Santa María is one of the busiest streets of the Old Town in Bilbao and it is here where the pintxos bar Irrintzi Pintxos & Friends is located. Pintxos (small appetizers on a skewer) are an essential part of the Basque lifestyle as they are a great way of socializing. It is at Irrintzi where the most innovative pintxos are offered, influenced by cuisines from all around the globe to create the greatest flavors to accompany your wine or beer.

Santa Maria (Santa María 18), a typical tavern with decor from the 60s, specialising in liver pâté pintxos with caramelised apple, Irrintzi (Santa María 8) with its modern pintxos, Berton (Jardines 11) and Sasibil (Jardines 8), both on the Calle Jardines and both offering excellent pintxos and wines; the tavern Askao Berri (Askao 5), famous for its snacks on bread known as Traineras and Txapelas, and Gatz (Santa María 10), where you can try black pudding omelette, are other unmissable stops on this gastronomic tour. On the other side of the estuary in old Bilbao you’ll find the area around the Marzana dock, with several establishments where you can taste the finest pintxos.

Clean, contemporary decor and creative, comic-book-style murals perfectly compliment the old town setting at Irrintzi Pintxos & Friends. Fresh ideas and fresh ingredients keep things casual and draw an artsy, alternative crowd. Highlights are the pork and pineapple pintxo with Dijon mustard dip, and the Japanese-seafood-tempura-inspired swordfish and shrimp sticks served with aioli.

Pintxos and anywhere and everywhere in Bilbao, but if unique and modern pintxos is what you’re after, you have to visit Irrintzi!. This pintxos bar was swarmed with both locals and tourists alike when we went, so it’s clearly quite the popular spot. They offer some unique pintxos such as monkfish with gazpacho, beef with spinach mousse, and garlic with watermelon jelly and shrimp.

It would be hard to talk about Bilbao cuisine without mentioning pintxos, the Basque version of tapas. Pintxos differ from the tapas you may have experienced in Madrid or Barcelona. Much more than just a small bar snack, pintxos are never free, are served in bars all over the city and have evolved alongside the city’s cuisine to become gastronomic masterpieces in their own right.

You'll find every side of Bilbao at Irrintzi, from tourists to students and families to lonely locals, all drawn here for the friendly service, tasty food, drinks and relaxed atmosphere. Although this bar is located along Santa Maria, one of the busiest streets in Casco Viejo, Irrintzi is the discerning traveler's best alternative to the many tourist traps in this historic area.

If you want to sample a traditional Basque Pintxo (tapas) then Irrintzi is the only place you should visit. This upbeat establishment can be found in the Old Quarter on Andra Maria Kalea which is one of the main streets that side of the river. In terms of culinary treats, Irtrintzi offers the aforementioned Pintxo which is packed full with a host of delicious ingredients.

Entering a bar and having such a variety of pintxos to choose from is a delight. The bar is full of colors and smells, so let yourself be carried away by your intuition and you will surely be happy. The Irrintzi combines traditional elements of Basque gastronomy with very avant-garde cuisine, which makes it a mandatory stop on your walk through the Old Town.

Irrintzi – just down the road from bar Santa Maria is the kind of bar where the ‘cool people’ from Bilbao would go. It’s a good bar to finish your route or to go if you missed out on the others as it is open until later and you can find more exotic and modern pintxos such as crunchy frog’s leg.

Irrintzi is one of the best places to sample these delightful dishes, and it offers traditional and innovative pintxos. The cozy bar is often packed with an eclectic clientele; from the beautiful members of the Basque elite to the artisans and hipsters who give Irrintzi its distinctive vibe.

Finally, our walking tour ends at what is the catalyst of modern pintxos in Bilbao… Irrintzi. There’s always something new, colourful and intriguing. I’d recommend that you feast on falafel with shitake mushrooms, pork knuckle with vegetables, black bread with calamari and mini steak tacos.

I like Irrintzi Bar, Victor Montes and Berton in the old town. You can walk from one to the other, then to Ambigú, a small bar and restaurant owned by two brothers where the underground Bilbao goes for beers. The menu for lunch is good and cheap, by the way.