For pintxos in Bilbao, start under the arcades of Plaza Nueva in the old town, wander the Casco Viejo streets around it, then cross into the Ensanche for Calle Diputación and finish on Licenciado Poza (locals just say "Pozas") near San Mamés. Locals call the habit of moving from bar to bar poteo: one pintxo, one small drink, next bar. The bars below are the ones that appear again and again in tourism and food guides; it is a route, not a ranking.
How it works
- Look, point, order. Cold pintxos are lined up on the counter; ask the staff for the ones you want or take a plate if others are doing so. Hot pintxos are listed on a board and cooked to order, and they are often the highlight.
- Pay before you leave. Most bars tally up at the end. Keep track of what you had.
- Small drinks. A zurito (small beer) or txikito (small glass of wine) is the classic order. Txakoli, the local white, is common too.
- Stand. Pintxo bars are counters, not restaurants. Squeeze in, eat, chat and move on. In Plaza Nueva many bars put tables out under the arcades, which is pleasant on dry evenings.
Plaza Nueva
The 19th-century arcaded square at the heart of the Casco Viejo has around a dozen bars around its edges, and it is busy from early evening. Well-known stops:
- Gure Toki: modern, creative pintxos and a regular on best-of lists; its Idiazabal cheese dishes and its cheesecake are often singled out.
- Víctor Montes: a long-established bar and restaurant with a counter of classic pintxos and walls lined with bottles; you can stop for a pintxo or stay for a full meal.
- Café Bar Bilbao: a classic with a tiled interior, serving on the square since 1911.
- Sorginzulo: a busy counter known for its tortilla and its rabas (fried squid strips).
- Bar Charly: a small, traditional bar on the square with a counter of classic pintxos. Wherever you stop, try a gilda (olive, anchovy and pickled pepper on a stick), the most classic pintxo of all.
Casco Viejo streets
From the square, walk into the Siete Calles. Calle Santa María, Calle Jardines and Calle Somera are lined with small bars, and on a weekend evening the streets fill with people drinking outside. It is a good area to wander rather than to follow a fixed list: go where the counter looks freshest and the bar is full of locals. Near the river, the covered La Ribera market is worth a look in the morning, and it has a gastro area with pintxo stalls inside. For the rest of the old town, see our Bilbao travel guide.
The Ensanche: Calle Diputación and around
Ten minutes' walk across the river, near Moyua, two bars face each other on Calle Diputación and are among the best known in the city:
- El Globo: a bustling counter famous for its txangurro (spider crab) gratin and a long range of hot pintxos.
- La Viña del Ensanche: founded in 1927, a wine bar and restaurant known for its Iberian ham and seasonal plates.
Nearby, by the Albia gardens, Café Iruña (opened in 1903) is worth a stop for its Moorish-style tiled interior and its grilled lamb skewers (pinchos morunos).
Pozas: Licenciado Poza
Calle Licenciado Poza and the streets around it in Indautxu are a lively mix of bars and restaurants used by locals, and the place to be before and after an Athletic match at San Mamés, when red-and-white shirts fill the pavement. Two well-documented stops:
- El Puertito: a small, standing-room oyster bar with several varieties from Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
- Cork: a wine bar with a large selection by the glass.
Going to a match? Read our Athletic Club and San Mamés guide.
Timing and tips
- When: around 13:00 to 15:30 at lunch and 19:30 to 22:30 in the evening. Weekend evenings in Plaza Nueva are the liveliest; weekday lunchtimes are calmer.
- Pintxo-pote: some Bilbao neighbourhoods and bars run a weekly evening when a drink and a pintxo come at a set low price. Ask at your hotel or a bar which day applies; it varies by area.
- Closing days: many bars close one day a week and for some winter or summer holidays; hours change, so check before going.
- Getting between areas: walk, or use the metro (Casco Viejo, Moyua, Indautxu, San Mamés stations). See getting around Bilbao.
- Also try San Sebastián: compare with our San Sebastián pintxo route.
Staying connected
Bar hours shift, menus change with the season, and maps are the quickest way through the old town's tight grid at night. A data eSIM for Spain, installed before you leave home, gives you local data from arrival without removing your own SIM, so you can check opening times, reviews and the metro on the go. See how much data you need.