These are the restaurants in Basque Country that the major lists rate, plus the local institutions the press keeps returning to, on one map. Filter by list, tap a pin for the details, and follow the links on each card to the award or article behind it.
Key takeaways
- Strongest list standing: Arzak, Azurmendi and Elkano.
- 21 places: 11 with MICHELIN stars, 4 on a 50 Best list, 3 from other guides, 7 local institutions.
- Best-covered local institutions: La Viña, Bar Nestor and Bar Txepetxa.
- Every award and article is linked on its card, so you can check it yourself before booking.
Places are ordered by list standing, then press coverage. This is not a ranking of our own. Last checked October 26, 2026.
Screenshot of arzak.es Arzak
$$$$San Sebastián · Basque
Juan Mari and Elena Arzak's family restaurant holds three MICHELIN stars for its traditional and contemporary Basque cooking.
Avenida Alcalde José Elosegi 273, 20015 Donostia / San Sebastián
Screenshot of azurmendi.restaurant Azurmendi
$$$$Larrabetzu (near Bilbao) · Creative
A creative restaurant in Larrabetzu, in Bizkaia, holding three MICHELIN stars.
Legina Auzoa, 48195 Larrabetzu
Screenshot of restauranteelkano.com Elkano
$$$$Getaria · Grilled fish
A seafood restaurant in the fishing town of Getaria whose signature is turbot. It ranked No.24 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 and holds one MICHELIN star.
Covered by Condé Nast Traveler and Eater
Herrerieta Kalea 2, 20808 Getaria
Screenshot of martinberasategui.com Lasarte-Oria · Creative
Martín Berasategui's flagship in Lasarte-Oria, just outside San Sebastián, holds three MICHELIN stars.
Loidi Kalea 4, 20160 Lasarte-Oria
Screenshot of asadoretxebarri.com Asador Etxebarri
$$$$Axpe (Atxondo) · Wood-fire grill
Bittor Arguinzoniz, described by 50 Best as the Basque master of the barbecue, cooks in a village in the Bizkaia hills. It ranked No.2 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025, which also named it The Best Restaurant in Europe, and holds one MICHELIN star.
Covered by Eater
San Juan Plaza 1, 48291 Axpe, Bizkaia
Screenshot of akelarre.net Akelaře
$$$$San Sebastián (Igeldo) · Creative Basque
Pedro Subijana's restaurant holds three MICHELIN stars for creative and traditional cooking.
Paseo del Padre Orcolaga 56, 20008 Donostia / San Sebastián
Screenshot of mugaritz.com Mugaritz
$$$$Errenteria · Avant-garde
2 Stars · MICHELIN Guide Spain 2026#87 · The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 (51-100)75/100 · La Liste 2026Andoni Luis Aduriz serves menus of 20-plus courses that 50 Best calls as innovative and challenging as fine dining gets. It holds two MICHELIN stars and ranked No.87 on The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025.
Covered by Condé Nast Traveler and Eater
Aldura Gunea Aldea 20, 20100 Errenteria
Screenshot of ameliarestaurant.com San Sebastián (Centro) · Creative
Paulo Airaudo's tasting-menu restaurant in central San Sebastián holds two MICHELIN stars.
República Argentina Kalea 4, 20004 Donostia / San Sebastián
Screenshot of txispa.com Txispa
$$$$Axpe (Atxondo) · Japanese-Basque grill
Txispa joins Japanese technique with Basque fire cooking, as described by 50 Best, which ranks it No.80 on its 2026 extended list. It holds one MICHELIN star.
Axpe, 48292 Atxondo, BizkaiaKokotxa
$$$$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Modern Basque
A restaurant in San Sebastián's old town holding one MICHELIN star.
Kanpandegi Kalea 11, 20003 Donostia / San Sebastián
Screenshot of neruaguggenheimbilbao.com Bilbao (Abandoibarra) · Contemporary Basque
Josean Alija's restaurant inside the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao holds one MICHELIN star.
Abandoibarra Etorbidea 2, 48001 BilbaoDemaio
$$Bilbao (Bilbao La Vieja) · Neapolitan and Roman pizza
The Demaio brothers serve wood-fired contemporary Neapolitan pizza and Roman pizza in teglia. 50 Top Pizza ranks it No.16 in Europe for 2026.
Calle San Francisco 10, 48003 BilbaoGandarias
$$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Pintxos, grill
A pintxo bar and restaurant on Calle 31 de Agosto that the Guardian picks out as especially good among the old town's bars.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
Calle 31 de Agosto 23, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánAkelarre
Donostia / San Sebastián
La Liste places it in its Top 1000 restaurants worldwide, with a score of 97.
