paseo Federico García Lorca, in Amara. Unpretentious gourmet sandwiches, all homemade, designed for takeaway or delivery.

Specialty coffee shop on Paseo Ramón María Lili, in Gros, by the Urumea, formerly called OhBaba. Specialty coffee, brunch and pastries from its own bakery, next to Plaza Gipuzkoa, where they also bake their bread; open every day from 9:00 to 19:00, no reservations.

The canteen at GOe, the Basque Culinary Center building in Gros, run by Valerie Maza. Breakfasts with four-day fermented bread, a dish of the day and, after the summer, pizza by the slice, all homemade and from local producers, the wine included.

Surf hostel on Zabaleta street, in Gros, in a 1920 building a hundred metres from Zurriola beach. It runs surf, SUP and yoga lessons and outings, rents boards and wetsuits, and downstairs has a bar for breakfast, a good coffee or a beer and meeting people.

Restaurant on Aguirre Miramón street, in Gros, from Andoni Luis Aduriz's group, celebrating centuries of comings and goings between Basques and Latin Americans. Small plates for sharing that cross Basque produce with Latin and Mexican recipes, such as nachos or chargrilled tacos, in a dining room with an open kitchen and tables at different heights, plus a bar and a wine list.

Century-old farmhouse on the slopes of Mount Ulía, with a panoramic terrace over the city, run by Juan Carlos Caro and Eva Hernández. It holds a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability: seasonal Basque cooking with produce from its own vegetable garden and nearby growers, its own bread baked daily with organic flour, a wood-fired oven and composting of its waste.

Small tavern on Plaza Gipuzkoa, in the heart of Hondarribia's old quarter, with chef Amaia Urdagarin at the helm. Light, precise and creative pintxos and raciones, made without oven or griddle from local, seasonal produce, and a broad, well-chosen wine list; it has a Solete from the Repsol Guide.

Family tavern run by the Cardoso brothers, both sommeliers, on Kresaltzu street in Romo, Getxo. They have more than 250 wines on the list, with plenty from the area and from the new Rioja, over forty by the glass and their own beer list, and seasonal cooking with produce from small local producers, in a relaxed atmosphere with good music.

Wine bar, restaurant and rooms on Berberana street in Laguardia, open since 1974. Basque-Riojan cooking with local produce, including a large rib steak, and a list of more than 500 wines, many from Rioja Alavesa wineries, chosen by its sommelier and kept in the underground cellar; it came second in the award for the best wine list in the Basque Country.

Bakery and café in Durango that bakes its own bread and opens Tuesday to Sunday mornings. A good place for breakfast or a break with a coffee and something freshly made, and to take home the bread of the day.

Wine bar on Luis Briñas street in Bilbao, run by sommelier Sergio Mújico and María Mora, founder of the cheese shop La Manducateca. It has more than 700 labels, with small producers, Basque wines, Champagne and Burgundy, and to go with them, cheeses from La Manducateca and dishes for sharing, in a space inspired by limestone.

Grill house in Tolosa opened in 1954 by Julián Rivas, a greengrocer turned grill master who invented the tilted grill that many asadores use today. Matías Gorrotxategi took it over in the eighties and his children now run it, with the same charcoal-grilled ox chop and the house peppers.

Restaurant opened in 2023 in the Judimendi neighbourhood of Vitoria-Gasteiz by siblings Javi and María Sarasua, from Elgoibar. It offers a single tasting menu of eight or ten courses that changes with what organic and biodynamic farmers from Álava bring in, and revives almost forgotten Álava ingredients and recipes; its wine list has won an Ardoka award.

Basque-Asian tavern on Henao street, in central Bilbao, opened in 2014 by Galician chef Iván Abril. He cooks local seasonal produce with Asian techniques, in dishes for sharing such as sukalki dumplings with Iberian pork broth or a wok of vegetables with mushrooms and cashews, and it has a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Space in Vitoria-Gasteiz, opened in 2024, that brings together coffee, wine, handmade ceramics and graphic design. In the morning it is a good place for a coffee and in the afternoon for a glass of natural or small-producer wine, surrounded by the ceramic pieces made on site.

The Ayala family's grill house, in the old stables of a farmhouse in the Arkolla neighbourhood, on the slopes of Jaizkibel, just outside Hondarribia. Jon runs the grill and Arantxa the dining room: chops aged for at least 30 or 60 days, charcoal-grilled cod and monkfish and market specials, with the wine cellar on view and a sunny terrace looking out to Peñas de Aia.

Small shop on Don Tello street in Gernika, next to the market, with vegetables, cheeses, wines and tinned goods from local producers. Its name means “the good table”, and the idea is to eat mindfully: knowing where everything comes from, valuing the work of the baserritarra (Basque farmer) and caring for health and the environment. Open Monday to Friday morning and afternoon, and Saturday mornings.

Tavern opened in 2023 on Azara street, in Zarautz's old town, by chefs Javier Ochoa and Garikoitz Arruabarrena, with six tables and a bar with stools. Home-style Basque-Navarrese cooking of stews, reductions and slow cooking, and off-the-beaten-track wines from small producers in the Basque Country, Navarre, Rioja, Galicia, Castilla-La Mancha and France.

