The best cafés in Bilbao: a route through our city’s most typical cafeterias
Bilbao is a happy combination of tradition and innovation – just like a good cup of coffee. It’s intense and invigorating like an espresso, but also warm and comforting like a nice latte on a dreary, wet morning. It’s streets are steeped in the aroma of its history, and its spacious cafeterias are where the city stops to chat, recharge its batteries and savour the moment. If you’d like to discover some of Bilbao’s unique cafeterias, be our guest! Read on!
From elegant cafés that have witnessed the passage of time and history to modern establishments with expert baristas, the city has a diverse offering to suit all tastes. Whether you’re looking for a relaxed breakfast, a lunch with a local flavour or an afternoon chat with friends, Bilbao’s cafeterias offer unique experiences in exceptional places. Bilbao is a city that knows how to enjoy life with all five senses, and coffee occupies a special place in its daily life.
Now that speciality cafés are all the rage, we invite you to rediscover and enjoy Bilbao’s most emblematic and charming cafeterias.
CAFÉ IRUÑA: THE VERY ESSENCE OF BILBAO CALLE COLÓN DE LARREÁTEGUI, 13 (BILBAO CENTRO)
Our route must inevitably begin with a visit to the legendary Café Iruña, Bilbao’s undisputed flagship cafeteria. Founded in 1903 in front of the Albia Gardens, its spectacular neo-Mudejar decoration, multi-coloured ceilings and wall paintings go together to create an ensemble that will take your breath away and transport you to a bygone era. Its spacious rooms, refined aesthetic and immaculate service make it the ideal place to enjoy a relaxing cup of coffee at any time of day. Its varied gastronomic offer includes the ever-popular pork kebabs (pintxos morunos), which every self-respecting visitor simply has to try.
CAFETERÍA RESTAURANTE MONTERREY: A BREAK FROM A HARD DAY’S SHOPPING
GRAN VÍA, 6 (BILBAO CENTRO)
Just around the corner from Café Iruña, on Gran Vía, is Monterrey, a gastronomic landmark since 1952. Its Basque cuisine is renowned for the quality of its ingredients and its seasonal dishes: everything from traditional stews to excellent fish. But the Monterrey is also a must for a refreshment, a good cup of coffee with a pintxo de tortilla or a rice pastry during a morning or afternoon shopping spree. Its impeccable service, top-quality menu and terrace make it the ideal place for lunch in the centre of Bilbao
ISIPIL: AUTHENTIC VILLARÍAS ARTISAN COFFEE
CALLE BELOSTIKALE, 21 (CASCO VIEJO)
For anyone who enjoys a good breakfast and quality coffee, Isipil is up there at the very top of the list! In fact, there are those who don’t hesitate to proclaim far and wide that they serve the best coffee with milk in all of Spain. They serve Villarías artisan coffee here and you can enjoy it with a butter bun, a toasted croissant, some homemade cookies or some other speciality from the local patisseries. And if you don’t have a sweet tooth, never fear! They have plenty of savoury treats to choose from: how about a freshly prepared toastie, a homemade tortilla or one of their many sandwiches? As you can see, they offer an endless selection of tasty dishes to set you up for the day!
CAFÉ BAR BILBAO: A VINTAGE COFFEE HOUSE BROUGHT RIGHT UP TO DATE PLAZA NUEVA, 6 (CASCO VIEJO)
The Café Bar Bilbao has been a living witness to the history of the city and a venue for all kinds of literary and political debates. It is still a landmark in Bilbao’s cultural life, and the owners organise events such as the ‘Short Play Script Awards’. This is a place where tradition and modernity blend to perfection. Its decoration retains all the charm of the coffee houses of days gone by: its welcoming and authentic atmosphere captivates locals and tourists alike and its magnificent terrace in the very heart of the Casco Viejo is perfect for enjoying a good coffee and the view of one of Bilbao’s most emblematic squares.
CAFÉ NERVIÓN: BOHEMIAN AND COSMOPOLITAN
LA NAJA, 7 (BILBAO LA VIEJA)
From its splendid vantage point, the Café Nervión offers an incomparable view of the Arriaga Theatre and the La Ribera Market. It’s one of those places that feels as if it’s always been there, and its cosmopolitan, bohemian atmosphere makes it an ideal meeting place for locals and visitors alike. From breakfast in the morning to the last drink of the night, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a coffee or a beer with a pintxo at any time of the day. And if you hear your tummy growling, they also have a menu of irresistible sandwiches and hamburgers. Its essence and prime location make the Café Nervión the ideal bar for a few beers with the lads or lasses
BAR CAFÉ GOLF BARRI
AVENIDA MADARIAGA, 2 (DEUSTO)
Reminiscent of a typical English pub, Golf Barri is a perfect haven at any time of the day. In the early morning, it offers a great selection of special breakfasts; at midday, it’s a great place for a glass of vermouth and if you’re in the mood for a nightcap, they sure know how to make a good cocktail. A real all-rounder, that’s for sure. They serve excellent coffee and if you ask for one of their pintxos you’ll be in seventh heaven! But there’s much more to this bar than its food and drink: from its splendid terrace in the heart of Deusto.
Bilbao’s emblematic cafés
This brings us to the end of our tour of some of Bilbao’s most emblematic cafeterias: veritable temples where you can enjoy a good cup of coffee at any time of the day. Maybe they’re no longer the home of literary or political debates, but they’re still the beating heart and soul of the city.
There’s no doubt about it: you can savour Bilbao through its cafeterias. Each one has its own style, history and speciality, but they all have something in common: the art of turning a cup of coffee into a unique experience in an exceptional place. Whether you’re looking for tradition, innovation or just a nice spot to relax in for a while, Bilbao has cafeterias aplenty to suit all tastes.
