Restaurant in Bakio, Spain
Historic mill, honest Basque food, fair price.
A Michelin Plate-recognised restaurant (2024, 2025) in a 17th-century Basque country house, Zintziri Errota delivers traditional cuisine with a contemporary edge at a €€ price point. With a 4.6 Google rating from over 500 reviews, it is the strongest case for a special occasion dinner in Bakio without the cost of a starred venue. Book a few days ahead for weekends.
If you are deciding between a polished pintxos crawl in San Sebastián and a proper sit-down meal near the Basque coast, Zintziri Errota is the better call for a table of two or a small group looking for atmosphere alongside food. It is not the tasting-menu destination that Arzak in San Sebastián or Azurmendi in Larrabetzu are, and it does not try to be. What it offers instead is a €€ price point, a 1650 country house setting with working wood-fired ovens, and Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 — a consistent signal of quality cooking without the three-star price tag. For a special occasion dinner in Bakio where the setting does real work, this is a strong choice.
The building has been standing since 1650 and its history is layered in ways that are actually visible once you sit down. The space operated first as a blacksmith's forge — reportedly producing anchors, weapons, farm implements, and, according to local record, high-quality shackles of a quality comparable to those mentioned by Shakespeare in Hamlet , and later as a maize mill. That industrial rural past shapes the room. An old wood-fired oven now serves as a counter; a second provides heat in the dining room. The result is a rustic interior that feels warm and substantial rather than staged. The energy here is quiet and genuinely unhurried, which makes it a better fit for a celebratory dinner or a date where conversation matters than for a loud, convivial group night out. If you want noise and energy, look elsewhere. If you want to settle into a meal in a room that has earned its character, the atmosphere at Zintziri Errota delivers.
The kitchen works in a traditional Basque register with occasional contemporary touches. The Michelin Plate, awarded in both 2024 and 2025, confirms this is cooking that meets a professional standard rather than a heritage novelty act. The daily fish specials are worth asking about as soon as you sit down , the availability changes and the leading options move quickly. The baked octopus served on a parmentier of Ratte potato has been flagged by Michelin's inspectors as a dish worth ordering; at this price tier it represents the kind of ingredient-led, technically competent cooking that is harder to find than it should be. The broader menu stays within home-style Basque cooking with enough craft to keep it from feeling formulaic.
Country house format and the intimate scale of the room make Zintziri Errota a practical option for a small group celebration or a business meal where the setting needs to do some of the talking. The historic interiors give the occasion weight without requiring you to spend at the level of a multi-Michelin venue. For groups, the €€ pricing means a full table dinner with wine stays accessible compared to the €€€€ outlay at Azurmendi or Arzak. There is no confirmed private dining room in the available data, so if exclusivity of space is a firm requirement for your event, contact the restaurant directly before booking to confirm what can be arranged. The booking difficulty rating here is easy , this is not a venue where you need to plan weeks ahead the way you would for El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, but for weekend dinners in summer, a few days' notice is still sensible given the limited table count in a space of this size.
Bakio is a small coastal town and its restaurant options reflect that scale. Zintziri Errota and Gotzon Jatetxea represent the clearest choices for a proper sit-down meal in the area. For a broader sense of where to eat, drink, and stay while in the region, see our full Bakio restaurants guide, our full Bakio hotels guide, our full Bakio bars guide, our full Bakio wineries guide, and our full Bakio experiences guide. For traditional cuisine in other parts of Spain and southern France, Cave à Vin & à Manger - Maison Saint-Crescent in Narbonne and Coto de Quevedo Evolución in Torre de Juan Abad offer comparable positioning in their own markets.
The restaurant sits in a restored 17th-century country house outside Bakio , you are driving to a rural address, not walking from a town centre. Once there, the atmosphere is warm and unhurried. Ordering the baked octopus on Ratte potato parmentier is a reliable starting point; asking about the daily fish specials as soon as you sit down is worth doing. Michelin Plate recognition in 2024 and 2025 puts the cooking in a reliably professional tier at a €€ price point, which is a good entry condition for a first visit.
The country house setting and the quiet atmosphere suit a solo diner who wants a proper meal rather than a quick bite. At €€ pricing the bill stays manageable for one. That said, the room's character skews toward groups and couples , if you want counter seating or a more sociable solo format, a pintxos bar in Bilbao or San Sebastián would give you more energy. For a focused, quality solo lunch in the Bakio area, Zintziri Errota works well.
Database does not confirm specific dietary accommodation policies. The kitchen works in a traditional Basque style with a seafood-forward lean, so pescatarians are well served. For strict vegetarian, vegan, or allergen requirements, contact the restaurant directly before booking , the phone number and website are not in the current record, but the venue can be found by searching the name and address. Do not assume accommodation without confirming ahead.
No tasting menu format is confirmed in the available data. The kitchen operates more as a traditional à la carte and daily specials format. If a structured tasting menu experience is your priority, Azurmendi or Arzak are the right choices in the Basque region , at significantly higher cost. Zintziri Errota's value comes from quality cooking in an atmospheric setting at a mid-range price, not from a curated progression of courses.
