Most of these places are in a beautiful natural setting, either by the ocean or in the mountains, so naturally many of these are favourite outdoor places for fish or txuleta.
- Katxina, Barrio San Martín, Orio – 943 831 407, traditional lunch or dinner – (20min from SS)
Traditional restaurant on the way to Getaria situated on the hill with outstanding views outside the restaurant, where we started to learn to appreciate the quality of eating grilled sea bream or monkfish upon a recommendation from our Spanish teacher MariMar, who was from the very beginning our secret source for tips on where to go to visit or eat in this Basque realm.
- Abeletxe, Zarate Bidea, 20159 Zizurkil, t 943 693 983, traditional lunch (30min from SS)
Restaurant we discovered when Leo went for a school trip and we heard about the Basque heroine Edurne Pasaban who conquered 14 + 1 Everest Without Oxygen. When she is not climbing Mount Everest she runs a hotel and restaurant with a beautiful terrace overlooking the mountain scenery. We enjoy filet mignet / solomillo with foi there.
- Beizama, traditional lunch 50min from SS
This restaurant we discovered when Flora was not even two months old. We always have here a mixed salad / ensalada mixta as a starter, txuleta, red peppers, green salad and French fries, and house cheese cake. This typical rural mountain village has one restaurant in the municipality house with a terrace overlooking beautiful mountain scenery. It is also a place where we learned about the local liquor patxaran that is made mainly of sloe berries that grow on the blackthorn shrub in this part of Pyrenees.
- Camara, Pasaia, post traditional lunch or dinner, Pasaia
If you fancy a fish or seafood in a place where time stood still, you must get to this restaurant in Pasaia. Inside the very traditional restaurant is a well in the sea where they keep the live lobsters. Should you wish to eat one, they pull them up and let you pick your own, which is as fresh as it gets.
- Aittola Zar, Madariaga auzoa, Azkoitia, tel. 943 581 186, 635 710 281, traditional lunch (50min from SS)
As hidden in the beautiful mountains of Pyrenees as is possible, we always enjoy the most beautiful scenery whilst approaching this typical Basque house-based restaurant. For a starter order the fried plate with most delicious croquetas, then txuleta, red peppers, salad and French fries, and cheesecake to finish this simple yet divine rural meal.
- Etxebarri Asador, Plaza San Juan, Atxondo, Tel: 94 658 30 42, posh avant-garde lunch or dinner (75km/60min) – expensive yet fabulous tartar the chorizo and gambas and txuleta in a great natural setting, 1km away is a hotel/restaurant for aperitif, Mendi Goikoa, Barrio San Juan 33, Axpe – Valle de Atxondo, tel 946 820 833
We recommend you first have an aperitif at Mendi Goikoa which is a hotel/restaurant in a wonderful setting and with a great motto– “we are a place where you can hear silence.” And then go for a rural yet posh lunch to Etxebarri restaurant, where we had tartar the chorizo, gambas and txuleta.
- Etxebertzeko Borda, Orabidea, 31795 Lekaroz, tel. 948 580 400, traditional lunch (1.5hours from SS)
Place well hidden and which we had yet again difficulty to find, but once we succeeded we discovered a yet another traditional old restaurant in the beautiful setting of the Pyrenees that offers a great txuleta.
- Asador Laia in a Basque setting indeed, Arkolla Auzoa 33, Hondarribia, tel. 943 646 309, avant-garde lunch or dinner, 20km/25min
This is a good solution if you fancy the traditional fish or meat on the grill or even the menu of sidreria but with an avant-garde touch.
- Casa Julian, Calle Santa Klara 6, Tolosa, 943 671 417, traditional lunch or dinner (40min from SS)
When you walk inside this restaurant you may be confused as it looks like a warehouse/shop to begin with, but as you walk further you discover a cosy old place where you find displayed numerous wines, which creates a nice atmosphere. And to try their txuleta with red peppers is a must.
- Sidreria Zelaia, B. Martindegi 29, Hernani, tel. 943 555 851 (10km / 15min)
To enjoy this place you must not mind the great ritual of sidrerias, in this one, they keep the tradition of standing on your feet at all time…, great food, but you really must stand all the time (with Mari Mar and Jose Luis), 10km / 15min.
- Sidreria Saizar (with the huge metal apple), Kale-zahar Auzoa, 39, USURBIL, 943 373 995, avant-garde sidreria (11km/20min from SS)
A yet another well-hidden place that you know you’ve found when see a big metal apple, it’s a big, modern sidreria.
- La Era, Escota (Alava), 945 362 158 – 1.5hours from SS
Place recommended if you feel like enjoying more of the Basque country and wish to drive from the region Gipuzkoa to the region Alava to see its different kind of landscape. Their fish Rodaballo al horno con pil-pil de hongos and Cochinillo crujiente confitado en su jugo are worth the journey.
- Mesón Las Torres, Ujué – Navarra, tel: 948 73 90 52, traditional lunch – 145km/1.50min –
If you feel driving from the Gipuzkoa region to Navarra to enjoy their landscape this is the place for delicious lamb / cordero.
- Maskarada C/ Aralar, S/N Lekunberri, Navarra, tel. 948 504 236, avant-garde lunch or dinner – 50km/45min
It is a restaurant combined with a shop with pork/cerdo products only). Their artychocks with jamon, papada y pimientos de cristal, ensalada de carrilleras, laminas de lomo con trufa are great.
- Bar Jean, Biarritz , 05 59 24 80 38 – chateauxbriand – across the market
Our treat on Sunday was to go to the market, enjoy the fresh oysters or prawns with a glass of wine and then for lunch go for chateaubriand in this classical restaurant which is always buzzing with people.
- La Plancha du Pecheur, 37 Impasse Nicolas Bremontier, Ondres Plage, 05 59 45 24 06 – fish & seafood
What a stunning beach with dunas! And the fish & seafood is a treat!