The txotx tradition (drinking cider straight from the cask) typical of cider houses rooted in Basque culture is not at odds with modernity, technology, home automation and décor brought up to date, as anyone who visits Bilbao Urban Sagardotegi can see. In the centre of the capital of Bizkaia, its 400 m2 are devoted to offering customers the classic menu of these places, which are usually found in farmhouses in the countryside.

Spread over two floors, it seats 60 downstairs and has two further dining rooms upstairs, one for 15/20 people and another, more private, for 50 diners. They can be booked exclusively by groups for celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, company meals... And of course there is the kupela (cask) area where you can taste Zapiain cider, chosen for its quality, with a photocall and TV screen. Indeed, the owners’ background in IT has turned the sagardotegi into a smart space, with nine TV screens spread across different areas and lighting that changes with the time of day.