Yes, with one caveat: confirm in advance whether the space can be reserved partially or in full for a group, as private dining arrangements are not confirmed in the current record. The 1650 country house setting, the working wood-fired ovens, and the Michelin Plate-recognised cooking give a celebratory meal real substance without the €€€€ outlay of a starred venue. For a birthday dinner, anniversary, or a business meal where the venue needs to impress, this is a practical and well-priced option in the Bakio area.
At €€ pricing with Michelin Plate recognition across two consecutive years and a 4.6 Google rating from over 500 reviews, the value case is clear. You are paying mid-range prices for cooking that has been independently vetted and a setting that most restaurants at this price point cannot match. The comparison point is not the starred venues of the Basque Country , it is the generic rural restaurant with similar pricing but no credential. Against that field, Zintziri Errota wins on both food quality and atmosphere.
Gotzon Jatetxea is the most direct local alternative for a proper sit-down meal in Bakio. For higher-end Basque dining in the wider region, Arzak in San Sebastián, Azurmendi in Larrabetzu, and Mugaritz in Errenteria all operate at €€€€ and require significantly more advance booking. Martin Berasategui in Lasarte-Oria is worth considering if you want the full starred-restaurant format within driving range. See our full Bakio restaurants guide for the complete local picture.
The country house format suggests capacity for larger parties, but specific group booking policies and private dining room availability are not confirmed in the current record. For groups of six or more, contact the restaurant directly before booking to confirm table configuration and whether any reserved space can be arranged. The €€ pricing makes it a cost-effective group option compared to starred Basque venues. Booking difficulty is rated easy, but groups should give more lead time than individuals , a week ahead minimum for weekend dinners.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zintziri Errota | This restaurant occupies a bucolic country house dating from 1650 that was originally used as a blacksmith’s (it is said that, in addition to anchors, weapons and farm implements, they also made high-quality shackles for prisoners similar to those referred to by Shakespeare in the pages of Hamlet), and later as a mill for grinding maize. The beautiful rustic interior comes as a pleasant surprise (an old wood-fired oven is nowadays used as a counter, with a second providing heat in the dining room). The home-style cooking has a contemporary feel and features the occasional creative detail. Check out the daily fish specials and start by ordering the spectacularly flavoured baked octopus on a parmentier of Ratte potato.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | €€ | — |
| Quique Dacosta | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| El Celler de Can Roca | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Arzak | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Azurmendi | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Aponiente | Michelin 3 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
Comparing your options in Bakio for this tier.
Book ahead and arrive with time to take in the building. Zintziri Errota is a 1650 country house in the Barrio de Artzalde outside Bakio, which means you need a car or a taxi. The kitchen focuses on traditional Basque cooking with occasional contemporary touches, so expect honest, produce-led plates rather than a theatrical tasting menu. The baked octopus on a parmentier of Ratte potato is specifically called out as a highlight, and the daily fish specials are worth checking when you arrive.
It works, but it is not purpose-built for solo visitors. The country house dining room is intimate and rustic, which can suit a lone diner who wants a relaxed, unhurried meal rather than a buzzy bar counter. At a €€ price range, the financial commitment is low enough that a solo trip is easy to justify. If you want company at the counter or a livelier atmosphere, a pintxos bar in Bakio or Getxo would serve you better.
The venue database does not confirm specific dietary policies, so check the venue's official channels before booking if you have strict requirements. The traditional Basque register means the menu leans heavily on fish, seafood, and meat, so options for vegetarians or those avoiding shellfish may be limited. The daily fish specials and dishes like the baked octopus suggest a kitchen that works with what is fresh, which can make advance notice more important than at a fixed-menu venue.
The venue database does not confirm a formal tasting menu at Zintziri Errota. The format appears to be à la carte with daily specials rather than a set progression of courses. If you want a structured multi-course tasting experience in the Basque Country, Azurmendi or Arzak operate at a higher price point with that format. Zintziri Errota is the better call if you want flexibility and good-value Basque cooking without committing to a fixed menu.
Yes, particularly for a small group or a couple who want atmosphere over formality. The 1650 country house setting, with a wood-fired oven repurposed as a counter and a second providing heat in the dining room, gives the space a character that a hotel restaurant or a modern urban dining room cannot match. The Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 confirms the kitchen is performing at a level appropriate for a meaningful meal, and the €€ pricing means you are not paying for occasion theatre.
At €€, it represents solid value for a Michelin Plate venue. The 2024 and 2025 recognitions signal consistent kitchen quality, and the country house setting adds genuine character that you are not paying a surcharge for. Compared to Michelin-starred options in the Basque Country such as Azurmendi or Arzak, Zintziri Errota costs considerably less for food that still earns formal recognition. If you are after a reliable, fairly priced Basque meal outside the main tourist circuit, the value case is clear.
Gotzon Jatetxea is the most direct local alternative for a sit-down meal in Bakio. If you are willing to travel, the Basque Country has a deeper bench: Arzak in San Sebastián and Azurmendi near Bilbao both operate at a higher price point with Michelin star recognition. For something closer in format and price to Zintziri Errota, Gotzon Jatetxea remains the main in-town comparison. Zintziri Errota has the edge on setting and formal recognition.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
