Going out in Anglet, Biarritz & Bayonne
Where to go out in Anglet, Biarritz or Bayonne? Looking for a nice place to enjoy a good beer at sunset or try the pintxos (tapas in Basque language) or seafood? We are pleased to share with you our best tips in the area, all tested and approved by our team!
Anglet seaside: Sables d’or beach
Where to go for a drink?
- La Chope: our favourite! Since it’s opening in 1982, la Chope (beer stein) is a must! Open all year round, it is the only real bar on the seafront with a really nice and laid-back atmosphere. They have both good draft beers (don’t miss the beer of the month!) and bottle ones, notably local craft beers. The large terrace facing the waves is covered when it rains. Happy hour on Friday nights between 8pm-9pm and live music on weekends.
- Apérock Cafe: for rock lovers! Every week, this very typical bar organizes several thematic evenings: Open Mic (open stage) on Wednesdays, 80’s DJ on Thursdays and concerts (rock of course
) once or twice a week! Great atmosphere but the drinks are quite expensive…
) once or twice a week! Great atmosphere but the drinks are quite expensive…- Vent d’Ouest: sports & music bar on the sea front. You can eat there burgers and portions. During smmertime, they organize jam sessions on Wednesday evenings, live concerts on Fridays and Latin nights on weekends on the rooftop terrace .
- Shelter: nice small café facing the sea. It is the ideal place to enjoy a good coffee or tea while watching the waves. Moreover, the food (lunchtime only) is fresh, healthy, local and delicious, and the brunch worth tasting.
And for diner?
After trying most (if not all 
) of the restaurants on the seaside, we have to say that you can’t really go wrong. There is no real “tourist trap” as you can find in some other beach resort cities. That being said, here are our favourite ones in a good range of prices:
❤️ La Pizz’ (€): Intrigued by the high number of 5* reviews this little pizzeria has received, we went to try its Neapolitan pizzas… And what we can say, is that we were not disappointed! Mamma mia: che buone pizze! The pizzas are just great, made with quality products, and the service is lovely. Mostly takeaway, but it’s much better to enjoy them on the spot fresh out of the oven 
.
❤️ Le P’tit Resto (€€): Although this is a historic restaurant in Les Sables d’Or, the service is always friendly and attentive. Here, the staff takes the time to advise you and explain the dishes. Le P’tit Resto serves good local fish and seafood dishes, with a special highlight on the mussels and chips! Very good value for money.
L’Euphrate (€): probably one of the best kebab in France and what’s more, made with love ! This small restaurant next to le P’tit Resto was the very first one to set up on the seaside. The owners are very welcoming and the plates generous.
Maitasuna (€€): This new restaurant in Les Sables d’Or specialises in wood-fired cooking and offers excellent fish dishes! Taste, quality, and a very nice service.
Around VVF beach in Anglet
- Lagunak: one of the locals’ favourite for the aperitif! This small shack is in front of VVF beach where you can directly bring your beer and snacks to relax after a busy day at the beach. The atmosphere is both nice and laid-back while prices are pretty cheap. To get there, just walk down the path from the Kostaldea on top of the cliff.
- Kostaldea: THE perfect spot for a drink at sunset! Located on top of the cliff, you will enjoy both the beautiful view on the ocean and Biarritz lighthouse and the delicious pintxos!
Other areas
Cinq Cantons square
Halles des 5 Cantons: locals’ favourite on weekends! Les halles is an indoor market open every morning till 1pm except Mondays. Don’t miss getting there on weekends around 12pm to enjoy a glass of fresh white wine with a plate of oysters, shrimps or anshovies: just do it as a local !
❤️ Next to the market in the same building, you’ll find a nice food court offering a large choice of food, either local French cuisine (specialities of fish & seafood or meat) or international (Mediterranean, Italian or Asian), all delicious! You can just pick anything you want and gather on the tables arranged around the bar to enjoy your meal.
Our favourite: CAO, at the back of the food court, very creative, often surprising in its combinations, but always a treat!
The place might be especially crowded and lively during weekends and when they organize thematic night parties. It is open at lunchtime till 3pm and in the evening till 9pm (10pm on Fridays & Saturdays) but closed on Mondays.
