There’s no wrong time for a slice of ‘tortilla de patata’ and Bilbao has turned this treasured dish into a speciality.
You can find great tortillas in almost every bar in the city, but here are five places where Bilbainos go to get their fill
Txintxirri
📍 Calle Juan Ajuriaguerra Kalea, 3, Abando, 48009 Bilbo, Bizkaia
Just a 10-minute walk from the Guggenheim Museum, Txintxirri’s flavoursome tortillas are a firm favourite among Bilbainos. It’s a small and cosy bar which is usually full of people, but you’ll have no issues getting served.
Local tip – Order a slice of the ‘tortilla picante’. Packed with spicy guindilla red peppers, this variety has a slight kick to it, but is well worth a try.
La Taberna de Zarate
📍 Fernández del Campo K., 35, Abando, 48010 Bilbo, Bizkaia
Zarate opened in 2019 and has become one of Bilbao’s most popular spots for tortilla, reportedly making an average of 150 a day.
Located right behind Alhondiga, the bar is spacious with plenty of places to sit inside, while they also have a terrace out front with extra seating.
La Cocina de Aitxu
📍 Heros Kalea, 21, Abando, 48009 Bilbo, Bizkaia
Opened by Masterchef finalist Aitana Ávila, aka ‘Aitxu’, this bar is making waves in Bilbao. The spot offers five varieties of tortilla at all times, with further options available to order a la carte.
Although tortilla de patata is undoubetdly the star at Aitxu, their menu contains a wide range of dishes including salads, stuffed peppers and cheesecakes.
Cafetería Swansea
📍 Rodríguez Arias K., 70, Abando, 48013 Bilbo, Bizkaia
A stone’s throw away from Athletic Club‘s San Mames stadium, Cafetería Swansea is one of Bilbao’s hidden gems. A no-thrills bar that just serves great food. The tortilla is so popular that it regularly runs out. But make sure you stick around, you won’t regret waiting for it.
Swansea have opened up two more establishments in the neighbourhood of Sarriko: Swansea 2 and Swansea 3.
In addition to the tortilla, Swansea has a fantastic selection of sandwiches. What’s more, it’s close vicinity to San Mames makes it the perfect place to pick up a ‘bokata’ before a match.
Bar Gorliz
📍 Henao Kalea, 18, Abando, 48009 Bilbo, Bizkaia
A true Bilbao classic, Gorliz specialises in tortilla picante and tortilla with onion. Apparently the bar cooks over 100kg of potatoes every day and once you taste their Spanish omelette you’ll understand why.
If you’re looking for more places, check out this list here. Every year, Biscay holds a tortilla competition and these were the finalists in 2024, with the overall winner being Santurtzi-based bar, Biribil.
