A historic Bilbao heladería near Plaza Circular, in premises that opened in 1911 as a coffee roastery and confectionery before Victoriano Ortiz turned it to ice cream in 1975 — his daughter is now the master maker. Some eighty-seven flavours run from the classic mantecado to cheese and organic varieties, and the shop is regularly named among the best artisan ice-cream makers in Spain. In a July heatwave, this is the address that matters most.
Location
Abando / Ensanche, Bilbao
Map
Insider Intel
Whatever flavour the counter steers you to among the eighty-plus on offer — the classic mantecado is the benchmark, but the more adventurous cheese and organic options are the reason connoisseurs rate it so highly.
A warm afternoon or evening, especially in summer when the queue is part of the experience. This is a cool-down stop, so time it for the heat of the day.
Near Plaza Circular on Calle Navarra, in a building that has sold something sweet since 1911. Around 87 flavours; widely cited among Spain's finest artisan heladerías. The essential ice-cream stop in Bilbao.