Where a Michelin-Starred Chef Eats in Bilbao, Spain

The best Bilbao recommendations from Spain’s Royal Family’s favorite chef

This week, we’re in Bilbao, Spain with Alejandro Serrano, the executive chef behind his Michelin-starred, eponymous restaurant just outside the city.

Alejandro is one of Spain’s most exciting up-and-coming chefs. He became the youngest chef in Spain to earn a Michelin star, and in 2023 he was the only chef chosen by the Spanish royal family to represent his region during the swearing-in of Princess Leonor of Asturias, who is a big fan of his food.

Before opening his own restaurant, Alejandro spent several years working in Spain’s most prestigious kitchens like Azurmendi and DiverXO, both of which hold three stars.

Below, he shares his favorite Bilbao restaurants, the best pintxo bars, the wineries he loves most in La Rioja (one of Spain’s leading wine regions), and more. This is the closest you can get to eating the Basque Country the way a Michelin-starred local chef does. A Google Map is provided at the end of the interview.

A quick planning note: Bilbao is often paired with San Sebastián. If you’re starting there, here’s my San Sebastián edition with one of the city’s top chefs.