Neighbourhood bar opened in 1957 on Merindad de Uribe street in Barakaldo, with some twenty wines by the glass that change every week and special bottles served with Coravin. To go with them there are toasts with sardine or smoked cod and green pepper, croquetas, brioches and piparras, with friendly, unhurried service.

Small bar in Durango with a very short menu that changes every day depending on what the market has to offer. Its owner, Maore, is the founder of Bizio cider, which you can also drink there, and at night there is good music and a fun atmosphere.

Santi Ríos, “Piper”, from Ondarroa, has moved the txoko he had in Mutriku to Bilbao, to Plaza Ernesto Erkoreka, by the estuary. It is a small, family-run place with the air of a Basque gastronomic society, where the day's fish and seafood rule, handled by Piper with almost obsessive care.

Michelin-starred restaurant in Hondarribia that began as a popular picnic spot and is now in its third generation, with brothers Gorka and Kepa Txapartegi in the kitchen. They make what they call “Bidasoa cooking”, Basque and deep-rooted, with local suppliers, lots of grilling over embers and aged fish, and they have two spaces: a tavern and the gastronomic dining room, with à la carte and tasting menus.

On Calle Mayor in Hondarribia, in an old grocery shop that keeps its timeless feel, with Basque-rooted cooking and top-quality produce. Jordi, a young Catalan chef who comes from Etxebarri, has just taken over the kitchen, with Alex Hernández in charge of the wine cellar.

Wine bar in the centre of Gijón, a stone's throw from Plaza del Carmen, run by Rodrigo, with wines from small producers working sustainably and with minimal intervention, from all over Spain and beyond. To go with them there are charcuterie and cheese boards, toasts and seasonal dishes, in a simply styled space with a tiled bar.

Specialty coffee and brunch spot in Gijón, with a menu that changes every week and a young vibe. Good coffee, pastries and sweet and savoury morning dishes, to start the day slowly or stretch breakfast out until vermouth time.

Wine bar opened in 2025 on Lope de Vega street, next to Puertochico, named after Bena, the natural wine fair first held in Santander in 2024. It was created by Arlette Herreros, also behind Umma, and has the soul of a bistro: natural, biodynamic and low-intervention wines, a sommelier to guide you through the labels and a short menu for sharing; no reservations.

Restaurant in Candás run by chef Nel Castelo, with Sonia Menéndez front of house, opened in 2025 with what they describe as the first fully open kitchen in Asturias. Open from morning to night, with specialty coffee and its own pastries, a tasting menu at the counter facing the stoves and seasonal dinners, and it renews its menu almost every week with Asturian produce.

Wine bar on Tetuán street in Santander, with Mario G. Berlanga in the kitchen and Aroa García in the dining room and cellar. Wines from small producers and low-intervention winemaking, many by the glass, and a seasonal menu for sharing, such as anchovy toast with goat's butter; it is named after seña, a native grape of Cantabria.

Restaurant on Calle del Sol in Santander, opened in 2013 by Miki Rodríguez and holding a Bib Gourmand since 2017: creative, high-end Cantabrian cooking at a good price. It gives great weight to natural wine, rare in the city, with biodynamic wines made for the house under the Jarto label, and its dining room doubles as an art gallery.

Food counter and shop inside the Mercado de Vallehermoso, in Chamberí, opened in 2020 by chef Daniel Varea and fermentation specialist Nacho García. They make their own ferments and kombuchas, sell natural wines and serve highly technical market cooking, to eat at the counter or take home; it has a Solete from the Repsol Guide.

Sixties tavern on Condes de Barcelona street, in Carabanchel, reopened in 2024 by three friends, Arturo Romera, Antonio Tapia and Martin Phillipe See, who kept its green tiles, marble tables and old mirrors. Home-style, produce-led cooking, such as ensaladilla or kokotxas with fried eggs, and wines from three euros a glass up to great bottles at fair prices; there are 35 seats and nobody rushes you here.

Small restaurant on Pintor Salvador Abril street, in Ruzafa, run since 2017 by Alejandro Rossell and Encar Izabal. Fresh, seasonal cooking that combines fish and seafood with produce from the Valencian huerta bought every morning at the market, with dishes for sharing, rice dishes and friendly service; their motto is “cooking is an act of love”.

Restaurant in Valls, in the Alt Camp, serving Mediterranean market cooking with organic and local produce, somewhere between tapas and a sit-down meal. The cellar is extensive and mostly Catalan, with wines from small producers and even a label from its own vineyard, and prices are reasonable.

Cave à manger near the Grande Plage in Biarritz, on Rue Jean Bart, run by Christine Foote and Romain Delorme. They have around a hundred natural wines, from producers such as Mosse, Tricot or Bobinet, to drink on the spot, plus local beers and Basque cider, and small plates like their homemade crisps with crème fraîche and fish roe; open in the evening, Tuesday to Saturday.

Bar on Corso Vittorio Emanuele in Sabaudia, on the Lazio coast, founded in 1986 by the father and uncle of its current owner, Luigi Russo. Once a bar for toasts and sandwiches, it has become a bistro with hot dishes of local cooking and a cellar of some 600 labels, with plenty of natural wine and French bottles, for an aperitivo or a meal.