17 Best Restaurants in The Pyrenees, Spain

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 rabbit stuffed with veal and pork, or call ahead to order an off-menu civet of mountain goat or venison. Book ahead as hours are unpredictable.

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. 

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 pollo a la cocotte con trufa (organic bluefoot chicken with truffle) and solomillo de ternera de los Pirineos con ligero escabeche de verduras y setas (filet of Pyrenean veal with marinated vegetables and mushrooms). 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. The "Kilometer Zero" lunch prix fixe is €45.

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.

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. 

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.

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, but summer visitors shouldn't miss the outdoor terrace overlooking the Sierra de Guara and San Miguel church.

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 and 90's banquet-like dining room, but the kitchen delivers well-executed Aragonés dishes with welcomed Galician flare. Delightful proteins and carbs abound, but don't miss their salad offerings (like the warm escalivada 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 modern with colorful tiled floors and funky wall art that's surprising for a small town. 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.

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. 

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.

This rollicking wood-paneled dining room serves surprisingly sublime seafood, cooked a la plancha (on the griddle), al horno (in the oven), or folded into a variety of rice dishes. The beer is fresh and cold, and the house wines, largely from Upper Aragón's envelope-pushing Somontano D.O., are big and bold—and dangerously economical.