BASQUE COUNTRY - France 2014 - page 825

Eating in Bilbao
Near the Guggenheim Museum
(See “Bilbao” map, here .)
The easiest choice is the good cafeteria in the museum itself (upper level, separate
entry above museum entry; Tue-Sun 9:30-20:00, closed Mon, €25 lunch deal offered
13:00-15:15, reservations smart, tel. [phone]).
The circular structure outside the museum by the playgrounds and fountains is a
pleasant outdoor café serving €2.50 tapas (point at the ones you like on the bar). If the
tables are full, you can take your food to one of the stone benches nearby. In the evenings,
they sometimes have live music.
The streets in front of the museum have a handful of both sit-down and carry-out
eateries (cafés, pizzerias, sandwich shops) to choose from. National chain Fresc Co is a
healthy and cheap option for lunch or dinner, with an all-you-can-eat salad buffet includ-
ing some hot dishes, dessert, and coffee for less than €10 (daily 12:30-24:00, 10-minute
walk from the Guggenheim, three blocks west of Plaza Moyúa at Gran Vía 55).
In the Old Town
(See “Hotels & Restaurants in Bilbao's Old Town” map, here .)
Bilbaohasdevelopedathrivingrestaurantandtapas-barsceneinrecentyears.Forpointers
on Basque food, see here . You'll find plenty of options on the lanes near the cathedral.
Most restaurants around the Old Town advertise a fixed-price lunch for around €12; some
close for siesta between 16:00 and 20:00.
The street called Calle del Perro is tops for the tasty little tapas called pintxos
(PEEN-chohs). Xukela Bar is my favorite, with its inviting atmosphere, good wines, and
an addictive array of €1.60 tapas spread along its bar (tables only for clients eating hot
dishes, Calle del Perro 2, tel. [phone]). Calle del Perro is also good for sit-down res-
taurants. Browse the menus and interiors and choose your favorite. Well-regarded options
include three places virtually next door to each other: Egiluz (€11 meals served in small
restaurant up steep spiral staircase in the back); Río-Oja (€8 specialties, focus on share-
able traditional dishes called cazuelitas ); and Rotterdam (€10-15 plates, also has cazuel-
itas; try the chipirones en su tinta —squids in their own ink, served with a glass of house
red for €11).
The street called Calle Santa María caters to a younger crowd, with softer lighting
and a livelier atmosphere, and has three bars worth considering: Gatz, Santa María, and
Kasko. Kasko is the most upscale option, with stuffy service, a pianist, and an interesting