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A sustainable foodie's guide to Basque Country

Discover the traditional flavours and diverse dining experiences of this gastronomic powerhouse…

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Words by Esme Fox

Photo by Eneko Uruñuela

It’s no secret that Basque Country is a food lover’s paradise. But while you’re pintxo-bar-hopping or enjoying a cider-house feast, you might be surprised to discover just how sustainable and ethical the culinary practices of this region are, with strong links to tradition, the land and the sea. That’s bolstered by the efforts of organisations such as AZTI, developing innovative projects around food and the marine environment to nurture a healthier and more sustainable society. Meanwhile, the Basque Ambassador programme showcases culinary professionals who champion the region’s cuisine globally.

Eating and drinking in Basque Country is a joyful way to explore the land and meet its people, whether savouring traditional dishes or indulging in fine dining. Here’s how to experience the best regional food culture.

Photo by Michael Lechner

Dive into the dishes

Basque Country’s most famous food experiences represent sustainability in its most organic forms—celebrating engagement with local communities, using zero-kilometre and seasonal products, and respecting centuries-old traditions. Here are a few not to miss.
Small patches of plants growing with a glasshouse in the background
Azurmendi restaurant

Visit a cider house

Apple trees abound in Basque Country so, unsurprisingly, cider-making dates back millennia. Visiting one of the region’s cider houses is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the local community and enjoy an experience rooted in ancient tradition.

 

Listen for the shout of “Txotx!” preceding a stream of golden cider spurting from a giant barrel, filling glasses held out by eager patrons. The probaketa—the traditional tasting of the year’s cider—has now evolved into a culinary celebration featuring a fixed-price menu of seasonal local dishes. Between courses of pork sausage, omelette, salt cod and txuleta (large rib cuts of steak), laughter fills the air as guests socialise at the cider barrels. Txotx season runs from January to April, but some cider houses, such as Petritegi in Astigarraga, are open year round.

Glass filled with a bit of apple cider

Photo by Christian Werther

(Ama)

Taste Basque cheesecake

Few dishes have gone viral quite as globally as the Basque burnt cheesecake – and La Viña, on Donostia-San Sebastián’s Calle 31 de Agosto, is ground zero. Cheesecakes line the walls of this bar-restaurant that’s become famous for its luscious desserts. The Basque version is lighter and airier than the more familiar dense, rich New York-style cheesecake. Invented almost by accident by Santiago Rivera, second-generation owner of La Viña, it has just five ingredients: cheese, sugar, eggs, flour and cream. The secret to its magic lies in the bake: a very high oven temperature caramelises the top of the cake, creating a beautiful golden-brown crust that encases a creamy, custard-
like centre.

A slice of basque cheesecake on a plate

Savour the flavours of the Cantabrian Sea

The hearty Basque stew marmitako is a sustainable story in a bowl. This rustic dish, using every part of the prized albacore tuna, originated with fishermen who used part of their catch to sustain them on long trips at sea. They’d cook line-caught tuna with items that were easy to store on board – onions and potatoes, for example – simmered in a single pot over an open flame. Leftover bones fortify the broth, minimising waste. Centuries on, marmitako continues to celebrate local, seasonal ingredients, using albacore caught during its summer migration to create this delicious hot soup. Taste it fresh from the pot at the simple restaurant Artza, overlooking the harbour in Bermeo.
Hearty soup in a bowl on a tray with a fork

Try txuleta steak or sukalki meat stew

In Basque Country, many dishes are prepared using beef from humanely reared older cows. Take the thick-cut ribeye txuleta steak, grilled to smoky perfection. The best txuleta come from locally raised, grass-fed cattle, ensuring exceptional quality and supporting Basque farmers while reducing both food miles and carbon footprint. Another traditional favourite is sukalki, a hearty meat stew made by simmering beef trimmings in a rich broth. This nose-to-tail philosophy minimises waste and honours every part of the animal – a testament to the region’s deep respect for resources.
Steak on a grill over fire

Experience a pintxos crawl in Donostia-San Sebastián or Bilbao

Any visit to the region must include a few stops for pintxos – small bar snacks similar to the tapas found elsewhere in Spain. Larger Basque towns all boast numerous fantastic pintxo bars – small, family-run spots where you can stop for a bite, a drink and a spot of socialising. Pintxos originated in bars in Donostia-San Sebastián’s old town as small, savoury bites to help soak up alcohol. Local ingredients have always been prominent: expect to savour pickled olives, peppers and anchovies speared with banderillas (skewers), alongside hearty plates of mushrooms, liver or salt cod sourced from nearby farms and fishermen.

