Spain · month by month
Bilbao food calendar
What is in season in Bilbao, what to eat right now, the food festivals worth planning around and the months to be careful with. Tap a month.
January in Bilbao
The best of January: Cider house season, Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce.
In season
- Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce
Salt cod dishes of the city, best in winter and Lent.
Jan–Apr
Eat it now
- Cider house season
Txotx menus in sidrerías around Bilbao and Gipuzkoa.
Jan–Apr
Nothing of this kind in January. Try Everything.
February in Bilbao
The best of February: Cider house season, Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce.
In season
- Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce
Salt cod dishes of the city, best in winter and Lent.
Jan–Apr
Eat it now
- Cider house season
Txotx menus in sidrerías around Bilbao and Gipuzkoa.
Jan–Apr
Nothing of this kind in February. Try Everything.
March in Bilbao
The best of March: Cider house season, Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce.
In season
- Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce
Salt cod dishes of the city, best in winter and Lent.
Jan–Apr
Eat it now
- Cider house season
Txotx menus in sidrerías around Bilbao and Gipuzkoa.
Jan–Apr
Nothing of this kind in March. Try Everything.
April in Bilbao
Shoulder seasonThe best of April: Cider house season, Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce.
In season
- Cod pil-pil and Bizkaian sauce
Salt cod dishes of the city, best in winter and Lent.
Jan–Apr
Eat it now
- Cider house season
Txotx menus in sidrerías around Bilbao and Gipuzkoa.
Jan–Apr
Nothing of this kind in April. Try Everything.
May in Bilbao
Peak seasonThe best of May: Anchovies and bonito.
In season
- Anchovies and bonito
From Bermeo and the Bizkaia coast.
May–Aug
Nothing of this kind in May. Try Everything.
June in Bilbao
Peak seasonThe best of June: Anchovies and bonito.
In season
- Anchovies and bonito
From Bermeo and the Bizkaia coast.
May–Aug
Nothing of this kind in June. Try Everything.
July in Bilbao
The best of July: Anchovies and bonito.
In season
- Anchovies and bonito
From Bermeo and the Bizkaia coast.
May–Aug
Nothing of this kind in July. Try Everything.
August in Bilbao
The best of August: Anchovies and bonito, Aste Nagusia.
In season
- Anchovies and bonito
From Bermeo and the Bizkaia coast.
May–Aug
On the calendar
- Aste Nagusiasecond half of August
Bilbao's big week: txosnas (festival bars), fireworks and cooking contests.
Plan around
- August closuresAugust
Some restaurants close for part of August, though the city fills for Aste Nagusia.
Nothing of this kind in August. Try Everything.
September in Bilbao
Peak seasonNothing of this kind in September. Try Everything.
Nothing special on our calendar for September yet. The city guide has what is good all year.
October in Bilbao
Shoulder seasonThe best of October: Txakoli and the Ribera beans.
In season
- Txakoli and the Ribera beans
The new txakoli is bottled in spring; beans and peppers in autumn.
Oct–Dec
Nothing of this kind in October. Try Everything.
November in Bilbao
The best of November: Txakoli and the Ribera beans.
In season
- Txakoli and the Ribera beans
The new txakoli is bottled in spring; beans and peppers in autumn.
Oct–Dec
Nothing of this kind in November. Try Everything.
December in Bilbao
The best of December: Santo Tomás, Txakoli and the Ribera beans, Santo Tomás fair.
In season
- Txakoli and the Ribera beans
The new txakoli is bottled in spring; beans and peppers in autumn.
Oct–Dec
Eat it now
- Santo Tomás21 December
Txistorra sausage in talo bread at the St Thomas fair in the old town.
On the calendar
- Santo Tomás fair21 December
Farmers' produce and talo with txistorra around the Arriaga and the Plaza Nueva.
Nothing of this kind in December. Try Everything.
Festival dates move from year to year, so check this year's dates before you book. Seasons are how growers, markets and local guides describe them; edges vary with the weather. Know something we missed? Tell us.