White tuna (bonito del norte) is fished in the Cantabrian Sea from late June through September, and two places near Bareyo stand out: Restaurante Labu in Ajo, for its classic seafood cooking, and Restaurante Alameda in Meruelo, where chef Alberto Criado turns it into his signature specialty.
Every summer, from late June through September, boats from Santoña, Laredo, and Colindres head out to fish for white tuna using rod and line, the catch that sets the culinary calendar of the Cantabrian coast. It's an artisanal, selective way of fishing, and it shows both in the price and in the texture of the meat: nothing like the canned tuna you can buy year-round. Santoña, home to the region's largest fishing port, is the epicenter of this season, and from there the fish reaches tables along Cantabria's eastern coast within hours.
On Cantabria's eastern coast, just a stone's throw from Bareyo, two restaurants capture the two sides of this season: the classic seafood house, where white tuna is just one more catch alongside everything else from the market, and the chef-driven kitchen that makes it the absolute star of the menu. Both are worth the trip while the season lasts, and both are less than twenty minutes away by car.
Restaurante Labu, in Ajo: classic seafood cooking ten minutes from Bareyo
Hostal Restaurante Labu opened in 1967 in Ajo, a fifteen-minute drive from Bareyo, and has been working with fresh coastal produce ever since. It keeps its own seafood tank —velvet crabs, lobsters, spider crabs, and barnacles from the Cantabrian Sea— and a spacious dining room built for groups and large families. In season, white tuna appears on the menu grilled or pan-seared with peppers, always depending on what the boats bring in that day. Piquillo peppers stuffed with Santoña anchovies are another dish that's rarely off the menu, and they make a great starter while you wait for the main course.
Restaurante Alameda, in Meruelo: the white tuna chef's table
Ten minutes from Ajo, in San Mamés de Meruelo, Alberto Criado has earned the nickname "the white tuna chef" by treating it with the same care as a luxury ingredient. His menu features white tuna tataki with ajoblanco, marinated tuna tacos, and more classic servings, but always with the same goal: getting the most out of a fish that's only at its best for a few months a year. The restaurant, with a weekday set menu and a fuller à la carte selection on weekends, has become a regular stop for anyone looking for more than the usual recipe on a single plate.
How to buy fresh white tuna to cook at home
If you'd rather cook it yourself, your best bet is to ask directly at the fishmongers in Santoña or Laredo, where fresh catch arrives daily from the market while the season lasts. White tuna is easy to spot by its pinkish flesh, which turns almost white when cooked — very different from bluefin tuna — and it holds up well on the grill, in marmitako, or in homemade preserves in oil. It's best bought the same day you plan to eat it, since it loses its juiciness quickly once filleted, and it's always worth asking whether it was caught by rod and line or with less selective fishing methods. A whole loin goes a long way: whatever you don't cook right away can be frozen in portions or turned into homemade preserves with olive oil, salt, and a bit of patience.
What to know
White tuna season in Cantabria starts in late June and runs through September, with October as a bonus month in good years. July and August are the busiest months, with frequent catches and prices that are a bit more affordable than at the start of the season. If you're planning to eat at Labu or Alameda on a summer weekend, it's worth booking ahead: both fill up fast during high season, especially on Saturdays. And if you're buying fresh white tuna for home, always ask about where it comes from: rod-and-line tuna from the Cantabrian Sea has little in common, in texture or price, with tuna caught using other fishing methods.
White tuna is only at its best for a few weeks a year: once you've tried it in season, the year-round canned version just won't cut it anymore.
If the white tuna season teaches us anything, it's that on this coast the calendar rules: every product has its moment, and it's worth planning around it so you don't miss it. That's the same logic behind Bareyo Residences, where the villas are designed for stays long enough to discover these rhythms, not just pass through. If you're looking for more seafood and quality local cooking near home, check out our guide to where to eat in Ajo and Bareyo for more recommendations. And if you're already thinking about next year's season, September 2027 still has open availability in our villas.