Padre Orkolaga Ibilbidea, 56, Donostia / San Sebastián, 20008 Donostia / San SebastiánLa Viña
$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Pintxos, cheesecake
Local institutionA family-run pintxo bar in the old town, founded in 1959 by brothers Eladio and Antonio Rivera, and the birthplace of the burnt Basque cheesecake.
Covered by The Guardian, Condé Nast Traveller and Condé Nast Traveller
Calle 31 de Agosto 3, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánBar Nestor
$$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Tortilla, steak
Local institutionA small, old-style bar with a very short menu of tomatoes, peppers, chops and chorizo, plus a tortilla that draws queues, per the Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
Calle Pescadería 11, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánBar Txepetxa
$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Anchovy pintxos
Local institutionA pintxo bar devoted to anchovies, marinated until silvery and served on toast with a choice of toppings.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
Calle Pescadería 5, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánBorda Berri
$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Hot pintxos
Local institutionA Fermín Calbetón bar known for braised hot pintxos cooked to order, which Condé Nast Traveller counts among the city's best.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
Fermin Calbeton Kalea 12, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánCasa Urola
$$$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Seasonal Basque
Local institutionA pintxo bar with a restaurant upstairs whose menu changes with the seasons and leans on vegetables, according to Condé Nast Traveller.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
Fermin Calbeton Kalea 20, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánGanbara
$$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Pintxos, wild mushrooms
Local institutionA busy pintxo bar open to the street, with Iberian hams hanging from the walls, run by Amaia Ortuzar and her son, per the Guardian.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
San Jeronimo Kalea 21, 20003 Donostia / San SebastiánLa Cuchara de San Telmo
$San Sebastián (Parte Vieja) · Hot pintxos
Local institutionA busy old-town bar with large hot portions at low prices, such as slow-cooked suckling pig. The Guardian calls it a landmark.
Covered by The Guardian and Condé Nast Traveller
Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia / San Sebastián
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Get the Spain eSIMHow we chose these restaurants
A place gets in one of two ways. It holds an award in a 2024, 2025 or 2026 edition of a recognised list, or it is a local institution that at least two established outlets have covered. We do not rank, and nothing here is paid for. The order on the page follows list standing first, then press coverage. The full method is in the note at the end.
More food guides
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- The best restaurants around the world, every country in this series
Frequently asked questions
What is the best restaurant in Basque Country?+
Which restaurants in Basque Country have three MICHELIN stars?+
Which Basque Country restaurants are on a 50 Best list?+
Where can I eat well in Basque Country without paying for a tasting menu?+
What are the most famous local restaurants in Basque Country?+
Is this a ranking?+
Methodology
How we did this comparison
This guide aggregates; it does not rank. A restaurant in Basque Country is included if it holds a place on a recognised list in a 2024, 2025 or 2026 edition (MICHELIN Guide Spain 2026, The 50 Best Restaurants 2026 (51-100), 50 Top Pizza Europa 2026, 50 Top Pizza World 2026, The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 (51-100), La Liste 2026, TasteAtlas Awards 24/25: 100 Most Legendary Restaurants and The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025), linked to the list publisher's own page, or if it is a local institution covered by at least two established outlets, each linked on its card. A single blog post or a review-site rating is not enough.
Places are ordered by list standing (MICHELIN stars, 50 Best, Tabelog Gold and Black Pearl three diamonds first, then other awards and Bib Gourmand), then by how much press they have. Summaries paraphrase the cited sources. Map positions come from OpenStreetMap. Price bands run from $ (casual) to $$$$ (tasting-menu fine dining) and are our reading of each place's menus and sources; places without one had no price source.
Every entry was checked against its sources on 26 October 2026. Lists change every year and restaurants close, so check opening days and book directly before you travel.
Sources & references
We verify carrier and regulator pricing directly from primary sources before publishing. Pricing is current as of the article's last update — always confirm rates on the carrier's site before you travel.
About the author
Lotsotravel Team
The Lotsotravel editorial team writes hands-on guides for international travelers. We test eSIMs on real devices in real destinations, monitor Canadian and U.S. carrier pricing weekly, and compare coverage across local network partners before we recommend a plan. Every comparison post is updated when carriers change their rates so the numbers you read here match what you would pay today.
Last updated: October 26, 2026