The Best Restaurants in the Basque Country, Spain, According to a Michelin-Starred Chef

Álvaro Garrido, the chef of Michelin-starred restaurant Mina and a native of Bilbao, shares five favorite restaurants that exemplify the resilient spirit of the autonomous region of northern Spain. 'Spain.

In the Basque Country, the pandemic has reminded us how much food forms the fabric of local life. Eating well is a priority throughout the autonomous community of northern Spain, and seems, for some local chefs, even more so now.

The region is a feast without end. The culinary destinations are available to you beyond the many Michelin-starred restaurants. You'll find pintxo bars littered with waxy paper napkins and people munching on savory two-bite snacks, like croquetas or Spanish tortillas, on a slice of bread and skewered with a toothpick; and sidrerías (cider bars) nestled in the verdant mountains, with patrons cutting through a forearm-sized fire-grilled steak while sipping sparkling natural cider.

“Our culture is based on food,” said Álvaro Garrido, chef and owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Mina, a restaurant in Bilbao's La Vieja neighborhood. “Geographically, we are very lucky,” he said, with access to fresh seafood from the Cantabrian Sea, high-quality produce from small family farms, and meat and dairy from livestock. raised in lush green pastures. The result is a strong culinary heritage that even the most discerning chefs hold sacred - and, of course, attracts food worshipers from around the world.

Mr. Garrido and his partner, Lara Martín, who runs Mina's reception hall, earned their first Michelin star in 2013 and have since attracted a large following. On rare days off, when Mr. Garrido isn't in the kitchen with the "warriors" of Mina, as he calls his staff, the Bilbao native visits vendors or enjoys a meal at a nearby restaurant prepared by one of his peers.

I interviewed Mr. Garrido for the first time in December 2019, to tap into his extensive knowledge of the restoration and discover some of his favorite places in the Basque Country. (I worked as a kitchen intern at Mina for about six weeks in 2014.) Soon after, the pandemic crippled the hospitality industry. Restaurants across Spain were forced to close by government mandate, some never reopened.

But some of the places on Mr Garrido's list managed to quickly pivot their activities. Zarate, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Bilbao known for its pristine seafood, has transformed a slice of its street-facing dining room into a seafood counter with takeout. Others waited until outdoor dining was approved and doubled their terrace service. Due to the largely outgoing and deeply food-centric culture, local customers were eager to return.

Then there was that quintessentially Basque spirit of resilience, which has helped restaurants navigate through some of the pandemic's darkest times - locals are no strangers to perseverance in the face of adversity. Amaia Garcia de Albizu, the manager of Arrea! and sister of the chef-owner Edorta Lamo, told me: "when the crisis arrived, it reminded us of our grandparents during the Spanish Civil War". Aware of the hardships of their ancestors, they did their best to persevere and maintain a sense of gratitude.

Ultimately, all restaurants on M Garrido have made it through the pandemic. The national tourism industry association, Exceltur, predicted in a January report that Spain's tourism gross domestic product could reach around 88% of its pre-pandemic levels in 2022 (€135 billion, or around €138 billion). dollars) - about 47 billion above 2021, although this is still 19 billion less than about 155 billion in 2019. With the return of tourism, the region has come back to life and the atmosphere at many restaurateurs is cautiously optimistic.

Here, Mr. Garrido shares five restaurants...