Baserri Maitea

A 17th-century farmhouse in Forua

Baserri Maitea occupies a restored 17th-century farmhouse in Atxondoa, in the municipality of Forua, next to Gernika. It opened in 1992 and comes from the tradition of Juan Antonio Zaldua and his first business, the Asador Zaldua; today it forms part of the Maitea Group, the same as Kaian, in Plentzia, and the Castillo de Arteaga. Inside it has a corner with antique ceramics, and outside, a terrace and space for weddings and large celebrations. The 2024 Repsol Guide gave it one Sun.

The Baserri's embers

The cooking revolves around the embers. In the part of the menu called that, the octopus is done over holm-oak embers (€32.45) and there is spider crab soup, conger with a hint of smoke, shelled red prawn or Cantabrian lobster (€48.40). For fish, grilled turbot with pil pil (€35.20), hake (€33), wood-oven-baked tuna neck, monkfish or cod with its kokotxas, all between €33 and €35. The meat ranges from an entrecôte for two at €66 to the chuleta by weight: €75.90 a kilo for the special selection and €86.90 for the premium.

The Maitea dishes

The other half of the menu is more of stews and home cooking: onion-braised baby squid, boneless Mundaka red mullet with seafood rice (€33), kokotxas in pil pil (€37.40), cod in pil pil, club ranero or Biscay-style, boneless oxtail or entrecôte meatballs with wild mushrooms. To start, Baserri croquettes in four flavours or a creamy rice with prawns. For dessert, the chocolate soufflé with orange ice cream (€12.10) or the warm curd made to order (€11); several desserts, marked on the menu, are ordered at the start, with the rest of the meal.

Two menus for the whole table

If you do not want to choose dish by dish, there are two tasting menus served to the whole table, VAT included. The Baserri menu costs €86.90 and goes through the embers: foie gras bonbon, octopus, spider crab soup, grilled tuna on piperrada, centre-cut entrecôte and the dessert of coffee with milk and caramelised bread. The Maitea menu costs €68.20 without wine: croquettes, creamy rice, grilled hake, entrecôte meatballs and a little rice pudding cake. The loaf of bread is charged separately, at €2.20 per person.

Hours and bookings

Lunch from 13:30 to 15:30 every day, also on Sunday, and dinner only on Friday and Saturday, from 21:00 to 22:30. Book on 946 253 408, by email ([email protected]) or with the form on its website. The website does not publish closing days or holidays: if you go in the low season, confirm when you book.

For the full day, combine it with the Casa de Juntas and the Gernika Tree or the Peace Museum in the morning. It is in the weekend in Urdaibai, and if you sleep in the centre of Gernika, the Hotel Gernika has free parking.