GETARIAKO ITSAS PARRILLA

In Getaria, high-quality fish arriving at its fishing port has been combined, as nowhere else, with centuries-old expertise in grilling. This knowledge was inherited from its seafaring ancestors, among whom Juan Sebastián Elcano stands out, the leading figure behind the first circumnavigation of the world (1519–1522). He died in 1526 during a second expedition to the Moluccas, to which he brought various personal belongings, including the “three iron grills” mentioned in his will.

For centuries, cooking on board was carried out over hearths fitted with iron grills. These were used either to cook food directly over the embers or as supports for cooking vessels. For sailors and fishermen, the use of these grills was a very inexpensive cooking method, as it allowed freshly caught fish to be grilled without the need for oil or any other seasoning.

In the early 1940s, Getaria’s cider houses, wine cellars and taverns began providing simple portable grills for fishermen returning from the sea, so that they could cook their own fish while enjoying drinks from those establishments.

The grill quickly became the main attraction of these venues, which gradually evolved into restaurants as they began offering grilled fish to their customers. The first were the Iribar and Txoko wine cellars, which became restaurants in the late 1950s. They were followed by others such as Kaia, opened as a tavern in 1962 and converted into a restaurant between 1966 and 1968; Elkano, opened in 1964; Astillero, in 1971; and Politena, in 1978. Mayflower, Itxas Etxe, Balearri and San Anton joined them later.

Getaria’s gastronomic societies are closely linked to the development of these establishments. Their history also took shape in the mid-20th century in response to the needs of the local population, who wanted private meeting places where members could actively take part in preparing and tasting fish—grilled, of course—as well as other local products.

Today, the grill is a key feature of Getaria’s landscape and a symbol of the town’s seafaring identity, recognised internationally.