32 Best Restaurants in The Pyrenees, Spain

While many of the restaurants in Beget close for the off-season, Can Jeroni was serving locals well before the roads led visitors to its doors (think 20th century) and is open all year-round. The family-run establishment serves both traditional Catalan dishes, like stewed chicken with apricot and prunes, as well as creative riffs, seasonal soups, and an exceptional coca escalivada (roasted veggies, anchovies, and romesco on local bread). Enjoy lunch in a sunlit plaza in the center of town.

In this ivy-covered stone-and-mortar farmhouse perched over a deep gully in nearby Rocabruna, feast on carefully prepared local dishes like vedella amb crema de ceps (veal in wild mushroom sauce) and the Catalan classic oca amb peres (goose stewed with pears). In winter, spring for the civet de porc senglar (stewed wild boar) or any of the wild mushroom dishes.

In a flower-festooned 17th-century stone house is one of La Cerdanya's finest restaurants, which serves elevated Catalan fare with French touches. Beef a la llosa and duck with orange and spices are house specialties, and the wide selection of entretenimientos (hors d'oeuvres or tapas) is the perfect way to begin. Ask about wine selections, game, and wild mushrooms in season.

Pine walls and floors, red-and-white-check curtains, and flowy white tablecloths furnish this stuck-in-time restaurant in the gray-stone village of Gessa between Vielha and Salardú. Try the grilled venison with honey sauce or the local baked river trout. Book ahead online as hours are unpredictable.

This family-run restaurant and B&B in a former 19th-century residence has a crackling fire in winter and a willow-shaded patio in summer. Prix fixes change seasonally and center on well-executed classics like secreto ibérico con crema de hongos (Iberian pork steak with wild mushroom cream) and txangurro a la Donostiarra (baked crab). Rooms fill up fast in August and during public holidays.

El Tubo, the area surrounding the intersection of Calle Estébanes and Calle Libertad, is tapas central. Try to stick to one tapa per bar so you can sample as many spots as possible. El Champi (Calle Libertad 16) isn't much to look at, but this tiny establishment serves killer griddled mushrooms stacked on bread to soak up the garlic-infused oil. Bodegas Almau (Calle Estébanes 10) has shelves heaving with wine bottles and a bar stacked with gargantuan pinchos, which regulars gobble down in the standing-room-only barroom. The vermut con anchoas (a small plate of anchovies and a serving of house vermouth) is classic. La Republicana (Calle Casto Méndez Núñez 38) is a quaint antique space with a wide selection of tapas and migas (fried breadcrumbs) that rival those of the more famous La Miguería (Calle Estébanes 4), laden with garlic, olive oil, crispy chorizo, and optional lacy fried egg. A few steps away, Taberna Doña Casta (Calle Estébanes 6) fries up a lengthy list of inventive croquettes. Sin Nombre (Calle Libertad 7) serves cheffier tapas than the aforementioned and accompanies them with a varied wine list. 

On a bank overlooking the Garonne, the white-tablecloth, tile-floor Era Coquèla is a Vielha institution, beloved by local families, repeat vacationers, and even truck drivers passing through town. Roast meats, civets (wine-and-game stews), and seasonal vegetable dishes are native-son chef Marc Nus's strongest suits—all are served by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff.

Come here for seasonal and contemporary creations from an acclaimed chef and supporter of the slow-food movement, with a prix-fixe menu that may include dishes such as stuffed pigs’ feet with truffle and bacon or rabbit confit with tomato aioli. This restaurant is one of the best of its kind in the Pyrenees and, if you hit Sort at lunchtime, it makes an excellent reason to stop.

Huesca's top restaurant makes inventive use of local ingredients like wild mushrooms, wild boar, venison, and lamb. The glass-walled kitchen is as inviting as the food that emerges from it, and the wine list is strong on Somontano, Huesca's own D.O. A recent menu included dishes like crispy pork knuckle with revolcona (paprika-garlic) mash and roast turbot with crab cream and a seafood macaron.

For upscale tapas, sharable raciones, and a more sedate atmosphere, step into Palomeque. Dishes hinge on market produce and fuse traditional recipes with playful modern plating. Staff are happy to recommend wine pairings for any of the zany, updated versions of risotto, gazpacho, and other restaurant standbys.

Tucked away in a working-class neighborhood on the outskirts of Zaragoza, Will and Margaret is an unassuming eatery worth a stop on your way in or out of town. The Ecuadorian family running this jewel delights neighborhood lunch goers, students, and families alike with a menu that blends traditional Spanish fare with global influences and subtle nods to South American flavors. Dishes are crafted from fresh ingredients, artfully plated, with genial service. The three-course menu changes daily, featuring plates like turkey stewed with peaches and black pepper, or monkfish tail with shrimp, peanuts, and cilantro. 

At this wood-beamed barroom, dine on comfort-food tapas and mains like battered zucchini, meatballs bobbing in tomato sauce, fried eggs with sausage, and juicy steaks. Stay late for a supremely made gin and tonic. 

Roast goat or lamb cooked over a raised fireplace in the corner of the dining room is why this place is a fine refuge in chilly weather. The revuelto de setas (a scrambled egg dish with a variety of other ingredients) is a classic highland specialty, while the salads are varied and refreshing, especially after a morning or afternoon of skiing, hiking, or climbing. The mixed grill is a house favorite, and the opportunity to try whatever game—venison, wild boar, or partridge—is on the menu should not be missed.

