There are many restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz where you can enjoy the finest Basque cuisine, both traditional and more modern. Whether you are looking for a place to enjoy a hearty meal or to succumb to a delicious snack, here are some restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz to consider if you decide to visit the city.
The gastronomy of a restaurant reflects the people of a place, because the characteristics of its food and recipes, the employees, the appearance of the premises and the treatment given reflect the values of its people. Due to their proximity to the Cantabrian Sea, the restaurants of Vitoria-Gasteiz offer fresh fish and seafood from the ports of the Basque coast. Another important aspect is the variety of meat with a designation of origin, stews and soups, and the variety of pintxos (as tapas are called in the Basque Country). In some places, rations are offered as a miniature representation of the tastiest recipes. Join us on our tour of some of the best restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz.
El Clarete is one of the restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz where the best presentations accompany classic Basque recipes. It is a place with a good combination of cuisine and drinks. Due to its characteristics, it is one of the restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz where the best thing is ask for recommendations from the staff when it comes to choosing a dish. You can find seasonal ingredients in dishes that can be tasted at the bar, such as mushroom croquettes and drinks such as muscatel– which is home-made. They have a tasting menu and a soup menu, with recipes such as txipirón rice broth. Located next to the historic centre, the restaurant El Clarete has a Repsol Sun. Finally, it offers an intimate atmosphere.
El Portalón is one of the oldest and most prestigious restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Located in the historic centre of the city, it’s in a building constructed between the 15th and 16th centuries. At that time it was an inn for merchants, making it one of the restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz where the the gastronomical experience is enhanced by its historical setting. It’s a memorable dining experience to be in a Renaissance and Gothic atmosphere while tasting a traditional cuisine. It is worth mentioning the dishes are made with quality local ingredients, such as snails, beans and mushrooms. Their winery boasts exquisite wines from the nearby Rioja Alavesa. In addition to a variety of cold and hot appetizers, there is a menu based on different specialities of seafood, fish and meat, including baked crab, pil-pil hake kokotxas and steak with potatoes. And for dessert? A Ramonísimo– vanilla ice cream with coffee powder, liqueur and almonds.
Located in the heart of the medieval ‘almond’– in the emblematic Matxete square– we find the cozy Matxete Asador, which specialises in grilled meat and fish. It is one of the restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz that combines traditional and modern cuisine, using recipes of all kinds. The highlights are the mushroom stir-fry (as a starter), the sirloin and the grilled turbot (as a main dish) and to top it off, the homemade desserts such as goxua (a typical Basque dessert) or cheesecake… A wide selection for a local, located in the most frequented area of the city.
In Arkupe you can enjoy traditional dishes in small portions. It’s perfect for sharing and testing different recipes! Arkupe has a wide selection of wines and a plentiful snack menu, making eating more informally in its modern bar a good option. They also have a dining room with an intimate atmosphere. It offers a more complete menu in which you can find appetizers, seafood, fish–such as its outstanding Biscayan cod pil-pil– and various meats. The extraordinary salt from the nearby medieval town of Salinas de Añana also has its place in the menu.
Txertena is one of the restaurants in Vitoria-Gasteiz where you can eat the most traditional dishes, as well as vegetables prepared in various ways. It’s a restaurant where the pintxos selection is very popular; therefore, a prolonged stop at the bar may end up reducing the duration of the meal. With a classic and welcoming atmosphere, it creates great local cuisine with avant-garde touches. Lamb’s feet in sauce and tripe with calf’s foot are some of Txertena’s specialities. Cod poppers (las piruletas de bacalao) is one of the most recommended starters.
