FOOD & DRINK HIGHLIGHTS
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EL GLOBO
BEST FOR: LUNCH-HOUR PINTXOS
Bare brick walls and a lively lunchtime
throng create the setting for this local
favourite, where the house speciality pintxo
is a disc of bread topped with spider crab,
paprika and a béchamel sauce. Pair it with
a chilled glass of txakoli and you may find it
hard to ever leave. It’s a few minutes’ walk
from Plaza Moyúa and, as with so many
places in Bilbao, offers excellent quality at an
extremely affordable price. barelglobo.esCHARAMEL GOZOTEGIA
BEST FOR: BAKED GOODS
Locals queue up, waiting to pile
into this Old Town bakery the moment
it opens its doors each morning, which
tells you all you need to know about
the quality of its in-house baking.
You’ll find everything from croissants
and pastries to more inventive concoctions
such as a blue-cheese cheesecake. The
coffee is particularly good, while the
homely interior design — with greenery
hanging from the rough stone walls
— makes it the kind of place you’ll want
to stay awhile. charamelgozotegia.comBASQUERY
BEST FOR: BEER-LOVERS
Located near the Udaletxeko Zubia Bridge,
this uniquely multifunctional spot is part
brewery, part bakery and part restaurant.
Staff in breton tops buzz around ferrying
drinks and parcelling up bread. It does a
good-value midweek menú del día, which you
can enjoy while watching bakers and brewers
going about their business, although it’s the
beer that’s the main attraction. Try the hop-
heavy Hitman IPA. basquery.comGURE TOKI
BEST FOR: EXQUISITE PINTXOS
Situated in one corner of Plaza Nueva,
Gure Toki is to many minds the greatest
pintxo bar in the city, with some of its
creations elevated to the realm of
fine dining. It’s eminently affordable
too, with devilishly good specialities
such as its sheep’s cheese soup, served
in a tiny bowl with quail egg, mushroom
and truffle oil, one of the best couple of
euros you’ll spend anywhere. Some of its
pintxo offerings require ordering direct
from the kitchen — don’t be afraid to ask.
guretoki.comFROM LEFT: Street scene
in the city’s colourful
Old Town; gildas at Gure
Toki pintxo bar; perfect
for late-night snacks,
Café Iruña opened its
doors in 1903
BILBAOJul/Aug 2020 129