Stop here for Basque and Navarran comfort food served in an old stone house on the river. Start with any of the local vegetable specialties, such as tender asparagus spears swimming in tangy vinaigrette, before digging into heftier mains like monkfish-stuffed piquillo peppers and (seasonally) roast squab and milk-fed lamb.

Romantic dining at a reasonable price is the main draw at this restaurant with two fixed-price menus offering dozens of dishes to choose from. The cuisine is distinctly Aragonese with a few modern twists (think local venison stewed with dates, plums, and honey), and the wine hails from nearby Somontano. Every meal starts with a flight of olive oils. The small, inviting dining room with arched stone walls make Pardina a cozy choice in winter.

A picturesque riverside location, knotty pine walls, wood beams, and a rustic prix fixe that highlights regional specialties make this a lovely spot for a meal. There is a ground-floor dining room with large windows that frame a broad sweep of the river and a second, smaller dining room tucked up in the attic.

In this graceful, rustic building in the upper part of town, the dining rooms are lined with historic photographs of Torla during the 19th and 20th centuries, and in late fall, civets of deer, boar, and mountain goat are the order of the day. In summer, lighter fare and hearty mountain soups restore hikers between treks. The black-marble-and-stone floor and the cadiera—a traditional open fireplace room with an overhead smoke vent—are extraordinary original elements of Pyrenean architecture.

This rustic former stable with whitewashed walls serves Aranese dishes with a modern, often French twist. Duck, either stewed with apples or served with carreretes (wild mushrooms from the valley), and roast lamb are favorites, as is foie gras de pato con pistachos con caramelo de Pedro Ximenez (duck foie gras with pistachios and Pedro Ximenez syrup). The wine list is particularly strong on Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Somontano reds, as well as full-bodied whites, such as Albariños from Rías Baixas and Ruedas from Valladolid.

Fontao may not look like much, what with its humdrum entrance and '90s banquet–like dining room, but the kitchen delivers well-executed Aragonese dishes with welcomed Galician flare. Delightful proteins and carbs abound, but don't miss their salad offerings, like the warm escalivada (roasted over coals) with goat cheese, which are a nice relief from the meaty cuisine of the region.

Coveted mountain views on the sprawling Plaza Mayor terrace are the primary draw to this tapas bar, which serves a solid list of pinchos (two-bite tapas usually on toasted bread) and mains. Don't miss the gildas (skewered olive, anchovy, and spicy pepper), which sit in a monstrous bowl on the bar, along with local river trout and grilled meats. 

This restaurant has a classy 1970s charm made surprisingly modern with colorful tiled floors and funky wall art. Start with the olla jacetana, their take on the local stew made with regional white beans, frizzled cabbage, and a fall-apart spiced pork rib. Then try out other seasonal specialties like the savory puff pastry with Swiss chard or the beef tongue salad.

This restaurant on the eastern edge of town is inside a former cheese factory, and the proprietors continue the tradition by producing fresh cheese on the premises while you watch. In the restaurant, fine local cuisine and fondues come with panoramic views looking south toward Puigmal and across the valley. There are tables in the bar for cheese-sampling sessions, an innovative tasting menu, and plenty of charm and good cheer.

With locally cured hams curtaining one side, hunks of beef aging on the other, and critter-filled fish tanks in the back, there's no question what this family-run establishment is cooking up. Sit outside on the terrace overlooking the Plaza de España, or go indoors and enjoy your fire-grilled steak alongside carefully preserved ruins of the ancient city walls.

One of the best tapas bars in town, La Tasca de Ana is boisterous and filled with locals. With only a handful of tables and standing room by the bar, it's not the setting for a quiet romantic dinner, but it's a fine place to kick-start the evening with local wine and tapas like rodolfitos (battered prawns) and pork paté and eggplant toasts.

Named after a much-feared and respected breed of fighting bull, this rustic tavern, located behind La Seo, is dripping with taurine paraphernalia. It offers an elaborate and inventive selection of pinchos and tapas. Jamón ibérico de bellota (acorn-fed Iberian ham), Spain's culinary crown jewel, is a no-brainer, though quail eggs or the tapa de la casa—jamón, foie, and mushrooms, with port sauce—is hard to resist. 

Come for a coveted spot on the sun-kissed patio and the spread of so-called tapas, which are far larger than the average and sourced from the neighboring farmers’ market held every Tuesday and Sunday. The patatas bravas with housemade aioli and chili oil are a must, along with the creative take on escalivada and a cachopo (breaded and fried beef, cheese, and ham) that could feed a crowd.

This rustic spot in Anciles is ingeniously constructed of glass, wood, and stone and specializes in local Benasqué and Aragonese dishes, such as civet de jabalí and perdiz guisada con setas de temporada (partridge stew with seasonal wild mushrooms). The latter is a perennial house favorite—the meat is cooked to perfection. The restaurant is sometimes closed unexpectedly on weekdays and out of season, so check before you go. Memorable and exuberant holiday meals are served at Christmas and Easter; reserve well in advance.

Housed in a restored stone farmhouse, Rita Porta's menu is classic Catalan with a few subtle twists. The beef tenderloin is served raw tableside on a hot slate for you to sear to your liking, along with homemade frites and padrón peppers. But don't sleep on the braised rabbit with mustard or the cheese flan for dessert. Three large courses, including drinks, will set you back only 25 euros. If the weather is nice, a table outside in the courtyard by the 500-year-old walnut tree is a must.  

Named for the classic bottle stopper (tap) made of cork (suro), this wine store–cum-gastrobar is the perfect place to unwind over local cheeses, duck and goose liver, and other delicacies. Expect a varied and affordable tapas menu and an ever-rotating wine selection with labels from Spain and France.