Agroturismo Abaienea

Right in the heart of the city and, although it is not bereft of history, this restaurant has been able to modernise in both form and content; in fact, after five decades since it opened, the Tobalina siblings (with Álvaro in the kitchen and Silvia running the dining room) have now firmly taken over the reins of the restaurant. It has several spaces, all with a distinctive character, where you can discover innovative traditional cuisine that varies according to the market, with the option of an à la carte service, an executive menu (only at lunchtime, from Tuesday to Friday) and a tasting menu

This simple, modern restaurant, which takes its unusual name by multiplying 12 dishes by a pairing of 12 signature cocktails, is one of the most bold dining options in the city, where a fun approach and global influences are very much at the forefront. On the menus (a ‘shorter’ option with 17 courses, and a longer one with 21), you’ll find constantly evolving fusion cooking, including enticing options such as their hamachi tartare with red curry tentsuyu and coconut ice cream or the prawn, peanut, vergamota and laksa soup. Here they say ‘every bite tells a story’!

A small restaurant divided into two spaces: an informal taberna with a bar counter and high tables perfect for snacks, and an attractive dining room (some of the tables have the feel of a small private space). The focus here is on traditional Basque cuisine designed for sharing that is simple yet delicious and based around locally sourced ingredients. One seasonal dish that we particularly enjoyed and can highly recommend was the “Porrusalda” with truffled potato foam and free-range egg yolk.

Located just a few minutes from the historic centre, Karmine is a restaurant that is definitely worthy of interest. Chef Jabi Sarasua's cuisine is a nod to his mother's Valencian roots, and places as much emphasis on the use of almost obsolete ingredients from Álava province as it does on the reintroduction of local recipes that have been all but forgotten (“cocido vitoriano” stew, asparagus “a la Urcelay”, rice with borage etc), but always from a modern perspective. The focus here is on a single tasting menu (8- and 10-course options) that is constantly changing as a result of the restaurant’

Amid the surprising landscapes of the Valle Salado de Añana, overlooking its salt pans that date back millennia, you’ll find this rustic-style former salt warehouse that now features the kitchen at its very heart with a bar counter arranged around it. Head chef Beatriz Pascual shows off her skills in front of us, using locally sourced organic fruits and vegetables to create honest and regionally inspired cuisine. She presents a singular tasting menu that evolves with the season and, weather permitting, begins with the first appetisers at a table that overlooks the ancient salt mines. We were s