Zortziko

About

Zortziko restaurant, just a few steps from Bilbao's iconic Guggenheim Museum, is iconic in its own way. This ultra-modern kitchen is sited in an elegant, 19th century mansion and is the place for business lunches and relaxed dinners. The formality of the setting the three dining rooms are decorated in royal French, Victorian English and a more modern style is deflated by the helpfulness and cordiality of the DJed waitstaff. Chef/owner Daniel Garcia has earned his Michelin star through refinement of flavours in a truly Basque style at once inventive and conservative. Dishes change with the season, of course, and may include dishes like starter of txangurro salad, containing crabmeat on thin spaghetti with coral dressing, main course of blue duck slow-cooked served with a sweet rioja sauce, and a tasting plate of desserts to satisfy even the most adventurous gourmet. A single table in the wine cellar, the home of more than 600 labels, is reserved weeks in advance. Celebrity-magnet Zortziko (Frank Gehry, Pierce Brosnan) is one of Bilbao's culinary star attractions.

At a glance

• Verified listing
• Typical visit: about 1 hour