Txispa

Bilbao, Spain

There’s plenty to big up about Bilbao including the Guggenheim Museum, the Old Town and now this brilliant fusion restaurant. Txispa combines the delicate techniques of Japanese cuisine with the robust flavours of a Basque grill (asador) to create a sublime menu served up in the rustic-slash-minimalist dining room of a converted 400-year-old farmhouse. Think exposed stone walls, timber-clad ceilings and polished concrete furnished with modern tables and chairs topped with contemporary glassware and crockery. As there are only six tables, you’ll need to book (and pay) well in advance and be punctual, as chef Tetsuro Maeda takes no prisoners when it comes to banishing latecomers. It is worth it for the surprise tasting menu, which makes the most of the wood-fired grill and vegetable garden.

Key Information

• Tasting menu from $275
• Lunch and dinner: Tues – Sun
• Visit Txispa's Website

Location

San Juan Auzoa, 45, Bilbao, Bizkaia, 48291 Atxondo