Food on the Norte

[Mark2012]

Hello all,

While dipping in and out of the forum as I research my upcoming Norte trek (just over 2 weeks away!), I've noticed here and there casual references made to the differences between the Norte and the Francais as it relates to food and meals, but I haven't seen an actual discussion about it, so I'm curious to establish what the situation is on that front.

I walked the French way in 2012 and 2014 and my routine was basically to eat light for breakfast, have a bocadillo or tortilla for lunch and then have my most substantial meal (usually a menu peregrino) in a bar, restaurant or private albergue in the evening, with, if memory serves, the default being that you might have to wait until around 7.30pm before you could sit down.

Just how different is the 'norm' likely to be on the Norte? I saw a brief two-line comment on another thread, almost as an aside, to the effect that on the Norte you need to have your most substantial meal around lunch time, as all you will be able to get post-afternoon and before 9pm in the evening in most places is a bocadillo. The logic presumably being that the restaurants don't get back into the swing of things until later at night, which wouldn't suit the average pilgrim, either due to albergue curfews or with an eye on the early walking start.

So, is the Norte likely to be all that different to the French Way in terms of meal availability? If so, is that then a function of fewer places offering the menu peregrino and instead going with uniform serving hours that might be more compatible with locals and tourists?

Thanks in advance!

Mark

 

[Tia Valeria]

Broadly speaking yes eat at lunchtime (between 1.00pm and 3.00pm) then have either bocadillo or raciones (larger than tapas) in the afternoon/evening, or buy some bread and cheese/cooked meat. There isn't so much in the way of 'menu de peregrino' but more 'menu del día' and also 'platos combinados'. The former you get your bread and wine/water, the latter you pay for every item individually so pay for bread/wine/water etc. We found tortilla at almost any time of day which is useful too. Evening meals typically start at around 9-9.30pm and are often a la carte.
Buen Camino

 

[grayland]

Tia Valeria has described it very well.
The numbers on the Norte have not yet made the Pilgrim Menu a regular thing in most areas.
However, the numbers of people last year in late August/September surprised me, with many full albergues. Many pilgrims from Europe were walking their first Caminio due to hearing of the huge numbers on the Frances.
Few bars/restaurants have adjusted meal times (as is happening on CF) to accommodate pilgrims.

 

[bjorgts]

I have had a look in my diary to be a bit exact. Last summer we started our walking on the last part of the Le-Puy-route, walked the Pyrenees from St-Jean-Pie-de-Port to Irun, and then Camino Norte to Bilbao. We will continue from Bilbao in June this year.

Food: In Irun (Saturday) we got a Menu del Dia in the evening. (Forget Menu del Peregrino.)I don’t remember if we got the Menu very late or not. Pasaja: A wonderful Cantabrian fish Menu (del Dia) at lunch-time. Don’t know if was possible to have Menu in the evening there. San Sebastian: Menu at lunch-time. Not a place for Menu in the evening. Tuesday: Two Menu del Dia! 10€ for the Menu in Orio at lunch-time and another 10€ for Menu in the evening in Getaria at half past eight. Deba: Menu at lunch-time. Didn’t look for any in the evening. Some kilometers after Markina-Xemein: Casa Rural where we got Menu in the evening when we wanted it. Gernica: Menu at half past eight in the evening. Next day: Menu at lunch-time in Lezama, because we knew there would be nothing at the place where we should sleep. Next day: Menu in Bilbao at lunch-time. Didn’t look for anything in the evening.

So what is the conclusion after nine days? You can almost always find a Menu. Many small places also have Menu in the evening, but you can never be as sure to have one as you can on Camino France. Don’t expect a Menu in the evening until around eight, or half past eight , and don’t be surprised if you do not get one until half past nine. But … if you like fish, look forward to many nice fish-menues!

 

[Anemone del Camino]

While on CF the routine is sandwich of ensalada mixta for lunch, pilgrim dinner at night. None of that on CdN: there is real and delicious food available! Food the locals actually eat.

Take a snack with you if you want to eat something around noon, but I would suggest to eat later in the afternoon, once you arrive at the albergue, around 2-3pm. Go to the local restaurant and order the Menu del dia. For 10 euros or so it will be soooo much better than any pilgrim menu you have ever had. And it's important to make that meal your main one because at night you will find very little being offered before you head to be: mostly sandwiches, especially is smaller towns.

