Top chefs pick 9 of the best restaurants in Bilbao, Spain

Bilbao isn’t the first city that trips off the tongue when you recommend international dining destinations.

It’s only in the past 20 years or so that Bilbao has become much of a tourist destination at all. Before the Guggenheim Museum opened in 1997, some people just knew it as the airport where you landed en route for the charming seaside city of San Sebastian.

Yet Bilbao has a charm of its own, from the walkways and bars beside the River Nervión, through the parks, squares and plazas to hillside restaurants in the rolling countryside that almost reach down into the city. The Guggenheim itself makes a visit to Bilbao worthwhile, but the city has much more to offer, and the food is a big part of it.

The Basque Country has a long and proud culinary history, and Bilbao is now home to many restaurants that celebrate it. Stroll the streets, pick a random bar and there is a good chance you will enjoy decent pintxos snacks and local wines whose low prices belie their quality. We asked leading chefs for their recommendations, for both casual snacks and fine dining.

Here’s what they had to say:

Asador Etxebarri

If you are going to visit only one restaurant in the region, Etxebarri should be the one, though it is a trek. It’s almost an hour’s drive from Bilbao, set deep in beautiful countryside and overlooked by mountains.

Chef Victor Arguinzoniz was raised in this farming community in Atxondo and serves the most beautiful meat, fish and vegetables grilled over coals with minimal fuss. The tasting menu of about 15 courses is all about the ingredients, which may be as simple as scrambled eggs with spring mushrooms or a beef chop. Chef Virgilio Martinez of Central, in Lima, which placed sixth in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, is one fan; Enrique Valenti, of Marea Alta, in Barcelona is another. San Juan Plaza, 1, 48291 Atxondo; +34 946 58 30 42.