Food & wine
10 iconic restaurants in the Basque Country (France and Spain) — 2026 selection
Our pick of 10 restaurants in the Basque Country: six Michelin-starred tables (2026 guide) and four iconic spots in San Sebastián, Bayonne and Ciboure.
The Basque Country — Euskal Herria, on both sides of the Franco-Spanish border — is famous for its food. The Basque Autonomous Community alone has four 3-star restaurants in the 2026 Michelin Guide: Arzak and Akelarre in San Sebastián (Donostia), Martín Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria and Azurmendi in Larrabetzu. On the French side, the French Basque Country (Iparralde) has around a dozen starred restaurants. But the richness of Basque food also lies in its pintxos bars, cider houses and historic establishments. Here is our selection: 6 Michelin-starred restaurants and 4 iconic addresses.
6 Michelin-starred restaurants — the high-end experience
1. Arzak, San Sebastián (3 stars)
A family house whose building dates from 1897, turned into a fine-dining restaurant by Juan Mari Arzak (at the stove since 1966), who now works alongside his daughter Elena Arzak. A leading figure of the New Basque Cuisine of the 1970s.
- Style: creative Basque cooking, with an experimental laboratory
2. Martín Berasategui, Lasarte-Oria (3 stars)
Spain’s most-starred chef — 9 stars in total in 2026 (3 here, 3 at Lasarte in Barcelona, 2 at M.B. in Tenerife and 1 at Ola Martín Berasategui in Bilbao).
- Style: creative cooking
3. Mugaritz, Errenteria (2 stars)
Andoni Luis Aduriz, who trained at Ferran Adrià’s elBulli. Avant-garde, experimental cooking.
- Style: an exploratory tasting menu
- Setting: a farmhouse (baserri) deep in the countryside, about twenty minutes from San Sebastián
4. Akelarre, San Sebastián (3 stars)
Pedro Subijana since 1975. Huge picture windows looking out over the Cantabrian Sea, on the slopes of Mount Igueldo.
- Style: creative Basque cooking
- Setting: ocean views
5. Elkano, Getaria (1 star)
Grilled turbot is its emblem: founded by Pedro Arregui and still run by the family, the restaurant presents itself as a world reference for turbot. Fish and seafood grilled over embers.
- Style: grilled fish and seafood
- Setting: family-run
6. Alameda, Hondarribia (1 star)
A family business since 1942, with Gorka Txapartegi in charge of the kitchen. New Basque cooking based on local, seasonal produce, built around ‘Bidasoa cuisine’.
- Style: Basque cooking revisited, local and seasonal produce
4 iconic addresses — the soul of the Basque Country
7. La Cuchara de San Telmo, San Sebastián
A small bar in the Parte Vieja (Old Town), often packed. There are no pintxos on display on the counter here: everything is made to order, chosen from the blackboard.
- Style: hot pintxos and half portions cooked to order
- Setting: convivial, often standing at the bar
8. Bar Néstor, San Sebastián
Famous for its tortilla, made in very limited quantities, one for lunch and one for dinner: you need to get there well before opening time to put your name on the list.
- Style: a very short menu
- Signature dishes: potato and onion tortilla, chuletón, tomato salad, peppers
9. Cazenave, Bayonne (chocolate)
Founded in 1854, and under the arcades of rue Port-Neuf since 1864. Renowned for its frothy hot chocolate.
- Style: historic chocolate maker and chocolate house
- Signature: frothy hot chocolate
10. Chez Pantxua, Ciboure
On Socoa harbour, looking out over the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Locally caught fish and seafood.
- Style: seafood cooking
- Setting: dining room and terrace
- Signature dishes: ttoro, zarzuela, locally caught fish
Booking tips
- Michelin-starred restaurants: book as early as possible, especially in high season
- Bar Néstor: get there well before opening time to put your name on the tortilla list
Frequently asked questions
What is the best restaurant in San Sebastián?
It depends on your budget. For the starred experience: Arzak, Akelarre or, in Lasarte-Oria, Martín Berasategui. For more affordable food: a pintxos crawl in the Parte Vieja (La Cuchara de San Telmo, Néstor).
Do you need to speak Spanish?
No, but a few words of Spanish or Basque are always appreciated.
Is it possible to eat vegetarian in the Basque Country?
Yes, but options are limited. Pintxos offer a few choices based on cheese, vegetables or eggs. Watch out for ham, which turns up everywhere — always check.
Related guides
On egin — Enjoy your meal.