 

Sustainability has long been a part of the pintxo tradition. Leftover cooked ingredients find new life on slices of bread or mixed with bechamel and fried, typically spiked with toothpicks to serve. Instead of large, resource-intensive meals, pintxos emphasise community and encourage exploration of diverse flavours through bite-size portions.

Customers sat at a bar with plates of food placed in front of them

(Ama)

The hall at Azurmendi restaurant (Azurmendi)

Where and how to eat in the Basque Country

The region has become world-famous for its excellent restaurants, ranging from simple grill houses to Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy. Here are some of the finest places where you can enjoy an incredible meal – and feel good about it.

Azurmendi

A meal at this three-Michelin-star restaurant near Larrabetzu, about 10km east of Bilbao, is a symphony of sustainability from start to finish. The striking, glass-clad building itself is powered by nature, incorporating geothermal heating and solar panels, and supplied by rainwater. Named as the world’s most sustainable eatery by The 50 Best Restaurants, Azurmendi serves an haute-cuisine tasting menu focused on local producers, with many ingredients collected or cultivated by the restaurant’s team. Waste reduction is an art form: food scraps are composted, recycling is meticulous, and water conservation is paramount. Under its gorgeous greenhouse ceiling, Azurmendi also hosts an incredible seed bank, part of an effort to safeguard local biodiversity.

Round dessert on a wooden plate

(Azurmendi)

Kofradia – Itsas Etxea

In the heart of Donostia-San Sebastián stands a restaurant that bridges the gap between fisherman and diner, providing insights into Basque maritime heritage. A meal at Kofradia – Itsas Etxea is an immersive experience designed to connect visitors with both the local fishing community and the bounty of the Bay of Biscay. Come to eat a delicious grilled turbot but also to learn about the seasons for harvesting various fish species, traditional fishing techniques, and the sustainable practices of local fishermen, all driven by Basque fishermen’s associations.

Fresh turbot being grilled (Shutterstock)

Ama

Take the highway inland from Donostia-San Sebastián to Tolosa to find a small restaurant that’s reimagining Basque farmhouse cooking. At Ama, chefs Javi Rivero and Gorka Rico focus on the rich products and culture of their native province, shining a spotlight on lost recipes and less-known ingredients that the farmers and home cooks of the area have always used. Expect
deep, rich broths and humble ingredients such as the local bean prepared to perfection and served elegantly, with a wonderful selection of regional wines to match. Ama chooses producers carefully, treating them like family – in fact, some of the dishes on the menu were inspired by meals that the chefs themselves enjoyed while making their rounds to local farmhouses to pick up the week’s produce.

Tuna dish with petals on top

Fresh carpaccio (Ama)

ENEKO

Perched between the renowned Bodega Gorka Izagirre winery, which produces txakoli (a slightly sparkling, very dry white), and Azurmendi, ENEKO pays homage to the region’s culinary heritage – with a modern twist. Double kitchens in the dining room hint at the culinary journey ahead, providing dual perspectives on Basque classics. Both, though, reflect the philosophy of chef Eneko Atxa – the powerhouse behind Azurmendi – linking eating with emotions. ENEKO boasts a Michelin star as well as the Michelin Green Star, recognising responsible sourcing and sustainability. Offering a more affordable fine-dining experience, ENEKO’s Sutan menu is an immersive masterclass in technique and tradition.

Chef Eneko Atxa side profile

Chef Eneko Atxa (ENEKO)

(Ama)

Glossary

The quality of being able to continue over a period of time, or the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance (Camrbdige Dictionary).

This refers to ‘the variability of living organisms, between and within species, and the changeability of the ecosystems to which they belong’ (The Convention on Biological Diversity).
According to the Responsible Tourism Partnership, ‘Responsible Tourism requires that operators, hoteliers, governments, local people and tourists take responsibility, and take action to make tourism more sustainable. Behaviour can be more or less responsible, and what is responsible in a particular place depends on environment and culture’. The concept was defined in Cape Town in 2002 alongside the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The process of protecting an environment and returning it to its natural state; for example, bringing back wild animals that used to live there (Cambridge Dictionary).
A movement reducing the distance between producers and sales and consumer establishments to a radius of under 100 kilometres, with the aim of minimising the effects that large-scale industry have on the planet, including soil erosion, water pollution, and habitat loss for wild species.
Being ‘green’ is used to describe actions or initiatives that are conducted in a sustainable way, in an attempt to reduce impact on planetary resource limits. However, the word can be used to describe actions or initiatives that do not actively do this, but rather convey an ethos of being planet-friendly; eg being outside, walking or riding a bike. This can be considered ‘greenwashing’ (when an individual or company paints an action as credibly sustainable when, in fact, it is an action that beenfits them, or that should be considered the bare minimum).