What Locals Actually Eat in Bilbao: 5 Classic Bar Snacks

Forget the pintxos tours and the influencer lists. What locals actually order in Bilbao hasn't changed much in decades — even as a new Japanese restaurant opens every month, aperol spritz comes in a hundred variations, and Georgian food is suddenly the trendy thing to try.

This is a tour of five spots that are part of Bilbao's culinary memory. They're not the most photogenic, and you won't find them topping "best pintxos" listicles, but they're what a Bilbao local actually recommends to a friend visiting town.

1. The felipada at Bar Alameda
2. The Triángulo at Bar EME
3. The pincho moruno at Melilla y Fez
4. The champis at Motrikes
5. The croquetas at Txiriboga

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The felipada at Bar Alameda Photo: Bar Alameda / Facebook

Alameda de Urquijo, 40 — next to the Alhóndiga

In 1955, a regular customer named Felipe asked if he could make sandwiches for his group of friends behind the bar: white sandwich bread, anchovy, lettuce, mayonnaise, and a touch of chili. They were such a hit that his friends came back the next day asking for "one of Felipe's" — and the felipada was born. Seventy years later, the bar still serves more than 250 a day, using the same recipe, with the only change being a switch to sliced white bread in 1977. You can order it spicy or mild. It costs under €2 and disappears in three bites.

The Triángulo EME at Bar EME, Bilbao's other legendary sandwich

Calle General Concha, 5

A few minutes from Alameda, Bar EME has been serving its own cult sandwich since 1950, now in its fourth generation of family ownership. The Triángulo EME is made with artisan bread, cooked ham, lettuce, and a lightly orange, mildly spicy sauce whose recipe is registered and closely guarded. It's substantial enough to keep you going until dinner. The bar itself — dark and old-fashioned until recently — was renovated not long ago and is now brighter and more welcoming.

Melilla y Fez, Iturribide street, Bilbao

Calle Iturribide, 7

Over 50 years ago, the Belkhir family arrived in Bilbao from Melilla. Ahmed Belkhir, just 15 at the time, began preparing the marinated lamb skewers he'd learned to make back home — first at a now-closed bar on the same street, later at Melilla y Fez. The dish isn't originally Basque, but it's been part of Bilbao's bar culture for more than half a century now — as much "Bilbao" today as any other local classic. It's grilled over charcoal and marinated with cumin, ginger, lemon, and pepper. Expect to pay around €2.50–2.80.

Grilled mushrooms (txampis) served at Motrikes bar in Bilba

Calle Somera, 41 — Casco Viejo

Right in the heart of the Casco Viejo, Motrikes has spent nearly fifty years focused on doing one thing: grilled mushrooms in a secret sauce that's survived a change of ownership 17 years ago without changing. They're served piping hot, spicy on request, and are a required stop on any pintxo-pote crawl through the old town. Go with patience — at peak hours, there's a line.

Homemade croquetas served at Txiriboga bar in Bilbao's Casco Viejo

Calle Santa María, 13 — Casco Viejo

Txiriboga is one of the classic stops along the Siete Calles route. Its homemade croquetas change filling daily — ham, chorizo, spinach, cod — and are ordered by the piece straight from the bar. On weekends, rabas (fried squid rings) join the menu, another beloved Bilbao Sunday tradition. The vibe is old-school tasca: no frills, good background music, the way it's always been.

If you'd rather have someone show you around these and other corners of the city, guided pintxo tours of Bilbao do exist — though for these five bars specifically, the most authentic way in is still to go on your own, around aperitif time, and follow your nose.