Walter Ponce
Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, has a secret that every Spaniard knows: the Calle Laurel. It is a short street in the old town (with its side street, the Travesía del Laurel) packed with tiny bars, and almost every one is famous for a single pintxo. You go from bar to bar, eat the speciality with a glass of Rioja, and move on.
It was our last stop on our road trip across northern Spain, a long lunch on the way home.
How the Calle Laurel works
- One speciality per bar. Each bar has its signature pintxo, often written above the counter.
- A glass of Rioja (or a zurito of beer) with each one. Wine by the glass is cheap here.
- Stand at the bar, eat, pay, and move to the next one.
- Best time: lunchtime and from 8pm. Weekends are packed.
Bar Soriano: the mushroom pintxo
The most famous bar on the street is Bar Soriano, on the Travesía del Laurel, and it serves exactly one thing: champiñón, a stack of button mushrooms grilled on the plancha with garlic and oil, topped with a prawn and skewered onto a slice of bread. It is simple and very, very good.
Google rating: 4.7 out of 5 from 2,920 reviews (October 2026). Reviewers rave about the mushrooms (“simple yet amazing” is the common theme), the low prices, the traditional atmosphere and the fast, friendly bartenders, even when the bar is packed.
What else we ate
Up and down the street, the counters are full of pintxos. Among what we tried:
- Gildas caseras: the classic skewer of olive, guindilla pepper and anchovy.
- Smoked Pyrenean trout on puff pastry.
- Marinated cod (bacalao) fried in breadcrumbs.
Other famous specialities on the street include patatas bravas, grilled pork ear (oreja) and pincho moruno skewers. Ask what each bar is known for and order that.
Why the Calle Laurel is special
Many Spanish cities have tapas streets, but few have so many bars packed into so little space. On a busy evening the street fills with people moving from door to door, glass in hand, and the crowd spills out onto the pavement.
Locals have a nickname for it: la senda de los elefantes, “the path of the elephants”. It is a play on words, because in Spanish slang someone who has had too much to drink is said to be trompa, which also means an elephant’s trunk.
The format is the opposite of a sit-down restaurant: small portions, low prices and constant movement. That is what makes it a good introduction to Spanish food culture, and why so many people plan a stop in Logroño just for one meal.
Rioja wine at the bar
You are in the capital of Spain’s most famous wine region, so a glass of Rioja is the default order. A few basics:
- Rioja was the first Spanish region to receive the top-level Denominación de Origen Calificada status, in 1991.
- Tempranillo is the main red grape, often blended with Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo. The main white grape is Viura.
- The labels tell you how long the wine was aged:
- Crianza: at least two years, with at least one in oak.
- Reserva: at least three years, with at least one in oak.
- Gran Reserva: at least five years, with at least two in oak.
- Younger wines are often listed simply as joven or vino de la casa.
At the bar, asking for “un crianza” will get you a glass of the house crianza.
Pintxo crawl etiquette
- Order small. One pintxo per person at each bar is the norm. The fun is in the variety.
- Pay as you go. In most bars you pay at the counter before moving on.
- Keep it moving. Eat, finish your glass and give your spot at the bar to the next person.
- Watch the opening days. Some bars close on certain days of the week. Thursday to Saturday evenings are usually the liveliest.
When to go
Logroño is good all year, but one week stands out: the Fiestas de San Mateo, around 21 September, which celebrate the grape harvest. Expect street parties, grape-treading and very busy bars. If you prefer a calmer crawl, avoid that week and go on a weekday.
Getting there
Logroño sits on the Ebro river, about an hour and a half by car from Bilbao and around an hour from Pamplona. The old town is compact and walkable: the Calle Laurel is close to the Co-Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, with its twin towers, so it is easy to find on foot.
Beyond the Calle Laurel
- Calle San Juan: a second street of pintxo bars, a few minutes away, more local.
- The Rioja wineries: Haro, Laguardia and the Rioja Alavesa villages are all within an hour.
- The Camino de Santiago passes through Logroño, so you will see pilgrims in the old town.
Verdict
My rating: 3 out of 5. The Calle Laurel is a fun experience, but it has become touristy and pricey for what you get, and the quality is decent rather than outstanding. Bar Soriano’s mushroom pintxo is still worth the stop. For a more local, better-value crawl, try the bars on Calle San Juan nearby.
FAQ
What is Calle Laurel famous for? A street of small bars in Logroño where each bar specialises in one pintxo, served with a glass of Rioja.
What does Bar Soriano serve? Only one pintxo: grilled mushrooms with garlic, topped with a prawn, on bread.
Is Logroño worth a stop between Bilbao and Madrid or Barcelona? For the experience, yes: it is right on the way, and Bar Soriano’s mushroom pintxo is worth the stop. Just know that the street has become touristy and pricey for what you get.
What is the best day to visit the Calle Laurel? Thursday to Saturday evenings are the liveliest. Weekdays and lunchtimes are calmer and easier if you want space at the bar.
What is a crianza? A Rioja wine aged for at least two years, with at least one year in oak barrels. It is the most common red by the glass on the Calle Laurel.
How many bars should you visit? Four or five is a good number for a meal: one pintxo and one small glass at each.