In larger towns you will find Pinxos in lovely bars, and I would encourage you to enjoy them. Lots of very well known places for pinxos in San Sebastian and Bilbao. Depending on the area you are in you will find local delicacies, or not so delicate but delicious such at the fabada or cocido asturiano. A heavy soup with beans, chorizo, blood sausage. Delicious. Also lots of fish, usually fried. Try the sardinas. In Santona stop and have some anchovies. In Bilbao croquetas.

Ate a a wonderful place in Santillana del Mar called El passaje de los nobles, it's on the main pedestrian street as you walk up to the Colegiata. Menu: fabada, cocido montanes, ensalada de queso de cabra, bacalao con tomate natural, brocheta de solomillo iberico at vino tinto, and for dessert the best lemon mousse ever.

In Llanes enjoy the Carbayones, local patisserie and eat at the Covadonga, 11 euros menu day and night. People queue at lunch time, so get there a bit earlier.

There's a lovely family owned restaurant in Hazas/Liendo, mother cooks. It's not the one on the main square but may 50 meters from it in a stand alone house in the middle of a carrefour. Grilled red pepper stuffed with bacalao! And in San Vicente, in the row of touristy shops and restaurants, there's one that stands out with its menu. I can't remember the name but it has blue and white tiles going around the main entrance. Had grilled sardines there.

I strongly suggest you start learning the words for the different types of seafood: carbacho, gambas, bacalao, chipirones, merluza, bonito, etc. Also cuts of meant: codillo, etc.

Breakfast will be the same as on the CF: croissants, toast or if you are luck tortilla de patatas.

Boy that just made me hungry! Hope this answers some of your questions!

 

[jpflavin1]

The biggest difference, imo, is a lot more fish. That obviously make sense considering location. Many times, if more remote, I ask to eat whatever they are making for themselves. That said, my favorite meal was at the Hotel Marino in El Rellayo. I will probably butcher the spelling.
Anchoas del Conteboco
Merluza del Pincho en salsa marinera con ahmejas
Copa helados

Breakfast here was also great.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Rajy62]

I echo the same sentiments expressed by others. Since Norte being a more popular tourist destination than Camino walkers, you will not see a "Peregrino menu" as such, but what you will see is"menu del dia" which is essentially similar. I am a fish person. I found that i was able to have fish that i am used to, like salmon, trout, snapper etc, on the Frances as part of the peregrino menu than on the Norte. "White fish" is abundant on the Norte. On the other hand, tourism also brings some of the best restaurants to the area. So, you can get food of your choice specially around those coastal/beach towns.

 

[angulero]

Anchoas del Cantábrico
Merluza del Pincho en salsa marinera con almejas

I strongly suggest you start learning the words for the different types of seafood: pastel de cabracho, gambas, bacalao, chipirones, merluza, bonito, etc. Also cuts of meant: codillo, etc.

 

[nc6000]

So if dinner isn't available until later in the evening does this mean that the albergues still close their doors at 22.00 like on the Camino Frances or do they stay open later?

I'll be setting off from Irun in 4 weeks time and am really looking forward to it.

 

[Rajy62]

So if dinner isn't available until later in the evening does this mean that the albergues still close their doors at 22.00 like on the Camino Frances or do they stay open later?

I'll be setting off from Irun in 4 weeks time and am really looking forward to it.

Local Spaniards eat after 9 pm throughout spain. We have to eat earlier and get to bed by 22:00 so as not to disturb other pilgrims. Most alberques would have a 22:00 lights out policy. Some do lock the door though. If you are going to be late, should make some arrangement.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

So if dinner isn't available until later in the evening does this mean that the albergues still close their doors at 22.00 like on the Camino Frances or do they stay open later? I'll be setting off from Irun in 4 weeks time and am really looking forward to it.

It's not so much that they will be having dinner later in the evening but that in the smaller towns they will only offer you a light dinner, not a "proper meal". Pobena comes to mind, and in the muni in Castro Urdiales, unless you want to hike back into town you will be relying on the small verision of the Carefour, only a block away from the albergue!!!, to get your food. And yes, the albergues will close at the usual times. So a light snack it is in the early pm.

 

[jpflavin1]

I never had trouble getting a good dinner and being in Albergue by 22:00 on the Norte with the exception of Miraz. Miraz is a very nice Albergue but there is only a bar in town. Here you can get a sandwich but not a meal. I recommend you buy food to cook in Baamonde about 15km's prior to Miraz.

Ultreya,
Joe