This small restaurant is on the quay facing Mercado la Ribera, the city’s huge covered market, where chef Alvaro Garrido sources the ingredients for his sensual concoctions. Garrido took a gamble opening a fine-dining establishment in Bilbao la Vieja a decade ago when it was something of a no-go area – but fans followed, as did a Michelin star. Six tables have river views and eight places at the counter offer a chance to watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen.

Set along the estuary of the River Nervión, this award-winning restaurant – also one Michelin star – is housed above a former mine, hence the name “ Mina.” Inside, the restaurant has a rustic feel with exposed brick walls and a well-stocked wine cellar. Its tasting menus feature various creative tapas bites, using locally sourced ingredients. For dessert, the saffron crème brûlée with pear and frozen amaretto is a real treat.

Of Bilbao’s Michelin-starred spots, Mina is definitely the spunkiest. Chef Álvaro Garrido and his self-titled 'warriors' serve up cheeky dishes, like a twist on everyone’s favourite spicy mussel pintxo, swapping out béchamel for lemon balm-coconut juice (it works). With a lovely location overlooking the Ribera market, it’s worth staying and splurging on the well-priced tasting menu.

Álvaro Garrido y Lara Martin, él en cocina y ella en sala, son los responsables del restaurante Mina, un discreto local con capacidad para 25 comensales abierta en el corazón de Bilbao en el año 2006, justo frente al mercado de La Ribera, en un edificio que antiguamente albergaba la galería de acceso a la mina de hierro de San Luis. La estrella llegaría en 2016 premiando su mezcla perfecta de cocina de mar y montaña que siempre depende de la temporada y que puede disfrutarse tanto en el comedor como en la imponente barra de madera de roble mientras se aprecia el trabajo entre bambalinas.

A perfect day for food-focused travelers in Bilbao might start at the Ribera market and end at Mina located across the street. Inside the small and unassuming building, which stands where a former mine entrance once operated, there’s a paradoxically bright and cavern-like restaurant made of wood and stone with an open kitchen that whets the appetite for raw, seasonal ingredients. Diners can choose between the full 14-course tasting menu or a truncated 10-course tasting menu, with wine pairings from the refined on-site cellar.

Located near Bilbao's vibrant Ribera Market, Mina offers a creative culinary experience that captivates diners with its artful presentation and imaginative flavor combinations. Chef Álvaro Garrido crafts seasonal tasting menus that showcase the best of Basque cuisine with a modern twist. The restaurant's intimate setting and focus on high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients provide a backdrop for dishes that push the boundaries of traditional Basque flavors, earning it critical acclaim and a dedicated following.

The Mina restaurant is located in a beautiful area, by the Nervion river, in the old district (Bilbao La Vieja) of Bilbao. Behind an almost hidden door, travel up a flight of stairs and into a small bright dining room with an open kitchen. From the Mina restaurant windows, you can observe the Ribera Market (close to lots of hotels in down-town Bilbao), a commercial reference point throughout the province, along with San Antón Church and bridge, which form part of Bilbao’s coat-of-arms.

Michelin-starred Mina is perched on the riverfront, a stone’s throw from the bustling Ribera market and therefore the city’s freshest produce. Every day they take their pick of the best seasonal ingredients and rustle them up into regularly changing tasting menus, made up of 7, 10, or 14 courses, which could involve anything from spider crab soup to seawater ice sorbet. Plump for the local wine pairings, take a seat up at the bar, and watch it all unfold.

In the colorful city of Bilbao, you'll stumble upon Mina, a tongue-in-cheek artist with an infectious love for vibrant graffiti. With paintbrushes at the ready, Mina turns blank walls into captivating masterpieces, leaving locals and tourists alike in awe. Don't be surprised if you start questioning the existence of a secret art school hidden beneath the city's cobblestone streets, where Mina must have honed their mystical talents.

