Spain Guide
Euskal Herria: the País Vasco & Navarra
Eating
1 Alona Berri c/Bermingham 24 One of the most popular tapas bars in Gros, this is an upscale place with award-winning pintxos from €2.
2 Bar Astalena c/Iñigo 1 Tapas bar in a great old-quarter location, serving a mouthwatering selection of pintxos, cold at one end of the bar and hot at the other, with all sorts of ham and shellfish delights, and delicious pistachio croquettes for vegetarians.
3 Bergara Bar c/Gral. Artetxe 8 Crammed with drinkers most nights, this swanky bar in Gros has bottles of wine set on the tables and a fabulous array of lavish pintxos.
4 Bideluze Plaza Gipuzkoa 14 Friendly, relaxed café-pub, overlooking the pretty green Plaza Gipuzkoa, with a warren of little nooks and crannies and overflowing with train memorabilia and other junk. The pintxos are great, with plenty of eggy concoctions at breakfast time, while in the evening it attracts a mixed crowd of drinkers.
5 
Casa Alcalde c/Mayor 19 Large, elegant belle époque bar, with hams hanging from the ceiling and a vast selection of pintxos from €1.35, including thinly sliced ham (€4), bacalao (cod) in pil-pil sauce, cheese and shellfish – a good place for beginners. You can also have full meals in a small restaurant at the back. Opening time: Daily 10am–4pm & 6–11pm
6 Casa Urola c/Fermín Calbetón 20 Classic Basque restaurant, with mains from €18, where the tiny tapas bar at the front serves elaborate and unusual pintxos, including goose liver in port sauce, plus the best txakoli in town (€1.50 per glass). Opening time: Daily 1–4pm & 8–11.30pm
7 Casa Vallés Reyes Católicos 10 An attractive bar with wood panels, tables and benches, established in 1942. It tends to stay busier longer than those in the old quarter mid-week, with tapas that are just as good – mainly fresh fish (hake and eel) and ham-based pintxos from €1.50. Price: Daily 8.30am–11pm
8 La Cepa c/31 de Agosto 7 Inexpensive raciones are served amid a decor of bullfighting posters and dangling hams; little compartments below the glass table-tops hold all sorts of treasures. The most celebrated snack is jamón jabugo, the most sought-after cured ham in Spain (€4.50), but the grilled squid and salt-cod omelette is also excellent. Price: Mon & Wed– Sun 11am– midnight
9 Cuchara de San Telmo c/31 de Agosto Bright, lively and very narrow bar with a hippy-esque edge, where the tables spill out into an otherwise empty square at the foot of Monte Urgull. The pintxos are irresistible.
10 Ganbara c/San Jerónimo 21 A small but popular bar with quality tapas, the highlight being the kokotxas de bacalo con almejas (cod with clams). Opening time: Tues, Wed & Fri– Sun 11am–3.15pm & 6–11.45pm
11 Akelarre Paseo Padre Orkolaga 56 
943 311 209 
www.akelarre.net On the far side of Monte Igeldo – take a taxi – Akelarre is home of lauded chef Pedro Subijana, and a trend-setter for nueva cocina vasca. Enjoy magnificent views, a real fireplace and exquisite dishes – the foie gras is especially renowned, and watch out for creations such as pepper ice cream. Price: €135 per head
12 Arzak Avda Alcalde Elosegui 273 943 285 593 www.arzak.es On the lower slopes of Monte Ulia, 1km east of the centre. A shrine of nueva cocina vasca, named after Michelin-star winning chef Juan Mari Arzak, who serves up a creative menu designed to mesmerize in an antique dining room with first-class service – expect to pay a lot for the experience. Price: €145 per head Opening time: Closed Nov and second half of June
13 Bokado Plaza Jacques Cousteau 1 943 431 842 Stylish new restaurant in an unbeatable setting – alongside the aquarium right at the mouth of the bay – with tables on a large sea-view terrace as well as indoors. The full menu features meat dishes from €25 and fish from €33, but you can also sample pintxos, such as spider crab and leek ravioli (€3).
14 Bodegón Alejandro c/Fermín Calbetón 4 943 427 158 www.bodegonalejandro.com An excellent restaurant from the stable of celebrated Basque chef Martin Berasategui, with two pale-yellow dining rooms and an exceptional tasting menú which changes every other day, featuring Basque classics such as peppers stuffed with cod, and roast veal.Price: Menú €35.70
15 Café de la Concha Paseo de La Concha s/n. Splendidly perched above La Concha beach, the terrace of this café-restaurant makes a great spot for a people-watching breakfast or lunch; the food is unexceptional, but the location makes it worth it. Opening time: Closed Sun
16 Juanito Kojua c/Puerto 14 943 420 180 www.juanitokojua.com An exceptional top-notch seafood restaurant, off Plaza de la Constitución, holding two basic dining areas with wooden beams, and traditional decor behind the bar. Sublime fresh fish from €18.Price: €29.50 dinner menú
17 Koskol c/Iñigo 5 A very simple place with a decent spread of pintxos (try the tasty omelettes), and a cheap menú that's a bargain.Price: Menú €9 weekdays, €12 weekends
18 Morgan c/Narrika 7 A bohemian clientele and a jazz soundtrack set the tone for this cafetería specializing in cheaper nueva cocina vasca dishes, emphasizing lighter first courses – stuffed aubergin, venison carpaccio – and creative desserts, rather than the traditional hearty main meals.Price: Lunch menú €15, dinner menú €22 Opening time: Closed Tues eve & Sun
19 La Rampa Muelle 30 The best (and last) of a string of seafood restaurants on the old fishing harbour, with tables on the quayside and straightforward, tasty seafood, best sampled in the afternoons with a glass of wine. Price: €40 Opening time: Closed Tues eve & Wed
20 Restaurante Kursaal Martin Berasategui c/Zurriola 1, Kursaal 943 003 162 www.restaurantekursaal.com Chef Berasategui now has two outlets at the Kursaal; in addition to this superb restaurant upstairs, which serves sumptuous tasting menús, there's also a less formal cafetería downstairs.Price: Menús €48.50 and €64.50 Opening time: Wed– Sat 11.30am–1.30pm & 8.30–10.30pm, Sun 11.30am–1.30pm