Bilbao Food Guide

The capital of Vizcaya in the Basque Country is known for their love of gastronomy.  Here the local custom is to call what is known elsewhere in Spain as tapas byt the Basque name pintxos.  These light dishes tend to be much more elaborate than their other Spanish cousins due to the Basque flare for flavor and love of gastronomy.  Explore town and indulge in different pintxos with car hire in Bilbao.

A popular activity on Friday and Saturday night is hitting the town to eat pintxos at the local pintxos bars, and this is as common as going out for drinks!

The winner of the local Pintxo contest for years running is Artiz.  Located on Calle Zugastinobia, it is quite out of the way and almost hidden in a very small one way street away from the main throughfares.  Ask for it and you will be given directions.  There are dozens of other pintxo bars on this street to compare with.

Pintxos are traditionally served with a small glass of wine, and are a miniature representation of the various specialties served in the area.  There are hundreds of different types, most served on top of a fresh slice of bread.  It is common to have fish in salsa or anchovies, but it all depends on the imagination of the cook. 

Another popular dish is gazpacho, a cold drink made of tomatoes, red and green peppers, and cucumbers.  This is a very refreshing drink and one of the typical dishes you can find in Spain.

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