We were lucky to have special guest chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants Mina, Zortziko and Zarate, as well as Jauregibarria Jatetxea cook alongside the oldest member of the txoko, Pedro Prieto, hosted by president Jose Nunez. We had traditional Basque dishes like rabo (oxtail), codfish– both in pilpil and bizkaina sauce), creamy rice and Idiazabal cheese ice cream, among endless pours of txakolis and Rioja reds.

With its industrial-chic decor, the Michelin-starred restaurant of local chef Alvaro Garrido is best described as a kitchen with tables. All the seating is positioned around the cooking area so you get culinary theatre along with your exquisite food (go for the bite-sized tastes of heaven otherwise known as the 14-course tasting menu). You’ll need to book way in advance but it’s an experience you won’t forget.

Located along the canal opposite the Ribera market in the heart of the city, Mina is the perfect place to stop for a bite to eat after a long day exploring Bilbao. The eatery is helmed by talented head chef Alvaro Garrido and his wife Laura Martin who runs Mina’s front of house. There is just one 14-course tasting menu (and a reduced option with 10 courses) which constantly changes with the seasons.

Still in Casco Viejo, the pleasant center of Bilbao, but just on the 'other' side of the water, is restaurant Mina actually not to be missed, provided you consider yourself a real one foodie considers. The restaurant has a Michelin star and serves a fourteen-course lunch or dinner – you can add more courses if you dare. And it is delicious, to say the least.

Tucked away in the city’s vibrant Casco Viejo district, this restaurant offers a truly unique dining experience. From the moment you step inside, you are greeted with a warm and inviting ambiance. The rustic decor and cozy seating create an intimate atmosphere that is perfect for a romantic dinner or a gathering with friends.

Michelin-starred Mina 00 34 944 795 938, restaurantemina.es is the place to try contemporary Basque cuisine and you’ll even get change from £56 for its seven-course tasting menu. Book ahead as there’s only space for 25 guests per service in the intimate dining room.

In two hours we were slated to have lunch at Mina, where chef Álvarro Garrido would feed us sweetbreads with pumpkin and another eight courses. The only way to keep my stomach from shutting down entirely was to keep it thinking that breakfast never ended.

Here is the other trap that Mina does not fall into, less distraction, more focus on local seafood. Ya, it’s one scallop but it’s a sample of how amazing you can make a scallop. This was the “Vieira curada in alga kombu con fondu tostada de vegatales”.

Description: Chef Alberto López de Ipiña crafts elegant, market-driven dishes in a sleek, intimate setting. The tasting menu is a journey through Basque flavors with modern techniques. Signature Dishes: Lobster with smoked butter, pigeon with beetroot.

Located in the historic Casco Viejo neighborhood, Mina Restaurant offers a unique gastronomic experience with a focus on seasonal and local ingredients. The restaurant’s warm ambiance and friendly service make it the perfect spot for a memorable meal.

La Vieja boasts a Michelin-starred restaurant that also attracts locals from across the bridge. The restaurant is called Mina (in English, the mine) and it is located on the Nervión River, opposite Bilbao’s old town Casco Vieja.

This Tuesday, the New York Times, in its travel section, has regaled us with an article by Caitlin Raux Gunther where she covers 5 restaurant recommendations from Álvaro Garrido, the chef at the Mina Restaurant.

The dishes prepared in Azurmendi, Mina, Boroa, Etxanobe, Etxebarri, Nerua, Zortziko, Andra Mari and Zarate, amongst other restaurants, are part of the best menu and represent the most refined Basque cuisine.

The list of restaurants with one star is completed by: Marqués de Riscal, Kokotxa, Zarate, Alameda, Zortziko, Etxebarri, Txispa, Mina, Nerua, Ola Martín Berasategui, Andra Mari, Alameda and Eneko.

Set on the edge of the River Nervión near the Old Town in Bilbao, Mina Restaurant offers views over the Ribera Market and The San Anton bridge.