Cavaliers beach
Paillotte Bleue: This nice beach restaurant is definitely worth the bike ride to Les Cavaliers beach! The food is well-prepared, fresh and healthy. Try out their poke bowls or falafels with a healthy homemade juice at lunchtime and the tapas such as padrón peppers, hummus or gambas tempuras with a fabulous cocktail in the evening!
Madrague beach
Arrantza : Nami House guests’ favourite after a surf lesson with Anglet Surf Spirit ! This nice bar restaurant serves snacks to share (notably mussels a la plancha). Moreover, it has the biggest terrace on the seafront to enjoy ocean sunset view.
Along the Adour river
- Le Craft: for beer lovers! This place is both a bar and a beer shop which sells local craft beers as well as international brands. So if you miss that good old Hawaiian Kona beer our dorms are named from, don’t look further . Moreover, from Thursday to Sunday they also serve the best flammekueches (Alsacian pizza) you can find outside of Strasbourg and they give rock concerts every Friday evening!
- Benat: best deal in town to try traditional French cuisine… cooked by a former Parisian chef! For only 15€ you can get a full set including starter + main dish + desert + glass of wine. The restaurant is open only at lunchtime outside of July & August.
Biarritz
Les Halles area
Rather than staying on the seaside, don’t hesitate to go further back around les Halles: this is where Biarritz nightlife is in full swing! You will find there many wine & tapas bars. Next to it is rue Gambetta, Biarritz dining street, which offers a large choice of good restaurants.
Moreover, every Wednesday evening during summertime, Biarritz famous night market takes place around les Halles (crafts & local food).
Bar Jean (€): a must in Biarritz! Everyone knows about it and every single Biarritz inhabitant has undoubtedly been there. You can either grab a beer or a glass of wine with a few tapas, or try Basque food from the menu. Especially crowded and lively during week-ends.
❤️ Les Contrebandiers (€) : diametrically opposed to Bar Jean on the other side of the Halles, this tapas bar is simply excellent! It offers a very wide choice of high quality dishes to share. Here we eat Basque food, but reinvented with great taste. The prices are very reasonable and the service is both friendly and attentive.
Bar du Marché (€): Just a couple of steps from the Contrebandiers, this other famous place offers good food to share and typical Basque dishes.
Other places in Biarritz…
La Tireuse = the bar for beer lovers in Biarritz! It has both the best & largest choice of draft beers (only 20 taps..!). The beers are pretty expensive, but the food is good value for money! They often play rock concerts on Friday nights.
Etxola Bibi: Come here to relax after a surf session at la Côte des Basques beach. If you’re not surfing, don’t worry, this is THE SPOT for a mesmerizing sunset with both ocean and mountain view. One of Biarritz’s favourite for locals, so be patient to get served at sunset…
Miguel: located next to the tiny beach plage du Port vieux, this small rock bar has a great atmosphere and the bartenders are super friendly. The former owner is an old biker making Miguel cafe an unmissable spot for everyone attending the Wheels and Waves festival.
Bayonne
Most of foreign tourists come to the French Basque Country for Biarritz. However, Bayonne is definitively worth a go! This scenic city has narrow streets with beautiful traditional Basque architecture.
More popular than the trendy Biarritz, the city welcomes the biggest outdoor festival in France, Bayonne festival, during the last weekend of July (equivalent to the famous San Fermín festival in Pamplona).
Bayonne is just a 25 minute bike ride (or 45 minutes if you follow the Chiberta pine forest trail).
Bayonne city is divided in two by the Nive river:
– the East, named as little Bayonne, where you will find lots of lively tapas bars,
– the West, named as great Bayonne, the historical district of the town with a beautiful cathedral.
Don’t miss the scenic food market (local producers from both sides of the border ) on the banks of the Nive river!
- Katie Daly’s: such as any city in the world, Bayonne gets its Irish pub! They have the cheapest IPA in town especially during happy hours every day between 6.30-8.30 pm. Might be overcrowded on week-ends and when they play Rugby games.
- Kapito Café: definitively one of the best places on the Nive banks to try local Basque cuisine served as portions to share with friends.
- Bar du marché: this family restaurant in it’s original state since 1965 is famous for its traditional Basque cuisine. Don’t forget to write down your name on the blackboard in front of the restaurant to get a table. Perfect for a substancial lunch after wandering around the market on Saturday morning! It is open every day at lunch time except on Sunday.
