Bilbao Restaurants

This (halal) indian restaurant provides the most authentic Indian food in Bilbao. Be aware however:

1) If you are used to UK style Indian food, you may be disappointed as the Bilbaoinos are a little more conservative in their taste
2) The service at the restaurant is SLOW
3) The restaurant is not located in the best area (I don't recommend going exploring at night).

Note: My recent experiences with this restaurant is that it is in decline.

I cannot find the squiggle on my keyboard that should exist on the n in pena.

Anyhow, a pena is a supporter's club. These are often based in bars, and it is where the fans will watch the football when the team is playing away. (There is no tradition of away fans in Spain).

This bar is the one for Pena Txorigaldy, and to attend during an Athletic (away) match will give you a strong atmosphere. Mind you, it will be very full!

Out of match times, the bar still offers nice pintxos, including REAL pork scratchings.

Favorite Dish: Pork scratchings - the real thing!

Victor Montes is a cafe/restaurant located on the Plaza Nueva in the middle of the Casco Viejo.

The pintxos at the bar are excellent. While you are there, admire the whisky collection!

My experience of the sit-down menu was more mixed, a bit pricey as they get a lot of tourist groups.

Victor Montes is now expanding and they now have a delicatessan and chocolate shop on the plaza.

Favorite Dish: Pintxos on the bar.

2 more images

It´s something similar to a baggete/sandwich.
It consists of two parts, the TALO and the TXORIZO.

*TALO: It´s a slim bread made of corn fluor. It isn´t cooked in the oven, it´s cooked in a grill and it has round form. Some people prefers it crunchi and other people eats it more creamy, but it depends on the person.

*TXORIZO: It´s a pork meat sausage. You mix the meat with garlic, salt and red pepper. Then you put all this mass inside a intestine and you hang it for a pair of weeks more or less.
You can eat it like that, but if you are going to eat it with talo you have to fry or boil it.

Once you have cooked the txorizo, you have to roll the talo over it.

DELICIOUS!!!

This place was recommended to us by a couple of people, and indeed it was extraordinarily beautiful. We were eating light that night, so we only had pinxtos. They were not nearly as impressive as the atmosphere and setting. The waiter appeared to be rude to nearly everyone in his section (which included a multi-generational group from Mexico, three Spanish businessmen, and a couple tables of middle aged local women, along with us two apparently-rare-off-season Americans!). You can't go wrong with a glass or two of local tinto (red wine). This place was opened in 1903 and is worth stopping in for a drink & pinxtos just to see it. Maybe you'll hit them on a better night than we did...

While the food was acceptable and the price fair, the service in the restaurant section was careless and friendly. I had a drink in the bar section beforehand and found it far more pleasant. Seems very much a question of hit or miss depending on who served your table.

Hints of old Paris, hints of Barcelona....

This place is on the square where the coaches drop you.

Go in through the doors, in to a large, deep cafe with mirrors everywhere, decor which seems rather ...mmmm....Art Deco?

A good place to sit is either near the windows or at the back on the raised area.

You have to go to the bar to order. Their English is good!

Favorite Dish: Try the pastries!

This place is located in Getxo, a town close to Bilbao, you can get the underground in Bilbao to the station called Bidezabal and walk from there. the restaurant is a windmill on the top of a cliff, the views are amazing, and if you have time you can go for a walk. Although the restaurant is more expensive than the average, the food is very good, especially the seafood.

Favorite Dish: Kokotxas al pil-pil
Txipirones en su tinta